Rolex 126600 spring bar size

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Hi all

Posted in main forum but likely should have been here

Can anyone help with the appropriate sizes for spring bars to fit 126600?

Thanks

[In-Cog-Neeto]

For anyone who needs to know this I took mine out and measured them

Sea Dweller Spring Pins
Outside case diameter
1.45mm

Shoulder to shoulder
16.80mm

Extended length
24.7mm

Tip dia
1.15mm

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

For anyone who needs to know this I took mine out and measured them

Sea Dweller Spring Pins
Outside case diameter
1.45mm

Shoulder to shoulder
16.80mm

Extended length
24.7mm

Tip dia
1.15mm

That does not sound right. The middle diameter is suppose to be 2.0mm thick. And if I am not mistake I think the tip diameter is 1.2mm. Check to see if your calipers are calibrated.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

I will do. I’ll report back




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[RJK]

Bumping this thread JIC there are any updates.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Guys I’ve check again. I would hazard that my callipers are not the best but they do seem to be quite accurate

Remeasurements are:

Outside case diameter
1.50mm

Shoulder to shoulder (of the ‘outside case’ not from flange to flange)
16.90mm

Overall length (total one end to opposite end)
24.75mm

Pivot diameter
1.50mm

As a check I measured the diameter of the seiko SKX009 bars and they measure 2.40mm where stated diameter is 2.50mm, so pretty close. And I measured another set known to be 2.00mm diameter and this came in at 1.99mm

Has anyone measured their SD 126600 bars? I’d like to compare as I felt they should be a bit more heavy duty in terms of diameter

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Guys I’ve check again. I would hazard that my callipers are not the best but they do seem to be quite accurate

Remeasurements are:

Outside case diameter
1.50mm

Shoulder to shoulder (of the ‘outside case’ not from flange to flange)
16.90mm

Overall length (total one end to opposite end)
24.75mm

Pivot diameter
1.50mm

As a check I measured the diameter of the seiko SKX009 bars and they measure 2.40mm where stated diameter is 2.50mm, so pretty close. And I measured another set known to be 2.00mm diameter and this came in at 1.99mm

Has anyone measured their SD 126600 bars? I’d like to compare as I felt they should be a bit more heavy duty in terms of diameter

^^ I think you need to check this again. Are you sure the pivot diameter is 1.5MM?

[In-Cog-Neeto]

No. That was a typo. Sorry

Pivot is 1.20mm.

Restt is correct

[RJK]

My batteries died on my calipers but I’ll post up my measurements as soon as I get a new set of batts.

[Tools]

Batteries !!!!

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by RJK

My batteries died on my calipers but I’ll post up my measurements as soon as I get a new set of batts.

Purely mechanical here! Lol

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by RJK

My batteries died on my calipers but I’ll post up my measurements as soon as I get a new set of batts.

Did those batteries make an appearance?

[RJK]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Did those batteries make an appearance?

Apparently it wasn’t the batteries...need to go back and get another caliper ...painful.

[RJK]

OK Guys, I finally got a new set of calipers and these are my results.


Pic that the spring bar(s) are actually from a 126600 on a NATO:


A couple of pics of how easy it is to use the Bergeon 7825 tweezers. For emphasis, I held the spring bar with my right hand and simultaneously held and took the pic(s) with my left.




I will say the overall length measurement was hard to get because it was so easy to slightly compress the tip resulting in numbers ranging from 24.84mm to 24.74mm. The 24.84mm number was barely touching each tip.


Main tube diameter:


Tip diameter:


I forgot to take a “shoulder to shoulder” measurement. If that’s a critical measurement, I can certainly get that for you. Additionally, I took a tip length measurement, but couldn’t take a pic without another set of hands....Consequently I also forgot what that length was, haha....must be getting old and losing my short term memory. I think it was 1.2mm ;-)

Hope this helps gents.




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[Devildog]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Has anyone measured their SD 126600 bars? I’d like to compare as I felt they should be a bit more heavy duty in terms of diameter

How the tips/pivots are formed from the raw material is far more important in relation to tensile strength than just thickness/diameter.

