PO rubber strap problems

[CRT]

Just a quick post to see if other PO owners have had the same problem with the Omega rubber strap.
I bout one and had it fitted at the Boutique in Heathrow airport. Thinking this will be a good substitute for the bracelet which marks easily. However afer a week and a bit the spring bar started to look bent and then finally broke. Luckily the watch did not hit the floor. So thinking this was a one off occurence I fitted the strap again myself replacing the spring bar. However one week later the same thing happens and the watch falls from my wrist and hits the floor - luckily no damage or scratches.
Said strap has now been completely removed and a safer disposable leather strap applied.
Has any one else had thes problems?

[spogehead]

Very strange, I have only changed over once (from bracelet to rubber) and had no trouble at all, mine is currently on the rubber so I will keep
my eye on it as I certainly don't want mine hitting the deck.

Did you get the PO spring bars as a replacement as I'm sure I read somewhere they are different to standard ones I could be wrong though.

ps Glad your watch didn't get damaged

[ST.]

Sounds to me like you might have gotten the wrong strap. Yours is a 42mm PO? And does the strap look like the one below with the words PLANET OCEAN? If not, im afraid you got the wrong strap. :think:

http://www.ofrei.com/images/ome98000145.jpg

There's a similar OEM strap that looks like this:

http://www.ofrei.com/images/ome98850000.jpg

Except this one is meant for the Seamaster Pro. The case sizes are slightly different on the SMP compared to the PO (SMP is 41mm while PO is 42mm) I've seen similar threads here on the forums where people got the wrong strap as well, though they've never had the springbars breaking (just bending).

Couldnt find the original thread but you can have a look at this one:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=70114

I'd suggest you stop using that strap and get the correct replacement.

[CRT]

I need to look at the strap but I did purchase it at an Omega Boutique and requested the strap for this watch (and held up my PO). There is no gap around the rubber strap and the watch case - fit is quite snug.
I think the spring bars are not the right length as I tried two sizes of spring bar - I think I'll have a chat with them the next time I am in Terminal 1 and see if they will supply me with the correct size spring bar.

[NoahKaatz]

Any advice on the correct PO Chronograph spring bars at Ofrei?

[ST.]

I need to look at the strap but I did purchase it at an Omega Boutique and requested the strap for this watch (and held up my PO). There is no gap around the rubber strap and the watch case - fit is quite snug.
I think the spring bars are not the right length as I tried two sizes of spring bar - I think I'll have a chat with them the next time I am in Terminal 1 and see if they will supply me with the correct size spring bar.

Hmm.. I cant imagine that fitting the wrong size springbar would result in breakage. Omega charges an arm and a leg for its 'OEM' springbars, which are in fact not made by Omega themselves.

You'd be better off getting generic high quality springbars (virtually no different from the Omega ones) from ofrei:

http://www.ofrei.com/page1229.html

Search: "Swiss Made 1.8 mm Thick Double Flange 20 mm Spring Bar"

If you have the 42mm PO, you'll need 20mm springbars, 45.5mm PO uses 22mm ones. The ones supplied by Omega are 1.8mm thick, double flange.

Ofrei also has the 'OEM' springbars here:

http://www.ofrei.com/page957.html

[ST.]

Any advice on the correct PO Chronograph spring bars at Ofrei?

Based on my post above, you'll probably be needing 22mm, 1.8mm thick, double flange springbars, for the PO chrono. But do measure the thickness based one your existing springbars just in case. I personally only own the 42mm PO, so i'm not 100% sure if the thickness is identical on the PO 45.5mm and chrono.

[CRT]

I have a feeling that my spring bars from my non Omega strap were used - cost cutting!!
But thank you ST I'll look on ofrei and maybe get a strap as well, mine is a 42mm PO.