The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I have a rubber ocean strap for an aerospace. The deployment clasp is NOT the stand deployment clip.
When I purchased the watch, I had to cut the rubber ocean to size. Can I buy a leather band and make it fit this deployment clasp?

Takes a bit of patience and a bit of skill to do this. I actually did the reverse of what you are trying to achieve. Not easy, but was possible in my case. It had nothing to do with Lings though, so be careful assembling the bits to put this together particularily if they get to genuine status. If its other brands, then you might stand a chance if you can see before you buy. Problems are length of strap in the set pieces they are issued in (that cannot be modified for length usually), and making sure that works with the adjustment available on the deployment.

Other issue is the connections at the deployment ends to the strap. They need to be the same width, but also need to be capable of fitting in, free of obstructions. It’s best to work this out on a watchmakers counter and go through the range available before buying the strap. Check the overall length you need for your wrist (use another watch strap as your yard stick) and then see if there is a good combo to achieve a good fit. Give yourself enough adjustment so that is not too tight on the loosest steeing or too loose on the tightest setting.

I guess I should ask why you don’t just buy a new deployment and leather combo? I guess it’s as you have a perfectly good deployment, right?

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Jim

"You have Control".

I don't see how this could possibly work to mount leather to an OR clasp.

You need to have a spring bar at both ends of both sides of the leather strap to connect to an Ocean Racer deployant and Breitling leather straps don't have that. The only way that I can see it working is to have the short side from two separate straps which is rather pricey and would also result in a very short strap.

What am I missing?

On the face of it, I have to agree with Roff.... unless I'm missing something. If you have an Ocean Racer deployant, the only option as far as I'm concerned would be to have a leather strap custom-made to use with the OR deployant. I've seen people do that, and it works well : you just need very careful measuring when you order the strap as you wouldn't be able to adjust it once it's made. ABP Paris (and similar) will make custom straps for you.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I saw one on stone creek straps website as well. It can be done, but it will have to be custom after market work.

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As I suggested, it needs to be non Breitling to do it best, if at all. Its diffciult to achieve and you need a few tools and a bit of imagination. If its Ling, then its not so easy and may be improbable to work out the attachments. It can be done, but needs a lot of research to get the right parts and geometry to understand the effect each connection will cause. Other branded straps would probably be the best way to achieve this. A conversion insert may also be necessary, so thats a good thought.

If my memory serves me correctly, I think I spent close to a new normal deploy strap doing my conversion. The deplot in my case was signed, and it was important, due to a lack of new product, to keep that component in the conversion. A little clunky, but it works and looks great.

Cheaper in the long run to buy new, but I am mindful of the price to grab something new when a perfectly good clasp is in the offing. If you get it done successfully, then more strength top your arm. A pic of the result would be good to share.

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Jim

"You have Control".

If I sent the current rubber ocean racer band to a person who makes bands, why would it be hard to replicate?
The measurements are already in place? It really only needs holes for springbars on both sides. Otherwise, it seems very straightforward. Is there a watchband company that does custom work who is easy to work with, answers their phone and speaks English? That sounds like the solution to my problem. The deployment is a gold one rather than a stainless model, so " simply replacing" is a VERY expensive proposition.

Jenna at stone creek straps has done them before. She is in Arizona.

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Great Suggestion!!!! Thank you. When I went to their website, they have already been down this road.

Didn't the "lingman" do this a few years ago? He took 2 of the short croc pieces and attached it to the ocean racer deployant. The only thing is that you have to buy 2 sets of straps.

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Regards,

Peter

BREITLING for Bentley Motors T & Mark VI, Aerospace
ROLEX Submariner Ceramic116610LN
OMEGA Plantet Ocean 8500 42mm Orange arabics
OCEAN7 LM-3

I thought someone had - not sure who though.

Remarkably easy for anyone to do with a custom strap as long as you get the measurements right, but impossible with Breitling straps unless you do go the two short side route.

I thought it was Aleister who had one custom made around the same time he had a snakeskin strap made. I may be wrong though as I've not run a search for it

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Driver8

Site Moderator

More likely than LingMan I suspect

But Lingman did do it too. He had the straps taken to a leather smith who retro fit them.


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SHARKMAN

The king of all bracelets went strap - how did I not mock him mercilessly for that?? I guess old age is doing for my memory.