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  1. Hal10000 Aug 28, 2014

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    Hey Guys

    No pictures as of now. Will try and take some later, but I just wanted to run this by you to see if there is a solution, if any.

    I have a smallish wrist (6.75) and, on top of that, I have recently lost some weight.

    I also have a bad addiction to the Omega Speedmaster / JB Champion bracelet!

    So, long story short. I got my hands on one in great condition (the straight one, not horned) and have fitted it to my 145.022-69 Speedy.

    I LOVE the look. But unfortunately, the thing is very, VERY loose. So loose that it spins around my wrist :(

    I have it, as far as I know, set to the tightest it will go, but it's still pretty loose on my small, but not TINY wrist.

    Any suggestions? Am I just outta luck? I spent quite a bit of cash on this thing, so it'd be a huge bummer to have to flip it, cause as it is now, it's unusable for me. I would think you'd need at least a 7 inch, or 7.25 inch wrist to make this work (if you like a relatively snug fit).

    Anyway.... ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!
     
  2. tinger Aug 28, 2014

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    Think you might not be adjusting the clasp properly.
    You need to lift the flap on the buckle to adjust for your wrist.
    My wrist is only 6.5" and its not an issue.
    It did take me awhile to figure out the flap thingy.
     
  3. TLIGuy Aug 28, 2014

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    First, DO make sure you are adjusting it properly and sliding the clasp end closer to the end piece at the 6 PM position. The closer the clasp the tighter the bracelet. It it took me a day to figure out how to free the sliding clasp to adjust the bracelet. For the life of me I could not figure out how the clap moved along the bracelet. I thought, no wonder the Apollo guys used the JB. It took three of them to get one to work properly. Once I figured it out it was simple.

    If it is still to long here's the fix....

    You are not out of luck but you may want to preform a bit of very minor surgery on the bracelet. It's really an easy fix but if your not comfortable leave it to a jeweler.

    I had the same issue as well with my 6.75 wrist. if you take a good look at the end pieces you will notice the two little tabs on each side that are folded over the bottom. If you take a small flat blade and pry up the clips the end pice will open because it is. Hinge that has feet on each end that grabs into the mesh. It's really simple to see. Once the tabs are free the mesh will unhook from the teeth and free itself from the end piece. The mesh is just links folded together. I marked the end of the mesh about 1/2 down from the end and unhooked the row of links and removed the excess length. If I recall, I took 1/2" from one end and 1/4" from the other. Once you remove the excess simply hook the teeth on the end piece back into the mesh squeeze it closed and then fold the tabs back down and you are good to do with a shorter bracelet.

    I know it sounds difficult but I have minimal skills and it took me about 10 minutes to do the job. Just take a good look at he end piece and you will see how it unfolds and opens.

    Good luck.
     
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  4. TLIGuy Aug 28, 2014

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    Make sure you can in clasp the bracelet. Slide the little button on the top down and the clasp will unhook. The piece that is under it has a little flat lever that lifts up and allows the clap bottom to slide along the mesh. Move it towards the 6 PM end pice. The closer the smaller it becomes.

    Don't get disappointed. It really takes a few minutes of looking at it to see how it works. Once you do your wrist size is good and you will love the look and feel.
     
  5. Barking mad Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder Aug 28, 2014

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    I have three watches on JB Champion and not a big wrist, I am sure you can sort.

    image.jpg

    image.jpg

    image.jpg
     
  6. Hal10000 Aug 28, 2014

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    Well, this was unexpected! I'm super grateful to you guys for the suggestions (and super jealous of your watches Barking Mad!).

    I have the clasp all the way, closest to the six o'clock position, but it's still a bit too loose for me. Plus I find it difficult to put on and off. Should this be the case?

    Anyway, I might have to perform that bit of surgery, but before I do, I will post pics of how I have the bracelet on the watch. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

    More tomorrow, after work!
     
  7. Barking mad Prolific Speedmaster Hoarder Aug 28, 2014

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    I have just measured my wrist and it is pretty close to 6.5 inches and I sill have 1.25 inches of adjustment to go to make smaller.

    Cheers
     
  8. g-boac Aug 29, 2014

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    Before making any alterations (vs. adjustments) to the bracelet, post some pictures. . .and take some time to study it. These bracelets were anything but intuitive! Great choice on the JB champion bracelet.
     
  9. Hal10000 Aug 29, 2014

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    So, here is the bracelet adjusted to the smallest size (I THINK!).

