# Would you buy a "riveted" replacement bracelet for your Vantage?



## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

I know from speaking with Bill that he is low on Vantage bracelets and we spoke about the idea of possibly creating a Vantage bracelet like the Kingston one.

Who here (besides me) would buy one for their Vantage?


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## Thieuster (Jan 22, 2009)

I do!

Menno


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## martin_blank (May 19, 2010)

id like one..but for my Raven Vintage...


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## rmasso (Mar 31, 2009)

I'd buy a Vantage with a riveted bracelet and with a Gilt dial! No, no one has said anything about a gilt dial, just throwing that in there.


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

Speak up guys. I'm hoping we can hit critical mass with this and show Bill we'd make it worth his while.


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## cpotters (Jan 29, 2009)

Hey,

I don't have a Vantage (yet, he he) but would want a riveted bracelet if I did. Heck, I liked it so much, I'd put one on the Stingray. It WOULD look exceptional on the Vantage.


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## m.and (Feb 6, 2010)

I received my first real MKII (until now I have only owned watches modded with MKII parts) the other day (a Vantage) and I love it. It could only be made more amazing with a riveted bracelet. I vote yes.


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## bmick325 (Dec 15, 2009)

I would buy a Vantage on the stock bracelet, but a riveted one would be even better.


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## ForGoodnessSeiko (Dec 28, 2010)

What lug size would it be?


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## Thieuster (Jan 22, 2009)

Vantage lug size is 20mm.

Menno


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## ForGoodnessSeiko (Dec 28, 2010)

Thank you Menno. In that case Yes I would.


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## NWP627 (Feb 24, 2008)

If "riveted bracelets" become MKIIs stock in trade I would hope they will be available on the upcoming TR-Stingray. Now wouldn't that be a beautiful combination? That's exactly how I would buy my TR. Great idea "Dude"


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## Thieuster (Jan 22, 2009)

Perhaps Bill should consider one bracelet style: like Sinn. One bracelet, only the end pieces are different. In fact you can spot a Sinn bracelet from miles away. A riveted bracelet as a MKII trade mark? Yes please!

Menno


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## justsellbrgs (Jan 31, 2008)

dude... count me in for one....


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but Rolex beat me to it. The original 1016 watches had them - in fact I associate riveted more with the 1016 than with any other model.

A few months back I posted a thread asking if the Kingston end links would fit on the Vantage and Bill said no. 

We discussed the possibility of a new bracelet at the NYC GTG in April but it can't hurt to show Bill that we would buy it if he makes a batch.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk


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## 66Cooper (Jun 20, 2008)

I would say that would be an amazing step forward for the Vantage. It just feels right on the Kingston and I would think even better on the Vantage. Bill, go for it!


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## austinnh (May 25, 2009)

cpotters said:


> Heck, I liked it so much, I'd put one on the Stingray.





NWP627 said:


> If "riveted bracelets" become MKIIs stock in trade I would hope they will be available on the upcoming TR-Stingray. Now wouldn't that be a beautiful combination? That's exactly how I would buy my TR. Great idea "Dude"


That's lucky, because at the GTG Bill hinted that he might be thinking of doing exactly that. Let's make sure he knows that there is interest in it!


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## INDECS (Feb 27, 2011)

TheDude said:


> I wish I could take credit for the idea, but Rolex beat me to it. The original 1016 watches had them - in fact I associate riveted more with the 1016 than with any other model.


I would get a Vantage for the bracelet alone if Bill would start making a riveted one! Just look how great this looks:


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## rmasso (Mar 31, 2009)

INDECS said:


> I would get a Vantage for the bracelet alone if Bill would start making a riveted one! Just look how great this looks:


 I wish the Explorer still looked like that...


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## vuhuynh (Jan 29, 2009)

After trying to size the Kingston rivet bracelet even with the right tool, my answer is hell no.
Unless it is one side screws type not the double sides screws.


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## cpotters (Jan 29, 2009)

vuhuynh said:


> After trying to size the Kingston rivet bracelet even with the right tool, my answer is hell no.
> Unless it is one side screws type not the double sides screws.


Haha. It's true: some jobs are best left to professionals.


