# Watch band replacement for Seiko 5?



## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

Any recommendations?

Thank you,

Joe


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## tantive4 (Oct 2, 2007)

Strap or OEM bracelet?

If a strap, I'd just throw it on a NATO or other ribbon strap.

For a bracelet, check eBay. I don't know of any sellers of OEM smaller Seiko bracelets (19-20mm), although the Watch Price has one that fits Seiko Divers (22mm).

Sorry!


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

tantive4: Thanks for the reply

The band (sweaty, stained) is a khaki colored cloth strap, sport looking. I'm actually unfamiliar with "bracelet" vs. "strap" terminology.

What's a NATO and where can I get one?

Thanks


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

A NATO strap is a nylon strap. Pretty heavy duty if you ask me. I have one from Smartturnout (picked up at Press). https://www.smartturnout.com/acatalog/info_HD_55.html

There are a handful or sources online if you search for them. If you're looking for color though, ST is the best source I've seen.

edit: I should add that I believe they are better suited to heavier/bigger watches than Timex Easy-Readers. (Not that this stops me from occasionally wearing it on my Timex anyway)


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## tantive4 (Oct 2, 2007)

Joe Beamish said:


> tantive4: Thanks for the reply
> 
> The band (sweaty, stained) is a khaki colored cloth strap, sport looking. I'm actually unfamiliar with "bracelet" vs. "strap" terminology.
> 
> ...


No problem, a strap is leather or canvas, a bracelet is metal.

Adam is right, a NATO is more for a larger diver. My wife picked up a ribbon strap from Brooks about a year ago (16mm wide) in a great Argyle. She wanted to wear it with a vintage Rolex OP that I had, but got tired of the gap between the lugs. So I found her a nice vintage hand wind watch with a 16mm lug width. She doesn't like the stripes offered by Brooks right now and is waiting for fall/winter to see if they have any Argyles again.

If Brooks is too much ($16), just do a quick google search and you should find something. I got my current NATO off of eBay for $2 (brand new), so it's worth a try. The problem with Seiko 5s are that they have a 19mm lug width and it's hard to find a strap that fits perfectly, you have to go with a 18mm strap, and there's a .5mm gap on each side. But with a NATO or ribbon strap, I don't think it's that bad.

Good luck finding something.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

Thank you. I like the nylon style strap for my Seiko 5. I think I'll stop by Central Watch in Grand Central Station one of these days, having just now learned that they sell these NATO straps. Plus I need somebody to tell what size.

Now I need a suit watch. My vintage Timex was burgled (with a small amount of cash) from my apartment about a month ago. 

In your opinion, would an easy reader timex work okay with a suit?


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## tantive4 (Oct 2, 2007)

I think it could work.

What kind of dress watch do you want? Something you don't want to think about and just throw on? Gold, SS, gold-capped, gold-tone?

If you want something vintage, just take a look on eBay. Go to the watch catagory and narrow it down (men's, between 1940-99, $10-50). I just did that and it showed more than 2,500 offerings. 

Look through the styles you like, at the size, buy from someone with great feedback, add a leather strap, and there you go!

Plus, you'll probably have something that no one else may even have seen.

Just a thought, good luck!


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## AdamsSutherland (Jan 22, 2008)

Joe Beamish said:


> Thank you. I like the nylon style strap for my Seiko 5. I think I'll stop by Central Watch in Grand Central Station one of these days, having just now learned that they sell these NATO straps. Plus I need somebody to tell what size.
> 
> Now I need a suit watch. My vintage Timex was burgled (with a small amount of cash) from my apartment about a month ago.
> 
> In your opinion, would an easy reader timex work okay with a suit?


DC Press employees seem to think it's acceptable.

3 of the 4 workers there wear Timex's or some similar looking round, white-faced watch on ribbon bands. The fourth wears a tank-style on a ribbon. At least that's what I've seen anyway.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

Yes, this nails what I've done in the past. I really wish I hadn't had that vintage Timex stolen. It took a lot of searching on ebay to find what I wanted. It's usually a fairly intensive task. But it's worth it.



tantive4 said:


> I think it could work.
> 
> What kind of dress watch do you want? Something you don't want to think about and just throw on? Gold, SS, gold-capped, gold-tone?
> 
> ...


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

Ribbon watch with a suit? Hmm. It's do-able, but I'm not sure it's desirable for me in all situations. Maybe the Easy Reader with a leather band. I don't know.

Cheap elegance slipped through our fingers somewhere in the 70s perhaps.



AdamsSutherland said:


> DC Press employees seem to think it's acceptable.
> 
> 3 of the 4 workers there wear Timex's or some similar looking round, white-faced watch on ribbon bands. The fourth wears a tank-style on a ribbon. At least that's what I've seen anyway.


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## tantive4 (Oct 2, 2007)

Joe Beamish said:


> Yes, this nails what I've done in the past. I really wish I hadn't had that vintage Timex stolen. It took a lot of searching on ebay to find what I wanted. It's usually a fairly intensive task. But it's worth it.


Out of all the watches I own (sparing the vintage hand-me-downs from my father) half were purchased on eBay (2 Rolex, 2 Seiko, and a couple others) and half through the same two Asian Dealers (4 seikos).

It is a worth while search, especially when you get what you want, and at a really good price to boot.


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