"Dog ear" strap overhang on small wrists -- one solution
I gather I'm not alone in the small-wristed watch world when I say I'm bugged (maybe way more than I should be) by the dog ear overhang as seen above and in the next photo.
I hate it.
This Watchuseek thread, for example, from 2017, where velvet396 wrote "Small wrists - hate almost ALL my straps" echoes my gripe.
I know what he meant. I have to replace most leather/fabric etc. straps on most watches I buy because I get the "dog-ear" strap overhang on almost any watch with a regular sized watch strap.
In that thread, and other threads like it, the most usual suggestion is a new, custom strap, or a short-size strap like those made by Fluco and others. Both of those are excellent, if pricey, options--but what about all the straps I already have that are too large?
Can I save any of them? Can something else be done?
Well, for all but thicker padded straps and similar, the answer is yes, and yes. Something else can be done.
Most deployants don't help at all, but Ebay seller sectime sells a style of deployment I haven't seen elsewhere that works really well.
Sectime's deployants of this style put the excess strap under the rest of the strap and against the wrist, instead of just leaving the long end on top and still hanging over-long. The deployants come in 16/18/20/22 and 24mm sizes.
Here's a shot of two watches, fitted...
...and two underside shots of the deployant in use:
I know it looks a bit bulky in the close-ups, but it's not near bulky to wear as it appears. The result is actually very comfortable, and easy to size to a perfect or near perfect fit, with as much tightness or looseness as one might desire. The clasp is good and secure.
And...
I'll add, the last time the seller had none of the size I wanted at the time, I sent a note to him using Ebay's note to seller feature, and had a quick response (within a day) that he had more stock, and he put them back up quickly. Pretty fast shipping from UK, too.
Curator: Alberta Museum of Chinese Horology in Peace River; Member: China Horologe Association; Chief Expert: China Watch Overseas Working Committee (CWOWC); Sino-Canadian Horological Cultural Affairs...
Couldn't this reversal of strap be done on other deployant clasps by just turning them around?
Genuinely asking as I have no clasps on anything but bracelets.
Couldn't this reversal of strap be done on other deployant clasps by just turning them around?
Genuinely asking as I have no clasps on anything but bracelets.
No, because turning a regular deployant around doesn't solve the issue of the long part of the strap being over the rest of the strap. These have an extra "keeper" part (I can't think of a better description) by the clasp-securing piece that allows the long part of the strap to ride underneath the clasp and the rest of the strap.
There are Omega, Tag, and Breitling deployants (and maybe others...but I didn't find them) that have the tongue under, but most deployants ride like this, with the tongue over, not under...
(thanks Fratello for the shot)
(thanks Kirk B for the shot)
Oh I see...
Cool way to solve the issue
I'm actually wearing a leather strap with a similar deployant clasp right now. I like having the tail tucked so nothing is sticking out.
I'm actually wearing a leather strap with a similar deployant clasp right now. I like having the tail tucked so nothing is sticking out.
👍 What brand is that deployant?
This is a great solution. It's not something I have to worry about but it bugs me when I see dog ears on watch photos.
I'm tempted to buy one of those myself. I dislike standard deployants because they're a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and the reason I like leather is the feeling against my skin, which is taken away by the deployant clasp. But in this case it looks like the leather sits skin-side of the metal, so I may try one out.
👍 What brand is that deployant?
It was ewatchparts on Amazon, but I just looked and it isn't available anymore. Pictures are gone from the listing too. Here's the link anyways, there are at least reviews still:
https://a.co/d/hEWKiVN
I have bought this style from eBay. It is a little thick, but not worse than a NATO.
I have bought this style from eBay. It is a little thick, but not worse than a NATO.
That's how I see it. It's not worse than a NATO and it solves the problem. And if the strap is decent, it's a pretty comfortable solution. And it feels very secure.
Artem also offers deployant in the same style (left), which is apparently "inspired" by the one from Omega (right)😁
I wear my watches slightly tighter, because I do a lot of sports, just find it uncomfortable etc, I usually cut the strap.
Nice solution! I’ve learned to live with it but I won’t pretend I don’t angle my wrist to reduce it in photos 😂
Just my experience and in no way trying to downplay this solution.
Great write-up and a sound solution for us 'big-bone-impaired' (mine is at 6.25"). I tried this before on an Oris TT1 with an integrated rubber strap similar to an Aquis. The tucked-under design with the rubber strap made it very bulky, showing my feminine wrist even more profoundly.
I ordered a custom traditional buckle leather strap from an ETSY maker. At this point, I was relatively a newbie in the collecting journey. The buckle strap didn't fit well and would rotate the watch around the wrist, so I figured I'd tried it on the OEM clasp (same design as pictured here) that came with the watch.
Though the 'short/buckle' end aligned the flat portion of the clasp with the flat area of the wrist, the long/holed portion (too long as with many OEM straps that comes with the watch) of the strap would meander out of alignment with the strap throughout the day. It was quite an annoyance for me to have to slide it back in place. The second issue was that now I have two extra keeper loops floating with aimless purposes. I took off the free-moving loop and snipped off the fixed loop, thus damaging my $100 strap. If that free end was shorter, I would imaging that it would not have slide in and out as such, but that would not be the purpose of the original post. The constant movement and misalignment was still there. It was too annoying that I ended giving the watch to my brother-in-law. He has a larger wrist so it fits him better.