Strap for Big Crown ProPilot Big Day Date 55th Reno Air Races / Bracelet

The lug width (misura ansa) is exactly 22 millimetres. This measurement is essential for selecting compatible straps. You can verify it independently by measuring the perpendicular distance between the inner shoulders of the two lugs with a digital calliper, measured in the midpoint of the lug, not at the extremities.

It depends on usage. For historical authenticity and everyday versatility: vegetable-tanned Tuscan leather in tobacco brown or black, paired with a stainless steel deployante. For intensive aviation: technical canvas NATO in grey or black, changeable rapidly even single-handed. For high-humidity environments: FKM rubber, which guarantees superior tactile grip and chemical resistance. Nile alligator is the premier choice if you seek authentic natural texture and multi-decade durability.

Position the watch face-down on a soft cloth. Using a spring bar tool (two-pronged instrument), insert the thin end into the lug hole. Apply gentle, consistent pressure: the internal spring should load, freeing the pin end. Repeat on the other side. Gently extract the pin. Insert the new strap ends into the new watch strap, position the pin, load the spring with the tool, and snap into place. Verify the pin is securely locked on both sides.

Yes, any strap with a 22mm lug width is compatible. The breadth of aftermarket offerings for this measurement—from vegetable leather to alligator, from NATO to rubber—ensures wide selection without compromise. Always verify that total length suits your wrist (typically 75–80mm for the part attached to the case, plus 110–130mm for the passing leather).

With standard maintenance (monthly cleaning, drying after perspiration, avoiding prolonged soaking), a vegetable-tanned strap lasts 3–5 years of daily wear. Nile alligator, being denser, easily reaches 7–10 years. The patina that develops is not deterioration but a sign of noble ageing. Should the internal pin corrode (watch frequently exposed to water), the strap remains intact and can be reassembled with a replacement pin.