Put my EXP II on a Nato...

[Glpstandard]

...and thought Id share a couple pics. I'm Military, so I'm probably going to buy a couple more (an OD green one and a tan one) to go with my uniform a little better, but I think the black is very fitting with the black face. Almost makes it look like a whole new watch. I feel the Oyster bracelet is a little too dressy for everyday wear at work, so I wanted to try out the Natos despite what some people think.

My question is, for those that are wearing Nato straps, do you use the Rolex springbars? My strap came with some new spring bars, and the Rolex spring bars seem a tad on the loose/floppy side. Im afraid they will break or fall out without the wider and heavier Oyster bracelet to help hold them in. Any thoughts?

EDIT: Yes, it's a cheaper strap. I didn't want to spend too much, especially if I didnt know if Id like it. Besides, what kind of increase in quality can you expect to get from spending more money on a strip of nylon and a buckle?

[Chewbacca]

it works on a exp2.

nice

[andromeda160]

I put mine on a NATO because my wrist would swell to the point where my bracelet would be tight, but it fit fine other than when my wrist swelled, so instead of adding a link so it'd be loose most of the time, I swapped to this NATO and love it!

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by Glpstandard

.
EDIT: Yes, it's a cheaper strap. I didn't want to spend too much, especially if I didnt know if Id like it. Besides, what kind of increase in quality can you expect to get from spending more money on a strip of nylon and a buckle?

What's cheap? I have 2 NATO straps which cost me 20 euro a piece but both are pretty good quality. I wouldn't save money on something like this. I know it's nylon but there are and could be big differences between one from 10$ or one from 30$ (or even more expensive).

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

What's cheap? I have 2 NATO straps which cost me 20 euro a piece but both are pretty good quality. I wouldn't save money on something like this. I know it's nylon but there are and could be big differences between one from 10$ or one from 30$ (or even more expensive).

on the flip side, there could be no reason so your spending 3x your money for nothing.

mine came with a watch for.... $5.99 XD brand new. but the battery on the watch it came with was dead.

plus the only difference it would make would be with how they get the edges smooth, and if they ever start fraying just take a lighter to them for a second until it melts back to normal. annnd what kind of metal they use for the buckle. i'd be more worried about the springbars your using than the band itself.

[lsettle]

I also have an Explorer 2 like yours, they are a great watch.

In my opinion, you should always use the OEM Rolex spring bars, if yours are in question, replace them with the correct spring bars from a Rolex AD. (they are pretty cheap). I'm also in the Military (Canadian).

Lawrence

[Glpstandard]

Thanks for the advice about the spring bars. I think they will be okay, it's just the design of them that makes them seem a little flimsy. I dont believe there is anything wrong with them, and they were a pain to get out in the first place.

I paid roughly $12.00 (USD) shipped for my strap on Ebay. I was most concerned with the color selection rather than build quality. Pretty sad, but true.

[lsettle]

My spring bars feel solid. I was charged $26.00 for them. Not bad considering they are holding a $4000+ Rolex in place.

Spring Bars single shoulder, shoulder to shoulder is 19.63 mm, pivots 2.8 mm long, bar diameter is 2.0 mm, pivot diameter is 1.2 mm.
- Ref - http://www.ofrei.com/page_155.html

If the wrong spring bars are fitted, they can cause damage to you lug holes.


Lawrence

[ecsub44]

I'd recommend tucking the tail of the strap back the other way so it's hidden behind itself. It gives a bit tidier look, IMHO.

Great watch and great strap!