Occasionally, an owner of a stainless-steel (silver) watch will purchase a watch band with a gold (yellow) buckle. Changing the buckle is relatively easy. It is attached using a spring bar, similar to the ones that connect the watch band to the watch case.

If this is all new to you, conceptualize the buckle change as a similar operation to changing a roll of toilet paper. The difference being that the buckle is a lot smaller and you need a small tool to compress the spring bar. If you do not have a spring bar tool, remember that others have used small screwdrivers, fingernail files, and other thin devices that can fit between the buckle and leather strap.

Watch the instructional video for step-by-step instructions or view the step-by-step instructions, below.
 

Tools used in Video:

Spring Bar Tool

Mini Spring Bar Tool

Polishing Cloth Cloth

	Step 1 – to replace the gold buckle with a silver buckle, you will want to use a spring bar tool or other thin device.
	Step 2 – check to see if the spring bar ends are exposed on the side of the buckle. If so, use the pointed end to push or compress the spring bar end. If there are no pinholes on side of buckle, turn strap over and use forked end to reach between buckle and leather.
	Step 3 – compress spring bar from end by pushing down through pinhole If there are no pinholes on side of buckle, compress spring bar by catching its shoulder with forked end of spring bar tool. Push toward leather to let end of spring bar slip out of pinhole.
	Step 4 – once spring bar releases from buckle pinhole, pull buckle away from the spring bar and downward to release opposite end.
	Step 5 – Once buckle has been removed, begin to push spring bar out of strap.
	Step 6 – continue pushing spring bar out of strap.
	Step 7- sometimes spring bar will simply fall out as you push. Other times, you will need to grab hold of it and pull it the rest of the way out of strap.
	Step 8 – if buckle post does not fall out of strap, simply pull it out.
	Step 9 – if silver replacement buckle is assembled, compress the spring bar to prepare for installation. If there are no pinholes on outside of buckle, you can compress using forked end of tool as shown in step 2, above.
	Step 10 – insert post from new buckle into the center notch of strap.
	Step 11 – insert spring bar through strap loop and eye of the post. Some spring bars will be snug and may require that you push them through with the aid of a tool.
	Step 12 – You now have the post and spring bar in place, ready to attach the buckle.
	Step 13 – insert one end of the spring bar into a buckle pinhole. While keeping one end of the spring bar securely in the buckle pinhole, position the opposite pinhole as close to the exposed spring bar as possible.
	Step 14 – using the forked end of your spring bar tool, compress the spring bar so that it can slide underneath the buckle.
	Step 15 – carefully slide the spring bar until it aligns with the pinhole. When it does, it will click into place.
	Step 16 – your watch band now has the silver buckle on and is ready to wear.