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## Mark Szorik (Sep 27, 2010)

I would buy one and probably two in a heart beat. Let's hope we can convince Bill to offer these. Mark


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## vuhuynh (Jan 29, 2009)

cpotters said:


> Haha. It's true: some jobs are best left to professionals.


Yeah, I have to remove 2 links on each side.
At first, I could not do it with 2 screwdrivers.
I then order the bracelet removal tool.
It took me about 15 minutes to prepare for the operation and 20 minutes or so to do the first side.
The next side took me less than 10 minutes.
Only if I have 3 hands ( 2 hands to align the screws with the bracelet removal tool) the remain hand to turn the screw than I can do it in 5 minutes....

You are right.
I would not do it myself if I can find a local watchmaker who willing to do the job.


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

vuhuynh said:


> After trying to size the Kingston rivet bracelet even with the right tool, my answer is hell no.
> Unless it is one side screws type not the double sides screws.


All of the MkII bracelets have screws on both sides (and are kind of a pain).

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk


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## nullidentitat (Sep 29, 2008)

Although Sizing my LRRP's bracelet _was_ a pain, I definitely much prefer the MKII arrangement to the single-sided screws on some of the other watches I've owned. Practical benefits aside, I'm just a sucker for symmetry.

If Bill decides to stock these I'll be in for a Vantage...


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

Looks like close to 20!! 

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk


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## jussi (Sep 4, 2007)

make that 21 
Just recieved a pre-owned 1 today.... would love to fit it on a riveted


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## nsumner (Jul 1, 2011)

I was able to buy a Kingston bracelet from an owner this morning. All I need to do now is modify some endlinks. The bracelet shipped this morning so I should have some info next week, I'll keep ya posted.

As a side note. I just bought my 1st MKII this week. A LNIB Vantage and WOW, what a nice watch. I've owned many nice watches (Rolex, Anonimo, Sinn, Eterna etc..) and this is as nice as any of them. I look forward to buying and wearing many more.


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

nsumner said:


> I was able to buy a Kingston bracelet from an owner this morning. All I need to do now is modify some endlinks. The bracelet shipped this morning so I should have some info next week, I'll keep ya posted.
> 
> As a side note. I just bought my 1st MKII this week. A LNIB Vantage and WOW, what a nice watch. I've owned many nice watches (Rolex, Anonimo, Sinn, Eterna etc..) and this is as nice as any of them. I look forward to buying and wearing many more.


I'm going to cry if you mangle the endlinks on a Kingston bracelet.

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## nsumner (Jul 1, 2011)

It's not comming with endlinks. I'm going to have to make my own or modify some existing ones.


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## OmegaCosmicMan (Apr 1, 2011)

nsumner said:


> It's not coming with endlinks. I'm going to have to make my own or modify some existing ones.


If I may ask, did this work out for you? :think:


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## Thieuster (Jan 22, 2009)

Do the Kingston endlinks fit the Vantage case? I replaced my Kingston's riveted bracelet for a Hadley Roma MB4016W (non rivited) and the Kingston endlinks do fit. 

Having said that, I bought a rivited bracelet for my Sandoz /MKII MilSub. Somehow, this bracelet is much easier to adjust than the Kingston's. I'm having a 'senior moment' now... I cannot remember where I bought that riveted bracelet...

Menno


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

Thieuster said:


> Do the Kingston endlinks fit the Vantage case? I replaced my Kingston's riveted bracelet for a Hadley Roma MB4016W (non rivited) and the Kingston endlinks do fit.
> 
> Having said that, I bought a rivited bracelet for my Sandoz /MKII MilSub. Somehow, this bracelet is much easier to adjust than the Kingston's. I'm having a 'senior moment' now... I cannot remember where I bought that riveted bracelet...
> 
> Menno


No, they don't. Bill confirmed this on a thread I started a while back.

Seems like a great use for the extra bracelet no?? 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


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## OmegaCosmicMan (Apr 1, 2011)

|> Yes! |> I would purchase a riveted bracelet immediately! The Kingston bracelet (despite the one-time adjustment adventure), is great. Thin, strong, light, just the right amount of flexibility. 
It would be a perfect accessory for the Vantage. 
I prefer the Kingston bracelet over the Vantage bracelet, and I think that is because of the taper of the riveted one - The Vantage bracelet is very nice, and I appreciate it. But I find the Kingston bracelet more comfortable over a twelve to fourteen hour day.


