Can a Seiko spring bar withstand 44 pounds of force? Watch and Learn #61

[@jefferyneu3915]

That was impressive on Seiko’s part. I thought it would pass. Great idea Marc!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@raduarisanu6421]

@@islandwatch Do you think you could do a G-Shock test like this ?

[@Johnydanerous]

You actually bought and read the document ... this is beyond most what AD would do !! Great job !!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks John.

[@jbbrabant]

Did I ever enjoy this video. My career has been structural engineering for many years. Thanks Marc 👍

[@islandwatch]

Cool! Then you enjoyed the static test.

[@stationplaza4631]

Ha! Great test Marc...I must say, I was rather impressed by your ingenuity and the surprising result, :)

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@Sketchmee5]

You are the treasure to the Watch business.Thanks for your time for this video.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@anthonyturner3436]

Marc i just received my marathon navigator from you guys today. Couldn't be happier, great watch, great service, most of all great deal!!! Thanks again

[@islandwatch]

Enjoy, thank you!

[@karanbantawa6236]

Very well improvised set up! Really ingenious!

[@ccooper8040]

Marc, I really enjoy your engineering point of view toward watches. I'm 64 and have lived an adventurous life. Can honesty say that I've never had a spring bar fail. The idea of the Nato strap seems logical.

[@islandwatch]

I've had one. That's it.

[@monkfish1095]

Literally received my Seiko fat bars in the post this morning this video couldn’t have been timed better.

[@islandwatch]

LOL. So now you know their strong!

[@edteach3r]

Popular mechanics ... a fun way to start the weekend. We love your videos, Marc!

[@islandwatch]

I used to love that magazine!

[@neilpiper9889]

The springbars on my Vostok Amphibia would be interesting to test. They are really thick and well made.

[@islandwatch]

I'm sure, thanks!

[@sashachip]

The Vostok isn’t ISO certified

[@vladchan]

@@sashachip The Vostok meets the ISO water resistant spec not the diver spec.

[@digital11337]

this guy man ... it just gets better and better !!

[@islandwatch]

LOL, thanks.

[@GODSPEEDseven]

I really enjoyed this test. I tried to get the article, but also noticed you need to buy it to read it. Nice to see the watch was even able to nearly double the spec in your test. In my mind, I always sort of worry about spring bars; figured I'd always want to use a nato to go swimming or wtv. Now, I feel way more confident in my Divers! Thank you!

[@ani625]

You clearly deserve 1M+ subscribers at least Marc. We'll get you there.

[@fluffyfreak505]

The clock is awesome. My girlfriend is in school to become a math teacher, and I got her a watch with that dial on it. One of her favorite watches.

[@islandwatch]

Cool!

[@tommybytes]

The Jig is Up!! Great video Marc!

[@simoncrawford350]

Very cool & entertaining, thanks for sharing!👍 Ps: 10/10 for for the home made test rig as well 🧐😂🍻

[@islandwatch]

LOL, thanks.

[@andrewhannam.]

An engineer sees a specification and needs to verify... love it!

[@islandwatch]

Of course.

[@tiagodvt]

Well my Certina DS Action Diver 38mm is ISO certified to 300m and the spring bars are "just" 1.8mm in diameter with 0.8 tips. Never failed me. The 2.5mm with 1.2 tips might be overkill, and surely are a pain to use with most aftermarket straps.

[@theboringman]

Next test is to dive 200 meters.

[@harkonen1000000]

I've heard of destructive testing of SKX where it failed at 420m depth.

[@islandwatch]

LOL

[@zonerflys]

It's tough to go that deep and come back up. If any one cares though, I took a "Casio Royal" down to 30m as my back up timepiece to my dive computer last Monday and it worked fine.

[@TruthSage01]

I bought an skx007 And have only worn it twice so far cause I'm obsessed with it. This makes me so happy 😊 Great test!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks.

[@DoctorWessamAtif]

Excellent video. Very informative. Thanks!

[@joshuaevilsizer]

As a nerd, I loved this video. Do more like this please. I already planned to buy my next watch from you, and this video only helped affirm that decision. Please keep the awesome videos coming.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks Joshua.

