Watches N+1…

Well, im not a watch nerd, but i found it interesting.

Thanks Marty – I will screenshot your response and show it to my wife next time she tuts and rolls her eyes when I come out with a fascinating watch fact 😂👍

Thanks Marty – I will screenshot your response and show it to my wife next time she tuts and rolls her eyes when I come out with a fascinating watch fact

Well, I found it interesting too but best of luck citing some internet randoms vs your wife!

Where to find a new strap that’s nice but reasonable price?
I’m the owner of a nice new Seiko (I think SNN241) from @tthew.
I’m not sure if I want leather or one one the fabric straps.
Show me some pics of yours and where to get a strap from…

Try watch gecko or George’s straps

Watch Gecko is where the strap on it came from. Nice quality, but was a bit long, I had to get an extra hole put in.

Cba trying to post an image but I use hirsch leather straps on my brietling, very good quality just change the fittings over to the brietling bits

Barton straps are good, although I once bought direct from their website. They are US based and I got hit for duty. They are available on Amazon though. I particularly like their premium silicon bands.

Where to find a new strap that’s nice but reasonable price?

I think I bought a Berfine “vintage” style leather strap from Amazon for my SNAF09, pretty generic looking but suits the watch. Make sure you measure the lug width, mine was down as 22mm everywhere I looked but it it’s actually 21mm – if yours is the same it’ll make a difference with leather. In fabric, 20 or 22 NATO both look fine, though thicker 22s can bunch up a bit at the lugs so cheaper straps work best. I last got some cheap NATOs from watchnutwales – decent quality and cheap enough that you can try a few.

Watchgecko is a well regarded one. I got my new leather one from The Strap Shop and really like it

Steveostraps

Quick question – are all spring bars created equal? I nearly lost Countzero’s Seiko today, so what’s most robust?

are all spring bars created equal? I nearly lost Countzero’s Seiko today, so what’s most robust?

No they’re not, bigger is usually better if it fits the strap but I’m afraid I’ve no specific recommendations. The OE ones that come with the Diver’s spec Seikos are very sturdy though, so I guess your problem might be down to some aftermarket fitment. Surprising if it’s come from an AD to CZ to you though.

Thanks Johnners, I can’t imagine they are anything other than the originals as I reused them from the standard strap on it’s replacement. I’ll see if I can find some tough ones.

I nearly lost Countzero’s Seiko today, so what’s most robust?

Surprised at that myself, those are the bars it came with, they only came out to swap the straps over, using a proper tool, but they’re thin tube, and can fail at any time.
Seiko fit fat, or oversized spring bars on some watches, and you can buy them in different sizes on the Internet, it’s probably worth picking up some and swapping them as soon as possible.
With the original rubber strap, the bars were a pig to get back in place, one of them came out three times despite seeming to be perfectly seated, but putting them in without a strap and fitting a NATO they should be ok; just one of those things, I guess.
I keep meaning to get some oversized bars for my Tuna, now it’s got a NATO/ZULU strap fitted, this is probably the time to do it, before I go over to a seatbelt weave single-pass strap.

regarding spring bars I was just reminded of one of the huge advantages of a NATO. I was splitting wood, had my Steinhart Ocean One on the wrist on its Bond nato and as the axe struck one round the jolt was enough to ping a spring bar out. First time I’ve ever had it happen. watch remains on the wrist held by the other bar, spotted the bar on the floor and popped it back in. Now there is, I know, a risk that natos, especially if too narrow, can hook on the collars and pop spring bars out, so some advocate using collar less bars with natos. if you do this be sure not to use those bars with another strap, the bars can not be removed once fitted, except by cutting in half (with electrical snips/pliers).

Also if you are wearing a watch on the bracelet, if its the sort where the spring bar not only holds the end link, but also acts as the pin to the next half link, then the movement of the half link will wear through the spring bar over time, so change the spring bar occasionally.

Any vintage Seiko divers experts on here? We got burgled yesterday and among many other things they got my1987-88 era Seiko divers watch, automatic on a black rubber strap with blue and red bezel. Any idea what model it might have been?  (and no, they didn’t get the bikes)

Google-fu suggests a 6309-729A but you’re on the cusp of the 7002 at that age too.

edit – nice watch, (if I got the right ones) The bezel adds a nice pop of colour, might get a replacement for my, (sorry the Count’s) SKX007.

Thanks @tthew – based on the strap it looks like it is the 6309 729A. Or rather it was…

If you find one going second Hand with a bit of a cracked strap let me know cos it’s probably mine!

As above one of the main advantages of a NATO strap, apart from being so comfy is if a spring bar goes you don’t lose your watch.

