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Thread: Aftermarket metal strap / bracelet - will they fit?

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    Aftermarket metal strap / bracelet - will they fit?

    So I have a few watches that came on leather straps new or vintage watches where the original straps are long since gone. I would be keen to try and fit some onto metal straps such as a jubilee, beads of rice or oyster. The thing that concerns me is the end links. I don't really want a big gap between the case and the start of a metal bracelet but worry that an aftermarket end link is unlikely to fit. What do other people do? Do you need ones designed for specific watches? Can you work out if it will fit up front? Or is this a non starter all together?
    Last edited by Zook; 16th January 2019 at 02:13. Reason: Typo

  2. #2
    Craftsman Robbo12's Avatar
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    I've just ordered a metal strap for a GP 39 jewels
    Measurement was checked with supplier and confirmed by email
    Its a German brand available at watchband.com
    It comes supplied with end links curved and straight

  3. #3
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    If the end pieces are thin enough (i.e. not solid) you can file them to shape. This only really works on 1960s/70s beads of rice or similar bracelets.
    "A man of little significance"

  4. #4
    Master
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    watch gecko do a beads of rice bracelet in 20 and 22mm with interchangeable straight and curved ends for just over £60.i managed a reasonable fit with a little bending here and there...
    Last edited by greasemonkey; 16th January 2019 at 09:55. Reason: sspelin

  5. #5
    Master Neilw3030's Avatar
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    I’ve fitted generic beads of rice bracelets to a couple of watches with curved end links, it takes time and patience, continual very small adjustments. The hardest one I’ve done is a Hamilton Pan Europ, needs curved spring bars as there is no room to fit straights at all, I liked the result a lot.
    I’ve done two of these using a yobokies bracelet



    And one of these, can’t remember what I used


  6. #6
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neilw3030 View Post
    I’ve fitted generic beads of rice bracelets to a couple of watches with curved end links, it takes time and patience, continual very small adjustments. The hardest one I’ve done is a Hamilton Pan Europ, needs curved spring bars as there is no room to fit straights at all, I liked the result a lot.
    I’ve done two of these using a yobokies bracelet


    That bracelet on that Hamilton looks superb.
    "A man of little significance"

  7. #7
    Grand Master
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    Trimming/modifying end pieces is easy in principle, but it's surprisingly fiddly to do in practice. I`ve never found a way of clamping the damned things up, I`ve ended up sticking a piece of pegwood through to hold them on. Last ones I fitted were for one of my own watches, a 60s Constellation with 19mm end pieces. The bracelet was a NOS beads of rice supplied from Watchco when they sold all their Omega parts off, should've been fairly easy to fit but it took me 2 hrs to trim the end pieces......and I`m supposed to know what I`m doing!

    In the 60s it was common to fit aftermarket bracelets without custom-made end pieces, a bit like fitting a leather strap, and no-one minded. That's how it was; have to admit I prefer the fitted look but there's an element of re-writing history by doing this.

  8. #8
    Craftsman
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    Hmm looks to be a bit of a minefield. I may stick with fabric and leather straps for now until I feel a little bit braver.
    Last edited by Zook; 17th January 2019 at 18:38. Reason: Typo

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