# Quality Spring Bars



## Portland (Dec 24, 2015)

I've been reading quite a few threads where people have had spring bar failures that has caused substantial damage to some very nice watches. I am considering purchasing an OVM as well as some NATO straps to go with it and I would like to purchase some high quality spring bars as well. The website below was recommended in another thread as carry in good spring bars. Has anyone purchased from them? 
Any other recommendations?

Spring Bars - All Types

Also, can someone who has replaced the spring bars speak to which size is appropriate for the Steinhart Ocean One watches? Gnomonwatches.com sells some "high quality" 22mm spring bars, but the link end is only 1mm and that just doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Seems way too short to me.

Thanks!


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## noregrets (Nov 21, 2014)

Absolutely. Otto Frei (the site you posted a link to) is my go-to place for purchasing spring bars and I have been very pleased with the quality. If you buy in bulk you can get them for a few cents each. When I get a new (to me) watch I usually immediately replace the spring bars to have a warm and fuzzy.

I use these, the high-grade double flange 1.8mm:

High Grade Spring Bars, Stainless Steel Double Flange 1.8 mm Thick


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## JSal (Aug 27, 2012)

How much of the end of the spring bar do you think goes into the lug.

It's the thickness of the spring bar that is important.

And Otto Frei is in business a long time and has a great reputation as a watch parts distributor.

Here are a few more you can check...

The Swiss Watch Parts Distributors | Serving The Industry Since 1952

Watch Parts | Replacement Watch Supplies | Esslinger.com

I purchased these "Fat Boy" 2.5mm thick spring bars over the summer but I haven't tried them out yet. They look very strong.

Set of 12 Fat Boy 2.5mm Spring Bars


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## Portland (Dec 24, 2015)

Thank you both for the input.


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## Portland (Dec 24, 2015)

Would you recommend 1.8 or 2.5 mm for a NATO strap on an Ocean One?


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Portland said:


> Would you recommend 1.8 or 2.5 mm for a NATO strap on an Ocean One?


I've bought (and own) those "Fat Boy" spring bars. I would caution you on one "effect" that they have - when using them with any type of RAF or NATO strap, the thickness of the bars causes the strap to "break" higher & wider, which in turn makes the watch sit higher on your wrist, with larger "air gaps" between your wrist and the strap. This proved "unacceptable" to me; YMMV...


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## Portland (Dec 24, 2015)

TheGanzman said:


> I've bought (and own) those "Fat Boy" spring bars. I would caution you on one "effect" that they have - when using them with any type of RAF or NATO strap, the thickness of the bars causes the strap to "break" higher & wider, which in turn makes the watch sit higher on your wrist, with larger "air gaps" between your wrist and the strap. This proved "unacceptable" to me; YMMV...


Are there more suitable spring bars that you can recommend that remedy this issue?


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## npulaski (May 3, 2012)

Portland said:


> Are there more suitable spring bars that you can recommend that remedy this issue?


It sounds like the thinner (1.8mm) would be best for a Nato.

One of the advantages of a Nato strap is that it's safer in the case of a spring bar failure. On a normal strap, a single spring bar failure will cause the whole watch to fall of. With a Nato strap, both spring bars have to fail for the head to fall off, so it's not as important to have the absolute strongest spring bars on a Nato.


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

You can get Rolex "shoulderless" spring bars, but they will have to be cut out w/side cutters, if/when you want them off...


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## fasterboomer (Jan 22, 2015)

Thanks! I've been wondering the same thing. My Ocean One dropped onto a hardwood floor once because of generic springbars. Luckily no damage but my heart skipped a beat!&#55357;&#56844;


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

what about these guys, they look pretty heavy duty. Could they work on all watch cases?

2 x 1.8mm Rolex Style Spring Bar | LuxWatchStraps


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## kelt (May 17, 2013)

Stryder16 said:


> what about these guys, they look pretty heavy duty. Could they work on all watch cases?
> 
> 2 x 1.8mm Rolex Style Spring Bar | LuxWatchStraps


The link goes to a spring bar set for watches with 20mm lug width.

When ordering spring bars, you need to know:
the diameter of the lug holes
the diameter of the end links holes
the lug to lug width

The correct size spring bars for Ocean One watches is 
tip diameter 0,8mm
body diameter 1,8mm (Steinhart OEM are 1,6mm but the bracelet end links can take 1,8mm bars)
lug to lug width 22mm


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

kelt said:


> The link goes to a spring bar set for watches with 20mm lug width.
> 
> When ordering spring bars, you need to know:
> the diameter of the lug holes
> ...


