[redspike]

I've just purchased the rubber dive strap for my PO 42mm, from the official boutique on Regent Street, London. They didn't provide me with spring bars as I didn't have time to hang about waiting for them to fit the strap, so I told them I would do it myself.

Question is, will the spring bars for the metal bracelet currently on my PO also fit the rubber dive strap? If not, is it possible to buy the correct one somewhere online?

 

[Lucchino]

The spring bars provided with the metal bracelet can also be used with the OEM rubber dive strap. I have the rubber strap attached like that right now on my 42mm PO. However, there is also another separate spring bar designed specifically for the OEM rubber strap. I have them also. From what I understand when I received them, those spring bars for the OEM rubber strap cannot be used with the metal bracelet.

If you really want them, you can buy the spring bars specifically for the OEM strap from Ofrei or Watchpart.co.uk. They cost a couple of pounds...

 

[mt1tdi]

The spring bars for the rubber are slightly longer to account for the flex in the strap. As I understand it, the bracelet bars are a little shorter to accommodate the spring bar tool and since the bracelet fits tight to the case and therefore does not need the additional bite of a longer spring bar.

 

[arkane]

Question is, will the spring bars for the metal bracelet currently on my PO also fit the rubber dive strap? If not, is it possible to buy the correct one somewhere online?

the bracelet was designed for 19mm spring bars.
ideally you'd want to use 20mm spring bars for the rubber dive strap, but the 19mm from the bracelet would work.

 

[redspike]

Ok, so the general consensus is that the bracelet bars would do the job, but ideally I really should use the 20mm variant. I think I'll just go ahead and get them to be on the safe side, I can buy them here:
http://watchpart.co.uk/omega-planet-ocean-genuine-stainless-steel-spring-bars-p-4561.html

 

[samps]

Just bringing up an old thread with some observations.

I have a 42mm PO with OEM metal and rubber bracelets. The smaller springbars (used with the metal bracelet, spring-bar-04) are the only ones that work for me on the rubber bracelet as well. I purchased the longer ones (spring-bar-03) from Ofrei but I cannot get them to fit. I have a Bergeon 6825 and can't get them to fit.

Does anyone know for certain if the larger ones actually work?

Edit: Longer bars are spring-bar-03...fixed it...oops.

 

[mazman01]

Is this the same for the 45 PO? I have been swapping between the bracelet and rubber strap with the original spring bars (from bracelet). I haven't had any issues or anything.
cheers.

 

[Dixan]

The spring bars for the rubber are slightly longer to account for the flex in the strap. As I understand it, the bracelet bars are a little shorter to accommodate the spring bar tool and since the bracelet fits tight to the case and therefore does not need the additional bite of a longer spring bar.

Exactly this. There is no "general consensus" to listen to on this. There is only right and wrong.

For an Omega with 20 mm lugs:

Spring Bar # 4 = 19 mm = metal bracelets

Spring Bar # 3 = 20 mm = rubber, leather, fabric straps

Deviate from this at your peril. It's that simple. Get the longer bars for your rubber strap. Good luck. |>

 

[Dixan]

Is this the same for the 45 PO? I have been swapping between the bracelet and rubber strap with the original spring bars (from bracelet). I haven't had any issues or anything.
cheers.

If you use the shorter spring bars that are intended for use with your bracelet, on your rubber and leather straps, you won't have any issues at all..., until you have a major one - of your watch crashing to the ground. Just get the appropriate length spring bars, and live happily ever after.

 

[nuovorecord]

Just bringing up an old thread with some observations.

I have a 42mm PO with OEM metal and rubber bracelets. The smaller springbars (used with the metal bracelet, spring-bar-04) are the only ones that work for me on the rubber bracelet as well. I purchased the longer ones (spring-bar-04) from Ofrei but I cannot get them to fit. I have a Bergeon 6825 and can't get them to fit.

Does anyone know for certain if the larger ones actually work?

I have a 42mm PO, with both a bracelet and the OEM rubber strap. I use the 04 bars with the bracelet, and the 03s (that's what you meant above, right?) with the strap. It's a little tricky getting the strap to fit; you have to compress it tightly against the case, in my experience, while keeping the spring bars in line with the holes in the lugs. But it will fit, as it's designed to. Just keep at it.

Dixan is spot on...risking a $4,000+ watch because of the wrong spring bar isn't a risk worth taking.

 

[samps]

I have a 42mm PO, with both a bracelet and the OEM rubber strap. I use the 04 bars with the bracelet, and the 03s (that's what you meant above, right?) with the strap. It's a little tricky getting the strap to fit; you have to compress it tightly against the case, in my experience, while keeping the spring bars in line with the holes in the lugs. But it will fit, as it's designed to. Just keep at it.

Dixan is spot on...risking a $4,000+ watch because of the wrong spring bar isn't a risk worth taking.

