All watches should have drilled lugs, change my mind.

Dress watches can be an exception.

Not really. It only takes , maybe, a minute longer to change straps without drilled lugs.

Not me, sometimes I have to bring it to some jeweler and even they have trouble.

Why?

Practice enough and it takes about the same without drilled lugs shrug they can be handy for avoiding scratches, but then their aesthetic is tool watch and utility, which is the kind of watch we aren’t supposed to worry about scratching. But we do, of course.

Really for toughness and strap change speed it should be fixed integrated lugs and a Zulu every time.

I concur that a dress watch should not have exposed holes. Dive and field, sure.

Yeah, I think quick release is the better way to go. Drilled lugs interrupt the flow of the case in many designs.

A dress watch should never have drilled lugs. That is like wearing tennis shoes with a suit. You may think it looks cool, but I can assure you that no one else thinks of it that way.

Sports/Field/Military watches should all have drilled lugs. Both from the ease of strap change and practical use in the field point of view.

Any other category really depends on the watch design and whether the drilled lugs fit in with the design aesthetics.

drilled lugs are practical but are not particularly esthetic. The only occasion where they prove their worth is when I have to change a bracelet with solid end links, otherwise quick change spring bars are a better option.

I don’t really notice them, as they are on the side of the watch and I tend to look at the dial where most of the action is. Lol. But yeah quick release would do the trick and I have those but generally the better quality straps don’t usually have those.

Interestingly some of the more popular watches like the AP Royal Oak, Cartier Santos, Vacheron Overseas, PP Nautilus have drilled lugs. Most Rolexes even the Cellini had drilled lugs until the 90’s. I guess they thought they were unrefined and ugly and phased them out. Their bracelets however have easy access to the pins and are easy to change, most others don’t.

Never? While originally from their sports line most would consider the following dress watches. Call them sporty dress watches if you must. The PP Nautilus, AP Royal Oak, Vacheron Overseas and the Cartier Santos, hmm, all drill lugs. Probably because of the integrated bracelet. You can put on a leather strap if that conforms better to your definition of dressy, and you can do so easily because of their…drilled lugs.

Whether two little holes on the side of a case look “cool” or not I don’t really know, I generally look at the side with the dial. But that’s just me.

Actually the VC Overseas in 18k gold does not have drilled lugs. VC uses a proprietary quick change strap feature that does not require the use of spring bars or spring bar tools so there is no need for drilled lugs.

The sexy curve of the case is not marred by two holes and it looks fantastic and classy. Drilled lugs just don't look classy on s dress watch.

I would rate the stainless steel versions of AP, Rolex, PP and VC as sports watches...luxury sports watches, but still sports watches. I would not consider them to be dress watches.

Hopefully, that helps with my perspective.

For toolwatches, yes. I don't even like quick release springbars 😅 But drilled lugs are fine as long as it fits the watch. It's not THAT hard to change straps?

All I heard was: "My luxury automobile don't have self-drive mode, but I have my private chauffeur" 😅

Yes, drilled lugs are awesomely useful. I have so few watches without them that it's 'OK' when I get to those watches and need to change straps. But having the ability on most of my watches is great.

Oh god no. That's ugly as f....

Keep your drilled lugs on some field watches, but leave proper watches with clean lugs!

There are certainly watches where drilled lugs have no place, so as the wire-lugs on two of my watches. In most cases I really don't need them, either. There are exceptions: I have a dive watch with solid end links, and the end links have no cut-outs. They would be impossible to remove without drilled lugs. (They were also near impossible to install.)

Dress watches most definitely are an exception. They may be the only one, but they shouldn’t have drilled lugs.

If straps and bracelets has quick release spring bars it wouldn't be necessary

IMHO as with a lot of the comments here - I think it depends on the Watch type especially elegant dress watches or Integrated bracelets. Just as suggested in the other comments, having Quick release spring bars in all bracelets and straps should negate the need for lug holes altogether.

This is the real solution! And every bracelet needs on the fly micro adjustment without a tool!

Sorry to revive an old post but I say yes yes yes. I love the look of them, plus they are handy. And to those who say dress watches shouldn’t have them, Grand Seikos beg to differ and I love them. I wish I could drill the lugs on all my watches.

Absolutely. I think most Rolexes pre-1990 had drilled lugs.

Haha it is an old post, go a lot of push back.