I had it happen when I was working on the Wales Rally, tramping miles through forests and over hillsides then noticed my watch was hanging on by one spring bar, if it was on a normal strap it would have been history, original Tudor specced spring bars too, so I reckon they’re all a bit crap, although the ones on my SKX007 are chunky as you like. A jeweler in Llandudno tried to charge me £10 for a spring bar to replace the one I’d lost, I told him to jog on obvs.

the ones on my SKX007 are chunky as you like

I believe “security of attachments” forms part of the test for ISO 6425 so I’d expect a watch designated as “Diver’s” to have beefed up springbars – I know my SKX779 has much sturdier looking springbars than my other Seikos. Which is why I was a bit surprised @tthew had experienced a problem with the SKX007 he got from @CountZero.

I read that the 007 isn’t ISO certified as they didn’t pressure test every one, which is one of the requirements. That came in with the Prospex range apparently, maybe the spring bars are another thing. Anyway, coincidently the replacements were waiting for me when I got home today. 2mm ones are definately thicker than the originals. 👍

Probably one of the reasons they’re so reasonably priced.

Plenty of much more costly and respected dive watches have standard spring bars. Seiko just like being different I think.

Don’t forget though, even most NATO have a spring bar that is the single point of failure in the buckle.

Probably one of the reasons they’re so reasonably priced.

That’s exactly what this article said IIRC. The ‘diver’ watches that came after it jumped in price quite a lot because of the cost of 100% testing. The 5’s are the cheaper ones now I think, (does it split that easily between 5’s and Prospex?) The 5 range is 100m which isn’t deep enough for the ISO.

Is anyone anal enough to want to see a copy of the actual ISO code? I’ve got a standards account, I could download a copy You’ll have to promise to read it and destroy it though, copyright issues and all that. 😉

Can anyone recommend a source of a 22mm mesh/Milanese strap?  I’d like to try one on my 5.   Needs to come with a spring bar tool and be not too expensive.

thanks

I read that the 007 isn’t ISO certified

I thought it was, that’s why it says “Diver’s 200M” on it rather than just 20 bar or similar. I’d be interested to have a look at the article if you’ve got a link.

Don’t forget though, even most NATO have a spring bar that is the single point of failure in the buckle.

MN FTW!

I’ll see if I can turn it up Johnners, but it’s not the kind of thing I would have saved as a favorite.

Can’t find it sorry. 🙁

Thanks for looking, I’ll continue believing (rightly or wrongly) they’re ISO certified then!

Tudor have upped their prices approaching 10%

Anybody on the hunt for a black omega smpc mid size? The latest one. That’s not the very latest SMP… Thru don’t come mid sized, the latest mud midsize … Which you’ll still see in ADs currently.

I’ve just seen one that’s under a month old up for sale for a huge huge huge discount (£1650) on a watch forum I use. Will be happy to put in touch with the seller if you want it.

I recently left a work place and got a few pounds as a collection which was very nice and totally unexpected. I have a few watches and currently use a Seiko SKA759P1 Prospex for a work watch, I’m thinking of a TW Steel canteen automatic as an alternative to the Seiko! Does anyone have any experience of them or recommend an alternative.

If you’re after a diver maybe a few quid more for a Magrette or bit different a smiths prs 25

https://www.timefactors.com/prs25black.htm

I’m thinking of a TW Steel canteen automatic

I’ve no personal experience of them but they look like more of a fashion brand than anything else – I understand somebody buying a watch on the look alone but nearly £400 for an automatic powered by (at most) £20 worth of entry-level Miyota doesn’t seem like good value to me. If you’re after something big and bold with large numbers on the dial (seems to be TW’s USP!) how about an SRPA71?

or maybe an SRPD33?

,,,sorry, that’s just 2 more Seikos, isn’t it?

Further to my stolen Seiko (up there) can anyone recommend a cheapish automatic with non-metal strap? Ideally around £100 as I expect the insurers won’t be generous.

can anyone recommend a cheapish automatic with non-metal strap? Ideally around £100

At under £100 I’d probably be heading to AliExpress myself. I don’t know what style you’re after but there are loads to choose from and you should easily be able to get sapphire and a Japanese movement for £60 or so. I’ve got one of these Fliegers, Miyota 8215 and sapphire and about £55 delivered IIRC. It came on a perfectly decent vintage style leather strap but I’m an inveterate swapper! 2 weeks or so for delivery so not much use if you’re in a tearing hurry I guess.

can anyone recommend a cheapish automatic with non-metal strap? Ideally around £100

There’s hundreds of Seiko 5 styles at under that price, Amazon or Creation Watches will give you some ideas. That’s be where my money would be heading.

Changed the strap to a nice NATO from Georges Straps.I think it looks rather nice. These Seikos can be picked up for around £100-150 and are well worth it.