Looks very promising! Cool also that you have the rights to the name.
Now I just need to hunt the fitting Speedy

 

Or the fitting Accutron Astronaut tuning fork wristwatch
.

 

It would be interesting to point out the (minor) details in which these 2019 versions will differ from the vintage steel mesh bracelets.
Most of us will probably prefer to wear the modern version and keep the vintage version " in storage "
.

 

Happy to! To be clear, our goal was specifically not to create a replica of the original, as we did not want to muddy the vintage market and make it difficult to tell vintage and modern versions apart. We wanted to faithfully recreate the style, but change some relatively minor details:

1. The end portion expands between 16 and about 21mm instead of 16-19mm in the vintage version. This was so the bracelet would better fit the “professional” case.

2. The bracelet is branded (on the back of the clasp) Forstner Komfit, very similar to the original. However, the JB triangle is also on the side of the clasp - the prior Forstner versions were not so branded. The idea is that we’re merging the best of both brands.

3. The central mesh portion is ever-so-slightly wider at 16mm vs the prior ~15.5mm. Small change, but wanted to increase the proportions a little to account for the wider end portion.

4. We’ll have 2 lengths to select from: “original,” which mirrors the length of the vintage JB Champions; and short, which will fit smaller wrists. The JB Champions roughly fit a 6.5 inch wrist when on a Professional Speedy, which wouldn’t work for a rather large number of people. Our shorter version should fit wrists about 5.5 inches and up.

5. The movable portion of the clasp looks just a tiny bit different than the original. You probably wouldn’t notice unless you had them side by side.

That’s about it. Happy to field any other questions if you have them!

 

Most comfortable bracelet i ever had.

 

Sure would be exciting if you could fit a 2mm Rolex OEM spring bar in the endpiece Always wanted to try the JB on a vintage Sub or GMT

 

I don’t know if a Rolex bar will fit, but the authentic Omega Speedmaster ones fit like a glove (e.g., they’re not going to shoot across the room if you miss, as happens sometimes with strap changes).

 

Ok. Then I think Rolex OEM’s will be too big. They don’t fit on a lot of bracelets with “tube” end pieces. Usually these are for 1,8mm max.

 

I’ll give it a shot with my SubC and let you know if it works

 

It would probably fit with the FK type with the solid endpiece, but i don't think it would work with the extension endpiece.......or you can see if you can put thinner springbar in the Lug holes

 

@Forstnerbands, a technical question: over the years, there has been some concern expressed about the edges of these type of bands exerting a scraping action on the inside of the lug faces, with long-term use.

One of our esteemed members, @TLIGuy, has worn his for years and notes no significant damage.

So the question is, have you dialed-in the external spring pressure on your new bands to be either equal to, or less than the originals, in an effort to minimize any possible excess wear to the lugs?

 

OMG OMG! This is the best thing I read today. Will be adjustable width be similar to twist o flex bracelets?

 

This is what I was leading up to with my comment below this one. Please elaborate!

 

THanks for this info... Also curious about the packaging

 

I tried my Rolex spring bars on my vintage JB mesh and ended up breaking the bracelet when the rivets that hold the endpiece together broke (expensive lesson learned: don’t force a fat spring bar into a hole not dimensioned for fat spring bars). I am reluctant to fit other spring bars on my Sub or GMT as I have yet to fint spring bars with the same tip width as the Rolex OEM. Most 20mm spring bars will slide around a bit in the lugholes.

 

@Togri v. 2.0
Sorry to hear that... do check the repair guide:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/jb-champion-repair-log-guide.91236/

 

Good question - the scraping concern is not one I had heard before and I haven’t noticed anything like that while testing the band. To answer your question directly, we haven’t reduced the spring pressure. On the one hand, I suppose doing so could possibly avoid the issue you’re describing. On the other, it could reduce the band’s longevity/ability to adjust consistently over time (e.g., it could crap out or feel wiggly and cheap). Perhaps it also helps that the points of contact are not rough or sharp so as to scrape the inside lugs during wear (again, not at least as we’ve noticed).

 

Hi there - yes the adjustable width is similar, although I am not sure if they match exactly. If my memory serves me, the twist o flex adjusts between about 18-22mm, whereas ours is 16 to a little over 21mm.

 

Another good question. I don’t have a photo of the box on hand, but it is quite nice if not overly flashy. I’ll take some photos when they’re in.

In case you were wondering, we didn’t replicate the old JB clear plastic packaging because (in all honesty) it felt a little cheap. In vintage, it looks cool enough, but I think people might be disappointed with that style in a reboot.

 

This is a common issue with any sort of spring loaded end link. The damage is most often seen on softer cases, like this one that is 18k gold:



However, stainless steel cases are also affected:



Since there is nothing on the end link to keep it from moving relative to the case (as there typically is with fixed style end links) the relative motion of the parts, plus the pressure from the spring will eventually damage the case.

I usually advise my customers to avoid this sort of spring loaded end link, and people here have developed various work arounds to protect the cases from damage, such as fitting O-rings between the end link and the case.

Cheers, Al