I've about given up. Uncle Seiko's flat link won't fit. Forstner's flat link won't fit. You have to mangle an Omega 633 to sort of fit.

I have other straps... I have an Omega that's like an ISOFrane. I have a Tropical. But I like a bracelet The older shark mesh from Omega was just OK, so I sold it. The new one costs a crapload of money. The bracelet for the 50th Speedmaster moon landing is supposed to fit but also a crapload of money.

Any other ideas that would be appropriate for the time period this watch imitates? Should I just be happy with what I have? I'll be looking at generic shark mesh similar to the current Omega with the end tube and replaceable links.

Maybe I'm just overthinking this....

 

I thought someone posted pictures of it with a Forstner? Someone on this forum also stated that Omega's Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Speedmaster bracelet would fit as well.

 

I just put an Uncle Seiko BOR on mine. It’s a little different, but fits well.

 

Turns out I had a 20mm mesh in the pile of a thousand straps so I'll give that a try for a while. Good enough for Bond....

 

Both US 1171 and the Holzer have worked on mine, only a little bit of adjustment needed with the endlinks.

 

That's the weid part... totally not right for mine. I wonder if WatchCo cases were actually rejected and sold as surplus because they were off somehow.

Not that I expect I could buy another, I'll bet they're prettty expensive with no guarantee of success.

 

I would have a look at STAIB mesh bracelets.

For example, something like this - https://www.watchgecko.com/staib-2785-premium-german-mesh-watch-strap

 

Adjusting was certainly needed on both endlinks.

When you say WatchCo, are you meaning directly from them in Australia? If so, that’s where I got mine from years ago as well. Pretty sure that the cases are the similar regardless if you got them for WatchCo or not. ***EDIT.. I am only speaking of genuine parts***

 

I can't help to think the cases are somehow different (i.e. positioning of the lugholes). If not a 'watchco' watchco, but rather a 'some guy built up a watch with parts that happen to look omega and be omega and calls it a watchco' watchco as a lot tend to do of late, how can one be certain its an actual omega case? Not trying to insult here, merely a valid concern.

 

Mine came from Australia, and if the case looked fake, my watchmaker would have told me, as it has been serviced once already.

 

Cases from Omega do change over time...we all know this. I can't say that I've ever noticed anything different with lug holes, but certainly other aspects of these cases have changed.

BTW the "issue" you speak of with Omega-like cases, is why I only do this conversion with parts I've bought myself directly from Omega, and I will not use customer supplied parts, because I don't know where they came from...

 

is it possible to just order the end links?

 

Yes they are. I was quoted $96 Canadian each this past summer by @Archer. Not cheap.

 

150ish USD............ Sounds about right haha.

as I stated before they fit damn good on a watchco style 300 without mods. I probably wouldn't buy them and start grinding away to get it to fit a speedy.

 

Is there really a difference in shape of SM300 and lets say 145.022? I have both and not able to see differences.

Got the Forstner, used differnt spring bars and the endlinks are well fixed. Only thing I don't like so much is the high shapr of the Forstner Endlink. As shown in the other thread:

 

I can answer by myself. Yes there is a small difference, maybe in production tolerances. Mounted the Forstner today at my 145.022-74 and it fits little better. Tried to take similar photo:

 

I have an 1171 on mine and I enjoy it, but I can appreciate that is not perfect. On the upside it is Omega branded and gets the job done. Don’t give up you’ll find one that works for ya

 

What a difference a year makes. After wearing the Forstner with the production end links (not the preproduction ones I tested), it was a fairly good choice for my watch. However, I stumbled across an eBay say of a 50th bracelet, which is supposed to fit the Seamaster 300 quite well.

And it did.

Mind you, when you compare the pluses and minuses of both bracelets, including the cost. I think it's basically a wash. Either will get the job done. I just wanted OEM because I wanted OEM.

But it fits and I like it.

I will miss the stretchy links.

 

You should see my latest Frankenstein setup for the 300

50th anniversary endlinks on an uncle seiko 1450 bracelet on a 2000s era Aqua Terra clasp. I've been wearing it for almost a month. Always liked this clasp cause it looks like there's no clasp at all.

 

Pics or it never happened!