JB Champion durability?

Posts

377

Likes

898

hanky6

·Jun 26, 2018

I just got myself a JB Champion mesh bracelet and I have noticed that almost everyone thinks/believes it is really fragile.
Its thin and very flexible but feels alright in use, not a lot of use for me so far though.
I would like to enjoy my watch and bracelet without fear of losing them both, so thats why I ask for real world opinions and experiences from people that had their JB bracelets in actual use, daily or occasionally.
Astronauts are most welcome with their view on the matter as well.

 

Posts

2,443

Likes

4,227

wsfarrell

·Jun 26, 2018

I'm not sure who thinks that bracelet is fragile. It's a narrow bracelet and can look sort of small on a Speedmaster, but it's quite sturdy.

 

Posts

4,824

Likes

31,585

Taddyangle

·Jun 26, 2018

I very much enjoy the JB Champion. One of the most comfortable bracelets I have worn, and as far as durability/fragility, I have had no issues and it certainly seems as tough as the 1035 bracelet I also periodically use. Frankly, I just as well sell the 1035 and use the funds to buy the gold bracelet I need for my skeleton.

 

Posts

6,181

Likes

11,454

SpeedyPhill

·Jun 27, 2018

Worn one for years, but keep these JB Champion steel bracelets on static display to play save 😉
Here's an example on a Bulova Accutron " Astronaut " wrist watch as worn on the last Mercury mission (May 1963 - Gordon Cooper) and the first Gemini mission (March 1965 - Gus Grissom)
.

 

Posts

377

Likes

898

hanky6

·Jun 29, 2018

Thank you gentlemen, @Taddyangle, @wsfarrell and @SpeedyPhill, because of your input I feel comfortable wearing my watch with the JB bracelet whenever I wear a watch normally.

 

Posts

267

Likes

302

Reborn

·Jun 30, 2018

I am just curious why there are quite a few NOS ones in the market. Were they not made long ago?

 

Posts

8,888

Likes

28,353

tyrantlizardrex

·Jun 30, 2018

Jim Regan said that he chose them because they can be broken easily... they didn’t want astronauts getting snagged and s

wsfarrell

I'm not sure who thinks that bracelet is fragile. It's a narrow bracelet and can look sort of small on a Speedmaster, but it's quite sturdy.

At the Speedy Tuesday event in Bienne, Jim Regan mentioned that they were sourced as an "easy to break" option if the astronaut got caught on something.

Could be that's interpreted by some as "will fall apart when you look at them".

 

Posts

6,181

Likes

11,454

SpeedyPhill

·Jun 30, 2018

All good & well, but we know these steel mesh bracelets were only worn on merely half a dozen of spaceflight missions !
(Gemini 3, Apollo 10, 12, 14, 17, STS-1)

 

Posts

377

Likes

898

hanky6

·Jun 30, 2018

I wonder if they were also chosen because they could easily be adjusted for a wide range in size? I have no idea if the astronauts wore the same watch daily during ”normal” life and then had the watch put on the sleeve of their spacesuit.
Otherwise they had to have two watches or change the strap pre-flight.

 

Posts

8,888

Likes

28,353

tyrantlizardrex

·Jun 30, 2018

hanky6

I wonder if they were also chosen because they could easily be adjusted for a wide range in size? I have no idea if the astronauts wore the same watch daily during ”normal” life and then had the watch put on the sleeve of their spacesuit.
Otherwise they had to have two watches or change the strap pre-flight.

The Astronaut office issued watches to Astronauts when they came into rotation/were training for an umpcoming mission from what I understand.

Jim mentioned a few are at the bottom of the keys around cape canaveral after various water skiing incidents.

 

Posts

6,181

Likes

11,454

SpeedyPhill

·Jun 30, 2018

Only during Gemini III was the almost fully extended bracelet worn over the spacesuit arm... by both Virgil Grissom & John Young
On the other missions I mentioned above, it was worn underneath the spacesuit directly on the wrist, especially Gene Cernan enjoyed these...
See this topic:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/new-reveals-about-the-nasa-space-program-watch-choice.42644/page-4