[@Br0ns0n]

This was really fun to watch. Another great W&L. Thanks for posting this.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you

[@excellentlistner5925]

Great experiment! Impressive, thanks for the demonstration.

[@islandwatch]

You are welcome!

[@snacklofter]

That was most interesting thanks Mark - I wore a Seiko SKX009 with a Seiko Oyster bracelet that had the thinner spring bars whilst I chainsawed and lugged a large tree that had fallen down. Whilst forcing the roots out with a large bar one thin spring-bar on the watch bent but did not fail - I was most impressed. The fat spring bars must obviously be much stronger.

[@islandwatch]

Yes, they are much stronger.

[@MrWayneploof]

I would be curious to see how the smaller spring bars hold up. great test

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@aztecred92]

Cool video. Love that you incorporated your engineering skills into a video!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@Mark-sd7fc]

Way cool keep this kinda stuff coming!!

[@islandwatch]

Will try!

[@sarfarazshaikh771]

You are great mark, always coming with new innovative videos, keep up the work 👍

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@torbensvensson2093]

Hi Marc, what super nice test you performed!! You are a great business owner who check out the specs!! To sell you got to really know the limits and stand by your own garantee on the products, which you do!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😉 All the creed to you!!⭐️⭐️⭐️😍

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@kristianlewis5520]

Awesome vid. Really interesting the way you tested the watch. Hope you don't mind me saying but your looking very tired in the vid. Hope all is well with you. As always looking forward to your next vid 👍

[@islandwatch]

Maybe just working too hard :)

[@syndicatedsatellite7288]

Fire the makeup crew before the shooting...

[@duckadiesel4182]

Thats awesome. I always thought seiko fat bars sucked because they always click around when on rubber or nato

[@korbendallas9722]

Love these vids, great job Marc. It’s one thing knowing the info, and another seeing it in action. Btw that wall clock is awesome!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!

[@d3xmeister]

Wow, that was very interesting to see, I’m impressed how well it hold out.

[@islandwatch]

Pretty cool!

[@GenWivern2]

Excellent: fun and intelligently done. I'm struggling to work out what real world situation the ISO standard seeks to mimic - snagging the strap on something or getting into wrestling match with a giant octopus both seem more likely than a sudden lateral expansion of the wrist - but clearly Seiko have found an effective way to satisfy the requirement.

[@islandwatch]

I think it's getting snagged on something.

[@jmand63]

Great experiment! I am impressed. Thank You!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@jkstdstang]

Cool video Mark I definitely find your content interesting thank you and keep them coming.

[@rangersmith4652]

Clever rig, interesting results. I've often wondered how mush pulling or twisting force spring bars can take before failing.

[@haroldwiser2641]

Nice experiment, very scientific!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks! I tried.

[@ianbutler1983]

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your videos.

[@islandwatch]

Welcome!

[@gilliebrand]

Very impressive results for Seiko spring bars. I am not sure you will get a Nobel Prize for Physics, but, you have tested String Theory to breaking point. ;-)

[@rongriffiths6545]

Very interesting and clever thinking on your part, they say you learn something every day, this has been mine. And that boys will be boys, many thanks

[@islandwatch]

Haha, thank you.

[@WalterDavidRiffmon]

OMG.... only a watch guy would do such a thing. And only watch guys would watch this! haha Always informative and entertaining!

[@MrZanzibar123]

Very cool! Do you have a video about how to remove fat springbars when the strap is tight and no lug holes? (Going to go look for one now…)

[@samd.5203]

Fantastic video and very thoughtful. Great demonstration professor. I think an interesting video of the same video would be to test the often maligned rattily SKX bracelet (which I love by the way). The abuse that Seiko gets over that bracelet and it's supposed cheapness is unrelenting in the you tube world. Please do that test so that the poor bracelet can save face. It would even better to compare it to one of the many "heavy duty " bracelets that are out there for the SKX. Hopefully, the rattily old bracelet will pass the test!

[@islandwatch]

Great idea, thank you.

[@deanspeer1]

Very cool video. I'd love to see at what force the springbars did fail. It would also be cool to compare stock springbars with cheap replacement ones.