    I believe, from what you all wrote, I'm moving the clasp as close to the 6 o'clock position as possible and on the other end, moving the little clasp as far to the 12 o'clock position as possible.

    As you can see, it's still PRETTY loose. I wonder who I could get to do this little "surgery" I'm confident I'd probably be able to do it, but I also just paid 300 dollars for this thing and would rather not muck it up!

    JB CHAMPION (1).jpg JB CHAMPION (2).jpg JB CHAMPION (3).jpg JB CHAMPION (4).jpg JB CHAMPION (5).jpg JB CHAMPION.jpg
     
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  10. TLIGuy Aug 29, 2014

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    That is exactly where I was as well. I do wonder if there were some extra long ones made as well. Yours seems to be very long. The way I see it it's looks like you have it as small as it's going to get without removing a bit of the mesh to shorten it.

    After my bit of handy work the space between the end piece and the clasp is about 3/4".

    Others will chime in soon for more input.
     
  11. Hal10000 Aug 29, 2014

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    Small update. I tried removing the end link, which I did successfully, but the little pin that holds the the piece that squeezes between the lugs came loose. Now I'm unable to connect it again (without proper tools).

    I'm bringing it to a jeweler tomorrow to see if they can shorten the mesh and repair this end piece. I'm on a mission! I love the look of this bracelet, but I don't feel comfortable messing with this. I spent too much for it to become a project bracelet that I will inevitably damage beyond repair!
     
  12. TLIGuy Aug 30, 2014

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    Good call if your not comfortable with working on it. If it came apart it will go back together so doNt worry. The bummer is just the short delay until you can strap the watch on your wrist. Once you do you will love the look and ease of taking it on and off.
     
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  13. Hal10000 Sep 29, 2014

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    Welp, a month later to the day and I've got the bracelet back from Lake Country Jewelers (Pewaukee, WI).

    They shortened it by about 2 inches and fixed the end piece. Now it's nice and tight and looks SHARP.

    Might try and source a few tiny O-Rings to make it sit in the middle of the lugs instead of bouncing around.

    What do you guys think?!

    IMG_0551.JPG IMG_0552.JPG IMG_0553.JPG
     
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  14. TLIGuy Sep 30, 2014

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    Excellent results. Nothing like having a skilled surgeon to do the job. Enjoy the bracelet. You will find yourself looking at It realizing just how cool they were back in the day.
     
  15. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Sep 30, 2014

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    Good result.

    On one of my watches, I cut small spacers from the empty end of a ballpoint pen refill (plastic tube type, not metal).

    Mine needed to be about 1mm wide and they kept the band centred, and more importantly, stopped the tube from rubbing on the lugs.
     
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  16. Gavin It's the quiet ones you have to 'watch' out for. Sep 30, 2014

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    Technically, it may be easier if you get one of those straight lugs speedies. :D
     
  17. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Sep 30, 2014

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    Ah Yes!

    Much better solution, I like the way you think.

    Laterally and expensively :D
     
  18. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Sep 25, 2017

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    upload_2017-9-25_7-48-37.jpeg
    [​IMG]
     
    Edited Sep 25, 2017
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  19. TLIGuy Sep 25, 2017

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    There were indeed longer versions out there that I was unfamiliar with at the time. If I had to make an educated guess I would say that these longer bracelets were the ones used during the two Mercury flights as well as Gemini 3 on the suit exterior prior to the adoption of the Velcro strap. I think only the longer ones would accommodate the diameter of the glove.

    s65-23486.jpg

    CREDIT - NASA
     
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  20. SpeedyPhill Founder Of Aussie Cricket Blog Mark Waugh Universe Sep 25, 2017

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    During the Gemini III mission, John Young was seen wearing a pair of Omega Speedmaster 105.003-64 chronographs (one on each wrist) and Virgil Grissom was photographed wearing a Bulova Accutron Astronaut (right wrist) and Omega Speedmaster 105.003-64 (left wrist)...
    However Young's bracelet looked like a semi-elastic version... not the steel mesh, but more of a segmented type
    While Grissom's Speedy clearly sat on a steel mesh version (see captures from actual time-period NASA photos I scanned)
    :thumbsdown:
    .
    John Young ( Gemini III training )
    Young_Gem03.jpg
    .
    Virgil Grissom ( Gemini III training )
    Grissom_Gem03.jpg
     
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