Those SD spring bars could easily be more resistant to failure than the thicker Seiko bars.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by Devildog

How the tips/pivots are formed from the raw material is far more important in relation to tensile strength than just thickness/diameter.

Those SD spring bars could easily be more resistant to failure than the thicker Seiko bars.

Cool, thanks. It’s interesting because the seiko bar felt like it was more robust than the Rolex ones which I put down to the increased diameter of 2.5mm vs 1.5mm - it felt like they would flex less but maybe this is not a good thing

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by RJK

OK Guys, I finally got a new set of calipers and these are my results.

I forgot to take a “shoulder to shoulder” measurement. If that’s a critical measurement, I can certainly get that for you. Additionally, I took a tip length measurement, but couldn’t take a pic without another set of hands....Consequently I also forgot what that length was, haha....must be getting old and losing my short term memory. I think it was 1.2mm ;-)

Hope this helps

Really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

I also wear mine on a nato. Feels like a completely different watch. I replaced the Rolex bars with 2mm dia bars for the nato as they felt much stronger. The 1.5mm Rolex bars felt like they would flex under the nato. Tip (pivot) diameter on both is 1.2mm

Thanks

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Cool, thanks. It’s interesting because the seiko bar felt like it was more robust than the Rolex ones which I put down to the increased diameter of 2mm vs 1.5mm - it felt like they would flex less but maybe this is not a good thing

Indeed - but also please bear in mind that the Rolex bars are designed to be used with the bracelet end links which stop any flex that you would get with a Nato, for example.

On the bracelet, what's important is the ability of the bars not to shear at the tips.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by Devildog

Indeed - but also please bear in mind that the Rolex bars are designed to be used with the bracelet end links which stop any flex that you would get with a Nato, for example.

On the bracelet, what's important is the ability of the bars not to shear at the tips.

Nice one DD. Some good conversation and thinking

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Cool, thanks. It’s interesting because the seiko bar felt like it was more robust than the Rolex ones which I put down to the increased diameter of 2.5mm vs 1.5mm - it felt like they would flex less but maybe this is not a good thing

They definitely fell more robust. Seiko went out of their way to make thicker spring bars with thicker tips for their divers. They wanted them to be ISO rated also. Back when they did this it was not common. Now more modern spring bars can handle 50lbs of pressure if they are good made spring bars. You are good to go with the current combo since you have the correct tip diameter.

Originally Posted by Devildog

Indeed - but also please bear in mind that the Rolex bars are designed to be used with the bracelet end links which stop any flex that you would get with a Nato, for example.

On the bracelet, what's important is the ability of the bars not to shear at the tips.

The nato rest on the spring bars in the same manner a nylon strap does. Any pressure applied by the bracelet or strap transfers to the spring bar the same way. If you think a nylon strap "flex's" a spring bar please show me how. I am open ears to this.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by toxicavenger

They definitely fell more robust. Seiko went out of their way to make thicker spring bars with thicker tips for their divers. They wanted them to be ISO rated also. Back when they did this it was not common. Now more modern spring bars can handle 50lbs of pressure if they are good made spring bars. You are good to go with the current combo since you have the correct tip diameter.



The nato rest on the spring bars in the same manner a nylon strap does. Any pressure applied by the bracelet or strap transfers to the spring bar the same way. If you think a nylon strap "flex's" a spring bar please show me how. I am open ears to this.

The very fact that a nato or nylon strap is flexible will cause unequal forces to be acting on the spring bar across its length, and in various directions, whereas an OEM end link will exert a more equal force across the length of the bar. Most likely a strap with a buckle will exert more force on the spring bar along the centre line of the strap. Granted, it won't be much.

If you apply force to the middle of a sprung "spring" bar it may flex. If you apply force equally across the width of the spring bar between the lugs it wont.

