How to Replace Your Omega Watch Strap With a Premium Rubber Band From TopStraps

Your Omega is one of the finest watches ever made — whether it's a Seamaster diving with you, a Speedmaster going to meetings (or the Moon), or a Planet Ocean keeping up with your active lifestyle. But the strap? That's the one part that ages out, wears down, or simply stops suiting your style.

The good news: replacing it is a 10-minute job you can do at home, with a £5 tool and a quality aftermarket strap. No watchmaker required.

In this Instructable, I'll walk you through exactly how to swap your Omega strap for a premium rubber/FKM band from TopStraps — a specialist strap retailer with a solid range built specifically for Omega watches, including the Seamaster, Speedmaster, Planet Ocean, and Seamaster 300.

Once you've done this once, you'll be swapping straps seasonally.

What you need:

1. A replacement rubber strap from TopStraps (see Step 1 for how to choose the right one)
2. A spring bar tool (~£5–10 on Amazon or any watch accessory shop)
3. A soft cloth or watch cushion
4. Good lighting

Optional but useful:

1. Tweezers (for handling small spring bars)
2. A small tray or bowl (to catch spring bars — they love to bounce under furniture)

TopStraps carries several rubber straps designed specifically for Omega models. Here's a quick guide:

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M / Seamaster 300

1. Look for straps with curved ends — these follow the contour of the Seamaster case for a flush, factory look
2. Typical lug width: 20mm or 22mm
3. TopStraps offers both straight-end and curved-end options; go curved for the Seamaster

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M

1. This model uses a 21mm lug width — less common, so confirm before ordering
2. TopStraps makes a dedicated FKM rubber strap for this model with a choice of silver, gold, or rose gold folding buckle
3. Length: 95mm + 95mm (fits most wrists)

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch

1. Lug width: 20mm
2. TopStraps offers both a pure rubber option and a canvas & rubber hybrid strap — the canvas/rubber gives a more vintage-military feel, great for the Speedmaster aesthetic
3. Available in 20mm and 22mm widths

Material: Silicone vs. FKM Rubber — What's the Difference?

TopStraps carries both. Here's the short version:

For dive watches like the Seamaster or Planet Ocean, FKM is the better call. For Speedmaster owners who want comfort first, silicone works great.

Before touching the watch, set up your workspace properly. This is where most people make mistakes — rushing on a hard surface with bad light.

1. Lay a soft cloth or watch cushion flat on your work surface. This protects the crystal and case from scratches while you work.
2. Place the watch face down on the cloth.
3. Get your spring bar tool ready. You'll use the forked/hooked end (not the pointed end) to remove the strap.
4. Set up good lighting — a desk lamp pointed directly at the watch makes the tiny spring bars much easier to see.
5. Put a small bowl nearby to catch spring bars if they go flying.

The strap is held onto the watch by two spring bars — small cylindrical pins that compress inward and lock into holes in the watch lugs.

Here's how to remove them:

1. Turn the watch face-down on your cloth.
2. Look into the gap between the strap and the lug on one side. You'll see a small pin (the spring bar) sitting in a groove.
3. Insert the forked end of your spring bar tool into the gap between the strap and the lug.
4. Find the small notch or lip on the spring bar and apply gentle pressure inward to compress it.
5. While compressing, angle the strap slightly outward — the spring bar will release from the lug hole.
6. Keep a finger over the area; spring bars are small and springy by nature.
7. Repeat on the other side of the same strap end.
8. Once both sides are released, the strap end will come free.
9. Repeat Steps 2–8 for the other strap end.

You now have a bare watch case with two spring bars sitting in your tray (don't lose them — you'll likely reuse them).

Before fitting the new strap, take a moment to check your spring bars.

1. Are they straight? Any bending means they should be replaced.
2. Do both ends compress and spring back smoothly?
3. Any rust or pitting? Replace them.

New spring bars are available cheaply from any watch parts supplier in the correct diameter and length for your Omega (typically 1.78mm diameter for most Omega models). TopStraps rubber straps are designed to work with standard spring bars.

If your spring bars are in good shape, you'll reuse them with the new strap.

Now for the satisfying part.

1. Take your new TopStraps rubber strap and identify the short end (goes on the buckle side, typically toward your hand) and the long end (goes on the clasp-hole side, toward your elbow).
2. Thread a spring bar through the hole in one end of the strap.
3. Hold the strap against one set of lugs, compress one side of the spring bar with your thumb, and guide the other end into the opposite lug hole.
4. You'll feel (and sometimes hear) a small click when the spring bar seats correctly.
5. Give the strap end a gentle tug to confirm it's locked in.
6. Repeat for the other strap end.

Pro tip for curved-end straps: The curved end only fits one way — it should curve toward the case, not away from it. Orient it correctly before compressing the spring bar.

With both strap ends attached, flip the watch over and check:

1. Both ends look symmetrical and sit flush against the case
2. No gap between the strap and the lug (especially important on curved-end models)
3. The buckle or folding clasp opens and closes correctly
4. The strap isn't twisted

Try it on your wrist. The rubber should sit comfortably — not digging in, not loose. FKM rubber in particular softens and warms to your wrist within a few minutes of wear.

Put the watch on and take a moment to appreciate what just happened:

A watch that might have been sitting in a drawer because the leather cracked, or that felt wrong with the steel bracelet, just got a completely new personality.

A black FKM strap on a Seamaster Diver 300M looks like it belongs on a Bond villain's wrist (complimentary). A canvas/rubber hybrid on a Speedmaster gives it a NASA-era utility that no steel bracelet can replicate.

The whole job took 15 minutes. The strap cost a fraction of the OEM equivalent. And it fits perfectly.

Tips & Tricks

1. Keep your old strap. Even if it's worn, having the original for resale purposes has value.
2. Buy two straps. TopStraps runs frequent sales (the rubber straps are often 25% off from their listed price). A second strap in a different color costs little extra and doubles your versatility.
3. FKM rubber cleans up easily. A damp cloth removes sweat, sunscreen, and most marks. Don't use alcohol-based products — they can dull the surface over time.
4. Don't over-tighten. Rubber conforms to your wrist; you don't need it snug to feel secure.
5. The spring bar tool pays for itself immediately. Once you have one, the barrier to swapping straps disappears. You'll find yourself doing it seasonally.

Finished!

You've successfully replaced your Omega strap with a premium rubber band — no watchmaker, no wait time, no inflated OEM pricing.

Where to buy:

Head to topstraps.com and navigate to the Omega section. Filter by your model (Seamaster, Speedmaster, Planet Ocean) and lug width. If you're unsure of your lug width, measure the gap between the lugs with a mm ruler — for most Omega models it's 20mm, 21mm, or 22mm.