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First Omega In Space / FOIS on bracelet

FlatTop
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The new '57 is definitely 20mm lug width, but you need to swap the end links to get a 321 bracelet to fit the FOIS anyway.

The question is whether the Forstner or Uncle Seiko end links could potentially be used to make the new '57 bracelet fit the FOIS. Still unconfirmed.
Edited:
 
S
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jjjones jjjones
Surely the clasp can be bought seperately.

Omega is selling the 2021 Speedy Chronoscope clasp to 3861 Moonwatch owners to get on the fly adjust so it certainly could be possible. The things you would need:

1. The part number. Someone with access to the Omega extranet like @Archer could confirm if there IS a seperate part number for just the clasp, the part number and the listed price.
2. Someone with the new ‘57 to provide all the required measurements to work out if it’s even feasible. This is far preferable than someone just taking a chance and buying the clasp/bracelet, because it won’t be cheap.

Personally I’m done - I’m completely happy with the 321 bracelet and aftermarket endlinks. I’ve been able to get a good fit and I have no issues wearing the watch a bit loose in cold weather.
 
FlatTop
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I also took the plunge with the 321 bracelet and Forstner end links (for me the design of the Forstner end links looks more authentic than the Uncle Seiko ones).

Very happy.

D11FCA3F-D7BB-4733-AA14-85FCA4880971.jpeg A0B32EDE-732B-4BDC-BEDD-4FDA9A9086AB.jpeg
 
jjjones
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FlatTop FlatTop
I also took the plunge with the 321 bracelet and Forstner end links (for me the design of the Forstner end links looks more authentic than the Uncle Seiko ones).
I have the same setup. I just wished that the Forstner endlinks wernt as curved and more squared off like Uncle Seikos and OEM 321 endlinks.
Biggest problem I have with Uncle Seiko is the brushed middle part of the end link is too long and looks wrong compared to the Forstner and OEM 321 endlinks.
 
N
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Took the plunge and ordered the 321 bracelet from my AD , who I have purchased several watches from. I managed to get a discount from the list price (RRP £610 here in the UK), I paid £500 for mine.

Pictured here with Forstner end links. I personally much prefer the look of the Forstner to the Uncle Seiko end links so glad I was able to recycle these from my original (not contemporary) Forstner flat link bracelet.

I've had it for a week now. Some observations so far, in case helpful to folks:

- The bracelet is very well made - for example, the screws are incredibly well machined and everything has a more solid feel than the Forstner, despite the bracelet links being a very similar thickness. I was actually quite surprised at how thin the 321 links are when I first handled it.
- In my opinion, the flat link design is perfect for the FOIS / CK2998-style straight lug cases which are that little bit more dressy than the Professional version.
- I'm using 1.6mm spring bars. I may change these to 1.5mm in future to allow the bracelet to pivot on the end link a little more freely.
- The clasp is compact, thin and unobtrusive; befitting of its vintage style. However, my experience has been that the folding arms have quite sharp edges - see second photo. When the clasp is folded together and rubbing against the underside of my wrist it has a tendency to 'scrape' a little. I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable, but it is noticeable. When my wrist expands in the heat, I have also noticed (for the first time) that the etched hippocampus logo can press into the top side of my wrist, which can be (slightly) uncomfortable. Got me thinking about one of those Spiralwinder exhibition case backs I saw others posting about here. Maybe 😀
- I never experienced hair pulling with the Forstner bracelet, but there is some (limited) depilation with the OEM ;-)

If I am being completely honest, the Forstner original flat link - with it's expandable / stretchy links - is actually more comfortable for me than the 321 bracelet. This is not to say I regret buying it. The bracelet is very well made, looks the part and feels solid whilst also having somewhat 'dainty' dimensions (which I like). It's still a relatively small proportion of the price paid / value of the watch overall. There is also that intangible feeling of having an OEM (minus the end links!) product matched to the watch head. Kinda feels like I have an Ed White on my wrist, minus the hefty price tag.

