300T Pro US Divers Bracelet

[MadAmos]

I would love to find a "beads of rice" deployment style bracelet for my DOXA. I have had it on rubber since I purchased it in 1982 and I just can't seem to get used to the mesh look. What are my choices?


Thanks,

Amos

[Rusty_Shakleford]

You can put a "Want To Buy" ad on that section of the sales forum but that will be a long shot.

They do turn up from time to time on eBay but your best bet may be to keep an eye out for a complete vintage 300T that has the bracelet you want. It's not unusual for people to buy a complete watch just for the bracelet and then turn around and sell the head by itself. With luck you can find some really good deals on eBay for vintage 300T's and if the deal is good enough and you get a decent price for the head, you end up getting a bracelet for a steal.

It may sound like a lot of work but it is not that difficult. Original BOR bracelets are getting rarer and rarer so jumping through some hoops comes with the territory.

Best of luck on your search. Let us know how it turns out...

RS

[MadAmos]

I have been watching eBay as you suggest and so far I have not been lucky / quick enough to win one. Are there any later model Doxa's that have a similar bracelet that will fit, I have heard the 750T will but the style is a bit different.

Amos

[Rusty_Shakleford]

I'm not sure that any modern BOR bracelets will fit. The issue is the width of the end links and where the spring bar holes lineup.

We have quite a few experts on the vintage Subs who may be able to off some insight into this.

One thing to keep in mind when considering a modern BOR is that the links are solid and the BOR pattern is stamped into the top. In the original, each link was independent. This makes for a more comfortable but inherently fragile bracelet. The new BOR, while not uncomfortable, solves the fragility issue by essentially fusing the links across. To me, the added reliability far outweighs the slight loss of comfort. YMMV.

Pic borrowed from Dr. Pete, the Doxa expert.



RS

[T Bone]

The reason the originals were more fragile goes beyond the fact that they were individual beads of rice. They were also made of a thin piece of steel, not a solid block. This made them prone to stretching, etc.

I've always wished DOXA would make a modern individual rice bead bracelet out of pieces similar to those that attach the modern BOR bracelet to the end links. These solid rice beads would still be more fragile than the patterned current BOR bracelet, but would be much more flexible and supple than them, while still being vastly stronger than the original vintage BOR bracelets.

[Steve Tracy]

The modern SUB 600T beads of rice bracelet will fit perfectly on vintage SUBs. The problem is getting them in stock from Doxa. Check with them as you may be able to still get one.

Here is my vintage SUB 300T on a modern 600T bracelet...I love it!