# Citizen Blue Angels AT8020-03L on Barton NATO Style strap



## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

I wanted to fit another strap on my Citizen Blue Angels AT8020-03L to keep the leather strap from getting damaged by sweat. Unfortunately, the 23mm lug width and curved lugs make it more difficult to find a suitable strap than it should be. (I'm not sure why Citizen likes a 23mm lug width so much, but three of my four Eco-Drives have this lug width.)

Here's what the watch looks like on the stock leather strap (Citizen's pic).










The watch not only has curved lugs, but there are pointed protrusions on the case that make the fit even tighter between the springbars and the case.









I was able to fit a Barton NATO Style strap (24mm width, 11" length, navy blue) onto the watch. The fit is a bit tight both in thickness and width, but it's easily possible to fit the strap to the watch by wiggling it back and forth a little while pulling it through the lugs and past the springbars.

https://www.bartonwatchbands.com/co...s/navy-blue-nylon-nato-style-watch-band-strap

The lighter blue color under the strap is a piece of painter's tape I used to temporarily cover the plastic Blue Angels emblem on the caseback, since it's probably easily scratched by a nylon strap. Soon I'll put a 24mm screen protector over the emblem.

























Here are some shots on my 7.5" wrist. There is minimal strap tail protruding through the fixed keeper (no excess to fold back), which I prefer.

























I think this is a good solution for a non-leather strap for the AT8020-03L. The strap is under $12 and seems to be of good quality. If Barton comes out with one in navy blue with a thin yellow stripe, I'd pick one up because it will go with the yellow on the case, dial and hands.

Edit: After wearing the strap for several hours I find it quite comfortable. The material is very flexible and reasonably smooth. I'll be buying some more of these straps for some of my other watches.


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## Domo (Sep 20, 2013)

Looks very nice! Great watch too


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## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Looks good, better than leather imho but I'm not a fan of straps (I like metal bracelets). Why are you preserving the leather? Planning to flip it? If not you can always buy a second leather strap from Citizen. Won't be under $12 though...


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## Pete26 (Feb 17, 2006)

Good idea, I did the same thing with my Satellite wave which came with a leather strap. Mine is a 24mm Bond NATO.


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## sleepyinnaptown (Aug 28, 2015)

Looks great! I've been wanting to take my Blue Angels Citizen off leather and was worried about how the curved lugs would look.


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

CitizenPromaster said:


> Looks good, better than leather imho but I'm not a fan of straps (I like metal bracelets). Why are you preserving the leather? Planning to flip it? If not you can always buy a second leather strap from Citizen. Won't be under $12 though...


I just don't like wearing leather straps when it's hot out. They'll get stained and smelly in short order. I prefer rubber, resin or nylon, which can be washed if needed.

The other issue with the leather strap is that it's kind of a pain to put on and take off, due to the fixed keeper, the stiffness of the leather and the tiny holes in the strap. The Barton NATO Style is much easier to put on and take off.


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## sticky (Apr 5, 2013)

I've read that the yellow and blue can part company if you've the audacity to sweat on the strap. Your solution looks very nice. Congratulations.


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

CitizenPromaster said:


> Looks good, better than leather imho but I'm not a fan of straps (I like metal bracelets). Why are you preserving the leather? Planning to flip it? If not you can always buy a second leather strap from Citizen. Won't be under $12 though...


I like bracelets, but only if they have an on-the-fly micro-adjustment, like my Citizen Promaster Sky BY0080-57E did. Without this, I find a bracelet is often too tight or too loose, due to my wrist changing size from day to day or throughout the day. I wish Citizen would put the on-the-fly micro-adjustment on more of their bracelets, especially on non-JDM models.


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

sticky said:


> I've read that the yellow and blue can part company if you've the audacity to sweat on the strap. Your solution looks very nice. Congratulations.


Thanks. Yes, and I've heard others mention the yellow lining cracks with use. Some people even said this happened within days of getting the watch.


