Hello all. Frequent lurker, first post. I have bought an 18k Omega Constellation ref 2852 sc with what appears to be the original, 18k band attached. The bands springs are woefully worn out. Anyone have any experience with re-springing these bands? Or know where springs can be purchased? I saw some on ebay, not entirely sure they will work. I am excited to get this band/watch combo on my wrist. Any help/tips/info is appreciated. I had a local guy repair the clasp where one side of the band inserts, hence one pic where band is in two pieces and other pic where band is together.

 

The springs posted on eBay should work in your 7077. Best to let a WM install springs as they are tricky to deal with

https://www.ebay.com/i/142505082480Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

Thanks for verifying! Order springs, will definitely let a professional do the rest.

 

Great find! Please post pictures of watch and bracelet. Do not believe this bracelet was sold with many watches! Must have cost a fortune for a fortunate few back in the day!

 

The gold 7077s were paired with 18k Seamasters and Constellations in the 1950s. Example below

 

Beautiful combo Gemini4! Here is my Connie, on a gold filled JB band.

 

It is beautiful but it's not mine. I don't have an 18k Seamaster/Connie/7077 ........ if they were only the watches were a bit larger I would

I do have some 7077s, in steel, as this was the OEM bracelet for the 2913,2914,2915 original masters. Interestingly (to me at least because I'm anal about these bracelets) is that most 18k 7077s have a split buckle as shown below (in steel) and also on the example (if you look closely) I posted above. The OP 18k example has the more traditional non-split buckle type usually seen in steel but rarely in gold.

Split buckle 7077 in steel

 

Here's another split buckle 18k 7077 that a member sold last spring

https://omegaforums.net/threads/gold-omega-7077-flatlink-bracelet-2750-usd.58304/

 

btw, @hillbillylawyer, welcome to OF.

 

Well worth the effort of having it restored. Might I suggest you have your WM give the outside of the links a light polish, and the inside links a light brush, it will make all the difference when on the wrist to have it back to the original finish.

Your bracelet looks a little short with 8 non-stretch links per side, IIRC I would expect 9. The positive is you have all 5 of the double stretch links, which are as good as impossible to find if you need one.

I have a few of these and in my experience the split clasp is actually less often seen in the 18kt variant, although this doesn't make it the more desirable version. The non-split clasp is somewhat more robust, be it in steel or gold, and the collectors I know prefer this version.

What I have noticed is that the 7077 split clasp , be it 18kt or steel is more often seen on Seamasters, the non-split on Constellations ( using only when found on dress watches as examples ) Whether this was by design or coincidence I can't really say with any certainty but my feeling is by design and with intent.



Here from a 1956 Italian brochure are both the Connie de Luxe and an 18kt Seamaster presented as available with the optional 7077. This extra option was priced at 140000 lira, when the Connie De Luxe was 200000 and the 18kt 2767 Seamaster 120000 ( In the case of the Seamaster the bracelet was actually more expensive than the watch!)





The exchange rate Lira/$ from 1956 puts the price of the Connie at $318, and the 7077 at $222 so $540 for the set.

Interestingly I have an original 1957 purchase order and lay away ticket from one of mine purchased by a US serviceman serving in Dharhan, Saudi Arabia. This shows the prices, the Constellation was $176 with silver presentation box and the 7077 came in at $150 on top, so a total of $326. This is a heavily discounted price available only when purchased via the Air Forces Europe Exchange.

 

Thanks @cristos71 for all this awesome information. I wonder if Sgt Beck had the foresight to purchase a Speedmaster 2915-1 as well?

 

Well, Sgt. Beck didn't actually get what he'd ordered ( a 2799 ) by the time it came to the watch being delivered the reference had changed to a 2853 as can be seen by the applied "Omega" on the dial!

Sgt. Beck's here on the right together with a 2954 Calendar De Luxe

 

Does anyone have a picture of the spring that is inside the double spring links?

 

They are approximately like this. There was somebody selling them, now do not know where they could be purchased.

 

085ST7077 | SPRING

Readily available from Omega...

 

FWIW this is the original spring from one of my 7077 links, doesn't quite look like the above:



Edit to add: I suppose that the above version posted by Franco must be a revised one. Looks sturdier too.

 

Appears that the 18k 7077 links have A different spring mechanizim.

 

hi, where are you based. as i have some ..

 

sorry to but in , the gold ones appear to have hollow side pieces, and are made slightly different. than the s/steel ones. so yes. sorry but my springs will not fit.,,

 

Yes, different part number at least...

085BA7077 | SPRING

BA is for gold, and these springs are no longer available, where the steel versions are.