FWIW, buy good quality spring bars, a spring bar tool and the tweezers. Also, pay particular attention to the length of the spring bar. Let’s say that the lug width of your watch is 20mm. You go out and purchase 20mm Swiss spring bars to fit your watch that has a bracelet with solid end links. Your 20mm Swiss spring bars only compress down to 20.5+mm (I can’t remember the exact compressed length). You bought the wrong ones. For a bracelet with 20mm solid end links you need a 19mm spring bar because you need to compress (w/ spring bar tweezers)
both sides w/in the end link at the same time and “slide” that between the lugs. It’s extremely difficult to do one side at a time with a bracelet and snug fitting end links. You WILL scratch the lugs and it will be difficult and frustrating. On the other hand if you’re fitting a strap, you can use a 20mm spring bar because you can first insert one end into the hole in the lug and then insert the other side with your standard spring bar tool.
Changing spring bars with a strap is simple with the standard spring bar tool. Precise and tight fitting solid end links need the spring bar tweezers.
To avoid scratching the lugs, I use this plastic tape that I can’t remember the name of off the top of my head. I have the Bergeon tweezers but they are expensive. The cost of the replacement tips are absurdly expensive for what they are. I can’t remember the name of another company but they make a similar product that is much cheaper. The tips are also very affordable. . . I. should have went with those. I’ll do a search. . .
Don’t buy cheap spring bar tools because the tips are cheap and fragile. The same goes for cheap, bulk spring bars. I can’t imagine saving a couple dollars by using those on expensive watches but that’s just my opinion.
Use quality spring bars especially if you’re wearing the watch on a strap.Good luck! I hope this helps.
ETA: They are the Horofix tweezers and they come with extra tips.
ETA2:
Polyamide Tape Attached File