14060M on Nato?

[TARDIS]

Anyone here have any photo's of a no date Sub with a Nato strap?

I have never seen a Nato strap in real life, does it thread underneath the watch?

Is it suitable for water use?

If not any other recommendations?

I scratched the bracelet clasp of my 14060M when climbing out of an hotel swimming pool a few days back. I managed to buff it out OK, But I am thinking a Nato strap for beach and pool may be safer and less risk of scratching than the bracelet.

Lastly, where can I buy a good quality one.

Thanks guys,

Steve

[C.J.]

The strap threads through the spring bars and behind the case. It's really comfortable and fine for water use. I wore my 14060M on one almost exclusively. I've had a few straps, but the best quality one's I've had were from Eddie at timefactors.



Good luck, Steve

[Erix]

Hi, I agree , the nato is about the most comfortable you can get.
Here is how you put it on...http://www.gnomonwatches.com/NatoInstructions.htm

Here is where you can get the good stuff
http://www.timefactors.com/index.html

[colemanitis]

Originally Posted by TARDIS

Anyone here have any photo's of a no date Sub with a Nato strap?

I have never seen a Nato strap in real life, does it thread underneath the watch?

Is it suitable for water use?

Here's my SD on a NATO. Also, NATOs are great for the water. If one of the springbars come out you won't lose your watch, it'll still hang on by only one springbar!

[colemanitis]

Also, in this pic you can see the case sitting on top of two layers of the NATO strap.

[TARDIS]

Many thanks for the pics and links guys!

[mikey]

If you follow the link you wind up having a double layer of material under the watch head. I cut the short section and removed the buckle to look like a one layer strap. It is more comfortable and sits flush on the wrist

[leopardprey]

I cut the short section and removed the buckle to look like a one layer strap. It is more comfortable and sits flush on the wrist

That is called a Zulu strap. Find the Zulus better, as only one layer of fabric underneath the watch instead of two like the Natos.

Here is a link for the est Natos and Zulu straps you can buy. Thick and made very well, better than any I have seen. (have ordered fromthis site before, great service!)

http://www.lapolicegear.com/zunytawa.html

Cheers!

[mikey]

I watch the 007 movies and I believe that Sub had a 2 piecs nato strap with the same design. I would like a 2 piece Bond Nato like in the movie except 20MM. I can't find them unless they have a piec of leather stitched into them.

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

I cut the short section and removed the buckle to look like a one layer strap. It is more comfortable and sits flush on the wrist

That is called a Zulu strap. Find the Zulus better, as only one layer of fabric underneath the watch instead of two like the Natos.

Here is a link for the est Natos and Zulu straps you can buy. Thick and made very well, better than any I have seen. (have ordered fromthis site before, great service!)

http://www.lapolicegear.com/zunytawa.html

Cheers!

I have a ZULU two ring on my Seiko. Awesome strap, definitely more comfortable and better quality than the NATOs

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by mikey

I watch the 007 movies and I believe that Sub had a 2 piecs nato strap with the same design. I would like a 2 piece Bond Nato like in the movie except 20MM. I can't find them unless they have a piec of leather stitched into them.

Try this link, Mikey http://www.timefactors.com/ Sometimes Eddie has the two piece Bond's in stock

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by TARDIS

I have never seen a Nato strap in real life...

Trust me, Steve.....you haven't missed a bloody thing!!

[TARDIS]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Trust me, Steve.....you haven't missed a bloody thing!!

Be that as it may JJ, I still have a little nagging voice in the back of my mind about the safety of the SS bracelet. Remember Nick Hacko's thread?

Why? Well here's what happened:

I went body surfing at Kurrawa last week. Very enjoyable morning, blue sky, temp about 24C, water temp about 20C having a great time. Suddenly I misjudged a large dumper and was rolled around as if I was inside a washing machine and then dumped on the sand on my back. It caught a few laughs with the others nearby, but I suddenly thought... MY ROLEX!!! If it had come off my wrist I could have kissed it goodbye. Fortunately, it was still there, but the nasty thought remained.

