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    Fortis

    Most Fortis watches use a 20 mm lug width: 45 of the 67 Fortis references with a listed width in our database (67%).

    Lug widths at Fortis

    Fortis collections

    The story · Since 1912

    The Fortis story

    1. 1912 Founded in Grenchen, Switzerland by Walter Vogt.
    2. 1926 Fortis put British watchmaker John Harwood's self-winding system into serial production: the first Harwood automatic wristwatches, with no winding crown and time set by turning the bezel, left the Grenchen factory on 13 July 1926 and were shown at the Basel fair that year.
    3. 1929 Fortis says the aviation journalist Lady Grace Drummond-Hay wore a Fortis, a Harwood according to Worn & Wound, on the 1929 round-the-world flight of the Graf Zeppelin LZ 127.
    4. 1994 Russia's Star City Training Centre selected the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph, which became part of the cosmonauts' official equipment; Europa Star counted 100,000 Earth orbits for Fortis watches by 2012.
    5. 2020 The first relaunch under Jupp Philipp was the Flieger, first released in 1987: designer Xavier Perrenoud reworked case, bezel and typography, Grenchen pilot Marc Rollier became its face, and new Flieger models arrived on the 13th of August, September and October 2020.
    6. 2022 After a 2021 stratosphere balloon test of its Werk 17 chronograph calibre, Fortis and the Swedish Space Corporation launched thirteen Stratoliner watches aboard a research rocket in November 2022, then sold the thirteen space-flown pieces.

    Firsts and innovations

    1926. First serially produced automatic wristwatch, the Harwood, built by Fortis on John Harwood's patented bumper winding system.

    1943. The Fortissimo, which Europa Star calls the first water-resistant automatic Swiss watch.

    1998. First automatic chronograph with a mechanical alarm, presented by Fortis in 1998.

    Fortis ambassadors over the years

    Marc RollierPilot, Fortis test pilotFrom 2020

    The Grenchen-based pilot joined the Flieger relaunch in 2020 as the face of the collection.

    Source: Fortis Watches AG, Europa Star, Fortis Watches AG (2025 newsletter)

    Matthias MalmedieAutomotive TV presenterFrom 2024

    The automotive expert and television presenter became a Fortis brand ambassador in February 2024.

    Source: Fortis Watches AG

    More Fortis references, by line

    Lines without a guide page yet: every reference we list for them, with its strap size.

    B-42 Black

    • B-42 Black Mars 638.28.1320 mm

    B-42 Chronograph

    • B-42 Chronograph Black Steel 638.10.1120 mm

    B-42 Cosmonaut

    • B-42 Cosmonaut GMT Black 649.10.1120 mm

    B-47 Calculator

    • B-47 Calculator Black B-47-670.10.1122 mm
    • B-47 Calculator Blue B-47-670.10.4122 mm

    B-47 Day-Date

    • B-47 Day-Date Titan Blue B47-TI-DD-BL-201022 mm
    • B-47 Day-Date Titan Grey B47-TI-DD-GR-201022 mm

    B-47 Worldtimer

    • B-47 Worldtimer Black B-47-WT-2008-BK22 mm
    • B-47 Worldtimer Blue B-47-WT-2008-BL22 mm

    Dornier GMT

    • Dornier GMT Black 655.18.95 LP20 mm

    Flieger Automatic

    • Flieger Automatic 595.x Black 595.10.4620 mm

    Flieger Classic

    • Flieger Classic 595 Black 595.10.11-199820 mm
    • Flieger Classic 595 Blue 595.10.41-199920 mm

    Flieger F-39

    • Flieger F-39 Original on Aviator Strap F422000621 mm
    • Flieger F-39 Original on Block Bracelet F422000521 mm

    Flieger F-39 Werk 7

    • Flieger F-39 Werk 7 Mission Black F422002821 mm

    Flieger F-41

    • Flieger F-41 Liberty Blue F422002521 mm
    • Flieger F-41 Original F422000821 mm

    Flieger F-41 Werk 7

    • Flieger F-41 Werk 7 Mission Black F422003021 mm

    Flieger F-43 Bicompax

    • Flieger F-43 Bicompax Original F424000421 mm

    Flieger F-43 Triple-GMT

    • Flieger F-43 Triple-GMT Original F426000021 mm

    Marinemaster 1970

    • Marinemaster 1970 Orange MM-1970-OR20 mm
    • Marinemaster 1970 Silver MM-1970-SL20 mm

    Marinemaster 1972

    • Marinemaster 1972 Blue MM-1972-BL20 mm

    Marinemaster 2021

    • Marinemaster 2021 Desert M-40-DESERT-2021Integrated bracelet
    • Marinemaster 2021 Midnight M-40-MIDNIGHT-2021Integrated bracelet

    Marinemaster M-40

    • Marinemaster M-40 Amber Orange F812002421 mm

    Marinemaster Quartz

    • Marinemaster Quartz 200m Black MMQ-1998-BLK20 mm
    • Marinemaster Quartz 200m Blue MMQ-1998-BLU20 mm

    Novonaut N-42

    • Novonaut N-42 Titanium Legacy F204001721 mm

    Space Age

    • Space Age LCD Sports DGT-1983-SPTIntegrated bracelet

    Spacematic

    • Spacematic Pilot Professional PVD 623.18.7120 mm

    Spacematic Eco

    • Spacematic Eco Black 626.22.15920 mm

    Spacematic White

    • Spacematic White SPAC-623.10.4120 mm

    Stratoliner Limited

    • Stratoliner Limited Aurora S41-AURORA-202320 mm
    • Stratoliner Limited Eclipse S41-ECLIPSE-202320 mm

    Stratoliner Supernova

    • Stratoliner Supernova Grey S-41-STR-SNGR-202320 mm
    • Stratoliner Supernova White S-41-STR-SN-202320 mm

    Vagabond

    • Vagabond V-40 Blue Dusk F6660002Screwed bars
    • Vagabond V-40 Urban Shadow F6660004Screwed bars

    Vagabond V-40

    • Vagabond V-40 Stormy Gray F666000021 mm

    FAQ

    What lug width do Fortis watches use?

    20 mm is the most common (67% of Fortis references with a listed width), followed by 21 mm and 22 mm.

    Do all Fortis watches take the same strap size?

    No. Fortis uses 3 different lug widths across its collections, so check your exact model or reference.

    When was Fortis founded?

    Fortis was founded in 1912 in Grenchen, Switzerland by Walter Vogt.

    Who are Fortis's ambassadors?

    Over the years Fortis has partnered with Marc Rollier (from 2020), Matthias Malmedie (from 2024).

    Help

    What is lug width?

    The gap between the two lugs that hold the strap, in millimetres. A new strap must match it exactly: 20 mm lugs take a 20 mm strap.

    Measure it in 30 seconds

    1. Take the strap off, or look at the back of it: many straps print their width.
    2. Measure the inside gap between the lugs with a caliper or a millimetre ruler.
    3. Round to the nearest whole millimetre. Most watches use 18, 20 or 22 mm.

    Strap, quick release or system?

    Most watches use spring bars, so any strap of the right width fits. Many smartwatches use their own band system instead, such as Apple Watch bands or Garmin QuickFit.