[@islandwatch]

Maybe I'll do a follow on.

[@RiffDevin]

I'd have been interested to see where the bars failed. Perhaps replicate the test with something like paracord which has a higher breaking strain (and tie a better knot!) Good vid though. I was kind of surprised by the result

[@islandwatch]

I might. I do realize I didn't go to completion.

[@fabriziodutto7508]

Thank you Marc! A really fun and instructive video! Do you know how much force (in N or lb) a standard bracelet is usually tested to resist to, for leather/rubber and metal ones I mean not to comply with ISO diver's standards, but to be used safely on wristwatches in general? Thank you.

[@ch34pskate16]

So don’t make a strap out of twine. That’s the takeaway I got here. Lol. Great stuff Marc.

[@islandwatch]

Lol. Me too

[@Mtalll1]

Nice experiment. How about the jubilee original bracelet? Will it resist the same?

[@loganm2804]

That is so cool!!! So I recently got promoted at my job and wanted to congratulate myself. Between the skx007,sarb033,and sarb017 which one should I get?? 😎 Thank you posting informational and entertaining videos!

[@neverknowinglyunders]

logan m I would get the Sarb033. The SKX will still be available at a reasonable price for some time to come but the Sarb033 and the Alpinist will at some point get harder to find at a good price. I have both and love them equally.

[@andrewkristanto3517]

Between SARB033 and 017, 033 is more versatile in my opinion. You can wear it in almost any situations. Unless you really love the green & gold combination of 017, 033 is a better purchase.

[@islandwatch]

SARB033

[@mihamoto]

Great stuff! Believe it or not, I have the same luggage scale! Might start experimenting. ..cheers!

[@islandwatch]

LOL

[@alden3105]

Love these videos. Would like to see the heating then room temp water drop test for condensate. Ive got a suunto core brushed aluminum watch with a depth measure which regularly fogs internally when jumping into cold water, never had this issue with my 'mini turtle'. Cheers

[@islandwatch]

Thanks. I've done similar in wnl #5 or 6.

[@That3DPrintGuy]

The Scratch and dent section just got an extra listing!

[@islandwatch]

No hand watch!

[@lenpowell6647]

What a cool video ! Steel is such a science much like concrete is but essentially your demonstration goes a long way albeit a small scale as to the way a suspension bridge "works". Forget watches this is far more interesting frankly.!!!!!!! Cheers ,Len.( Galloping Gertie more appropriate now)

[@islandwatch]

Thanks Len!

[@22Phanatic]

Hi Marc Good Stuff! Question, is the Squale mesh you sell for the 1521 polished and will it pull hair? Thanks

[@islandwatch]

It's not polished, won't really pull hair.

[@WazamPlaysMC]

Can you link to the skx print in the background?

[@islandwatch]

LOL, email me.

[@HandleTurner]

Nice one Marc.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks

[@BojanBojovic]

Hey Marc, is it ok to use 0.8mm tips with holes made for 0.9mm tips?

[@peterbdavies]

Excellent video!!!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@garryclarke7695]

Brilliant!

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@batuksri]

If the strap is what keeps you from falling off a skyscraper, yes a strong spring bar is what you want. Then again, when you’re getting pulled into a woodchipper, you’ll want a spring bar that gives up easily.

[@williamparker2922]

Great video

[@islandwatch]

Thanks.

[@bubbab7792]

Great tutorial Professor Proton. 🤔🤔🤔 How much kinetic energy can a Seiko crystal take? 👍

[@islandwatch]

Ha! Maybe a future WnL!

[@ahuja0433]

Hi, I am planning to buy a Polywatch scratch remover. They have two items listed on their web page 1. Glass-polish 2. Plastic-polish. As you being the expert, I want to know which one should I buy for a Hardlex Crystal watch and Mineral Crystal watch?

[@pedrosaenz2800]

Very interesting!!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@stevenwymor1398]

Great video. But hey Marc, so here’s a question for ya. On a stock SKX with a Seiko Jubilee bracelet, there is a 1.5mm spring bar that holds the bracelet to the clasp in the micro adjustment area. How do you think that would perform in a similar test? I’ve always been curious about this, especially when you add an aftermarket bracelet that may use two small spring bars in the clasp, namely one for the micro adjustment end of the bracelet, and one to hold the other end of the bracelet to the clasp just above the fold over lock. I’m specifically thinking of my Strapcode Super Jubilee.