That afternoon I was swimming around in the hotel pool when I scratched the clasp on the ledge. So that's why I am considering a tougher strap for water use. The NATO may be the answer as I read that it has a safety factor in the design that even if the tang came undone, it would still remain on the wrist.

I don't mind changing the bracelet for a strap on my 14060M as it is a breeze to do it with the lugs having holes.

I know some wit here will think why does he go surfing with a Rolex? The answer is I lose track of time when I am in the water. I don't have to worry about water penetration with a Sub. Just the possibility of one of the pins on the bracelet giving up!














Steve

[leopardprey]

Remember Rolex issued Zulu/Nato strap with the No Date Subs they made for the British military. Also with the Explorer II, when came out in 1986 on the Steger Antartica Expedition.

When I was in the Military, the Dive teams in my unit where issued Tudor Dive watches with Nato/Zulu bands. (The rest of us (NCO) where issues Sieko Dive watches.)

[TARDIS]

Seiko Divers are OK Chad. With the 1986 Steger Expedition, was the choice of white or black dial optional on the Exp II?

[leopardprey]

The photo I saw, they had Black Dials.

[mikey]

Tardis, JJ simply doesn't like the Nato band. If the pin breaks on his Bluesy, its gone. If one of the pin breaks while on a Nato then half the watch will be flopping on your Nato and giving you a signal to take the watch off and put in your pocket.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by TARDIS

Just the possibility of one of the pins on the bracelet giving up!

And that's precisely what I'm worried about. In the absence of support from the SEL, the strain on the pin is considerable....and could create a break or bend in the pin.

Our very own C.J. had this awful experience when he put a NATO on his Sub no-date and almost lost the watch in the bargain.

One reason why the SELs were designed.....to hold firm and support the lug pin.

JJ

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by mikey

Tardis, JJ simply doesn't like the Nato band. If the pin breaks on his Bluesy, its gone. If one of the pin breaks while on a Nato then half the watch will be flopping on your Nato and giving you a signal to take the watch off and put in your pocket.

I weigh a hundred and ninety and could suspend myself from my Lug pin with the support of the SEL....so I'm 100% sure that the lug pin will NEVER, NEVER break.

Lose the SEL, slap on that POS NATO and you're asking for trouble in the event of a "situation"!!

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

I weigh a hundred and ninety and could suspend myself from my Lug pin with the support of the SEL....so I'm 100% sure that the lug pin will NEVER, NEVER break.

Lose the SEL, slap on that POS NATO and you're asking for trouble!!

Bear in mind that when the Military sanctioned NATO straps, the lug pins were WELDED onto the lugs for that very crucial extra strength and support!!

[leopardprey]

Bear in mind that when the Military sanctioned NATO straps, the lug pins were WELDED onto the lugs for that very crucial extra strength and support!!

Where is that blow torch Jocke had? LOL

[chris_nor_cal]

interesting jj. didn't know that. thanks for the info

[trashboss]

My friend Dave surfs with his SD almost everyday, only problem he has is that it has left some large dings in a few of his boards. But never a problem for the watch.

[leopardprey]

What JJ said is correct, in that the SEL do make a tight fit.

Now as for a pin coming out in general, I am sure it has happened, but would have to be an extremely hard knock and your arm/hand would probably be ain a very bad condition as well.

I have worn now watches pretty much 24/7 for the last 21 years. Most, until 3 years ago when I bought an Omega SMP where dive type watches with rubber straps or velcro straps. Never had the lug pins knocked out. And I put my watches through some very tough extremes (SCUBA diving, parachuting, military training, firefighting, overseas combative military operations). I only lost a watch once on my wrist. That was several years ago when I was using a velcro strap. The velcro was getting old and I should have replaced it. About half the velcro was worn off, but it felt and looked good and so I kept on using it. ONe evening in Bangkok it got knocked off when getting out of a Tuk Tuk (Kind of a 3 wheeled motorcycle taxi). Walked down the sidewalk about 50 meters and then realized my watch was missing. Thought it must have got knocked off when getting out of the Tuk Tuk. My girlfriend and me went frantically looking, and sure enough found it laying in the gutter, just inches away from the drain! Was my Citizen Eco Drive dive watch.