The Jb Champion USA you have is a straight end link variant of the .... NASA BRACELET .... these are
NOT and should NEVER be referred to as ... Komfit, Komfit style, and or Komfit JB
THE DANGER OF HOROLOGICAL HISTORY RE WRITTEN sadly with help from supposed knowledgable and trusted sources.
JB Champion USA, holds a
verified place in space exploration and watch history. The JB Champion USA NASA bracelet adoption by NASA was based on practical engineering needs, and its use is documented in photographs and firsthand accounts. However, the
modern revival demands critical scrutiny to prevent the erosion of historical accuracy.
Preserving the true story of JB Champion USA is essential to honoring both horological craftsmanship and the legacy of human space exploration.
Let’s set the record straight once and for all. The astronauts wore the post-1963 CHAMPION stainless steel expandable mesh bracelets made by Jacoby Bender (JB Champion) USA from their Champion line of bracelets, known as the NASA BRACELET and that distinction matters.
THEY ARE CALLED THE NASA BRACELET by JB Champion USA if they are not original
"REPO" is the word to use.
The original bracelets are certainly not called Komfit, Komfit style or Komfit JB ... made by Forstner
By allowing publications to repeat the modern Forstner brand's narrative without correction, a "Johnny-come-lately" brand hijacks the legacy of a defunct OEM giant, replacing documented history with corporate myth.
The public is spoonfed inaccurate historical narratives by prominent watch publications. Major publications themselves have not issued official corrections to their original coverage, which often repeats the simplified and conflated narrative.
The periodicals Hodinkee, Fratello, Worn & Wound, aBlogtoWatch, Watchtime magazine, and GearPatrol have not published formal corrections or clarifications to address the misleading claim that the modern Forstner brand is directly responsible for the NASA-issued "JB CHAMPION USA expandable stainless steel mesh" bracelet.
The name Komfit and Forstner if mentioned belongs in the portion of the article giving background information.
The lack of correction from major watch publications perpetuates a dangerous rewriting of horological history.
A). It Erases True Innovation:
It credits the modern Forstner brand with the achievement of creating the NASA-issued bracelet, when it was actually Jacoby-Bender's "JB Champion" model, developed after they acquired Forstner, that was used in space.
B). It Misleads the Public:
Consumers and collectors, who rely on these respected publications for accurate information, are being fed a commercially-driven myth instead of the factual, nuanced history.
C). It Undermines Historical Integrity:
When influential media outlets repeat unchallenged inaccuracies, they allow a corporate narrative to supplant documented facts, mirroring the "truth hijacked as propaganda" warned of in historical discourse. This sets a precedent where brand marketing can overwrite historical reality.
The perpetuation of the myth that the Forstner "Komfit" was the NASA-issued bracelet is dangerous because it actively erases the true history of horological innovation.
A SIMPLE REBRANDING CLAIM ...
The issue is not simply a rebranding; it is the
obscuration of significant engineering work by Jacoby Bender working with NASA itself. While Forstner created the original
Komfit with fixed end pieces, it was Jacoby Bender that acquired the company in 1963 and developed the
JB Champion, the true "NASA bracelet."
This was not a superficial name change. Jacoby Bender made
critical engineering modifications, most importantly the
spring-loaded, variable-width end pieces (16–19 mm). This innovation allowed the band to securely fit over a wide range of watch lugs and, crucially, to be easily adjusted over the bulky sleeves of a space suit making it a functional necessity for NASA.
Many modern sources, including some retailers and media, refer to NASA bracelet made by JB Champion USA versions as "Forstner Komfit, Komfit JB, and or Komfit style" straps, which is historically inaccurate. This revisionism risks
erasing Jacoby-Bender’s engineering contributions and misattributing the success of the JB Champion USA NASA issued bracelet to a company that did not exist after 1963 and had no role with the space program of NASA.
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER (OEM)
All OEM supply work including for NASA and major watch brands was carried out by JB Champion USA under its own engineering and manufacturing.
Beyond the NASA mesh bracelet,
JB Champion USA supplied Omega with other OEM bracelets, including
flat link,
slat-style,
brick, and
Oyster-style designs, as confirmed by historical supplier records. Evidence from retailer stock listings shows
JB Champion USA also supplied bracelets compatible with
Bulova,
Hamilton,
Longines,
Universal Genève ,
Recta and other brands.
JB Champion USA supplied
Rolex with OEM bracelets, including
oval link Jubilee and
Oyster-style designs, primarily during the
1960s–1970s to avoid U.S. import tariffs on complete watches. These bracelets were stamped
"JB" in a triangle,
"USA", and sometimes
"14 KT U.S.A." or
"ROLEX STAINLESS STEEL U.S.A." on the clasp.
They are
genuine Rolex USA bracelets, made by JB Champion USA, and are distinct from Swiss-made versions. The
"USA" stamp confirms they were made by
JB Champion USA (not Forstner) for the American market.
The modern
Forstner LLC owns the following:
- The Name "Forstner": They operate under the name Forstner LLC and use the Forstner brand for their watch bracelets.
- The "JB" Logo: They own an active U.S. trademark (Reg. 6014888) for the letters "JB" within a triangle, registered in 2020 for use on watchbands and accessories.
The modern Forstner LLC does
not own the rights to
JB Champion USA or its associated intellectual property. The
JB Champion brand and its original trademark (Reg. 0774115) were owned by
Jacoby-Bender, Inc., which acquired the original Forstner company in 1963. The Jacoby-Bender trademark for "JB" expired in 1984 and was not renewed.
The modern Forstner brand's use of the "JB" logo is a new, separate trademark registration. It does not constitute ownership of the historical Jacoby-Bender company or the JB Champion brand, nor does it reflect any involvement in JB Champion USA’s prior accomplishments, including its role as OEM supplier.
