bracelet & strap guide

The Speedmaster Professional bracelet & strap guide
31/7/2001, Voorburg
by R.J.H. Broer and B.W.J.J.A. van Dorp
Update: 15th of September 2002

The ref.1450, ref.1479 and ref.1498 bracelet for the Speedmaster Pro. Picture taken by the author.

Together with another regular Time Zone Omega Forum-poster, we (Robert-Jan Broer and Bas van Dorp) decided to make an article on the bracelets and straps that would fit a Speedmaster Professional. The most common bracelets and a few different straps, including non-Omega straps ofcourse. We did some photoshooting a while back and ended up with a collection of nearly 110 photos of Speedmasters with all kind of bracelets and straps. We selected the nicest pictures to present to you in this article.

First a short overview of the bracelets that Omega used since their first Speedmaster (pre-Professional) with 20mm lugs. The very first Speedmaster (pre-)Professional watches had 19mm lugs, I won't discuss the bracelets used on those models.

The first Speedmaster Pro bracelet was the ref.1039. It had some sort of mechanism at the last few links near the clasp that could extend the bracelet a bit. A sort of fix-o-flex effect. Most of these bracelets are gone, and that will become logical when you hold of of these old bracelets on your hand. They are not very solid and they don't make a very good impression qualitywise.

Ref.1039 bracelet

The photos above were found at eBay sometime ago. Click on of the pictures above for a bigger view.

When Omega introduced the Speedmaster Professional with cal.861 (the successor of the cal.321 columnwheel movement) they also introduced a new bracelet. The ref.1171, which was more solid than the ref.1039 and was more durable too. The ref.1171 can still be ordered at Omega in Switzerland to 'restore' your vintage Omega Speedmaster Professional.

Ref.1171 bracelet

This is how the 1171 is packed for shipping. You will get the bracelet and 20mm endpieces in the wellknown (for collectors) white packaging.

The ref.1171 bracelet was used from 1968/1969 till about 1980. In 1980, Omega sold the Speedmaster Professional with a ref.1450 bracelet. It looked just like the ref.1171 but had links that were more 'round' and looked like the Rolex President bracelet. The clasp had 'Speedmaster' engraved, something that was still missing on the ref.1171.

Ref. 1450 bracelet

The ref.1450 next to a ref.1479 (later model) The first Speedmaster-clasp that said it was one. Attached to a Speedmaster Pro (from 2000). Another angle. The shirt is by Thomas Pink. Photographs by the authors.

This ref.1450 bracelet was used till 1991. In 1989 the 20th Anniversary (to honor the moonlanding) model of the Speedmaster Pro also used one. Below you will find a scan of a 1989 brochure which shows the ordinary Speedmaster Pro with ref.1450 bracelet.

Around 1991/1992, Omega sold the Speedmaster Pro with a new bracelet. The links in the middle-row had polished ends, so it looked if it had 5 links next to eachother.

Ref. 1479 bracelet

The ref.1479 bracelet hasn't been very long in use by Omega, but it is becoming one of the more populair bracelets in this row. It has the nice polished links and ends at a decent width at the clasp. The newer bracelets all have a 18mm (1498/1499) or 20mm (1998) clasp. Which is too wide according to some people (including the authors of this article). This is clasp width btw, the bracelets ends 2mm smaller. The ref.1479 in between the earlier ref.1450 and the later ref.1498. The folding clasp with 'Speedmaster' engraved. The Speedmaster Pro (2000) and the ref. 1479 bracelet Shot from another angle.

The ref.1479 was used till around 1995/1996. The predessor was the shortlived 1499. I can't actually determine what the difference is between the 1499 and the 1498 (from 1997 till 2000). For the people who doesn't like wide clasp of the ref.1498, ref.1499 and ref.1998 could try to obtain this bracelet. Sometimes jewelers still have them in stock.

Update: The difference between the 1498 and 1499 is the engraving in the clasp. The endpieces also have different numbers, 840 for the 1498 and 842 for the 1499. The words in the clasp are the same, but the engraving is just different. It looks somewhat 'sharper' in a 1498 clasp.

The Speedmaster Professional bracelet & strap guide
Part 2

We only show some pictures of the ref.1498 bracelet because we don't have pictures of the 1499 yet.

Ref. 1498 bracelet

The ref.1498 with the 20mm endpiece. The width at the clasp is 18mm, 16mm at the end of the braceletlinks. The clasp is nicely finished but scratches fairly easily. The Speedmaster Pro (2000) with its original ref.1498 bracelet. From another angle. This bracelets looks (and is) very solid, but is a bit too much for the Speedmaster according to us.

