Zenith 135 - Pinned Lugs - Hollow Springbar

ezinternet · Nov 14, 2020

Has anyone seen pinned lugs where rather than holes for a spring-bar there are pins?

It calls for a hollow spring-bar, where the pins of the lugs extend into the bar, rather than the having a bar compressed into holes on either lug.

It's a sweet 18k rose chronometer, jumboish at 37.75mm.

I've been looking for replacement bars so I can fit a strap ... no dice. Is there a technical term for the style of bar that I need to use in search?

Thanks all!

Dan S · Nov 14, 2020

Yes, you need female spring bars. Kind of a pain. Looks like a really nice watch!

marco · Nov 14, 2020

Try these guys.
https://www.esslinger.com/watch-band-pin-1-80-mm-nickel-plated-hollow-end-female-spring-bars/

CaptainWinsor · Nov 14, 2020

That’s a beauty

ezinternet · Nov 14, 2020

Thanks Marco, all ... "hollow end" and "female" seem to be the keywords I couldn't imagine.
Esslinger order submitted.

I'll post a pic once it's back on a strap. 😀

Dan S · Nov 14, 2020

Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to find female spring-bars with inner diameters large enough to fit over the pins on some of vintage watches. So you may want to measure the pin diameters and check against the specs of the spring-bars before ordering. You'll also probably find that it's also not easy to install straps using the female spring-bars, because you need to compress the spring-bar very far inside the strap to fit it over the end of the pin. So sometimes I just install some female spring-bars without a strap, and then use straps for fixed lug bars, so that I never need to remove the spring-bars once they're on.

ezinternet · Nov 14, 2020

@Dan - thanks also.

So yes indeed. The stud is .92mm, and the spec for the bars at Esslinger is "Hollow end opening measures roughly .75mm to .80mm

Now that I know what I'm searching for, Ofrei has slightly wider hollow bars with end opening 0.85-0.95 mm

http://www.ofrei.com/page1466.html

And as "search is my friend" on OF now that I've got the keywords, for reference I'll include this link to thread https://omegaforums.net/threads/female-spring-bars.58066/ where the Universal team seem to suffer from these pinned lugs as well.

marco · Nov 14, 2020

ezinternet
Thanks Marco, all ... "hollow end" and "female" seem to be the keywords I couldn't imagine.
Esslinger order submitted.

I'll post a pic once it's back on a strap. 😀

I had this pin size problem, to solve it I filed the pin down very carefully. A digital caliper is handy for any spring bar work. I also bought a few spring bars in case they became non available in the future.
A lovely watch by the way.

Dan S · Nov 14, 2020

Back in the old days, female spring-bars had flanges like this to fit over those pins. Sometimes you can find similar ones on eBay.

wristpirate · Nov 15, 2020

Dan S
So sometimes I just install some female spring-bars without a strap, and then use straps for fixed lug bars, so that I never need to remove the spring-bars once they're on.

Great tip thanks!

wristpirate · Nov 15, 2020

Female spring bars are highly frustrating, not just because the straps are tougher to fit but also because the pins on vintage pins are much fatter than modern female spring bars will allow. I've been through a few bars now trying to find the right ones. When I see a potential watch purchase with pins on lugs I tremble with fear

goedie · Nov 16, 2020

What a stunning piece!

mahamithra · Nov 29, 2020

I encountered the same problem on another brand of watch, figured out a solution, that seemed to work for about two days, then I lost the watch!!! I would ask Zenith for a pair, they will probably give it to you for free.

ezinternet · Nov 29, 2020

Thanks for the suggestion!

I sourced female spring-bars from Ofrei. Installed the one, and as seems to happen with vintage watches my simple project hit a bump.

I had bought the watch at auction. It was shown with a crocodile strap.
Before shipment the house said the strap, endangered or some-such, couldn't be exported to the USA, had to stay in Europe.
Fine. So they removed it.
And the watch arrived with two springbars installed. I didn't examine it closely enough to remove the bars.
If I had I would have seen that the auction house person had damaged one of them. Likely wasn't familiar with male pins on lugs, and just hacked at it in removing the strap.
::facepalm1::

So, one of the pins needs a bit of surgery to re-secure it.
I have a lead to a local jeweler that specializes in soldering/laser welding and will see if they are confident they can do the job.
Otherwise, I'll be searching through the forums for watchmakers with a gentle touch and case repair experience.

mahamithra · Nov 30, 2020

This is what collecting seems to be about. Chasing the smallest of small things that just occupies our time... endlessly! Shame on the auction house for not telling you in advance and for damaging the pin.