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## JCW1980 (Sep 24, 2009)

Has anything happenned with this? Hope it's not dead in the water. :think:

I actually found this on accident when I did a search hoping to find an aftermarket riveted oyster that would fit the Vantage (like a Hadley Roma or similar).

Is there any word on this? Or, failing that, has anyone found an aftermarket that works on the Vantage?


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## Wallace Reynolds (Mar 16, 2008)

If you don't find a "riveted" bracelet, you can always try a Sinn rubber strap. They work great and its a much a cheaper alternative to the recently available "Rolex" rubber straps. I will let you be the judge:



















Wallace


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## JCW1980 (Sep 24, 2009)

Wow. Very nice indeed!


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## Jairogru (Apr 20, 2012)

Very same doubt here, about aftermarket options


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## JCW1980 (Sep 24, 2009)

Found a post about aftermarket oyster bracelets over in the Rolex forum. There's a 20mm riveted. I wonder if it would work on the vantage...

Anybody already tried this?


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## gman54 (Sep 22, 2009)

I'm going to mount one of my Nassau’s on a leather strap that Peter Gunny made for me. I'm thinking of trying to mate the original Vantage bracelet end links to the riveted bracelet from the Nassau. Of course my Nassau’s aren’t due to arrive for another two weeks and my end links are in my apartment on another island. I won’t be going to the apartment until I travel through Manila on my way back to the US the end of January. So, it we'll have to wait until the end of January to see if it'll work. Answer and hopefully pictures to be posted in February. Another thread that will drag on due to my untimeliness! Seems like everything MKII related requires much patience, yes?


EDIT: Nassau's and Paradive Sapphire arrived in today's mail. Now if I could get my hands on the Vantage bracelet end links...

Cheers, gman54


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## JCW1980 (Sep 24, 2009)

I did some crude measurements of the actual vantage bracelet & endlink and of the picture of the riveted bracelet to figure out if the center of the riveted bracelet's links should fit with the vantage's endlink...the ratios are very close. I think it may fit. It did occur to me while I was doing this though, that the finish of the bracelet may be quite a bit different from that of the case & end link, since the vantage is very lightly brushed.

$130 is pretty steep too...I'm going to have to think about this some more. 

Any brave souls out there? ;-)


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

Yeah, this is a bit too daring for me. I own all the parts but I have yet to remove the bracelets from my LRRP, Kingston, or Nassau. Just too much carnage. 

The Vantage has suffered the indignity, and I can say that the end links come right off when you remove the spring bars. Not sure about the others. Maybe I should look at my spare Kingston bracelet... 

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## gman54 (Sep 22, 2009)

TheDude said:


> Yeah, this is a bit too daring for me. I own all the parts but I have yet to remove the bracelets from my LRRP, Kingston, or Nassau. Just too much carnage.
> 
> The Vantage has suffered the indignity, and I can say that the end links come right off when you remove the spring bars. Not sure about the others. Maybe I should look at my spare Kingston bracelet...
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


With the exception of my Nassau's, I removed all of my MKII's from the bracelets. Same for my Seiko and Tsunami watches. Very easy to remove and I've never made a mar on any of my watches during the process. The Nassau's are still in the shipping boxes . I may leave the DLC Kington on the DLC bracelet. I think that the Vantage looks better on a bracelet than on nato/leather.

gman54


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

gman54 said:


> With the exception of my Nassau's, I removed all of my MKII's from the bracelets. Same for my Seiko and Tsunami watches. Very easy to remove and I've never made a mar on any of my watches during the process. The Nassau's are still in the shipping boxes . I may leave the DLC Kington on the DLC bracelet. I think that the Vantage looks better on a bracelet than on nato/leather.
> 
> gman54


Wait, back up... DLC Kingston?

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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

TheDude said:


> Wait, back up... DLC Kingston?
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


Edit: Nevermind. I saw your thread.

