Which spring bars do you use?

[TheRedBaron]

Hi everyone - first time Speedmaster owner here, although I’ve owned a SMP 300 for some time.

I bought my Speedy with the bracelet, and I love it. But I’m considering getting a nice sailcloth strap from Zuludiver. This got me thinking - which spring bars do you use? I can’t seem to find Omega spring bars, and I doubt those are worth the price I imagine they’d be anyway.

Holben’s has some regular 20mm x 1.8mm 314L stainless steel spring bars on their website that I imagine would be perfectly suited and high quality, but I just thought I’d run this by you all. I don’t want my Speedy to live up to its name *too* realistically by flying off my wrist at Mach 3.

 

[YY77]

If your Speedmaster has 20mm lugwidth the bracelet is on 068ST2207's, for nato and leather straps you need 068ST2208. Just call your nearest OB/AD, around 4 €$£.

 

[TheRedBaron]

YY77

If your Speedmaster has 20mm lugwidth the bracelet is on 068ST2207's, for nato and leather straps you need 068ST2208. Just call your nearest OB/AD, around 4 €$£.

Thanks! I assume a sailcloth will also be going on the 068ST2208?

 

[YY77]

TheRedBaron

Thanks! I assume a sailcloth will also be going on the 068ST2208?

Yes

 

[Cougar1968]

If your nearest AD s*cks like mine, this website sells comparable Swiss spring bars.

https://www.ofrei.com/

 

[TheRedBaron]

Cougar1968

If your nearest AD s*cks like mine, this website sells comparable Swiss spring bars.

https://www.ofrei.com/

This is great, thank you!

 

[Cougar1968]

TheRedBaron

This is great, thank you!

These are the specific part numbers you would want from Ofrei

FB-7883-20mm
FB-7882-19mm

 

[TheRedBaron]

Cougar1968

These are the specific part numbers you would want from Ofrei

FB-7883-20mm
FB-7882-19mm

Thank you. Do these correspond to the model numbers given by YY77?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/which-spring-bars-do-you-use.168163/#post-2290017

 

[Cougar1968]

Essentially yes, but they are not an OEM Omega part. They are a Swiss made replacement as far as I understand. There are a few comparisons between them and the OEM spring bars that you can find on this website and others. From what I remember these are just as good, if not better than the OEM Omega spring bars and not even comparable to generic ones from Amazon. I use them on my Speedmaster and Seamaster. It’s just easier to have these shipped to your house rather than trying to contact an omega boutique or authorized dealer and have to figure out shipping if they even will, or go in and pick up a five dollar item unless you give live close I guess. The website has a minimum $20 order so I just order four or five of each and you’re set for a very long time unless you lose them like I do lol.

 

[TheRedBaron]

Cougar1968

Essentially yes, but they are not an OEM Omega part. They are a Swiss made replacement as far as I understand. There are a few comparisons between them and the OEM spring bars that you can find on this website and others. From what I remember these are just as good, if not better than the OEM Omega spring bars and not even comparable to generic ones from Amazon. I use them on my Speedmaster and Seamaster. It’s just easier to have these shipped to your house rather than trying to contact an omega boutique or authorized dealer and have to figure out shipping if they even will, or go in and pick up a five dollar item unless you give live close I guess. The website has a minimum $20 order so I just order four or five of each and you’re set for a very long time unless you lose them like I do lol.

This is great information, thank you very much! While I’ve got your attention, what would the codes be for the Seamaster springbars on Ofrei?

 

[Cougar1968]

It’s the same code assuming you have the Seamaster professional since it has a 20 mm lug width. If you have a planet, ocean or sea master 300 I believe some of those have a 21 mm lug with.

 

[TheRedBaron]

Cougar1968

It’s the same code assuming you have the Seamaster professional since it has a 20 mm lug width. If you have a planet, ocean or sea master 300 I believe some of those have a 21 mm lug with.

Thank you sir!

 

[brandwatchbands]

Seamaster 300 m is 20 mm, planet ocean is 21 mm

 

[fiberguy]

I only use Omega spring bars, they are of much higher quality than off-brand products. Spring bars are the weakest link in the connection of your watch band to your watch, not worth looking at lesser quality stuff.

 

[Cougar1968]

fiberguy

I only use Omega spring bars, they are of much higher quality than off-brand products. Spring bars are the weakest link in the connection of your watch band to your watch, not worth looking at lesser quality stuff.

Agreed, my colleague bought spring bars off of Amazon for his SMP and I just shook my head because he paid $5 for 100

 

[jjen]

I buy them from esslinger, ones with a double shoulder and a medium thickness. OEM spring bars are a whole other level of unnecessary OCD IMHO

 

[wagudc]

I have my watchmaker replace all springbars with Omega at each service. I bought Marathon brand springbars for my lower value watches. They seem good quality.
.

 

[M'Bob]

jjen

I buy them from esslinger, ones with a double shoulder and a medium thickness. OEM spring bars are a whole other level of unnecessary OCD IMHO

Just curious: what makes you say that?

 

[gbesq]

Anybody ever have a spring bar fail with resulting damage to a watch from a fall off the wrist? I've never had that occur with any of my watches, but I would sure be unhappy if it did.

 

[Pastorbottle]

gbesq

Anybody ever have a spring bar fail with resulting damage to a watch from a fall off the wrist? I've never had that occur with any of my watches, but I would sure be unhappy if it did.

Happened to me recently….. the aftermarket spring bar was holding the bracelet to the adjustable clasp on my reduced speedie let go and the watch hit the concrete floor with enough force for the snap back case back to pop off and roll away, only to be trod on by my clumsy mate, bending it to the shithouse! Fortunately my watch doctor was able to straighten it.

The reason an aftermarket one was in there in the first place was that the OEM spring bar went fartoing into parts unknown whilst adjusting the bracelet and I just replaced it with whatever was laying about handy……..my bad!

It now has OEM spring bars

Edited: Jan 20, 2024