Aha, so not all spring bar diameters are created equal! good to know


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

Side question: Are there any springbars out in the market that can act/simulate 'fixed' bars on lugs? The reason I ask is because I wanted to put a NATO strap on a watch case with springbars but I read the nature of the NATO strap can dislodge the spring bars as opposed to fixed lug bars or springbars.


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## R.Palace (Mar 11, 2011)

Stryder16 said:


> Side question: Are there any springbars out in the market that can act/simulate 'fixed' bars on lugs? The reason I ask is because I wanted to put a NATO strap on a watch case with springbars but I read the nature of the NATO strap can dislodge the spring bars as opposed to fixed lug bars or springbars.


They're called shoulder less spring bars and you do not want them on a watch without drilled lugs.

Natos are fine and won't fail unless some major pressure is applied. Even still they're made to "catch" the watch head should a spring bar fail.


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## Stryder16 (Sep 11, 2016)

R.Palace said:


> They're called shoulder less spring bars and you do not want them on a watch without drilled lugs.
> 
> Natos are fine and won't fail unless some major pressure is applied. Even still they're made to "catch" the watch head should a spring bar fail.


Thanks for the information. Just to clarify, by 'drilled lugs' do you mean the pin is drilled all the way through so you see the pin on the outside?

Because technically, even a caseback that you can't see the pins on the outside should at least have some drilling halfway on the lugs.


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## rrrrrlll (Aug 21, 2016)

A drilled lug is the drilled hole all the way though the lug. But only the drilled hole visible on the outside, not the pin.

Because a shoulder-less spring bar don't have a "shoulder" for you to compress the spring bar. You can only take the spring bar out of the lug by inserting a pin in the outside of the drilled lug to compress it.


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

rrrrrlll said:


> A drilled lug is the drilled hole all the way though the lug. But only the drilled hole visible on the outside, not the pin.
> 
> Because a shoulder-less spring bar don't have a "shoulder" for you to compress the spring bar. You can only take the spring bar out of the lug by inserting a pin in the outside of the drilled lug to compress it.


Not "exactly" right. You can USE shoulderless spring bars on no lug holes watches - you'll just have to CUT the spring bars out/off with side cutters if/when you want to remove them; not the end of the World...


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## panaria12 (Jul 2, 2013)

rrrrrlll said:


> A drilled lug is the drilled hole all the way though the lug. But only the drilled hole visible on the outside, not the pin.
> 
> Because a shoulder-less spring bar don't have a "shoulder" for you to compress the spring bar. You can only take the spring bar out of the lug by inserting a pin in the outside of the drilled lug to compress it.


Agreed a shouldered spring bar is easier to remove from non drilled lugs. However I often use shoulderless bars in my Seiko divers 6105/6309 as I feel they are closer to a fixed bar design (and have a 1.1mm lug hole). Removal can be tricky I use a small pen knife to grab the pin and flick it out. Probably scores the bar a little, just be careful not to mark the case.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


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## kelt (May 17, 2013)

A modification made on Rolex and Tudor Submariner used by the French military (off the shelf watches delivered with the bracelet and spring bars) result a removable bar as strong as the plain fixed bar system.

For use on the navigation boards the bracelet was replaced by an elastic strap, a stronger substitute to the OEM bars was devised, the central part was a large diameter needle for surgical perfusions cut to 20mm length and the inner part was a 1,2mm stainless steel piano wire cut to 25mm.


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## RustyBin5 (May 30, 2015)

My two cents worth.... Yu mention going Nato - if you do that then the quality of the spring bars is irrelevant as they would both have to fail at the same time for any danger to your watch. On a separate note - the spring bars designed by Christopher Ward are just a great innovation. The quick release allowing straps to be swapped out with no damage to your lugs or ....ing about with tools. (great for holidays - swapping a waterproof strap for a dress one for evening). I have never had one accidentally detach - with a tiny nick in the strap they can be "made" to fit into a Steinhart strap...


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## trekbonita (May 2, 2018)

hello, how do you remove those fat spring bar, im having trouble with two of these, already broke me 2 tools


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