[@islandwatch]

Once you add a non-Seiko part, all ISO goes out the window.

[@stevenwymor1398]

Long Island Watch yes, of course, but my question was really about whether a 1.5mm spring bar in the OEM Jubilee bracelet clasp was sufficient. I always thought it strange that Seiko make a big deal of their “fat boy” spring bars between the lugs, but what about the weakest link in the bracelet?

[@jesstotten5571]

I say boo Marc. Test rig is not supposed to fail at low multiples of test load. Would love to see you beef up the rig and run it again. Oh, and yay to the watch.

[@islandwatch]

Haha, yeah, I know. That's what you get on a shoestring budget!

[@wenksification]

The standard seiko spring bar sucks. The one on my skx007... super hard to remove the spring bar.

[@islandwatch]

Use a caseback knife; not a spring bar tool.

[@danielhristov6175]

Well done... i still don’t understand how my watches keep flying off my hand... I’m reeeeeeally confused now... (1 orient 3 star, 1 skx007 and 1 vostok... all twice)

[@ZommBleed]

Makes one wonder about aftermarket straps, bracelets, etc., and taking a watch to a jeweler for various reasons. Had a strap replaced one time and they replaced a spring bar. It wasn't an ISO diver, but just saying. (It was an authorized Seiko dealer locally.)

[@islandwatch]

Right, they are thick for a reason.

[@walterlee4796]

while not an engineer I was an Ironworker/rigger for 20 years and have worked on and with all kinds of loads and crane and rigging configurations,load cells, etc. I dont think the full fail test can be reached when stress travels to the weakest point, you get stretch or defection there instead of on the object you want to test, I think we used to call it a static stress test or something like that when trying to test an object isolated from any rigging or anything connected to it that may fail first before the full load was applied. whatcha think?

[@islandwatch]

Proof loading? I'm not sure that applies here.

[@walterlee4796]

well to me it seems like you failed your rigging instead of proving the spring bar

[@remb9614]

Interesting fact. These have a minimum break away force but they also have a maximum break away force because if your diving you need to be able to pull away from anything that may get hung up on something.

[@WristWatcher]

Impressive

[@paulrobert3284]

I like the poster

[@islandwatch]

Thank you.

[@americanbreed5116]

,luv that test! 2mm bar,Tough as hell huh!

[@islandwatch]

Sure is!

[@riffs66]

Twine failure was my prediction 🤓

[@islandwatch]

Knot failure; twine held!

[@mcreprog]

Hi Marc. Engineer here... I think you had the right idea on testing it, but you did not prove the strength of the spring bars. In your test, the force is being split more or less evenly between both sides of the strap, and thus the spring bars and the clasp each take half the force applied. Since the whole thing failed at about 80 pounds, the spring bar was at just 40 pounds, which is less than the ISO spec. My suggestion is to triple the the twine through the dowels top and bottom, which should allow you to test up to 120 pounds and 60 on the spring bar. Your Cub Scout square knot should hold since each strand of twine will have 1/3 the force or less.

[@islandwatch]

This is how the test is to be conducted per the spec. So everyone out there stating the spring bar itself needs to hold 40+ lbs is wrong. It's not. As I said in the video the load is split.

[@mcreprog]

@@islandwatch: OK, apologies, I missed the statement about the spec in the video.

[@islandwatch]

I am curious though what the force split is. It's not 50/50

[@thatblopfish]

Will you ever do a video on force patina on brass and bronze watches? yes i know there a videos out there, but would be cool to have your thoughts and ideas

[@twotubefamily9323]

The guy sells watches for a living ..........have a guess what he might say ?.

[@islandwatch]

I'll consider it, thank you.