Thanks to all who have posted on this thread to date - your advice and experience has been very helpful to me. Hopefully this post will be for others too.
 
IMG-9154.JPG 1.JPG
Quino
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That's what happened to my late 2017 FOIS after having discovered this thread:

03031E7F-628A-4E19-9536-3E8EE87F3BB0.jpeg


And here's the actual setup with the Forstner flat w/endlinks and an Omega 1221/212 clasp:

A8C2A822-5266-4F36-830E-E2166B31794B.jpeg 896BE69A-0667-4504-A8F6-A89A94903514.jpeg
Edited:
 
jjjones
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Hey guys. Didnt want to make a new thread on this and figured this might be the best thread to ask in.

Does anyone have their FOIS on a Omega 98000315 strap? (https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/products/omega-speedmaster-cordura-deployment-watch-strap-98000315)

My brother owns one for this Speedmaster racing and fits perfectly. Last Christmas I tried the strap on my FOIS and from memory, it also fit perfectly. Also looked at older threads from various forums and it shows the strap working fine on FOIS and other CK2998 models.

I sourced mine from the Omega boutique but when I got home and fitted it on, it doesnt fit "properly".

The strap fits but it articulates instead of staying fixed to the case. I suspect its because my springbars are too thin? Not at home atm, so i cant measure the current thickness of my springbars or try different ones. Video below should explain the issue better.

Wondering if anyone here has tried the strap and had it work fine on the FOIS. If its a springbar issue, that should be easily resolved. Im just hoping that Omega didnt change the design of the strap or something. Going to visit my brother over the weekend and try his strap on my FOIS again and do abit of mixing parts to determine what the issue is. Hopefully I wasnt imagining things last Christmas or my memory isnt as bad as i thought it was.

1D6hMoq.jpg
 
texasmade
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jjjones jjjones
Hey guys. Didnt want to make a new thread on this and figured this might be the best thread to ask in.

Does anyone have their FOIS on a Omega 98000315 strap? (https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/products/omega-speedmaster-cordura-deployment-watch-strap-98000315)

My brother owns one for this Speedmaster racing and fits perfectly. Last Christmas I tried the strap on my FOIS and from memory, it also fit perfectly. Also looked at older threads from various forums and it shows the strap working fine on FOIS and other CK2998 models.

I sourced mine from the Omega boutique but when I got home and fitted it on, it doesnt fit "properly".

The strap fits but it articulates instead of staying fixed to the case. I suspect its because my springbars are too thin? Not at home atm, so i cant measure the current thickness of my springbars or try different ones. Video below should explain the issue better.

Wondering if anyone here has tried the strap and had it work fine on the FOIS. If its a springbar issue, that should be easily resolved. Im just hoping that Omega didnt change the design of the strap or something. Going to visit my brother over the weekend and try his strap on my FOIS again and do abit of mixing parts to determine what the issue is. Hopefully I wasnt imagining things last Christmas or my memory isnt as bad as i thought it was.
I remember trying this strap on my FOIS years ago at the Houston OB. When I had the OB install this strap, I had the same issue. I think it's a strap issue vs a spring bar issue. They said technically the strap will fit but it will "articulate" as shown in your video. The rubber strap from the Speedmaster Racing is much stiffer at the end and stays in place.
 
scapa
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texasmade texasmade
I remember trying this strap on my FOIS years ago at the Houston OB. When I had the OB install this strap, I had the same issue. I think it's a strap issue vs a spring bar issue. They said technically the strap will fit but it will "articulate" as shown in your video. The rubber strap from the Speedmaster Racing is much stiffer at the end and stays in place.

I haven't tried this OEM strap but have used JR cordura and an Artem sailcloth on my FOIS with good results.

I'd be interested in the Speedy Racing rubber strap -- that's a very smart piece.
 
jjjones
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Thanks for the response guys.

