[nanook12]

I get that these types of bracelets are considered cheap and dated, because they are. But does anybody like them?

I found an old Gruen watch that was passed down from my grandfather, on it a Speidel expansion bracelet. I saw "Speidel" engraved on the underside of each link, and discovered that they're still in business making these same watch bands.

The Gruen is cool to have but not really my style. As for the bracelet.. it's kind of a cheesy look, I admit. At first I thought it was ugly and would rip out my arm hairs.

But just for fun, I put it on my Seiko SNK805... and I kind of like it. It's really easy to put on, it's really comfortable, it hasn't ripped out one arm hair yet, and it seems to adjust well to fluctuations in wrist size. I was already looking for a decent metal bracelet to try on this watch. Now I think I might just leave this for a while. The vintage look actually works with the seiko field watch.

Does anybody like this type of bracelet?

 

[Miggyd87]

I have just 1 point of reference.

I bought a Spiedel digital watch, based on the thread below. Had some concerns about the expansion bracelet, but let me tell you....fannnnnnntastic!

Anyone familiar with the Speidel Digital?

I’m looking for one more digital watch to add to my small collection- I’m selling a Casio A500 steel (I don’t like it as much as the gold model i already own), an A168 (not a fan of the EL light on it), and an A158 (it’s the gold face one- it just sits in my watch box). I was going to just get...

www.watchuseek.com

I liked it so much, that for black friday Spiedel is have 30% off sale week (code: cyberweek30) I purchased an additional expansion bracelet for future use. After discount it was $13.50, shipped was $<20.

Excited for its arrival and very happy with how the one I currently have on the digital watch fits and doesn't pinch or pull hair, I'm not the hairiest but I do have arm hair and have yet to have a tug or pull.

If you have a vintage or reissue watch, and want that period metal bracelet look, I would highly suggest the Speidel Twist-o-flex!

 

[gzp]

The good ones can be great. I've gotten numerous vintage Timex watches, some expansion bracelets are crappy and don't hold up well. Others can be good enough that I'll buy a watch just for the band. I've never experienced any hair-pullng.

 

[Miggyd87]

My new Twist-o-flex arrived and matches the case to my Speidel digital perfectly, so off the original went and on went the new. Resizing is a bit of a fiddley, but the Instructions provided make it relatively straight forward process.

Speidel Digital on new Twist-o-flex:

First 3 links are actually one large link, which I was surprised by.

The original Twist-o-flex went onto my C1032 and it looks like vintage perfection

C1032 with Speidel Digital's Twist-o-flex:

Side by side for comparison sake:

IMHO: <$20 well spent.

 

[sonik_fury]

Depends on how hairy your wrists are.😁

 

[Miggyd87]

Depends on how hairy your wrists are.😁

See above photos with my hairy arms...no pulls yet

 

[slcbbrown]

In the olden days, my father gave me his old, gold plate Bulova on the Bulova stretch bracelet. Very comfortable and functional. No hair pulling, at all. I don't remember any system for adjusting it, though.

I've wondered how a small section of stretch in a typical metal bracelet would do. Maybe more convenient, cheaper and better looking than some adjustable clasps.

 

[Miggyd87]

The new Zodiac Seawolf has a butterfly clasp on the bracelet with a built in expansion portion to the clasp.

RandomRob video shows it off:

 

[nanook12]

Nice, they did a good job hiding it in the clasp also. Do any other bands have this feature? I like it. Bracelets can be difficult to size properly, it seems like my wrist is changing size constantly throughout the day.

 

[Miggyd87]

Nice, they did a good job hiding it in the clasp also. Do any other bands have this feature? I like it. Bracelets can be difficult to size properly, it seems like my wrist is changing size constantly throughout the day.

Not to my knowledge.

I am not the end all be all though

 

[Don_S]

I have a sub-$20 Timex digital on a Timex stainless-steel expansion bracelet and I’m shocked how much I like it. Very comfortable! No problems pulling hairs. Now I understand why my dad almost always had a watch with a Spiedel expansion bracelet on it!

 

[Lawrence648]

I actually like them a lot. I wear a couple of my watches on Spiedel twist-o-flex’s in the summer, and found a NOS JB Champion that I have on my father’s old Bulova that matches the original band pretty closely.

 

[Donerix]

I found this old faded crusty half coffin link - half expansion bracelet for my gilt Retangula and love it. So comfortable and an instant vintage look:

 

[nanook12]

That looks cool, I like the rounded links, I wonder why more of them aren’t made that way.

 

[Boondoggle]

I like em. I hear they kinda suck to resize. Just got this Seiko with one on it that's sized perfectly for me. Had it cleaned at a local watch shop because it was probably full of DNA. Feels really comfortable, no hair pulling for me yet

 

[Nokie]

Not a fan, but they will give the watch a cool, retro look for sure.

 

[drunken-gmt-master]

Nice, they did a good job hiding it in the clasp also. Do any other bands have this feature? I like it. Bracelets can be difficult to size properly, it seems like my wrist is changing size constantly throughout the day.

Back in the '60-70s, Novavit (NSA) included a spring-loaded expansion folding clasp in their bracelets, which they made for Heuer, Zodiac, & other makers as well as their own brand. Right now, I can only think of Rado using NSA clones w/the expansion clasp in some of their models.

 

[drunken-gmt-master]

I get that these types of bracelets are considered cheap and dated, because they are. But does anybody like them?

I found an old Gruen watch that was passed down from my grandfather, on it a Speidel expansion bracelet. I saw "Speidel" engraved on the underside of each link, and discovered that they're still in business making these same watch bands.

The Gruen is cool to have but not really my style. As for the bracelet.. it's kind of a cheesy look, I admit. At first I thought it was ugly and would rip out my arm hairs.

But just for fun, I put it on my Seiko SNK805... and I kind of like it. It's really easy to put on, it's really comfortable, it hasn't ripped out one arm hair yet, and it seems to adjust well to fluctuations in wrist size. I was already looking for a decent metal bracelet to try on this watch. Now I think I might just leave this for a while. The vintage look actually works with the seiko field watch.

Does anybody like this type of bracelet?

I like expansion bracelets (though I'm partial to the fancier German Fixoflex from Rowi, but that's not a knock on Speidel). I do wish more watch companies offered them as accessories to make it easier to match specific models. Archimede used to offer a Fixoflex as on option for their OutDoor Protect, but now just has the boring oyster-style bracelet.

 

[DrewL]

I received my Grandfather’s Hamilton retirement watch after he passed away in the 90s and it had a silver Speidel band on it. I tried it on and immediately felt the sting of hair pull. I replaced it with a leather strap and never considered another expansion bracelet. However, I know he had the Speidel on that watch because he lost dexterity in his fingers, so I my have to re-think my perspective as I get older. I kept his Speidel just in case.

 

[nanook12]

I took two links out last night. First I took out one but still needed it a little tighter so went in for another.

It was a little tricky but not that bad. Basically you bend up four little tabs to pull up/off the top of the link, then you pull out these little ‘staples’ on the sides and slide the link off. It was a little confusing but I figured it out.

Weirdly I haven't had too much hair pulling at all with this bracelet. I had much more hair pulling with a cheap oyster style bracelet i ordered (and returned) on amazon. I have decently hairy arms too. The speidel is just really comfortable to me. Occasionally it grabs a hair if I try to slide it up my arm.