# Deployment Vs Buckle?



## Garry

Always liked deployments on leather straps.

I find they are kinder on the strap and they last longer, also think they look a lot better than a buckle and much quicker to take on / off.

I particularly like the Breitling hole-less straps and their style of clasp.

What says you?


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## PC-Magician

Much prefer a buckle, I just find them easier. :yes:


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## hughlle

I got some deployment straps from Roy out of curiosity. Not a fan. Buckles for me. Much easier.


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## AVO

I always thought it was called a deployant??


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## hughlle

Our fearless leader claims otherwise


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## AVO

It's a common enough mistake, as it's not a regularly used English word.

Déployant is French for "unfolding". Which is what a deployant clasp does.

Deployment in English refers to putting people or resources to work, especially in the military sense, so it would be nonsense to refer to a watch clasp as such.

It's a cross-linguistic malapropism.


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## SBryantgb

It's DEPLOYANT, not DEPLOYMENT. :bash: (I blame the Americans and their lazy language and spelling  ) Your watch has a deployant clasp - your military unit goes on deployment.

The proof is right here on this Forum.... circa Nov 2006

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/17828-deployment-vs-deployant/&do=embed


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## AVO

Apologies for the digression. I have a few watches with deployant clasps (or call them what you will). They are quite easy to take on and off when one is used to them, and they seem to put less stress and wear on the strap. However, I still prefer the old-fashioned buckle.


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## Garry

It's a foldy outy thing..... :laugh:


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## AVO

In French, it certainly is...

"Deployment" is a verbal noun; we say "THE deployment of troops" etc.
"Déployant(e)" is the present participle used adjectivally. "Une boucle déployante" is the French expression, literally meaning "an unfolding buckle" in the sense of "a buckle that unfolds".
"Le déploiement" has a very similar meaning to the English "deployment"; unsurprisingly, as the English is derived from it.
I am happy to be proved wrong, but I believe that no French speaker would say "une boucle déploiement".

It would be much simpler were we to call it, in plain English, a folding clasp. It's interesting also to note that the French think of it as "unfolding", whereas we would automatically think the reverse in English.

I fully accept that it will be called a deployment clasp, though I will never refer to it as such, and it will continue to jar with me because it is grammatically incorrect in its language of origin. Or perhaps one should say "mal à propos", hence my use of the term "malapropism".


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## hughlle

Deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment deployment

:toot:


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## AVO

Isn't Cut and Paste fun, children?


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## hughlle

It is. Unfortunately this forum doesn't play well with my phone so I typed it all out manually. It gives it a little more credibility so far a taunting goes 

Oh, and it would be copy and paste artytime:


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## AVO

That would be "...as far as taunting goes."


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## hughlle

Grammer never has, and never will be one of my strengths.


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## AVO

Aye, sorry. Languages, linguistics etc. My study, passion and day-job. It gets in the way sometimes. I probably should not have started the discussion.


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## hughlle

AVO said:


> Aye, sorry. Languages, linguistics etc. My study, passion and day-job. It gets in the way sometimes. I probably should not have started the discussion.


haha, and talk psychology or computers to me and ill go off on one


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## AVO

We all bring something different to the table. Apparently there are people on this forum who know a lot about watches. :notworthy:


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## normdiaz

SBryantgb said:


> I blame the Americans and their lazy language and spelling)


Please don't blame this American. The subject clasp has always been a deployant to me, always will be.


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## JTW

You say deployment he says deployant. I'll have a buckle thanks.


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## Badcrumble

AVO said:


> We all bring something different to the table. Apparently there are people on this forum who know a lot about watches. :notworthy:


Not me!

My recent purchase has a folding clasp, the manufacturer calls it a 'deployment' clasp?!!

I have found it to be quite comfortable though can't compare it to a standard buckle on the same watch.

It is of the type that pins the strap and despite the strap being three years old it is in reasonable condition with little wear on the holes (I have a suspicion that a previous owner wore it on a bracelet for the most part).


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## William_Wilson

Oh well, this seems more civil than the last time it cropped up.

Anyway I'll blame the French!

Also, an afterthought, I've never had an example of the strap in question.

Later,
William


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## Garry

William_Wilson said:


> Oh well, this seems more civil than the last time it cropped up.
> 
> Anyway I'll blame the French!
> 
> Also, an afterthought, I've never had an example of the strap in question.
> 
> Later,
> William


Did it get out of order last time then?

I was more interested to see which people preferred and why, not whether it's deployant or deployment.......


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## William_Wilson

Garry said:


> William_Wilson said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, this seems more civil than the last time it cropped up.
> 
> Anyway I'll blame the French!
> 
> Also, an afterthought, I've never had an example of the strap in question.
> 
> Later,
> William
> 
> 
> 
> Did it get out of order last time then?
> 
> I was more interested to see which people preferred and why, not whether it's deployant or deployment.......
Click to expand...

