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Okay, so, I got this Seiko SPB143 watch. It’s pretty cool, but I wanted to switch up the straps. Give it a different look, you know?

First, I tried to take off the original bracelet. Man, that was tougher than I thought! I didn’t want to scratch the watch, so I was being extra careful. I heard some people use tape or plastic to protect the case back, but that sounded kinda risky. Like, what if I slip and still scratch it? So, I just went slow and steady.

Eventually, I got the bracelet off. Then came the fun part – choosing a new strap. I had my eye on a Hirsch strap and a STAIB mesh bracelet. But here’s the thing: the lug holes on this watch are tiny, like 1.1mm or 1.2mm. I read online that the original Seiko spring bars are a bit too small and can click in the holes. Not cool.

Figuring Out the Spring Bar Situation

I found out that Uncle Seiko sells spring bars that are supposed to fit perfectly. But some folks online were saying even those can be a little loose. Apparently, you can fix it, but it sounded like a whole project.

I decided to try the Hirsch strap first. I managed to get it on, but it wasn’t a perfect fit. It was a little loose, and I could hear that annoying clicking sound. I was a bit bummed, to be honest. I really liked the look of the strap, but that clicking was driving me nuts.

Next, I tried the STAIB mesh bracelet. This one was even trickier to install. The end links were super tight, and I was worried I was going to damage something. After a lot of fiddling, I finally got it on. It looked great, but guess what? It was loose, too! And yep, more clicking.

Giving Up for Now

Honestly, I was pretty frustrated at this point. I spent all this time and effort, and I still hadn’t found a strap that fit perfectly. I even read somewhere that pressure testing after changing straps can make you think everything’s fine when it’s not. Great, just what I needed – more things to worry about.

So, for now, I just put the original bracelet back on. It’s not what I wanted, but at least it’s secure and doesn’t make any weird noises. Maybe I’ll try again later, or maybe I’ll just learn to live with the original bracelet. We’ll see. It is kind of a headache to do this.

Anyway, that’s my story about trying to change the straps on my Seiko SPB143. It wasn’t the easy project I thought it would be. But hey, at least I learned something, right? And my watch is still in one piece, so that’s a win, I did it!