I decided to let my dirty little secret out on Omega Forums.

I love stretch bands. They're like the sweatpants of the watch world.

Comfortable...

Always fits...

Low profile...

No silly latches and clasps...

No need to adjust if wrist expands (like after a big salty meal, or working out at the gym)

Basically the perfect band.

Back in my Father's day, everybody wore them. Nowadays it seems its all leather (thick leather to boot), or heavy stainless.

Not all my watches have them..I keep the mfr band on for vintage sake, but after a day of business meetings wearing a fancy Rolex and alligator band(excuse me, I meant Speedmaster..forgot where I was), I like to slip into a nice Seiko with Speidel stretch band. Can't remember how many times I've gone to bed with this watch on, forgetting I'm wearing it!

Am I a rebel? A retro rebel? Whatever name fits...I dig em.

 

Yes they are looking very good if matching with the watch. But beware of the expansion end link type, they may consume your watch lugs.

 

I have a couple kicking around if you want them

 

Whoa... takes me back! I remember these commercials from childhood:

 

Well now, you reminded me of one of the best things about them...nearly every watch shop has a basket of stretch bands on the back shelf. The one on the Seiko above was given to me...I'll bet I could have as many as I wanted, just to get them off their shelf.

I used to be a big sports collectibles dealer back in the early 90s (and lost my shirt along with most others in that era after the forgery market exploded and took us honest guys down with it). Anyway, fast forward 20 years...I'm cleaning out the storage room and find several boxes of baseball cards I forgot I had. Quick check on ebay confirmed they were *still* not valuable after all these years. I went down to the local sports collectibles store (the only one within 100miles I think), talked to the tired old man at the counter and asked if he wanted these cards, real cheap. He replied "I don't want 'em even if you gave 'em to me, I can't get rid of the crap I have". So I feel like this is what happened to stretch bands...left to the dust heap of history...no longer cool, or with it. Like bell bottom jeans and baseball cards.

 

They could also exfoliate your wrist.

 

They also pluck hairs...my left wrist is very smooth.

 

kinky and inappropriate confession, but that's what I'm here for to see

 

Do more than just Watch, sir. Lets Face it, if we want the stretch back, we must Band together into a Movement, turn back the Hands of Time. Now is the Hour..we must make our Case...Crystal clear...nary a Second to lose! If we Set our minds right, we will Wind Up winning!

....I'm spent.....need a drink....and a nap

 

My preference is the older "scissors" type expansion bracelets for vintage watches. Where I don't have one for a decent vintage watch, I use a strap. The "one size fits all" type with the expanding spring loaded bracelet ends have destroyed countless vintage watch cases. I was unfortunately blessed with very large wrists (on a large body), and finding extra links for the few adjustable vintage expansion bracelets I encounter, is difficult, or impossible.

 

in the subway, giggling, tears i my eyes, I'm tonites freak for all other passengers.

 

Excellent point

The Seiko above is my primary "off hours" watch. Although its not museum bound I still don't want undue damage. The ends are a fixed size for this watch so should not be a problem. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

BTW, I've tried a scissors type, and it pinches me. Oddly enough though, this stretch band does not.

 

I've got at least one that I wear. I thought I had another - maybe I gave that to my son...


They're comfortable. My old man liked them as I remember.

 

I agree entirely.

 

Perfect examples of hair missing wrists!

 

I like the stretch band too. I think this band may have come original with this watch. It's a speidel but it also says longines on the back of it. Just a guess though

 

It's entirely possible (99.99%) that Speidel supplied them to Longines.
Fixo - Flex, another famous stretchy band company supplied a variety of bracelets for Omegas.

 

Many Longines from the 50's came with Speidel bands. My grandfather's 14k white gold manual was delivered that way (using wrong internet device without a picture to show currently but will work on it), and some American ads from that time show the watches with stretchy bands. That Omega band above is sweeeeeeet!

 

my Omega stretchy Fixo-flex on a Connie

 

Not bored with it yet?