The latest Speedmaster Professional bracelet is the ref.1998. It is 20mm wide at all points and has a double push-button at the clasp like the Seamaster Professional clasp. We are glad that Keith Downing provided us with some pictures of his watch.

Ref. 1998 bracelet

The double push-button has proven itself during the use on the Seamaster Pro from 1993 till now.

The ref.1450 and ref.1479 definately are more suitable for the Speedmaster Professional than all other straps. The first ref. 1039 wasn't much of a quality piece and the links were not solid either. The ref.1450 was the first bracelet that had a little volume and the ref.1479 added some nice polished links to that. As we had three bracelets (ref.1450, ref.1479 and the ref.1498) in our own posession, we made some pictures of all three to show the 'evolution' of the bracelets in roughly 20 years.

A picture taken of all three from above. The ref.1450 shows a little strecthing but it in a good shape. The other two bracelets are quite new. The outer right model was the original bracelet that came on the Speedmaster of Bas in 2000 and the bracelet in the middle was bought NOS at Siebel Jewelers in The Netherlands. The ref.1450 is used on Robert-Jan's vintage Speedmaster pro from time to time.

A picture from another angle that shows the endpieces a bit better. The clasp of the ref.1498 (outer right) shows some similarities with the clasp of theSeamaster Professional.

All bracelets on their side. The ref. 1450 (under) and the ref.1479 (middle) have quite simplistic clasps, but they never failed.

The backside of the bracelets and the loose endpieces on the ref.1450 and the ref.1479.

The picture above gives you even a better look on the links and the clasps.

On the next page you will find some information and pictures on leather straps and NATO straps...

The Speedmaster Pro doesn't need to be worn on a bracelet. If worn on a strap, one gets a completely different watch. A lot of watches can be worn with completely different styles of straps, but the Speedy looks great on a huge variaty of strap styles. The only thing that is really required is that it is a strap with 20 mm lug size (19 mm for Speedmasters made before 1966). The type of strap is of great influence on the overall appearence of the watch, which will be demonstrated here.

Hirsch Waterproof black

A sturdy black ribbed strap on the Speedmaster Pro. Looking tough and very sporty.

This strap is made by Hirsch, and the model name is Waterproof. This model name is quite confusing as it suggest that it is not a model name but a property. All strap dealers I encountered were confused by this, so keep this in mind if you are going out to get one. It is 18 mm wide at the buckle side, and it has shark skin grain.

The strap is very heavily built, it has two thick ribs and white stitching. Although the strap is clearly designed for the most thick and heavy diver's watches out there (which would explain the model name Waterproof), it doesn't overpower the Speedmaster but it gives it a sporty and casual look.

Because the strap is black, the black dial and bezel of the watch and the strap make one aesthetic entity. This visually accentuates the case, the hands and the markers. The nice thing of a visible case is that the elegant shape of the lugs becomes immediately clear when one looks at the watch. This is a big contrast with a Speedmaster on a bracelet, because with a bracelet, the shape of the case is visually integrated with the bracelet, which accentuates the round shape of the black dial and bezel.

Hirsch Livingstone brown

The Speedy on a plain brown strap. Sporty but elegant, and the desing of the watch comes to full exposure.

This strap is also made by Hirsch, the model name is Livingstone. It is also 18 mm wide a the buckle. This strap is plain, the leather looking like calf. This still gives a bit of a sporty look, but it is a bit more dressed than the ribbed black strap shown above.

A brown strap on a Speedy is something people don't come up with easily. I have heard a lot of people say: "You will need a black strap because of the black dial." I really think this is not true. Agreed, the blue and green straps I have tried are not really my taste. A brown strap gives the watch a very distinctive appearance, it gives it some sort of "aviator" look. Omega also sells a brown strap, it comes standard with the 1957 re-edition and it is quite similar to the Hirsch shown here.

The aesthetics of the brown strap on the Speedy are even more interesting than those of the black strap and the bracelets. Here, the strap is not visually integrated with any part of the watch. This makes both the curved shape of the case and the round shape of the bezel and dial very visible. Whith this particular strap, the white stitching somehow links to the white hands and markers on the watch. This all together makes the watch look stunning.

Croco strap

Left a Speedmaster on the sporty strap, right a Speedmaster on a croco strap.