H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

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H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Its been mentioned in several threads recently of 'Oh the Sinn H link bracelet is wonderful'.

What's all the fuss about? Is it just Sinn or is it H links in general?

I have a vested interest in the answers and will declare why a little later (got to take dog for a walk).

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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by downer »

My view - for what it’s worth - the Sinn bracelet ain’t that great. That’s based on a sample of two.

The H link one had a pressed clasp that was not up to the quality of the rest of the package.
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by timor54 »

I’ve a Sinn, but not on a bracelet, so my views are somewhat theoretical. Sinn only offer two bracelet styles: the H Link and a much dressier 5 link which probably doesn’t really go with their tool style watches. You don’t get a classic oyster style option so I guess that’s why you hear so much chatter about their H Link.

I’m interested in the above comment from Richard as I understood the H Link to be particularly over engineered with Hex screws and a substantial clasp with a divers extension. This YouTube video from a couple of years ago is a review and comparison of the two bracelets:

https://youtu.be/D-C1Xr4K01U

Looking beyond Sinn I like the H Link style and feel that they offer something a little different than the ubiquitous 3 link oyster style bracelets. I think they’re particularly suited to tool/sports watches and look best when the finish is non-polished. I currently only have one and feel it works particularly well as an integrated bracelet where it just flows out of the case

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A different style of course but H Links are also commonly used on shark mesh bracelets, without which they’d be pretty dammed impossible to adjust...
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by Thermexman »

Had one on my 103. They look good but not sure they’re worth the premium price when bought independent from a watch but what bracelet is? As Richard said, they use a pressed clasp, albeit a chunky one.They use good quality Hex screws as stated above, rather than pins though. Mine was brushed with polished centres. It looked good on the watch.
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by downer »

Found a few pictures of my Sinn bracelet...

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So, yes the hex head bolts are a quality feature, but the clasp is (IMHO) a bit of a letdown.

My other one was a multi-link. Nice quality but I felt it was rather heavy compared with the watch head, which tended to make it unbalanced (I'm being very picky here).

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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by nbg »

H link bracelet?

To me it’s just a style of bracelet - covering the good, bad and indifferent. In that it is no different to any other style.

A bit like saying “I like oyster and jubilee bracelets”. Yes if of good quality attached to a suitable watch. No if poor quality.

Unfortunately I can’t afford most of the watches I like that have an H link bracelet.

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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Thanks for all your comments, so far, gents and I think they go a long way to answering my questions. As I see it now:-

Sinn H link? Great bracelet with wonderful engineering (a bit like Damasko perhaps) but the clasp doesn't really match up to the quality of the links.

H link in general? As Neil so aptly puts it; its just a style.

My observation, and no one has offered any comment on this, is there is no specific advantage or disadvantage in wearability between an H link, Oyster or Jubilee.

Tim mentioned suitably more leaning towards a Tool / Sports watch. This is where I come in with the bracelet that arrived with me yesterday, alongside the prerequisite Watch it goes with.


Image

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Its decent enough, although considering the brand / watch I rather expected better than split pins for adjustment and, like the Sinn H link, the clasp is a tad lightweight.

Still, not the end of the world. Its plenty long enough and will give the watch a very different look to the NATO I have it I currently.

Guy

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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by missF »

timor54 wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:51 am Sinn only offer two bracelet styles: the H Link and a much dressier 5 link ng a little different than the ubiquitous 3 link oyster style bracelets. I think they’re particularly suited to tool/sports watches and look best when the finish is non-polished.
This chimes with me.
The 5 link is certainly much dressier, and I never want watches that look dressy!
The oyster style is ubiquitous, and therefore associates itself more with men's (and not unisex) watches
I think the H-llink is a more tool look, and something a little bit different (which I therefore like) :thumbup:
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by Thegreyman »

I have an H link bracelet, the same as Tim's North Flag above.

I do think quite simply the H link looks cool and is part of the attraction of the Sinn u50 that I've thought hard about buying. The brushed bracelet looks absolutely superb but having looked at a few video reviews, I agree with Richard that the clasp lets it down. It looks out of keeping with Sinn's reputation for over engineering.

Your Victorinox bracelet looks pretty good Guy, the fact the clasp is a bit shorter than the Sinn probably helps too.
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by richtel »

Perhaps one of the attractions of the H-link is that it has more articulations and therefore is possible to conform to the wrist better than an oyster bracelet. What do I mean?

If you take a look at a standard oyster link- here the CW C60-
s-l300.jpg
The link is a solid single piece- the ends ajoin the next link which is the same size. As a result there is one articulation per repeating link length- in the case of the C60mk3 that's about 10.5mm.

It's the same situation with the Omega seamaster- the 5-segment links are still one solidly joined link some 10mm between articulations-
Original-Omega-Steel-Bracelet-Sizing-Link-for-Omega-Seamaster-20mm-Bracelet-OE-273832162828.JPG

Now looking at an H-link bracelet
DSC_6665.jpg
The H's are joined together by smaller sub-links which articulate either side. Therefore the bracelet will articulate alternately at long and short lengths. On my North Flag (which has huuuge H links compared to the Sinn above), the long length is 9mm and the short about 3mm and of course for each repeating pattern of long and short links there are two articulations.

Does this make a huge difference? Well, for most I don't think so. The CW and Omega bracelets are just as comfly for me as the North Flag. But as the wrist size decreases, the relative size of the links and the number of articulations might lead to one bracelet design fitting more smoothly rather than like a 50p piece.
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Re: H link bracelets - What's all the fuss about?

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

An excellent explanation Rich, thank you.

I can reckon with that having taken a few links out of mine two nights ago.

Image


The main H links are not adjustable, this being done with the short links either side of the clasp, but the additional articulation is noticeable.

Guy

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In small proportions, we just beautie see:
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