So, in my wisdom of buying first - hitting my head against a wall second I have purchased a NOS FixoFlex-S 558 bracelet in haste and was fully content with the Idea of mounting it on one of my oldies...

The package arrived, I smiled ... 10 seconds later I'm frowning. I can not put it on anything in my collection.

Sooo here's a good chance for me to sneak another piece into the collection - cause I have the bracelet for it, good idea eh?

My question is, what Omegas are compatible with the 558 endlinks?

 

Awww such a shame you need to buy a new watch But I agree, you can't justify having a bracelet with no watch to match !

https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...ds-for-case-166-041-and-others-100-gbp.61118/ Here's a link to a listing with 558 ends posted by ChrisN where he lists a couple of compatible models

And again ChrisN with the save https://omegaforums.net/threads/ela...-896575-with-end-links-558.61252/#post-765181

 

That was a joke but if some budget options are available I'd like to get one... If not I'll probably list it for sale somewhere.

 

https://omegaforums.net/threads/case-bracelet-endpiece-list.81618/

Look for reference that ends on 558 like this

 

Thanks a bunch!

EDIT:

Well I'm not really liking the stuff posted in that list, any real world experience on what else can be mounted on? Preferably with photographic evidence

 

I bought a cross-hair dome dial, dogleg Constellation at auction a few years back and it came with box, papers, receipt, hangtag ....and an Omega fix-o-flex bracelet with 558 end links.
(it was purchased from a NAAFI, likely somewhere in the Far East, by an RAF chief technician.
So, as it's quite a practical option, I suspect it was bought with the watch.

I can't say that the end links are an exact fit radius-wise but they kind of work (better on the wrist than in the photo, as the links more-or-less adopt the line of the cranked lugs.)

BTW, I took the bracelet off straight away when I got the watch serviced and wear it on a leather strap

 

That's a beautiful watch, i don't quite see it on the Flex more on a BOR or some exquisite leather.

Been googling, seems to me I'll wait up for my 200th post and see from there...

 

I love watches on bracelets, but iMO, this one is just not an attractive bracelet, regardless of what watch i could match it with

for me, these flex bracelets just SCREAM cheap

so i would sell it and buy a new watch, this time with the correct bracelet

 

Amen! That's the exact plan. No amount of DIY home chemistry and metallurgy will make it fit on any of my current items. Away it goes.

 

It is suitable for the Genève’s 1##.041:

 

I have no doubt that the bracelet could have been paired to the watch at the time of sale. It was not uncommon for someone at an AD getting a watch with strap and asking them to order a bracelet or see what that had in stock. If the “correct” factory bracelet wasn’t available or the customer wanted the flexi- then they would just slap that on. Watch buyers back then weren’t as persnikity about fit as we are today- if it worked, it worked.

 

Here some more information, the models 1##.041 came with two different size of the lugs, one has the lugs longer than the other, and has not the soleil finish.
The fixoflex bracelet will suit only this kind of case, here is an example:

 

This isnt quite true.

The Omega filoflex bracelet is ref 1122, and I primarily see it on Omega Admiralties.

The 558 endlink fits "short lug admiralties" and geneves; references 135.041, 136.041 and 165.041.

The ref 1122 also came on 563 endlinks, in which case, it fitted standard admiralties, namley; 135.015 and 165.038

To add to the confusion, there is also a 608 endlink, which fits on case 135.042 and a 607 endlink which fits on 165.037.

If anyone else has any other information, please do share

As for these bracelets seeming cheap, I can tell you that when put on the right watch, they fit perfectly, and look really great (I generally dont like filoflexes either, but these are an exception) There is a great thread here on them: https://omegaforums.net/threads/comprehensive-omega-admiralty-thread.69037/

 

I did not explain myself: there exist two types of case also for the references 1##.041. I will post pics later.

 

I thought the 1##.041 only had one case style.

I would be interested to see others.

 

to me it screams cheap and old lol ... and if not old, just lazy !

Some old men don't have the ability to put on their own watch and deal with a clasp or buckle, so they wear a watch on a stretchy bracelet. These guys often wear sweatpants with elastic waistbands, for exactly the same reason.

Looks like crap, but it does the job.

 

Or the pilgrim straps we see so often (the rusticated slab-o-leather with the two horizontal stitches at the top) that are commonly marketed as “vintage” these days. They didn’t exist prior to the 90’s and no self respecting company would have ever put such an unfinished and unrefined strap on a watch.

 

And I thought it was just me lol

 

Jim, you're the exception then

And I agree with you about the NATO straps. Awful thing to put on a nice watch !