Just an update. The good news is my memory is ok and I wasnt imagining things.

Tried my brother's strap again and it fit perfectly fine. Switched his spring bars onto my strap and watch and it worked.

Not sure what spring bars I was using, im guessing it was some el cheapo aftemarket ones. Might need to replace them with some OEM ones for piece of mind as I'm using these spring bars on my 321 bracelet.

My brother had a spare set of OEM omega ones and gave me them, so all is well now.

I probably should have bought the shorter version of this strap, but it fits snug and nicely on the last hole. Should give me room to loosen if my wrist swells during the day but I don't ever think I would need it tighter than the last hole.

NbnzJ2B.jpg
lfm0kgs.jpg
vGo2yAH.jpg
 
N
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Glad you got that setup to work, it looks great - gives it a sporty look. Do you happen to know how thick are the OEM spring bars you're using i.e. 1.8mm etc?

For those using the 321 bracelet with Forstner end links, I'd be interested to know what size and type of spring bars people are using? I've found that only 1.5mm or 1.6mm (non OEM) spring bars will work for me.
 
jjjones
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N nickjust
Glad you got that setup to work, it looks great - gives it a sporty look. Do you happen to know how thick are the OEM spring bars you're using i.e. 1.8mm etc?

For those using the 321 bracelet with Forstner end links, I'd be interested to know what size and type of spring bars people are using? I've found that only 1.5mm or 1.6mm (non OEM) spring bars will work for me.

Thanks mate. I'll see if I can measure the oem spring bars when I get home. But I'm guessing they're 1.8mm

They look as thick as my aftermarket spring bars I was using with my 321 bracelet. I guess oem ones were more sturdy making my strap work.

I say this because when I was trying to fit the 321, the thicker spring bars would fit but it was so tight that the bracelet wouldn't freely rotate on the Forstner endlinks. So I used a thinner spring bar instead which worked.

I wasn't happy with the thinner spring bars though because there was a little wiggle in the end links which annoyed me. So I ended up using a dremel and shaved off some of the end link so that the male end of the bracelet wouldn't touch the end link. So my 321 bracelet is pretty solid now and freely rotates. This modification to the end link cant be seen from the outside, only when you take the bracelet off.

I csn share photos of if helps.
 
jjjones
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Just measured my springbars. Both OEM and aftermarket are 1.8mm thick.

Pictures below of the shaved Forstner endlinks if anyone's interested:
GncbFvj.jpg
nrCFB9M.jpg

I recommend this mod for anyone who wants a more solid fit for the 321 bracelet. The good thing is that you can buy those endlinks separately from Forstner.
 
jyles_baldemor
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zoohannover zoohannover
Hello everybody,

I really love my First Omega In Space / FOIS but I always wanted to wear it on a bracelet.
So I did some research and searched for 19 mm bracelets that could fit the watch.

Here is the interim result of my research.

Edit 04.01.2020: I have added a part with the modern bracelet 1587 / 986. See below.
Edit 19.03.2020: I have added a part with the vintage bracelet 1125 / 560. See below.
Edit 02.06.2020: I have added a part with the modern bracelet 1565 / 976. See below.



FOIS on 1125 / 617 bracelet

This is the one vintage looking bracelet for the FOIS that you can still get at the OB.

The only tricky part was to find out that the spring bars (19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter) come in two different lengths. One short version reference 2206 for bracelets and one slightly longer reference 2207 for straps. The latter ones are coming with the FOIS and making it almost impossible to fit a bracelet to the watch. Take the short version and it will work.

FOIS_1125_01.jpg FOIS_1125_02.jpg FOIS_1125_03.jpg

Bracelet reference 1125 (new from OB)
Endlinks reference 617 (new from OB)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)



FOIS on bracelet 1098 / 540

I really love my Speedy Pro on the 1116 bracelet, so it was nice to see that the small brother 1098 fits the FOIS. And the endlinks 540 are still available at the OB!