As we all know, a spring bar (as opposed to a solid bar) is by it very nature weaker in the middle due to its construction. The middle of the bar is hollow (aside from the spring, of course) and the hollow outer sleeve will not be as strong as the solid pins which slide within (unless it is very thick) and certainly not as strong a solid bar.

The SD43 spring bar outer sleeve is quite thin walled, because it's not the stress point on a the OEM bracelet- the tip/pivot is.

Perhaps I should have more correctly said "to stop any flex you may get on a nato (or nylon) strap"

[toxicavenger]

Originally Posted by Devildog

The very fact that a nato or nylon strap is flexible will cause unequal forces to be acting on the spring bar across its length, and in various directions, whereas an OEM end link will exert a more equal force across the length of the bar. Most likely a strap with a buckle will exert more force on the spring bar along the centre line of the strap. Granted, it won't be much.

If you apply force to the middle of a sprung "spring" bar it may flex. If you apply force equally across the width of the spring bar between the lugs it wont.

When a nato is pulled taunt it applies stress evenly. There is no way to only apply pressure on one side of nato while it is on the wrist. If you have the correct spring bars they work the same regardless of the strap used.

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Guys I was just in a watch repairers and asked for replacement spring bars for the SD43. They guy checked his system and apparently it told him to use a 1.8mm dia bar (the thickness of the outer tube). This is different to the 1.5mm that both RJK and myself have measure and the ones the watch maker showed me were definitely much thicker. Is he or his system wrong??

[RJK]

Originally Posted by In-Cog-Neeto

Guys I was just in a watch repairers and asked for replacement spring bars for the SD43. They guy checked his system and apparently it told him to use a 1.8mm dia bar (the thickness of the outer tube). This is different to the 1.5mm that both RJK and myself have measure and the ones the watch maker showed me were definitely much thicker. Is he or his system wrong??

I noticed Everest has the correct size bars for the SD43 at $15 per pair. Interesting that they don’t offer any straps yet for the SD43, but they do have spring bars.

Everest appears to agree with our measurements

Link: https://www.everestbands.com/collect...mm-spring-bars

[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by RJK

I noticed Everest has the correct size bars for the SD43 at $15 per pair. Interesting that they don’t offer any straps yet for the SD43, but they do have spring bars.

Everest appears to agree with our measurements

Link: https://www.everestbands.com/collect...mm-spring-bars

Nice one RJK. Thanks for that

How do you like the nato on the SD? I dig it on mine. Feels like a completely different watch. And then, when I want a change, I stick the bracelet back on and it’s all different again

[RJK]

Love the seatbelt style NATOs. Totally agree that it gives a fresh look.

[LeChad]

hi there, on a separate note, do you feel he bracelet has a slight ever so slightly wiggle on the end link and the case? like my ExplorerII is so tight it feels like the end link is part of the case, where on my SD43 there is a super slight "play"

[daysky1]

Originally Posted by RJK

I noticed Everest has the correct size bars for the SD43 at $15 per pair. Interesting that they don’t offer any straps yet for the SD43, but they do have spring bars.

Everest appears to agree with our measurements

Link: https://www.everestbands.com/collect...mm-spring-bars

They have reported it won't fit the 126660 DSSD

[daysky1]

Originally Posted by RJK

I noticed Everest has the correct size bars for the SD43 at $15 per pair. Interesting that they don’t offer any straps yet for the SD43, but they do have spring bars.

Everest appears to agree with our measurements

Link: https://www.everestbands.com/collect...mm-spring-bars

Everest answers:
can this fit the deepsea ref126660 (lug width 22mm?
Answers (1)
Store Owner09/09/21
A: No, unfortunately it will not fit that model.

[RJK]

Originally Posted by daysky1

Everest answers:
can this fit the deepsea ref126660 (lug width 22mm?
Answers (1)
Store Owner09/09/21
A: No, unfortunately it will not fit that model.

DeepSea has an oddball lug width, 21mm IIRC so the SD43 springbars might be a tad too long. Apparently the DeepSea also uses a 2mm bar.

They offer them here

https://www.everestbands.com/collect...-mm-by-21-0-mm