Omega Brick Bracelet 1040 with odd link, anyone seen this before?

[watchtranslation]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a vintage Omega Constellation 168.017 with a 1040 brick bracelet and I'm having difficulty finding information on, or removing a link with two spring bar/pin holes.

This link does not have holes on the other side like the other 1040 links and they do not appear to have pushable spring-bars in them. Is this a non omega link?


Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JwRosenthal]

Possibly a screw link (can you see inside if there is a flat blade head screw in there?). Never seen one like this, I can tell you that these bracelets appear to have been made by JBChampion, I have used JBC links in mine and they were a dead match.

 

[Aroxx]

Paging @kaplan …

 

[watchtranslation]

So after a few runs in the ultrasonic cleaner I’ve gotten enough dirt out to look inside and they don’t appear to be screw.

I think it’s definitely a JBC link of some kind, it matches the brick links almost exactly.

 

[JwRosenthal]

If they are spring bars, they may be frozen. Hit them with penetrating oil like PT blaster and let it soak for a bit, then try gently working the pins with a pin tool.

 

[kaplan]

I don't have any insight other than that I've seen them before, assumed it was a modification

The short side needs to have 6 solid links, yours have 5 solid links, so maybe someone modified the 6th link to be removable