Small old watch on bund

[barneygumble]

Hey folks - I've a few small WW2-era watches (33mm-30mm in diameter) that I'd like to wear but they are basically too small. I'd like to wear them on a bund, but even then, with lug widths of 16mm, the strap on the bund is also uncomfortably small.

Is there any other option for this? e.g. a bund strap that narrows for the lugs and widens again for the wrist?

Follow up question: any good source of bund straps? I got one years ago from somebody (Nielsen or something I think the name was) and it was ok, but still a but stiff and uncomfortable.

TY.

[Carlton-Browne]

I had this commissioned by somebody on Etsy - the watch is 28mm and the lugs are 16mm. I don't think I've ever found the strap to be uncomfortably small.



It was bespoke so I imagine you can have any dimension that you'd like. The watch does have spring bars so wouldn't be suitable for watches with fixed lugs (e.g. ATP) but there was a thread on MWR recently where there was an option for those.

Edit: This was it (you'll need an account to view).
https://www.mwrforum.net/forums/show...w-in-KK-s-book



This is a different strap:

[BillyCasper]

This is an ATP with 16mm fixed bars.

The strap originally came on a WW2 Elgin I bought.

Same width over its entire length. (Ps probably not quite true, but I’d have to dig it out to check)






(Probably in the thread CB linked, but for some reason couldn’t open the link)


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[Carlton-Browne]

(Probably in the thread CB linked, but for some reason couldn’t open the link)

Yes, it's in there.

[barneygumble]

I had this commissioned by somebody on Etsy - the watch is 28mm and the lugs are 16mm. I don't think I've ever found the strap to be uncomfortably small.

<....>

Edit: This was it (you'll need an account to view).

@CB Funnily enough, I logged into MWR for the first time in ages yesterday and I think I may have seen a post of yours in relation to one of the watches below!

Just for context, here are 3 of the 'problem' watches with a Damasko for scale. I also have a Revue ATP watch hiding in the house somewhere. It would be nice to be able to wear them occasionally! I'll have a look at that Etsy link.

@Billy thanks for sharing that

[Carlton-Browne]

I've just checked and my Etsy strap was made by a shop called Asketica which appears to be, ahem, Moscow-based so that's not going to fly. This Vietnam-based maker appears to do something similar:

https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/1173701179/leather-bund-strap-bund-watch-band-16mm?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_ view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=asketica&ref=sr_ gallery-1-21&pro=1&organic_search_click=1



I have my UG Webendörfer also on a Bund strap though I believe that alfat32 found some nefarious goings on from the maker so I'm not going to recommend them.

[barneygumble]

I've just checked and my Etsy strap was made by a shop called Asketica which appears to be, ahem, Moscow-based so that's not going to fly. This Vietnam-based maker appears to do something similar:

https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/1173...search_click=1

Watch as I single-handedly bring down the Russian economy and create a Vietnamese export boom.

[Carlton-Browne]

Make sure you specify the springbar-to-springbar dimension precisely as there is not a lot of float possible with this design.

[davestrong]

I chose a bund for my Gub Cal 28.1 rather than the original leather strap. It works well for me and is very comfortable. Size 33mm with 16mm lugs.
Image1654723791.254012.jpg


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[Templogin]

Have you considered Steveostraps? He made me a bund strap for admittedly larger CWC. It was very good, albeit I would have liked another inch in length on the strap.

[Carlton-Browne]

By strange coincidence I received an email yesterday from the Etsy seller and they now have their own website - i.e. they've been kicked off Etsy and are trying to wing it.

The only reference to being in Russia I can find is in their FAQs:

As a company, we are based in Russia and as such do not have to charge you any VAT (Value Added Tax) on your purchase. You will however have to pay import tax depending on the type of product you’ve purchased and the import tax applied in your country.

And they claim to ship in 3-8 business days via UPS - no idea how that works.