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Which spring bars do you use?

ErichPryde
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gbesq 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.

I have had aftermarket spring bars fail on the watch so that it became almost impossible to remove the bracelet, which resulted in damage during removal.
 
jjen
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
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
Have you seen the title of my Instagram account? This kind of thing is how I came up with it
 
IMG_3510.jpeg
jjen
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M'Bob M'Bob
Just curious: what makes you say that?

Spring bars come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, shouldered or nonshouldered. So you need to pick the correct thickness (to fit in the bracelet for example) but I don’t think OEM spring bars provide any magic safety feature. Old rusted spring bars will get stuck (spring stops working) or may become brittle. A medium thickness shouldered spring bar, as long as it fits the bracelet, is fine and almost any medium or thick spring bar is fine for straps. Seiko has those extra thick diver spring bars that are more robust than most and it’s not that it’s extra expensive or anything like that
 
wagudc
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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.

Had one fail, but thankfully the watch was on a nato so the other one held it in place.
 
Cenzo
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In the US you can order spring bars directly from Swatchgroup. Last time I ordered they were $4 each and $10 for shipping (for an entire order). That was a few years ago. Dug this out of an old email from them.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 877.839.5224 (Monday through Friday between 9AM and 6PM EST) and press 2 for Spare Part Sales.
 
fskywalker
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Can someone share the part number for the OEM Omega 20 mm lug size Milanese bracelet? I know they are 1.15 mm thick, trying to find the part number. Thanks
 
Tekashi_145.022
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Never skimp on spring bars - always go OEM when possible. The ROI for an expensive watch is a no-brainer, given it's a single point of failure for a several-thousand dollar asset. I've handled spring bars that could literally be snapped in half with very little effort before.

My OB gives them for free, but I had to order an uncommon pair they didn't have in stock from Swatch group this week and it ran me $20 after S&H... exorbitant for spring bars, but still worth it to have OEM ones in my book.
Edited:
 
ErichPryde
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Tekashi_145.022 Tekashi_145.022
Never skimp on spring bars - always go OEM. The ROI for an expensive watch is a no-brainer, given it's a single point of failure for a several-thousand dollar asset. I've handled spring bars that could literally be snapped in half with very little effort before.

My OB gives them for free, but I had to order an uncommon pair they didn't have in stock from Swatch group this week and it ran me $20 after S&H... exorbitant for spring bars, but still worth it to have OEM ones in my book.

Or fail after being installed- had that happen.
 
Scarecrow Boat
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I use OEM when I can, but in instances when OEM isn’t an option, I use this selection from Otto Frei. I have also used these when I used up my last OEM bars and waited for more.
IMG_4575.webp
 
NotJackson
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I have to admit, this is something I’ve never given much thought to. I have a few boxes of spring bars on my desk - 19mm for Seiko and 20mm for Omega and whatnot. They’re all 1.5mm or 1.8mm, stainless, double flange. I’ve never had a spring bar failure … but by the same token, I don’t buy the Amazon bargain brand, either.

I think I probably bought the last batch from Esslinger. FWIW, Esslinger also sells the short end spring bars that fit various vintage clasps, e.g. the 16mm short end bars that fit the clasps on 19mm Seiko bracelets.
 
Tekashi_145.022
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Scarecrow Boat Scarecrow Boat
I use OEM when I can, but in instances when OEM isn’t an option, I use this selection from Otto Frei. I have also used these when I used up my last OEM bars and waited for more.
IMG_4575.webp
Good callout! I’ve also heard good things about Otto Frei from several watchmakers seeking occasional replacement parts no longer manufactured by the OEM.
 
G
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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.
Just got back from London 2 weeks ago. First day there a spring bar failed on my GMT Master II. It hit the bathroom floor and put a fantastic ding in the lug. A “memory “ of the trip I suppose. Already sent off to be fixed.
 
PatinaPete
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If we all believe that the spring bar is the single point of failure, then we should be wearing double-loop NATO straps
 
pizzahotline
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This is something I worry about. I've been trying to find a source of appropriate and high quality spring bars. I found these on cousins uk and ordered a few, they seem very nice but the listing isn't clear wether they are 'genuine' omega or not.

https://www.cousinsuk.com/sku/details/omega-case-parts-search/x8837h

I then messaged my omega boutique and asked to buy some spring bars and they weren't very forth coming. There's a hand full of omega stores in my city so I was thinking of emailing them all and one might let me buy some spring bars.

Anyone know if the ones from cousins are legit or decent??
 
YY77
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pizzahotline pizzahotline
Anyone know if the ones from cousins are legit or decent??
The partsno is correct for an OEM 20mm springbar but 8 pounds a piece is more than double what an OB/AD would charge.
 
pizzahotline
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YY77 YY77
The partsno is correct for an OEM 20mm springbar but 8 pounds a piece is more than double what an OB/AD would charge.
Good to know. Do you think it's worth me emailing a few boutiques to see if any will sell them to me?

Is it standard for them to sell small parts like that? It sounded like the OB I emailed initially really didn't care.
 
josiahg52
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Omega, Scurfa (shoulderless), Marathon (shoulderless), some I've ordered from Esslinger, Seiko
 
YY77
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pizzahotline pizzahotline
Good to know. Do you think it's worth me emailing a few boutiques to see if any will sell them to me?

Is it standard for them to sell small parts like that? It sounded like the OB I emailed initially really didn't care.
I have had no trouble ordering springbars at my AD although I never bought a watch there. I usually order a few to have spares of the 2206, 2207 and 2208's.
 
pizzahotline
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josiahg52 josiahg52
Omega, Scurfa (shoulderless), Marathon (shoulderless), some I've ordered from Esslinger, Seiko
What are the Marathon and Scura ones like?
 
josiahg52
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pizzahotline pizzahotline
What are the Marathon and Scura ones like?
Solid and high quality. No idea where they source them from. The best flangeless/shoulderless I've found.
 
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