[@jeffrogers8091]

Question - I get the minimum failure spec for the band and couplings and see it as a sign of quality design and manufacturing, but I'm wondering if there is a failure requirement spec on the other end of the product testing spectrum. Question is - is there, or should there be a required design failure threshold in the horribly unlucky instance that your watchband gets caught on something - say a carelessly passing boat hook? In other words, I'd want the band to fail just before the unexpected force approaches a level that could significantly injure a person.

[@islandwatch]

Nope; it's a just a minimum. If a force comes along great enough to rip off your arm, goodbye arm.

[@sambroten5513]

So are the spring bars that come with the strapcode super oyster bracelet not a robust as the stock seiko ones?

[@islandwatch]

They are actually; probably pass just the same.

[@scottsj4625]

I would be interested if you tried a stronger rope to see how much force it takes to break the spring bar or bend it and then come out.

[@islandwatch]

Maybe another test.

[@aurellio33]

Great !

[@islandwatch]

Thanks.

[@cristianobaruffaldi8049]

Really a funny video, but I'm a bit sad for that poor skx without hands ;( almost I would adopt it, would You sell it? Even with twine and lives.

[@islandwatch]

LOLOL

[@TheFlyingDuster]

Does the SKX007 have a nickname ? If no, I suggest you pattent the "Lab Rat", to go along all the Turtles, Alpinists etc. Would fit your use of them well ahah

[@islandwatch]

Guinea pig!

[@TheFlyingDuster]

Long Island Watch that's a cool nickname !!!!

[@syndicatedsatellite7288]

Put the watch between two work horses pulling and see what happens...

[@twotubefamily9323]

Why ...the result would be obvious.....or maybe your stupid and need to be told information that normal people work out for themselves ?.

[@jebm2566]

Paul Cameron I’m pretty sure he was kidding around.

[@MattGDesign]

@@twotubefamily9323 /r/whoosh

[@syndicatedsatellite7288]

@@twotubefamily9323 OK, lets up it... The watch between two tug boats.

[@stever7097]

When are the seiko modded watches any??

[@88683]

Could you repeat the test with 550 cord so we can see the upper limit?? :D

[@islandwatch]

Or a better knot!

[@martin4374]

Next. Crush depth testing!

[@islandwatch]

Not with me attached to it.

[@vins.3572]

I feel like I owe tuition for these watch and learns. I've learned quite a bit. Thanks.

[@islandwatch]

Happily take your checks. Make them out to The Human Fund.

[@Nineveh29]

Next time wear goggles. That's why I love Seiko!

[@BoogurTWang]

probably should add gloves, steel-toed shoes & facemask to that also...(sarc)

[@islandwatch]

Yeah, goggles would have been smart, sure.

[@mariusardeleanu3884]

The rubber strap looks much better with some metallic screws attached on it, looks a little G-SHOCK-esque, could be a design trick! 😉

[@islandwatch]

Imagine this becomes a fad?

[@mariusardeleanu3884]

@@islandwatch Yes, why not ... Sometimes good ideas come by accident.

[@AdamVonSzabo]

Now I wonder would the jubilee be any different... I guess the hollow end link would change the load distribution on the spring bar, but maybe that would also pass.

[@keekim880]

I'm thinking not. The center hollow links might stretch out and give.

[@islandwatch]

I thought about that as well. I think the rubber would hold more load, but still pass.

[@sautante]

omg I have the same luggage scale as well!

[@islandwatch]

Many of us do probably!

[@thenexthobby]

Hey where's the wrist shot (with dowels and twine included)? :)

[@islandwatch]

LOL!

[@mianmian4869]

Seiko is the Toyota of watch

[@islandwatch]

Ok.

[@vladchan]

I was reading a story abt a guy who was diving with his Rolex sub. Watch got caught on some gear and sank to the bottom of the ocean. The end. Lesson learned: the Rolex doesnt meet the ISO 6425 tug spec.

[@matthewreagan2384]

Does the spec really use lbf and not Newtons as the unit of force? 195 N makes a bit more sense than 44 pounds-force.

[@islandwatch]

It's actually spec'd in Newtons; 200N; my brain shortens it to 44 lbf instead of rounding to 45 lbf.

[@kyleleungrulez]

So it can hold over 100?

[@islandwatch]

It went to 80 lbs