The professional watchmaker positioning awl is the workhorse tool for removing and refitting spring bars at speed. With its knurled grip for a no-slip hold and two interchangeable tips — a flat forked end and a fine pure-point end — it covers virtually every spring bar configuration found on modern and vintage watches.
Product overview
The awl is built around a single handle whose ends carry two different geometries. One side ends in a flat fork: the V-shaped notch catches the shoulder of a spring bar at the strap-to-case interface, compresses it inwards and releases the strap. The opposite side ends in a fine straight point, used on straight bars (Swatch, Flik Flak), on flange bars and to access spring bar shoulders inside narrow lugs where the forked tip will not fit.
The knurled grip pattern around the central body is not cosmetic — it gives a positive hold even with slightly oily or sweaty fingers, which is when most slips happen. The two heads are interchangeable: when a tip eventually deforms or wears, it can be replaced, extending the tool's life well beyond a single-piece equivalent.
Technical specifications
- Tool type: professional positioning awl with two interchangeable tips
- Tip 1: flat fork (V-notch) for shouldered spring bars
- Tip 2: fine straight point for straight bars and confined accesses
- Handle: knurled grip pattern over the full body
- Material: stainless steel tips, machined metal body
- Compatible bar types: shouldered spring bars, straight bars, flanged bars
- Compatible strap types: leather, silicone, rubber, NATO, fabric, metal end-link straps held by spring bars
- Interchangeable tips: replaceable, extending the working life of the tool
When to use it
This is the everyday tool for any owner who changes straps regularly — collectors with leather/rubber/fabric rotations, jewellers managing a counter, repair shops handling routine bracelet changes, and anyone who has tried to do a strap change with a kitchen knife and decided never again. The two tip options make it the right tool whether you are working on a modern dress watch with hidden spring bars or on a 1970s diver with very narrow lug spacing.
It is not designed for screwed bracelets (Rolex Oyster, certain Omega and Breitling references) — those require the BERGEON 7260. It is also not a pin punch for driving friction pins through metal bracelet links — that requires a dedicated punch tool.
How to use / install
- Place the watch face down on a soft pad to protect the crystal.
- Grip the case firmly with one hand so it cannot rotate.
- For a shouldered bar, slide the flat fork between strap and lug; let the V-notch engage the spring bar shoulder.
- Press inwards, parallel to the bar, until the tip retracts; lift the strap end clear.
- For a straight bar (Swatch, Flik Flak), use the fine point on one end of the bar and push it through to the opposite side.
- To refit, insert one shoulder of the new bar into its hole, compress the second with the fork, and let it click into the opposite hole.
- Tug gently on the strap to verify both shoulders are engaged before wearing.
- When a tip becomes blunt or deformed, unscrew and replace it with a spare.
Quality & origin
Manufactured to professional workshop standard, the awl uses hardened stainless steel for the tips and a stable machined body for the handle. The interchangeable head system follows the same logic used by Bergeon and Boley professional tools at higher price points. With reasonable care — keeping the tips clean and replacing them when they wear — the tool stays in service for many years of repeated daily use.
FAQ
Can the tips really be replaced?
Yes. Both heads unscrew from the body and accept replacement tips, sold separately. This keeps the tool useful even after intensive use.
Will this work on Rolex bracelets?
No, Rolex Oyster, President and Jubilee bracelets use screws and require the BERGEON 7260. The awl works on the rubber Oysterflex strap and on aftermarket leather straps fitted to a Rolex case via spring bars.
What is the difference with the precision awl?
The precision awl is a slim, single-piece tool intended mainly for home strap changes. The professional awl has a knurled grip, two interchangeable tips and is sized for daily workshop use.
