Seat Belt Clasps (2!) Broken/Sprung - Experienced Shark Mesh Help?

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

I have two Omega shark mesh bracelets, each with seat belt clasps that have “sprung”/broken.

Somehow, the internal spring that is supposed to hold the clasp closed as “sprung” to instead now hold the clasp partially or fully open.

This occurred a few years apart on each bracelet, and now for a few years they’ve both sat in a misfit toys box - but it would be great to get them back in service.

Any shark mesh aficionados that can advise?

I’ve searched the form for already-existing info about this problem, but came up only with a few threads that got zero responses. Here’s to banging my head against the same wall...

In case it matters, one bracelet is a 1380/237, while the other is a 1247/237:

Perhaps an alternative clasp purchase is in order, as I’ve lost some confidence in these clasps (the last one “sprung” while I was wearing it if I remember correctly - I have a memory of my Watchco baby-plo clanking to the hardwood.

Archer · Jan 15, 2021

Not repairable - Omega has no spare parts for the clasps.

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

Given @Archer ’s guidance RE repair, I’ve lost confidence in these clasps altogether then, and guess I’ll shift my open question instead to:

are there alternative clasps that may be fitted to the shark mesh?

simonsays · Jan 15, 2021

I think the vintage ones are more reliable, none of my originals have ever failed. Some of them have a small tab that clicks the flap into the buckle for extra security(or breaking nails?) Although the buckle does not have a spares option I think it may be available separately from the mesh?

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

simonsays
Although the buckle does not have a spares option I think it may be available separately from the mesh?

I don’t know that I can trust these buckles anymore

Perhaps as you say the vintage are bulletproof, but as you see I’ve been twice bitten 🙁

Rather pricey lesson, too

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

simonsays
I think the vintage ones are more reliable,

actually, I wonder if you wouldn’t mind showing me a picture of how the two springs are supposed to be arranged?

here’s how both of my “sprung” clasps are now arranged:

The spring on the left has a long arm, which is currently acting to push the buckle top open (seems it should be doing the opposite).

the separate spring on the right has a tiny little arm, that appears only capable of grabbing the smallest amount of lip of the back edge of the buckle top - and unclear that it’s load is engaging at all, at the moment

simonsays · Jan 15, 2021

Not easy to photograph I have no idea how it should work re spring position, but the bar that is like an ‘n’ in your picture should be firmly pushed down onto the base of the clasp( by spring tension I guess?)

Your clasp does not look broken but it is a fiddle to get into if a spring end has popped out?

airansun · Jan 15, 2021

One of mine, still functioning properly.

Really sorry to read about this issue, but I’m not shocked. The clasp on these always felt a little cheesy to me.

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

Yes, by that photo I can’t really tell what’s what, in terms of spring position, as relates to mine 👎

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

airansun
One of mine, still functioning properly.

Really sorry to read about this issue, but I’m not shocked. The clasp on these always felt a little cheesy to me.

That helps a bit more.

Somehow, the spring “arm” on the left in your photo is the culprit. In your photo it’s tension is pressing down on the floating cross-bar. Whereas in both my clasps at the moment, that same arm is pushing up on the bottom of the clasp cover.

There is a pin that runs through the center of both of the two springs, and fastens to either side of the clasp body. I’m wondering if that pin has somehow slipped and rotated, such that rather than twisting the spring toward the closed position it now holds open?

airansun · Jan 15, 2021

Here’s a few more with the clasp opened wider.

Hope these help.

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

airansun
Here’s a few more with the clasp opened

Hope these help.

actually, these may have helped me see the potential issue:

Does your spring appear to be one contiguous spring?

mine appears to be two separate springs. But maybe what’s happened is that a center piece of spring has broken, making a single working spring into two now broken?

Edit: that is to say, I can slide those two little springs back and forth separately from one another on the shared center pin

airansun · Jan 15, 2021

cvalue13
Does your spring appear to be one contiguous spring?

simonsays · Jan 15, 2021

To me it looks like two separate springs anchored in a slot in the bar going through the spring? Is your bar rotating independently. It should be fixed in place

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

simonsays
To me it looks like two separate springs anchored in a slot in the bar going through the spring? Is your bar rotating independently. It should be fixed in place

The bar going through the two springs isn’t not entirely rigid to the clasp because its mounts on either side of the clasp are somewhat loose. As I open and close the clasp cover I can see the bar ends move ... not completely freely, but also not entirely immovable.

And, my armchair engineering assumes that if that bar were rotated toward the base of the clasp, the long armed spring inside would torque toward holding the floating clasp tooth closed

connieseamaster · Jan 15, 2021

Should you not be able to get your clasp back into working order, I found this 20mm butterfly clasp on eBay and it's been very solid for me. It lives on my work watch and has been subject to all manners of abuse without complaint

It should slot on to your mesh without a problem.

cvalue13 · Jan 15, 2021

connieseamaster
Should you not be able to get your clasp back into working order, I found this 20mm butterfly clasp on eBay

Would you mind showing an under photo of how it attaches to the mesh? Just a bar through the individual ringlets?

connieseamaster · Jan 15, 2021

Just a spring bar through the mesh rings and into the clasp. Each side of the clasp has 2 microadjustment holes

simonsays · Jan 15, 2021

cvalue13
The bar going through the two springs isn’t not entirely rigid to the clasp because its mounts on either side of the clasp are somewhat loose. As I open and close the clasp cover I can see the bar ends move ... not completely freely, but also not entirely immovable.

And, my armchair engineering assumes that if that bar were rotated toward the base of the clasp, the long armed spring inside would torque toward holding the floating clasp tooth closed

Yes that’s the problem. It should not move at all. It is squared off on my clasp.

airansun · Jan 15, 2021

simonsays
It is squared off on my clasp.

Not mine.