The Ultimate Guide to Spring Bars

Everest Bands has a variety of spring bars available for Rolex and Tudor owners. In this ultimate guide to spring bars, we are going to take a look at the styles and sizes available for your watch model. It is important to change your spring bars every few years. And, as you are swapping out your Everest watch bands and bracelet, it never hurts to have a few extra laying around. It’s very important to have the correct size spring bars. So, which one do you need?

Spring bars are like lug nuts on your car. You wouldn't drive your car with the wrong, low quality lug nuts. So, why would you put the wrong spring bar on your watch? Especially after you take such good care of your watch model. You can learn more about how to clean your watch here. But, back to spring bars. We recommend you use high quality material spring bars, and make sure you always use the correct ones. This is important because you don’t want the spring bars to come loose. Additionally, using the wrong spring bar size can cause a grinding down on your lug holes. 

First, we need to take a look at what spring bars actually are. Spring bars are called this because there is a spring inside the metal bar. You depress the spring bar at the tips to insert it into the lug hole where it then deploys into place. To remove a spring bar you can use different tools like the Everest Premier spring bar tool or the Everest travel spring bar tool to depress the tip of the spring bar, removing it from the lug hole.

There are different elements to a spring bar including shoulders and flanges. Shoulders are the tips that depress. Vintage style spring bars typically only sport shoulders. To remove a vintage style spring bar you use the removal pin side of the spring bar tool and insert it on the outside of the lugs. Adding pressure to the tool, it will depress and pop out of its lug hole. Below are examples of vintage double shoulder spring bars.

You can see the difference between a vintage lug hole style case, on the left, versus a modern spring bar style lug, on the right. 

Image Source

With no lug hole on the outside of the lugs, modern style spring bars must be removed a different way. Modern style spring bars sport flanges. The flanges, as pictured below, encircle the tip. Using a forked spring bar tool, you insert the tool between the lug and watch band or watch bracelet and depress the spring bar that way.

Image Source

Now, onto the different sizing. There are two sizes in regards to spring bars. The length, or measurement between the lugs and the spring bar thickness. Reference the synopsis below:

Lug Width Measurements

18mm

• Rolex Datejust (5 Digit Reference)
• Rolex Datejust 36mm (6 Digit Reference)

20mm

• Rolex Yacht-Master
• Rolex Explorer II (pre-2011)
• Rolex Milgauss
• Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39mm
• Vintage Lug Hole Style
• Rolex Submariner 
• 5512
• 5513
• 14060
• 1680
• 16800
• 16610
• Rolex GMT Master I
• Rolex GMT Master II
• Rolex Sea-Dweller
• Modern Style
• Rolex Submariner Ceramic
• No Date
• Date
• Rolex GMT Master Ceramic (non-Jubilee bracelet)
• Rolex Explorer I 39mm
• Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000

21mm

• Rolex Explorer II 42mm
• Rolex Deepsea
• Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm

22mm

• Tudor Black Bay Chronograph
• Tudor Black Bay 41
• Tudor Black Bay GMT
• Tudor Black Bay Steel
• Tudor Black Bay Steel and Gold
• Tudor Heritage Black Bay
• Tudor Heritage Chronograph  

Spring Bar Thickness Measurements

1.5mm

• Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm
• Rolex GMT Ceramic on Jubilee

1.8mm

• Rolex Yacht-Master
• Rolex Explorer II (pre-2011)
• Rolex Milgauss
• Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39mm
• Rolex Datejust 36mm (6 Digit)
• Vintage Lug Hole Style
• Rolex Datejust (5 Digit Reference)
• Tudor
• Tudor Black Bay Chronograph
• Tudor Black Bay 41
• Tudor Black Bay GMT
• Tudor Black Bay Steel
• Tudor Black Bay Steel and Gold
• Tudor Heritage Black Bay
• Tudor Heritage Chronograph

2.0mm

• Vintage Lug Hole Style
• Rolex Submariner 
• 5512
• 5513
• 14060
• 1680
• 16800
• 16610
• Rolex GMT Master I
• Rolex GMT Master II
• Rolex Sea-Dweller
• Modern Style
• Rolex Submariner Ceramic
• No Date
• Date
• Rolex GMT Master Ceramic (non-Jubilee bracelet)
• Rolex Explorer I 39mm
• Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000

One last note in regards to Everest watch bands, it is important to use the spring bars included with the Everest watch band for your specific Rolex model. This is because the rubber is specifically modeled for our spring bars. Additionally, when removing your bracelet or watch band, we always recommend taping the lugs to prevent the spring bar from scratching them. So, now, that you are a spring bar expert, make sure you stock up on your spring bars with Everest here. 

Image Source

Header Image Source