It went something along the lines of "Deployant is a French word, therefore it can't be used in the English language!". Apparently, that is a special rule that applies to watch related matters. :wink:

Later,
William


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## SBryantgb

My only deployant strap is currently on deployment on my nephew"s watch, the deployment of said deployant strap is only temporary. He understands that the deployment of the deployant strap is dependant only on the fact that his NATO or is it Zulu strap had perished.


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## Garry

SBryantgb said:


> My only deployant strap is currently on deployment on my nephew"s watch, the deployment of said deployant strap is only temporary. He understands that the deployment of the deployant strap is dependant only on the fact that his NATO or is it Zulu strap had perished.


Nice one........ :laugh:


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## AVO

Badcrumble said:


> My recent purchase has a folding clasp, the manufacturer calls it a 'deployment' clasp?!!


A favourite manufacturer of mine does that as well. I wonder if it is the same one? However, as they make nice watches we can forgive them the odd lapsus linguae. They make some interesting howlers in the Latin mottos on the backs of watches as well. I have a suspicion that most of the "prestige" manufacturers would probably call it a deployant or a folding clasp, but I may be wrong.

In any case, you don't need a degree in linguistics to make a good watch. Come to think of it, you don't need watchmaking skills to be a linguist, either; which, in both cases, is probably good for us all.


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## normdiaz

AVO said:


> Badcrumble said:
> 
> 
> 
> My recent purchase has a folding clasp, the manufacturer calls it a 'deployment' clasp?!!
> 
> 
> 
> In any case, you don't need a degree in linguistics to make a good watch.
Click to expand...

True. But a certain degree of skill in the use of language is helpful in advertising that "good watch" in a manner that will attract enough buyers to provide funds for continuing that "good watch" manufacture. :laugh:


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## Garry

So,

Back on topic...

I still prefer the easy foldy outy thingy more than the fiddly bend it back, poke it in a hole and bend it back again thingy.

This terminology I feel is far more to the point than the deployantment nonsense, which just causes confusion, arguments and debates....... :biggrin:


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## badgersdad

AVO said:


> We all bring something different to the table. Apparently there are people on this forum who know a lot about watches. :notworthy:


I hope to one day.


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## Haggis

Garry said:


> It's a foldy outy thing..... :laugh:


Much better


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## Bluehase284

Garry said:


> So,
> 
> Back on topic...
> 
> I still prefer the easy foldy outy thingy more than the fiddly bend it back, poke it in a hole and bend it back again thingy.
> 
> This terminology I feel is far more to the point than the deployantment nonsense, which just causes confusion, arguments and debates....... :biggrin:


 When looking to enjoy myself I always prefer a "bend it back, poke it in a hole" job over a "foldy out thingy". It leaves me more satisfied. :toot:


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## Humbug

Bluehase284 said:


> When looking to enjoy myself I always prefer a "bend it back, poke it in a hole" job over a "foldy out thingy". It leaves me more satisfied. :toot:
> 
> Tres amusant, votre "Double Entendre" peut-etre?


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## relaxer7

Deployment is much safer and better looking all day long.


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## Timez Own

relaxer7 said:


> Deployment is much safer and better looking all day long.


 ......the abillity to do this is also good for national security :biggrin:


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## hughlle

relaxer7 said:


> Deployment is much safer and better looking all day long.


 In what way is it safer?


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## relaxer7

Safer for me because I once dropped a watch off my wrist when I undid the buckle... With a deployment clasp open the watch can't fall off because you slide your wrist out if you see what I mean


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## Boxbrownie

hughlle said:


> In what way is it safer?


 Much safer, especially with my fat sausage fingers, fiddling around with one hand trying to insert a tiddly tab into a buckle while holding a few grand of watch against your stomach/chest/leg/girlfriends boob is asking for trouble. :swoon:


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## hughlle

To each their own. I find buckles fareasier and safer.


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## smithswatches

I like both but prefer a buckle, simple easy to use.


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## Bluehase284

I prefer using a deployant, and think they look neater too. However they can be more bulky with thick strap watches.

I an useless at doing a normal buckle up with one hand... I'd be to worries about dropping that special watch on my hard kitchen tiles whilst the kettle boils.....

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk


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## WRENCH

Garry said:


> Always liked deployments on leather straps.
> 
> I find they are kinder on the strap and they last longer


 Never thought of that one, you're right. I don't like the current trend of huge "pre V buckles" on 18mm straps, they look too much out of proportion. I'm waiting on a "pinless" nato to arrive. I'll post some pics when it appears.


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