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Vintage Zenith bracelet help

  1. alex_b Jul 18, 2021

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    595A8561-35CE-49BD-97E6-5098FBA5B417.jpeg DAE387B7-E8C9-4DF3-8567-D66C5B390943.jpeg 61C9E010-2D5F-4501-8623-837EBAB9DC4D.jpeg I picked up a vintage Zenith bracelet to try with my 70s Defy Surf. The Defy Surf has 21mm lugs, the bracelet is 20mm at its widest point and 18mm at the ‘tabs’ (not sure of the proper name). I think it looks fine when fitted but with even the slightest pressure when wearing it the tabs flick past the case (see photos).

    Is there something that I can do to fix this? Or is there a more appropriate bracelet I should be hunting for? Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thanks.
     
  2. sirtaifun Jul 21, 2021

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  3. alex_b Jul 23, 2021

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    Thanks very much. Any idea of what type of leather texture? I think anything too shiny will look wrong. It’s hard to find original photos.
     
  4. sirtaifun Jul 24, 2021

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    I have this vintage original Certina leather strap that runs from 21mm to 14mm on the clasp which I believe is from the 1970s:

    strap1.JPG
    strap2.JPG Maybe this pictures give you some idea.
    They are hard to come by nowadays.
     
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  5. alex_b Jul 24, 2021

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    Thanks. Gives me a clue for what I’m hunting for. Vintage clasps are easy enough to get on Chrono24 so it’s just finding a modern strap that’s similar.

    I think I’m right in saying a bracelet wasn’t an original option on these Zeniths. Does anyone know?
     
  6. sirtaifun Jul 24, 2021

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    If it's 21mm on the watch mostly it was leather at the time of purchase but I've seen NSA bracelets also but they are aftermarket.
     
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  7. sirtaifun Jul 26, 2021

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  8. alex_b Jul 31, 2021

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    I put it on a soft calf leather with a vintage pin buckle and I think it looks much better.
    0E0CC70B-3509-41AE-A5F5-624F7F4ADB37.jpeg