Zodiac Talk => General Zodiac Discussion => Topic started by: VinSW on February 27, 2020, 10:54:15 PM

Title: Sea Wolf Stainless steel stretch bracelet
Post by: VinSW on February 27, 2020, 10:54:15 PM
The bracelet on my 1969 Sea Wolf has 3 rows wide of "brick" links.It is a stretch bracelet, there are springs inside the links to let it give a bit when you bend your wrist. Unfortunately  mine has lost some of the springs or they are just worn out. It has the Zodiac symbol on the clasp and stamped Zodiac and 1-66(date made?) on the inside of the folding part of the clasp.
I would like to get it fixed if possible. Does BWG do these repairs?
When did Zodiac start using the JB Champion Beads Of Rice bracelets? I would much rather have one of those if they were used in 1969, keeping the complete watch time period correct.
Thanks,
Jim VinSW
Title: Re: Sea Wolf Stainless steel stretch bracelet
Post by: Butch on February 28, 2020, 08:40:50 AM
Trauner (later and Son(s)) was the North American distributor for Zodiac back then. While they did bring in some Sea Wolfs with that Zodiac divers band (named such as it can be stretched to go over a wet suit), most of their watches, including many Sea Wolfs, were imported without bands. They had a lady who's job it was to put a JB Champion band (American made and cheaper) on them, then box them and send out to the jewelers. Jewelers could order them with either band.

Repairing those bands is considered not to be cost effective by most watchmakers as it takes so much time to do so. Time a watchmaker can put to use servicing a watch and making more money. 15 years ago I had a local guy who would service any tricky repairs for me, as a friend, but he would not service all my watches, especially the ones for resale. He did the repairs for all the jewelers in the county, he could make $400 servicing a Rolex and only $100 for a Zodiac.