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## Lemaniac40 (Oct 10, 2008)

Beautiful on the Nato.


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## journeyforce (Apr 20, 2013)

I am resurrecting this post (arise necro-post) as it is the only one I have seen with the strap removed to show the spring bars

I am considering this watch as it looks pretty good and unlike the other AT watches does not have that dumb 6 o'clock alarm dial.

I know it is 23mm lugged but am I to assume that the spring bars are also curved? How do the tips of the spring bars look? Are they those fat tipped ones or regular?

Thanks


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

journeyforce said:


> I am resurrecting this post (arise necro-post) as it is the only one I have seen with the strap removed to show the spring bars
> 
> I am considering this watch as it looks pretty good and unlike the other AT watches does not have that dumb 6 o'clock alarm dial.
> 
> ...


The spring bars are curved on the 03L (strap) version and straight on the 54L (bracelet) version. I'm not sure about the size of the spring bar tips.


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## journeyforce (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanks for your reply

Sadly the thing I hate about Citizen is that they use larger holes in the lugs of a lot of the watches (the Navihawk AT and the previous generation Skyhawk AT are two that come to mind. Without those special springbars the watch tends to make a clicking sound because regular bars have a smaller tip and thus move about in the lug holes

Thanks


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## BoogieNYC (May 15, 2013)

GaryK30 said:


> The spring bars are curved on the 03L (strap) version and straight on the 54L (bracelet) version. I'm not sure about the size of the spring bar tips.


Love mine -- but I bought mine on metal and I'm currently rocking a small denim-esque strap with a clasp/buckle. It's worked for a number of years but a variety of issues led me to want to get a Nato strap. I leave it in a window in NYC to charge/update and the denim isn't wearing well -- with the cold coming I don't want to find the strap cracked (or have it fail while wearing it).















Not sure what I should buy. The watch came on a bracelet (and I'm okay not replacing this with a metal bracelet).

I'm looking for a strap and want to be sure whatever I get is going to fit. So what size Nato? 22 or 23? I've got the bars that worked for my denim strap so I assume those will work for whatever Nato comes my way.

Also, what was your long-term solution re the watchback -- was painter's tape the semi-permanent solution? Did you find something else (eg a Zagg or similar screen protector)? Curious. And if you opted to go without any back protection, have you noticed any wear?

Thanks in advance for any help!

-B-


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

BoogieNYC said:


> Love mine -- but I bought mine on metal and I'm currently rocking a small denim-esque strap with a clasp/buckle. It's worked for a number of years but a variety of issues led me to want to get a Nato strap. I leave it in a window in NYC to charge/update and the denim isn't wearing well -- with the cold coming I don't want to find the strap cracked (or have it fail while wearing it).
> 
> View attachment 13565383
> View attachment 13565385
> ...


A 23mm NATO would be great. I actually put Zuludiver 178 23mm Bond NATOs on two of my other Citizens (BN0100-00E and BJ2128-05E). Unfortunately, they don't offer 23mm NATOs in navy blue, so I'm still using the Barton 24mm navy blue NATO. It works okay, but a 23mm NATO would fit better between the lugs, rather than overhanging the lugs a bit.

On eBay I found a non-adhesive plastic sticker that is the same size as the plastic Blue Angels logo on the back. It is installed by putting a drop of water on it and pressing it in place. The plastic logo seems pretty delicate, so I think a NATO strap might scratch it.


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## BoogieNYC (May 15, 2013)

Wow, thanks for the quick reply 

As for design, I'm partial to this: https://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Comfo...=1&keywords=23mm+NATO+blue+yellow+stripe&th=1

This only comes in 22 and 24 -- not sure which I should grab. Or if I should abandon the stripe and just get a 23mm Navy.

What do you think?


