Expansion bracelet for '57 Broker - any ideas, please?

Submitted by AVO on January 21, 2013 - 10:57am

I recently bought this 1957 Broker on a good leather strap, but would like to have an authentic expansion bracelet to add a different look.  Does anyone know of a source for these?

Many thanks.

bobbee
Posted January 21, 2013 - 12:20pm

I would recommend you do not put an expansion band on your watch, if it has sprung ends especially, as they can cause irrepairable damage to the lugs on the watch.

AVO
Posted January 22, 2013 - 2:42am

Thanks for the warning.  Surprising then that a lot of them were advertised and supplied with expanders - or were these specially fitted for the watches and therefore not an issue?

Geoff Baker
Posted January 22, 2013 - 5:45am

You're right Bob - expansion (self adjusting lug spacing) on the lug connections are death on these old watches as the slowly grind away the lugs over the years. Expansion in terms of 'scissors' like links in the bracelet are perfectly safe, AND very appropriate for these old beauties. Just be sure to measure and purchase the correct lug spacing. When seeking out old school, I search by manufacturer. "Jacoby Bender", later know as JB Champion, was one of those manufacturers. Be careful though, they were also one of the 'offenders' in those self adjusting lug ends. "Kreisler" & "Hirsch" are a couple others that come to mind.

FifthAvenueRes…
Posted January 22, 2013 - 6:00am

Fitted correctly an expansion bracelet will not be a problem, as noted many of these Watches came with.  It's the ill fittiing replacements which are the problem.

Your favorite auction site has many....

Time Bandit
Posted January 22, 2013 - 11:33am

I agree with Bob and Geoff, the manufactures didn't build these to last "forever" so any "common sense" solutions so as to circumvent possible damage only extends the life of anything built with a limited lifespan!

Look at this way, can you think of ANY manufacturer today that makes anything that doesn't have a "useful lifespan"???

AVO
Posted January 22, 2013 - 3:44pm

Really sensible answers - thank you all.

A friend sent me a couple of bracelets to try (he doesn't want them), but while I knew they compressed to 16mm, I hadn't bothered to measure my watch and found the lug width was only 14mm!

The bands look pretty poor quality, confirmed when I put one on a cheap watch with 18mm lugs - didn't like it and had to destroy the band to remove it!  Owww!

MY BULOVA STAYS ON LEATHER!! :-)

bobbee
Posted January 22, 2013 - 3:52pm

Many did come on metal bands, and can look spectacular, but the fitted kind can cost a pretty penny and if worn with any great regularity, will still cause wear to the plating, as gold is softer than the underlying metal on the band.
Wise decision AVO.