Interesting. I just took off my metal bracelet and tried putting in spring-bar-03, with and without the rubber strap. Without the rubber strap, the only way I could get the spring bar in was to put one end in first (on an angle), and then put in the other side. With spring-bar-03 (or at least what I was given as spring-bar-03 from Ofrei) fully compressed, it's longer than the lug width is wide. The only way to get it in is on an angle. With the rubber strap, it's difficult to put in at an angle. Spring-bar-04 fully compressed, is slightly smaller than the lug width. This way, with my Bergeon 6825, I'm able to compress, and simply 'drop in' from above the watch with face facing down.

When you use spring-bar-03 with the rubber strap, are you able to 'drop in' from above straight down? With your spring-bar-03's fully compressed, is the length shorter than the lug width? I wonder if I have incorrect spring-bar-03's...

 

[Dixan]

Interesting. I just took off my metal bracelet and tried putting in spring-bar-03, with and without the rubber strap. Without the rubber strap, the only way I could get the spring bar in was to put one end in first (on an angle), and then put in the other side. With spring-bar-03 (or at least what I was given as spring-bar-03 from Ofrei) fully compressed, it's longer than the lug width is wide. The only way to get it in is on an angle. With the rubber strap, it's difficult to put in at an angle. Spring-bar-04 fully compressed, is slightly smaller than the lug width. This way, with my Bergeon 6825, I'm able to compress, and simply 'drop in' from above the watch with face facing down.

When you use spring-bar-03 with the rubber strap, are you able to 'drop in' from above straight down? With your spring-bar-03's fully compressed, is the length shorter than the lug width? I wonder if I have incorrect spring-bar-03's...

You're supposed to go in at an angle, regardless of which type of strap or bracelet you're using. The curved ends of the PO diver's strap make it slightly more challenging, but it works just fine. You have the correct parts. You'll just have to practice.

 

[samps]

You're supposed to go in at an angle, regardless of which type of strap or bracelet you're using. The curved ends of the PO diver's strap make it slightly more challenging, but it works just fine. You have the correct parts. You'll just have to practice.

Ahhh! Thanks. Metal bracelet with 04 is easy...rubber with 04 is easy... rubber with 03, not so much. =(

Thanks again. I'll just need to practice more!

 

[mazman01]

thanks dixan, ordered the correct ones...
cheers

 

[KatGirl]

Hey, guys

If I can install my bracelet and various straps, myself, I know you can. When I first got my 42mm PO oem bracelet, I learned the hard way that you can't use #03 bars for the bracelet. Because they look the same, I always keep the bracelet in a little plastic bag with its bars, when I remove it, to change to the strap. I also have spares of #03s and #04s, on hand, just in case. As someone mentioned above, its not worth risking losing your $4,000.00 watch, because you didn't take the time to get the longer spriung bars, when switching to a strap. BTW, I also have the oem PO rubber, and had no difficulty installing it with the #03 bars. It just takes a little practice, and then it becomes second nature.

 

[paulromi]

me to - no issues....

Is this the same for the 45 PO? I have been swapping between the bracelet and rubber strap with the original spring bars (from bracelet). I haven't had any issues or anything.
cheers.

 

[mazman01]

Ended up getting two of the spring bars for my PO (22mm) from watchpart. I don't see any difference in length between those and the ones i have in my PO or the ones i ordered from Ofrei. They do have an extra groove along the barrel of it though. The ones i have had from Ofrei for a while now have much stiffer spring action though, much tougher to depress than the ones i got from watchpart. Even the new ones put on my PO after it went in for service are exactly the same as the ones from Ofrei. Think will be sticking with the ones from Ofrei as it stands. I have not had problems fitting the rubber or the metal bracelet, perfect fit in fact.
Thanks for the info though, it was worth checking out, only cost me a coupe of bucks.
cheers guys

 

[Dixan]

Ended up getting two of the spring bars for my PO (22mm) from watchpart. I don't see any difference in length between those and the ones i have in my PO or the ones i ordered from Ofrei. They do have an extra groove along the barrel of it though. The ones i have had from Ofrei for a while now have much stiffer spring action though, much tougher to depress than the ones i got from watchpart. Even the new ones put on my PO after it went in for service are exactly the same as the ones from Ofrei. Think will be sticking with the ones from Ofrei as it stands. I have not had problems fitting the rubber or the metal bracelet, perfect fit in fact.
Thanks for the info though, it was worth checking out, only cost me a coupe of bucks.
cheers guys

I'm not sure what the two part numbers are for the larger watch's spring bars (maybe Spring-bars 01 and 02?), but I'm sure they also have two differing lengths.

Anyway, here's an old photo showing Spring-bars 03 and 04. Spring-bar-04 is the shorter one, intended for use with steel bracelets, and Spring-bar-03 is the longer one, intended for use with leather rubber and fabric straps.

 

[mazman01]

Hmmm, don't know. Well i did ordered the one from watchpart in the link above and that stated for rubber strap. But i measured them both and they are exactly the same length 24mm tip to tip and 22mm shoulder to shoulder. But the ones from Ofrei have much better stiffness in the spring which makes me feel more confident in them.

Don't know what to think... must try and find that model number of the ones i ordered from Ofrei, it was a few years ago though.
Thanks for your input.