I found this JBC bracelet on Ebay yesterday and wanted to ask for some advice, since I´ve never bought, owned or seen such a bracelet in real life:


The full listing is here: https://www.ebay.at/itm/Vintage-JB-...085380?hash=item3fd6c3a404:g:m4kAAOSwQTVeEmiaPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

The seller is asking for 400 pounds which is about 470 Euros. Is that a good/acceptable price? I understand the straight endpieces are cheaper than the curved ones, which would work well for me as I prefer the straight ones on a purely aesthetical basis.

Is it safe to wear these bracelets as a "daily driver"? I read that NASA used them mostly because the OMEGA bracelets at the time were too solidly built and they didn´t want the astronauts to get injured when they snagged the bracelet somewhere so they used a bracelet that breaks easier. Should I be concerned about that when I wear the bracelet?

Lastly, can I wear this bracelet on a 15,5cm (6 inch) circumference wrist? My wrists aren´t the biggest out there and I already made the mistake of buying a beautiful Breitling Navitimer 806 with its original mesh bracelet once only to find out later, that I couldn´t wear the bracelet because my wrists were too small.

Looking forward to hearing your opinions.
Cheers!

 

I think that it is slightly unclear if that is the value today since the release of the new https://forstnerbands.com/ (US), https://www.forstnerbands.co.uk/ (EU).

 

Buying the vintage JB mesh right now is somewhat speculative. The prices seem to be on a downward trend. I would look at the link above before you go any further.
Whether you buy vintage or the new version, don't worry about breakage. They are very strong. The new version is a bit more robust from what I've read.


PS the new version does come in a shorter model as well.

 

Thank you @Patrik83 and @kingsrider so much for making me aware of that! I was very close to ordering this one and just wanted to ask on the OF if everything was alright with it - I´m very glad I did. I´ll just order myself a new one now. Thanks so much for making me aware of that

 

Prices were hovering around $600 US only six months or so ago, big drop recently.

I just let a really nice one go for $425.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/red...ampion-mesh-bracelet-19mm-speedmaster.107570/

 

Seller of OP JB is a valued and trusted member here @michael e

 

1960s version on display
2019 Forstnerbands as a daily wearer

 

This.

I suspect like watches, people will want an original/vintage esp. due to the historical relationship with the moon landings.

But for daily wear, if you like the style and the price difference, the modern Forsterbands are perfect... ahem having one myself

 

I continue to be the voice of reason calling this out as nonsense. They are very strong and the clasp is harder to release than an Omega version. These were used by X-15 pilots pre NASA tests and were popular with pilots.
If you are in the incredibly unlikely situation of being trapped by your watch, why not just take it off by releasing the clasp????

 

The modern Forstner JB is great if you want the look of the original JB and for some that is good enough, good to have the size go up to 20mm too.
I have bought two modern Forstner bracelets and for the money they are fantastic, not as smooth feeling as the original to the touch if that makes sense but for £100 I think they are a bargain alternative to the more expensive original, they get my thumbs up I would recommend one myself to anyone who isn't fussed about vintage/original.

Although I missed a sale here I am happy to hold on to an original one, I am also happy to wear the new ones too on a wide spectrum of watches not just Omegas.

I'm sitting on the fence

 

The reissue one is also available in a "short" version

 

I mainly see prices ending £300-400 and can see them in December.
You might drop lucky but I don't think prices have faded to below 200 as a new price.

 

This is from eBay Uk.
I don’t think prices have bombed.
The lower priced ones seem to have fixed ends.

 

Thank God I didn't have any dubious windows open on those screen shots!

 

Yes, on a second thought I totally agree with you. Having the original and especially the hunt for it is a totally other thing than just buying a new one online.
Unfortunately, since I hate keeping my collectibles in the safe and the original JBC is too large for me to wear, I bought the new shorter version. To make up in authenticity I‘ll at least try to get one of those Timely wrist calendars, that @TLIGuy wrote about and researched so excesively.

 

Excessively possibly but I prefer extensively.

 

I want to start this off by saying that I clearly don´t know as much about this topic as you do, so please excuse me if this might come off as ignorant, but I would think that NASA was more concerned about astronauts snagging their bracelet and injuring themselves instantaniously rather than as a result of not being able to get free after they got stuck. I imagine a scenario where an astronaut floats in zero G, passes some object with a noticable difference in velocity, snags his bracelet and the continued forward momentum of his body breaks his wrist without the astronaut having the chance of releasing the bracelet before that happens. In such a scenario a bracelet that brakes easily would prevent the astronaut from breaking his wrist, which I think NASA would deem favourable.

 

Wow, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’m going to spring on one of their “regular” bands right now.

I don’t have a 321 Speedy, but I DO have one of these:



What’s y’all’s opinion on putting a new Forstner on it? I think it would be kinda cool!

 

JB bracelet are very cheap and a trend made them very expensive...and I don't like how it is around the lugs...if I'd have to buy one, I'd go for a brand new Forstner Komfit...

 

That doesn´t look cheap to manufacture: