# OEM or quality after market strap options for JLC MC Chronograph 2



## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

Hello all, after a bit of research and a month of waiting,last night i finally collected my first JLC watch, a MC Chrono 2. Really happy with the piece and quality of the case, dial and crystal are nothing short of amazing. 

One thing that I need to change is the strap, as the one I've got come with the standard black alligator on deployant buckle, which I believe is 115/75cm long and is too short for my wrist (I normally go or 125/85). 

I was wondering if any of you could share your after market options if you've used them, I know of a few ( saw good review of Camille Fournet), especially if they do longer size to OEM specs. 

I'd also love to get OEM rubber for wends but can't find whether it comes in longer size or not? I also believe it is priced somewhat absurdly at 400$...


Thanks a lot for any advice.


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## whywatch9 (Sep 30, 2012)

Camille fornet makes the OEM straps for JLC supposedly, so you should expect OEM quality from them. used their site and got a custom build strap to my spec for my MC gmt. Top notch quality.

[email protected] is another quality maker that has gotten a lot of praises. Although I have not order from them, heard nothing but good things about their straps. Very good price, better than CF, but the only draw back would be limited leather options. 

The OEM rubber is about 8 inches long. It's close to what you are looking for I believe. You might need to purchase the tang buckle, if you don't already have it. That adds few hundreds more to the total. There's one on sale in the sales corner strap section. The same one is also listed on the bay. 

I like to have all the options available for my watches. But OEM stuff is really off the roof. The folding clasp was quoted to me at 500. The bracelet is almost 2.5k. And It's even more tempting when you got the quick strap changing function, I know. Good luck finding the right shoes.


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## Vakane (Oct 25, 2011)

That's why you negotiate that with the AD  

U can get the rubber strap for free or for no extra cost... 

If you bought used or online... Then wait for one used... Should be around 200 instead.


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

Vakane said:


> That's why you negotiate that with the AD
> 
> U can get the rubber strap for free or for no extra cost...
> 
> If you bought used or online... Then wait for one used... Should be around 200 instead.


Mate, for the discount I get from my source, I can get a dozen (probably even more) OEM rubber straps and a few sprinbar sets for a good measure, LOL. The downside is my source gets only limited stock of one or two pieces and the choice of accessories is limited to what the pieces come with, no flexibility there. That's not the point, the point is to get info on decent after market sources, as no Richemond oem straps fit me to date, so I go aftermarket and custom made every time..


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

whywatch9 said:


> Camille fornet makes the OEM straps for JLC supposedly, so you should expect OEM quality from them. used their site and got a custom build strap to my spec for my MC gmt. Top notch quality.
> 
> [email protected] is another quality maker that has gotten a lot of praises. Although I have not order from them, heard nothing but good things about their straps. Very good price, better than CF, but the only draw back would be limited leather options.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info on the rubber for sale, I contacted the guy, lets see... Also I have a few of Peter's straps, they are good but in my opinion, JLC stuff is a few steps above, looking at the OEM gator that the MC come with, I can see that clearly.

Looks Camille Fornet is really the best option out there, so I think I am going to go with them. Do you have a photo of your MC on their strap? Can you post it if it is not too much trouble?

Thanks again!


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## hoppes-no9 (Jun 13, 2010)

The mcc2 has 21mm lugs but 22mm straps will fit just fine.

I have OEM and peter/watchacc straps but the one I like best is a Hadley Roma 22mm genuine gator. Not expensive and very high quality.


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## peitron (Aug 23, 2010)

whywatch9 said:


> Camille fornet makes the OEM straps for JLC supposedly, so you should expect OEM quality from them. used their site and got a custom build strap to my spec for my MC gmt. Top notch quality.


Yes, Camile Fournet has JLC oem quality straps. I got an Opera model strap online and frankly it's amazing.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

A quick update: after looking around and comparing prices, I decided to go with OEM stuff and ordered a rubber strap and replacement alligator in long size from the boutique. Interestingly, the rubber is made specifically for MC Chrono 2 (e.g. 21mm at lugs, tapering to 20 mm at the buckle) and is longer than the standard leather strap (measures 120mm x 80mm) and fits the stock deployant buckle perfectly. Confusingly, the choice of leather straps made specifically for MC Chrono 2 is limited ot just one: stock black, and it can be ordered in long size. I didnt want the black one so went with a brown alligator in long, however they are only made in 21mm x 18 mm and work with tang buckle only...so I had to buy one of those too...go figure.

