Bader/Omega Clasp

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JAFO
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Bader/Omega Clasp

Post by JAFO »

I thought I would post a few notes and images of bader (omega style) clasps.

I have been in the habit of changing all tang clasps to butterfly clasps where possible. You can't do this every time. Sometimes the strap is too thick. You have to remove the tang, and fit that piece to the new clasp, and sometimes the strap is just to thick to fit.

Now I prefer bader clasps because the excess strap is passed under the clasp, and fits next to the wrist. You don't need keepers on the watch strap, and I think it looks more elegant. It even works with rubber. Omega and Oris for instance have bader type clasps on their rubber straps. If you fit an ordinary leather strap to a bader clasp, you can generally remove at least one keeper, and sometimes both, which I think looks neater.

Anyway, I generally buy inexpensive butterfly clasps for between £5 and £10. I recently realised you can get omega/bader clasps (ebay search for omega deployant/deployment clasp). They used to be fairly inexpensive, but seem a bit dearer now. Instead of £5 to £10, I am seeing a lot at £14 plus.

Now one difference is the strap lengths. The short piece with the tang/clasp is designed to be a bit longer for a bader clasp. I only have 18mm CW baders, and they are 105/90mm. (edited - the CW straps are 18mm lugs, 16mm clasp). A genuine omega strap seems to be 100/95mm. This compares with a normal tang clasp of say 124/82mm. Because the tang/clasp side of the bracelet is about half an inch longer, this positions the watch head more centrally on the wrist, so it fits better. I can't see any difference at all between a genuine omega clasp, and a CW bader clasp. What I have found with the cheaper clasps is that they have a more defined bend compared with the genuine, and this wants to rest on the curve of the wrist - which with a shorter standard strap, sits the watch a little higher on the wrist than normal. The genuine Omega/CW bader clasps fit better anyway, but are also more amenable to an adjustment to placement.

One solution you can try is to attach the strap to the watch the "wrong way round" which can help the positioning, especially when the strap is less stiff. It's rather easier to try things out with QR straps.

Anyway, the first 2 pictures show back and front views of 3 clasps. Picture 1 shows Aftermarket, CW Bader, Omega. Picture 2 shows them in the other order. (I forgot the order would change when I spun the paper!). You can see the sharper bend in the after market clasp, which isn't on the other 2 - I marked it on picture 2, but it turned out smaller than I expected!

Just to confirm. The unattached clasp and blue strap is a 20mm Omega clasp (edited it's an 18mm clasp - the strap is 20mm/18mm). The vintage omega watch is only 18mm lugs , and that is a CW cordovan strap as supplied on a CW Bader clasp. (edited it's an 16mm clasp - the strap is 18mm/16mm) The yellow c65 vintage diver is on a brand new just received 22mm CW Black leather strap, and that is the aftermarket clasp. edited it's an 20mm clasp - the strap is 22mm/20mm

With a shorter length strap piece, eg for example on the standard CW black strap I just received, picture 3 shows how the watch is forced to sit a little higher on the wrist than normal.

Picture 4 shows the appearance with the watch the wrong way round - the same as fitting the strap the other way round.
Picture 5 is the opposite side of the wrist for picture 4, with just one keeper.
IMG_20210119_125253918~2.jpg
3 clasps
IMG_20210119_125210305~2.jpg
3 clasps
IMG_20210119_134322946~2.jpg
normal strap
IMG_20210119_134431175~2.jpg
reversed strap
IMG_20210119_142247376~2.jpg
back of reversed strap
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jkbarnes
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Re: Bader/Omega Clasp

Post by jkbarnes »

I could have written this post! Like you, I add Bader style or butterfly deployants to watch straps as much as I can. The Bader gives a cleaner overall look, but the butterflies tend to more consistently sit better on my wrist. And like you, I reverse the strap and remove the keepers with a Bader deployant. With standard straps, everything sits better on my wrist when reversed. I’ve purchased aftermarket butterfly clasps from Watchgecko and have been quite pleased with them. Hirsch will add a deployant clasp to most of their straps when you order direct from them.

Great post with some very useful pics!
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Re: Bader/Omega Clasp

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

JAFO wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:26 pm . . . . . . .

One solution you can try is to attach the strap to the watch the "wrong way round" which can help the positioning, especially when the strap is less stiff. It's rather easier to try things out with QR straps.

. . . . . . .
With the standard CW Bader deployant and associated strap this is what I need to do i.e. fit/wear the strap with the clasp folding away from me, to get the watch to sit properly on my wrist.

If I wear it the 'right way round' the watch always wants to creep around my wrist away from me; driven by the way the Bader deployant sits on the underside of my wrist.

Ideally, for me, CW need to lengthen the short piece of strap.


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Re: Bader/Omega Clasp

Post by gaf1958 »

I can’t wear Bader/Omega deployants on a standard (non-deployant) strap, I tend to buy either straps made for Omegas (preferably 105/100), or genuine Bader straps from CW, if I want to use such a clasp. I tried reversing standard length straps on a Bader, but the backward opening action drove me mad (creature of habit!) and the clasp didn’t always sit as well as I’d like; better, definitely, but not as good as a dedicated strap.
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JAFO
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Re: Bader/Omega Clasp

Post by JAFO »

I have just edited my original post as the dimensions were misleading. I was quoting strap lug widths, not the clasp width.

Anyway, I now think the shape/size issue is related to the larger 20mm clasp only. Maybe different makes of aftermarket clasps would wear differently

Here's another picture showing in order
a) the 20mm aftermarket clasp
b) the omega 18mm clasp
c) the aftermarket 18mm clasp

the two 18mm clasps are very similar and both wear fine. The 20mm clasp is longer and has the more pronounced bend, and that's the one that doesn't fit as well.
IMG_20210120_115904637~2.jpg
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