Dangit! I here I am wearing my corporate disinformation bracelet today. I only bought it because I thought the modern Forstner was a NASA issued bracelet straight off the wrist of Gordo Cooper and not a modern, affordable alternative. No where on this bracelet does it claim to be a JB Champion. I fail to see what the hub bub is.
may i ask the same of you .... what is your take on its marketing claims that the Forstner Komfit was the bracelet "of choice for NASA astronauts" and "worn on the Moon" despite historical evidence showing that the space-flown bracelets were actually JB Champion USA models, developed after Jacoby Bender acquired Forstner in 1963 and re-engineered the design with patented improvements?
I live by the old adage, 'caveat emptor.' I was raised to be skeptical of advertising campaigns and instead focus on the quality of a product. I like Forstner braclets and own three of them, the mesh one seen above, a beads of rice, and a klip. The quality is good, the value is good, and the customer service is excellent. Does the band also make my Astronaut look a touch more like Gordo's? Maybe a touch, and that's a plus. I know that this company is not JB Champion, and that this bracelet was not selected by NASA. I also don't believe Rolex when they say that theirs was the first watch to reach the summit of Everest. Nor did I believe Omega's old and debunked claims of being the only watch on the moon.
My Accutron 214HN GMT on a NASA bracelet from JB Champion USA
1966 (M6) variant and year model that the CIA issued to the A12 Archangel pilots, I see that urs has an earlier dial what year is it from?
I live by the old adage, 'caveat emptor.' I was raised to be skeptical of advertising campaigns and instead focus on the quality of a product. I like Forstner braclets and own three of them, the mesh one seen above, a beads of rice, and a klip. The quality is good, the value is good, and the customer service is excellent. Does the band also make my Astronaut look a touch more like Gordo's? Maybe a touch, and that's a plus. I know that this company is not JB Champion, and that this bracelet was not selected by NASA. I also don't believe Rolex when they say that theirs was the first watch to reach the summit of Everest. Nor did I believe Omega's old and debunked claims of being the only watch on the moon.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for the real deal JB Champion bracelets but I'm not going to rake anyone over the coals for a touch of hyperbole in advertising.
I live by the old adage, 'caveat emptor.' I was raised to be skeptical of advertising campaigns and instead focus on the quality of a product. I like Forstner braclets and own three of them, the mesh one seen above, a beads of rice, and a klip. The quality is good, the value is good, and the customer service is excellent. Does the band also make my Astronaut look a touch more like Gordo's? Maybe a touch, and that's a plus. I know that this company is not JB Champion, and that this bracelet was not selected by NASA. I also don't believe Rolex when they say that theirs was the first watch to reach the summit of Everest. Nor did I believe Omega's old and debunked claims of being the only watch on the moon.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for the real deal JB Champion bracelets but I'm not going to rake anyone over the coals for a touch of hyperbole in advertising.
I am getting a headache.
If someone wants to buy a high-quality, NEW, vintage-inspired mesh bracelet for their Speedmaster Pro, where should they look?
Forstner has a nice assortment on their website. Are there other manufacturers to consider?
I know Rolex was not the first watch on Everest
I know the Speedmaster is not the only watch to be in space/on the moon
I know the Zenith El Primero may not the 1st automatic chrono movement
and so on...yet I am able to enjoy them despite the myths in their marketing.
Thanks to the OP for informing all of us of the truth vs myth regarding these old bracelet designs.
Personally, I think it would be sad if Forstner did not make a close replica of these bracelets for those of us who want to relive the past.
I know Rolex was not the first watch on Everest
I know the Speedmaster is not the only watch to be in space/on the moon
I know the Zenith El Primero may not the 1st automatic chrono movement
and so on...yet I am able to enjoy them despite the myths in their marketing.
Thanks to the OP for informing all of us of the truth vs myth regarding these old bracelet designs.
Personally, I think it would be sad if Forstner did not make a close replica of these bracelets for those of us who want to relive the past.
I think the problem with many watch enthusiasts is the unnecessary name calling and the sense of moral superiority just because someone has different preferences than you.
For those not fortunate enough to own the old bracelets you have, if one wants to enjoy the vibes of past triumphs in space, I do think it is nice that one can buy something that closely resembles the originals that were available at the time. If Forstner didn't make these replicas, would the watch universe be richer or poorer?
While I may not be as authentic as you, that is my burden to bear.
Sorry to touch a nerve...
I think the problem with many watch enthusiasts is the unnecessary name calling and the sense of moral superiority just because someone has different preferences than you.
For those not fortunate enough to own the old bracelets you have, if one wants to enjoy the vibes of past triumphs in space, I do think it is nice that one can buy something that closely resembles the originals that were available at the time. If Forstner didn't make these replicas, would the watch universe be richer or poorer?
While I may not be as authentic as you, that is my burden to bear.
Sorry to touch a nerve...
This isn't about gatekeeping taste or mocking someone’s right to enjoy a reissue. It’s not even about you personally loving your Forstner repo.
It’s about a company rewriting history not just bending the truth, but actively erasing the real engineers, patents, and corporate evolution behind the JB Champion USA . They’re selling a myth, and banking on enthusiasts like you to shrug and say, “Well, I know the truth.” But what about the guy buying his first Speedmaster, wanting that Gordo vibe, who now believes Forstner made the Apollo bracelet? What about the articles, forums, and influencers repeating the false narrative because the brand’s own site says so?
This isn’t about hating reissues. It’s about preserving credit where it’s due.
Obviously this is very important to you. As a consequence I will not buy the Forstner and will tell everyone who asks me that they are bad guys.
Please don't hurt me.
Let me guess you’ll also be personally notifying the Smithsonian, issuing a public retraction to every watch blog, and demanding Jacoby Bender gets a posthumous Nobel for spring-loaded end links? Because clearly, you are the last watch enthusiast on Earth who cares about historical integrity while the rest of us happily sip our $8 lattes, blissfully wearing our vibe branded Forstners like the ignorant sheep we are. Meanwhile, actual historians, patent offices, and NASA archives quietly weep as a company slaps “worn on the Moon” on a product whose biggest innovation is… not pinching your wrist hairs.
Save us from corporate deception, one aggressively moralized Reddit post at a time. Just don’t expect a parade. Though maybe a JB Champion USA branded cape would help with the superhero aesthetic.