FOIS_1098_01.jpg FOIS_1098_02.jpg FOIS_1098_03.jpg

Bracelet reference 1098 (from second hand market)
Endlinks reference 540 (new from OB)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)



FOIS on bracelet 1068 / 556

To give the FOIS a kind of 60ies look I went for a beads of rice bracelet reference 1068. Again, the end links are still available at the OB! (Yes, the fit is not quite as good as the other bracelets, but …)

FOIS_1068_01.jpg FOIS_1068_02.jpg FOIS_1068_03.jpg

Bracelet reference 1068 (used)
Endlinks reference 556 (new from OB)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)



FOIS on bracelet 1069 / 524

Here ist the 1069 bracelet with the grooved center links. The fit is quite nice.

1069_01.jpg 1069_02.jpg 1069_03.jpg

Bracelet reference 1069 (used)
Endlinks reference 524 (used)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)


Edit 04.01.2020
FOIS on bracelet 1587 / 986

After seeing several photos of the FOIS with this bracelet, I was curious to try it out. Modern flatlink bracelet on FOIS.

In general the fit is quite good, but the small tabs of the solid endlinks are somewhat hanging in the air. Therefore the endlinks are rotating a bit around the spring bar and open a gab between watch case and endlink. See detail pictures below. Surely this can be solved somehow.

1587_986_a.JPG 1587_986_b.JPG 1587_986_c.JPG

Bracelet reference 1587 (new)
Endlinks reference 986 (new)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)

986_a.JPG

Small tabs hanging in the air.
986_b.JPG

Nice fit with endlinks touching watch case.
986_c.JPG

Not so nice fit with endlinks rotating and opening gap.

Edit 19.03.2020
FOIS on vintage 1125 / 560 bracelet

I recently had the opportunity to purchase this vintage 1125 bracelet with 560 end links at a good price. So I tried it and it fits the FOIS very well.

The vintage version of the 1125 bracelet is different from the modern version with more taper and a small clasp cover with embossed logo and grooves. I really like the taper from 19 mm to 15.5 and the old version of the clasp.

DSC00112.JPG DSC00113.JPG DSC00114.JPG


Edit 02.06.2020
FOIS on modern 1565 / 976 bracelet

I had the opportunity to borrow this bracelet to mount it on my FOIS and take some pictures to kind of round off my post.

The fit of the solid end pieces is very good, especially when you consider that the bracelet was intended for another watch with a different case shape. It is very solid and, together with the two security pushers, offers a robust bracelet for everyday use.

I assume that the bracelet 1564/975 fits similarly well, because it only differs in the links with pins instead of the screwed links of the 1565/976.

Note for small wrists: The end pieces shift the axis of rotation of the bracelet outwards, causing it to bend significantly downwards for small wrists. I prefer bracelets where the spring bar is also the axis of rotation for the bracelet.

IMG_1135.JPG IMG_1143.jpg IMG_1140.jpg

Bracelet reference 1565 (new from OB)
Endlinks reference 976 (new from OB)
Spring bars reference 2206 (Width 19 mm, 1,8 mm diameter, short version for bracelets)

Bracelets on FOIS in this initial post:
1125 / 617 modern version
1098 / 540
1068 / 556 (not so nice fit)
1069 / 524
1587 / 986 (with issues)
1125 / 560 vintage version
1565 / 976

...to be continued

Plus lots of other alternatives.
Thanks to fellow members for posting!
Mesh (Milanaise), 1035 / 6, 1068 / 555, beads of rice, 1093 / (538), Speidel 230186WL, 1351.339, …
I've always been curious on trying different strap options for my Omegas. Definitely an inspiration to try!
 
jjjones
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Keep in mind that the endlinks on the new FOIS wont fit (just like the 321 ed white endlinks).
But I wouldnt be surprised if you can fit the new FOIS bracelet on the Forstner endlinks. At least with this way, you'll have the new adjustable clasp.
 
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