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sathomasga
·I think this question has come up a few times—if not here then on other forums—so perhaps it might be worth documenting my experience.
TLDR: Uncle Straps bracelets for the Speedmaster FOIS work well; Forstner bracelets for the FOIS do not work.
As a baseline, here is the OEM Omega bracelet:
The Forstner end links (in this case for the Flat Link Bracelet, do fit within the lugs without a gap, though their curvature isn't a great match for the Railmaster's lugs.
The problem with the Forstner bracelet is the first proper link. It's 20mm wide instead of 19mm. Since the Railmaster's lugs extend just a tiny bit past the end links, the bracelet link needs to fit between the lugs. It won't.
The Uncle Straps end links (in this case for the US1450 model) also fit the lugs without a gap. Their curvature, though not perfect, is a better match for the lugs than Forstners'.
Crucially, the Uncle Straps' proper links are 19mm rather than 20mm, so there is no problem fitting them to the watch.
I'm personally not a fan of Omega's OEM bracelet. The clasp is fiddly in the wrong way: it's too hard to close reliably, and it's too easy to open (e.g. inadvertently). The lack of micro adjustment also makes it difficult for me to maintain a comfortable fit for the entire day. Switching to the Uncle Straps US1450 has significantly increased my enjoyment of the watch.
TLDR: Uncle Straps bracelets for the Speedmaster FOIS work well; Forstner bracelets for the FOIS do not work.
As a baseline, here is the OEM Omega bracelet:
The Forstner end links (in this case for the Flat Link Bracelet, do fit within the lugs without a gap, though their curvature isn't a great match for the Railmaster's lugs.
The problem with the Forstner bracelet is the first proper link. It's 20mm wide instead of 19mm. Since the Railmaster's lugs extend just a tiny bit past the end links, the bracelet link needs to fit between the lugs. It won't.
The Uncle Straps end links (in this case for the US1450 model) also fit the lugs without a gap. Their curvature, though not perfect, is a better match for the lugs than Forstners'.
Crucially, the Uncle Straps' proper links are 19mm rather than 20mm, so there is no problem fitting them to the watch.
I'm personally not a fan of Omega's OEM bracelet. The clasp is fiddly in the wrong way: it's too hard to close reliably, and it's too easy to open (e.g. inadvertently). The lack of micro adjustment also makes it difficult for me to maintain a comfortable fit for the entire day. Switching to the Uncle Straps US1450 has significantly increased my enjoyment of the watch.