Both straps are of extrimely high quality and work great with the watch. Not cheap but not all tha crazy expensive either - for example, prices quoted by Camile Fournet for custom-made strap in OEM specs and longer length were somehow more expensive than the OEM stuff from the boutique, by about 20 Euro.

BTW, I will be putting my OEM black strap the watch come with (unworn) for sale here and a few other places, at a very good price.

Here is a wristy, wearing it on the rubber this week:


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## whywatch9 (Sep 30, 2012)

Somehow the price quoted by the boutique in LA is 130 us more than the custom from CF...


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## hoppes-no9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Korneevy - how much was the rubber, and can you post more pics? 

Thx


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

whywatch9 said:


> Somehow the price quoted by the boutique in LA is 130 us more than the custom from CF...


Interesting. I bought the OEM alligator from the boutique for 340 Swiss Francs (parx 355$). Camile Fournet quoted 270 Euro for custom-made long alligator with OEM specs (profile padding, double stitch, OEM size and thickness), plus 25 Euro for shipping, coming to 299 Euro or 366 Swiss Francs (385$). Plus the boutique got the strap in 3 days while CM mentioned 3 weeks lead time, and the sales people ensured that if I didn't like it on the watch, they will not charge me anything, which was nice of them. So in my case it is a no-brainer, OEM was a better choice all the way.


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

hoppes-no9 said:


> Korneevy - how much was the rubber, and can you post more pics?
> 
> Thx


Rubber was 260 Swiss Francs. If you think of it, it is not all that cheap since you can get the OEM calf straps for 215 Francs and alligators from 350 Swiss Francs and up...but there is no other source to get it from, and it fits the watch perfectly with the curved end and a think tongue for the deployant, so I figured it is worth the investment.


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## whywatch9 (Sep 30, 2012)

The OEM was quoted at 430 us. And the CF was less than 300, although I don't remember exactly. Maybe things are more expansive here... I got my rubber off the bay for 300 used. Rubber from boutique was 300+ 185 for the tang buckle. 
I later found out that it's worthwhile when you buy the watch from the boutique, because they will throw in accessories and top priority service plus hard to get pieces.


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

Here is the oem chocolate strap on tang buckle


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## dak_la (Sep 13, 2012)

The chocolate strap looks great on your MC Chrono 2. And thanks guys for all the information on OEM and CF straps here. 

Whywatch9: I have heard that even though CF supplies OEM straps for JLC and others, the quality of the CF straps that we can order from its online site is inferior to the OEM straps from JLC, since you have had both, do you feel that this is true?


Daniel


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## georges zaslavsky (Feb 11, 2006)

The best straps brands in the horology world are Camille Fournet Create your watch strap and Atelier du Bracelet Parisien the watch straps, watchstraps, bands and watchbands from abp way superior and of better quality than Hirsch, Sirtoli and Di Modell


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## korneevy (May 17, 2012)

georges zaslavsky said:


> The best straps brands in the horology world are Camille Fournet Create your watch strap and Atelier du Bracelet Parisien the watch straps, watchstraps, bands and watchbands from abp way superior and of better quality than Hirsch, Sirtoli and Di Modell


Last I checked, the quote for Master Compressor OEM spec strap from Camille Fournet was some $80 more than what JLC boutique quoted me for the OEM equivalent. So I now buy them from the boutique direct. Btw, I am selling the strap in the photo, there is a post in the sales corner if you guys are interested in this beauty


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## dak_la (Sep 13, 2012)

korneevy said:


> Last I checked, the quote for Master Compressor OEM spec strap from Camille Fournet was some $80 more than what JLC boutique quoted me for the OEM equivalent. So I now buy them from the boutique direct. Btw, I am selling the strap in the photo, there is a post in the sales corner if you guys are interested in this beauty


I had the same experience when I tried to get a quote from CF for a replacement strap for my Master Compressor GMT, and that's why I started this thread - https://www.watchuseek.com/f419/jlc-straps-overpriced-927853.html

So from my experience, JLC OEM strap is actually cheaper than if I were to get something similar from CF and ABP, and I haven't found anything else that has similar quality as the OEM one. Yours looks really nice on your MCC2, the chocolate color actually works very well with it. |>


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## amj23511m (May 22, 2014)

I use Bell & Ross BR126 gray alligator, looks fab!


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