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## espiga (Feb 7, 2011)

GaryK30 said:


> I like bracelets, but only if they have an on-the-fly micro-adjustment, like my Citizen Promaster Sky BY0080-57E did. Without this, I find a bracelet is often too tight or too loose, due to my wrist changing size from day to day or throughout the day. I wish Citizen would put the on-the-fly micro-adjustment on more of their bracelets, especially on non-JDM models.


Hi Gary, thank you for starting this thread.

I read in one of these forums, do not remember where; I am sorry not to be able to give the credit;
a gentleman solved this "too tight" or "too loose" bracelet issue by gluing a piece of leather, same width as 
the bracelet on the inside of the folding portion of the deployant, where it touches your wrist.
He reported his problem was solved.

I did not try yet but I will.

Best regards.


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## GaryK30 (Dec 14, 2014)

BoogieNYC said:


> Wow, thanks for the quick reply
> 
> As for design, I'm partial to this: https://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Comfo...=1&keywords=23mm+NATO+blue+yellow+stripe&th=1
> 
> ...


On a watch with a 23mm lug width, I prefer a 24mm strap over a 22mm strap. I don't like seeing the spring bar ends with a strap that's not wide enough.

Did you find a 23mm navy NATO?


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## BoogieNYC (May 15, 2013)

GaryK30 said:


> On a watch with a 23mm lug width, I prefer a 24mm strap over a 22mm strap. I don't like seeing the spring bar ends with a strap that's not wide enough.
> 
> Did you find a 23mm navy NATO?


I agree re 24 vs. 22 -- but I've heard from people with Seiko Flightmasters that sometimes it's better to go a little smaller to avoid problems with fit, etc.

I found a 22 stripe -- https://www.bartonwatchbands.com/products/navy-blue-lemon-yellow-nato-style-watch-band-strap -- but NG on the 23 and the 24 stripe. I'll see about finding a blue-yellow 23 or 24 option.


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## BoogieNYC (May 15, 2013)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074QKYG1P/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3PMZ77KK6XCQG&psc=1

No idea whether it's the right color but given I've literally found one option this may have to do -- and for $11 I will just have to watch my budget for awhile ;-)

Not sure if the color is exactly right but it's gotta be better than keeping the watch hidden until April ;-)


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## BoogieNYC (May 15, 2013)

Okay, so I fired up the Amazon account and scored two: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XBQQ1S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074QKYG1P/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

After I figured out how to shimmy the first strap onto the watch with the spring bars installed, the first went on immediately (see the pics) -- I'm pretty pleased with the results. The color is pretty much perfect and I did an alternate strap install (again, see pics). The second strap (the single stripe) appears a bit dark but I'm not too worried. I definitely prefer the multi stripe but both are fairly ideal for what I wanted, especially in comparison with the drab denim strap I had on the watch prior.

Lemme know watchoo all think.












View attachment 13582395


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## 1316409 (Feb 17, 2018)

BoogieNYC said:


> Okay, so I fired up the Amazon account and scored two: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XBQQ1S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074QKYG1P/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> After I figured out how to shimmy the first strap onto the watch with the spring bars installed, the first went on immediately (see the pics) -- I'm pretty pleased with the results. The color is pretty much perfect and I did an alternate strap install (again, see pics). The second strap (the single stripe) appears a bit dark but I'm not too worried. I definitely prefer the multi stripe but both are fairly ideal for what I wanted, especially in comparison with the drab denim strap I had on the watch prior.
> 
> ...


Those look awesome. Just to confirm, those nato straps are 24mm in width?
Niko


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## TAHAWK (Dec 20, 2021)

BoogieNYC said:


> 24mm Dark Blue/Yellow Style Preppy Style Nylon Men's Wrist Watch Band | Amazon.com
> 
> No idea whether it's the right color but given I've literally found one option this may have to do -- and for $11 I will just have to watch my budget for awhile ;-)
> 
> Not sure if the color is exactly right but it's gotta be better than keeping the watch hidden until April ;-)


Alas, the situation in Ukraine has made straps in Ukraine's national colors much in demand Linked source is sold out,


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