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## OmegaCosmicMan (Apr 1, 2011)

JCW1980 said:


> I did some crude measurements of the actual vantage bracelet & endlink and of the picture of the riveted bracelet to figure out if the center of the riveted bracelet's links should fit with the vantage's endlink...the ratios are very close. I think it may fit. It did occur to me while I was doing this though, that the finish of the bracelet may be quite a bit different from that of the case & end link, since the vantage is very lightly brushed.
> 
> $130 is pretty steep too...I'm going to have to think about this some more.
> 
> Any brave souls out there? ;-)


:think: I have studied this quite a bit - (I'll try to get some pictures up).

The problem as I see it, is two-fold. First, the spring bar holes are in a different place on the watch case - you will be able to see this if you compare a Kingston and a Vantage from the side. The Kingston hole-location is very similar to the dimension of the R*lex inspiration, so many generic oyster bracelets meant for a R*lex will fit the Kingston fine. The second thing is a little harder to wrap your head around. The Vantage bracelet is fully articulated, in other words each portion of the link is free to pivot. This is unlike the way the Kingston links and other oyster bracelet links are able to move. As a consequence of the link articulation, the first link (from the case) must be longer in length, and the pin location hole in the case must be further toward the center of the case, rather than closer to the end of the lug as the Kingston case is.

So the solution I have come up with so far is to have a longer 'first link' out of the case, and use that with the stock Vantage solid end-link. I have been thinking about the best way to approach that problem. Machine a new link piece? Find one the correct length link, (or close to it) from another bracelet? (seems to be the easiest solution).

I really would like to see the rivet bracelet on the Vantage. I think that would be a very nice compliment to the Vantages roots and inspiration if you will - And it would look good too, and maybe balance better with the weight of the relatively small and light watch the Vantage is (compared to others).

My two cents worth.....


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## TheDude (Jan 27, 2009)

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> :think: I have studied this quite a bit - (I'll try to get some pictures up).
> 
> The problem as I see it, is two-fold. First, the spring bar holes are in a different place on the watch case - you will be able to see this if you compare a Kingston and a Vantage from the side. The Kingston hole-location is very similar to the dimension of the R*lex inspiration, so many generic oyster bracelets meant for a R*lex will fit the Kingston fine. The second thing is a little harder to wrap your head around. The Vantage bracelet is fully articulated, in other words each portion of the link is free to pivot. This is unlike the way the Kingston links and other oyster bracelet links are able to move. As a consequence of the link articulation, the first link (from the case) must be longer in length, and the pin location hole in the case must be further toward the center of the case, rather than closer to the end of the lug as the Kingston case is.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I didn't have the will to try to explain that, but that's the real kicker.

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## JCW1980 (Sep 24, 2009)

OmegaCosmicMan said:


> ... The second thing is a little harder to wrap your head around. The Vantage bracelet is fully articulated, in other words each portion of the link is free to pivot. This is unlike the way the Kingston links and other oyster bracelet links are able to move. As a consequence of the link articulation, the first link (from the case) must be longer in length, and the pin location hole in the case must be further toward the center of the case, rather than closer to the end of the lug as the Kingston case is. ...


Hmm...yep, I see your point. Good catch.


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## El'Monte (Oct 31, 2012)

I am still waiting for my Nassau so still waiting to see it in the cold light of day. The rivets appear to stop half way round which looked odd but I am only veiwing it in screen shots.


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## OmegaCosmicMan (Apr 1, 2011)

Yes, I would still purchase one if it was available.

_*-But, It is not-*_

So in true 'Alaska-fashion'.....

It's time to _'Roll your own'_ ... 

(Or _my own_, as the case seems to be....) ;-)

Here are some snaps of the end-result.

















































































































:think: I'll try to get a post together later that clearly shows what is involved in this little project.

I think it was worth the time and effort.

-My Best to All-

|>|>


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## Thieuster (Jan 22, 2009)

That's what I had in mind when I suggested a 'signature' bracelet on MKIIs (post #13 in thread).

I looks great! In fact, I pulled my own Vantage + bracelet out and compared it with the pic. The riveted bracelet looks better.

M.


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