Hi OF,

I hope you're all doing well and staying safe!

As it is particularly sunny here in Surrey, UK today whilst in the garden this morning I thought I might treat my much loved seamaster to a BOR to dress it differently from time to time!

I have been pondering it for a while and wondering whether to hold out for my what I am calling my "treat to myself shopping list" for when I hit 200 posts (which I am in no rush to do my bank balance will be relieved to know) but have a couple of potentials I may add to the WTB section at that milestone event.

Anyway, I digress - my question at hand is would the correct BOR for the above Seamaster be the 1502 with no. 11 end links? Originally I thought it was a 1036 but I think there are a few combinations that work?

I had been holding out for a BOR with 555 end links for my Jumbo Seamaster, but they seem rare and I figure a BOR with 18mm end links will fit more future watches (a Connie next on my list)

And yes I am definitely hooked on OF and collecting now

Thanks as always for the expert advice you all provide!

Best wishes,
Dave

p.s My Seamaster says hi!

 

I am not sure I fully understand your question. Are you looking for a variety of Endlinks/bracelet options to fit on a 18mm Lug of the 165.002? If so, the following are 5 row Beads of Rice:

1502, 8220 and 1036
and mix and match with the following endlinks: 11, 12, 14, 514, 511 or 512

However, I would suggest that the lug profile of this watch may not suit the 5 row beads of rice bracelet. You may need a 7(sometimes called 9) row BoR.

In which case you will need the following bracelet references:
1503, 1037, 1068 and 8270
and mix and match the following endlinks: 70, 199, 513, 523, 570, 586, 654, 661, 614, 724

Alternatively you can have 672 endlinks on a 1193 bracelet for a different variation on a bracelet (link here for what it looks like): https://omegaforums.net/threads/aga...ns-omega-automatic-ref-165-002-cal-552.87105/

Or a flat link? I have never seen this reference in the literature or in person with a (what I believe to be) original bracelet attached

Are you also looking for 555 endlinks for 19mm lugs? If so, you might be able to get in touch with @GuiRo who found some 555s on a bracelet, but he mentioned that they were 18mm, so they may have been filed down.

Alternatively you might have some luck with these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-Omeg...728600?hash=item283c433258:g:Y8AAAOSwx2VZhyMiPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network Although they are GP, I know it is possible to un-plate (or de-plate?) them, which may be easier than sourcing original steel endlinks.

 

Hi Lucas,

Thanks very much for this info, you answered perfectly - I am looking for the variety of options for bracelet's and end links, and I will have a look at 7 row's vs 5 rows. The info above will give me what I need so thanks for the clarity.

The 1139 looks nice as well, some more research for me there I think!

You were spot on too, I was looking for 555 end links for 19mm lugs - and have spoken with GuiRo as well!

I wondered about the GP 555 end links on eBay - thought they might be worth a shot and un-plate them, they've been on there a while now so will have a ponder!

All in all your answers are really helpful and I seem to be on the right lines with my research which is encouraging so thanks!

 

+1. The 5-row BOR was designed for the bigger, more robust lugs of the earlier Seamaster line and wouldn't look right with the later slimmed-down models. The 7-row is the way to go.

 

Perfect - 7-row it is, will get on the FS section

 

This was my first decent vintage watch. It came with this BOR which I think has always been on it. Hopefully you can see how the lug shape and the finer lines of the case match the shape of the BOR links.



A 5-row BOR on an earlier Seamaster. Everything about the watch is bolder and rounder, and this is reflected in the design of the bracelet.



Then you have the 14381 Constellation, which can carry off either type.

 

@Edward53 thanks very much for taking the time to post those, I can indeed see how well the 7-row works in the first pic - that has pretty much made up my mind about the 7-row.

So pleased I posted this thread to avoid disappointment always ok to carry on educating myself.

 

As a note- there was a flatlink for this case style with 18mm endlinks around 1967 (I have been on the hunt for it for some time), it appears in a catalog pic that (of course) I can’t find on the Seamaster/Speedmaster “companion” models- it’s shown right next to the SM300 also wearing a flatlink. If anyone wants to share that bracelet model and endlinks numbers, I would love to know.

 

Could be 4 (or 543) endlinks on 7912 bracelet - but according to the Mstanga flat link chart, it appears that the bracelet ended production in about 65/66.

The other iterations of the FL bracelet which were produced during 67 would have been the 1501, 1506 (but I have not seen any 18mm endlinks for either of these). Then are the 1035 with 543 endlinks (18mm). Then 1039 (which I can also not find 18mm ELs for).

Therefore you are either looking for 4, or 543 endlinks on a 7912 or 1035 bracelet, depending on the exact date of the watch. I remember reading somewhere there are sub-variations of the 1035 bracelet, with the last link of the bracelet being 1mm smaller for bracelets designed for 18mm endlinks. I do not know if this is true, and have not been able to test it myself.

 

Hey all,

Just thought I would update that I managed to bag myself a 7 row BOR and got it fitted (after some definite fiddly re-sizing) thanks for all the advice above on this one in my quest!

Cheers,
Dave

Some pics: