One Month on the Wrist: Forstner Komfit "JB" Mesh Watch Band (with Horned Ends) Review

Disclaimer: Forstner Bands provided me with this example, free of charge, for the purpose of this review. They are not paying me for this article, above and beyond the provision of the free bracelet, nor was there an expectation for a “positive” review. All views expressed below have not been influenced, are my own, and are genuine to my experience of the bracelet.

To get straight to the nitty gritty, scroll to the bottom to get the broad strokes of what I think.

If your love for watches is conjured in the same manner as mine, you’re driven by narrative. My passion for writing makes me a sucker for a good yarn. I’m the perfect victim for marketing teams who know what they’re doing. My love for watches is fuelled by the many brands (and their respective lines and models) that tend to have dramatic stories attributed to them. Fantastical feats, accomplished by brave souls – all while wearing this watch or that watch.

But why so much interest in the watch, specifically? There are other articles of memorabilia attached to these varied storylines and achievements – of course. However, as intriguing as these other items may be (and would undoubtedly fetch a pretty penny at auction), they don’t strike me like a watch does. Once history has been made, and the mission (with all its toil and adversity) has been championed and realized by the driven participant (their name now etched in time and memory forever), they shed themselves of the things that helped get them there. The equipment and vestments that supported them on their great endeavour, now discarded from their daily wear. Except, on occasion, their watch.

That’s what makes the watch so interesting. Not only because it was there with the wearer at the summit or on the surface, under the depths or upon some clandestine shoreline. It’s interesting because it goes with the wearer to accomplish those remarkable and alluring things, and can then stay with them, as that iconic figure moves forward in the shadow of their own greatest moment. It’s now not only the watch associated to the event but the watch associated to its wearer. As time goes by, however mundane and paled in comparison, more stories are scorched, scratched, scuffed and dented into its dial, crystal, case, bracelet, clasp and lugs.

It’s the watch’s ability to go on these grand adventures but also remain after those trials are long over, for day to day life, that allow us to forge a strong connection with this hobby. Frankly, the majority of us will never stand atop Everest, hop through moon dust, dive into the darkness, or suavely save the world. But we can wear the various watches of those who did.

So, in our work-a-day lives, for just a moment (maybe a crucial one), we can look down at our watch and summon the celebrated characteristics of Hillary and Norgay, or Armstrong and Lovell, or Cousteau and Maloubier, or Bond and Ryan, or whichever folkloric hero and tale happen to be part and parcel of the watch each of us chooses to wear.

Source: Watch Books Only

Personally, I have many legends that loom over my wearing experience – some of them mentioned above. And, as I said at the beginning of this article, it really is the stories that draw me in. This review, in particular, is no exception.

The Forstner Komfit “JB” Mesh Watch Band (with Horned Ends)

To meaningfully review this watch band, you first need to look back over half a century ago to its inspiring muses – the Komfit Forstner and JB Champion bracelets of the 1960s. I won’t bother going into laborious detail about those vintage bracelets here. If you want an all but academic review of the vintage models, I highly recommend you draw on the exhaustively researched information provided by Anthony Marquié and Grégoire Rossier (the founders of the Watch Books Only series). They provide a great reference regarding Komfit Forstner and JB Champion here.

For the purpose of this article, from the perspective I am looking at it from, all you need to know is these bracelets were the choice of NASA and its astronauts during the Apollo missions. At some point, leading up to the execution of the missions, it was decided the Omega bracelet that came standard with each astronaut’s issued Speedmaster Professional was produced too robustly. Where the equipment engineers wanted the watch itself to be rigorous and able to withstand a considerable beating, their thought process regarding the bracelet was nearly the opposite. For the safety of the astronauts, they needed a bracelet that could be easily adjusted without tools, and that would be more flimsy and likely to break apart in a pinch (or, more accurately, a snag). Enter the Komfit Forstner and JB Champion bracelets.

Frankly, I’m a huge fan of the Omega flat-link bracelets found on the Speedmaster models of that era. Outside of Rolex’s Oyster bracelet, in my taste, there isn’t a more beautiful design or fit. However, I’ll say again – narrative is king. It’s interesting how these delicate aftermarket Milanese bracelets became iconic in their own right and are now very sought after.

Ticket to the Moon

The demand for and limited supply of examples of these vintage bracelets (in good condition) is a great starting point to kick this review into high-gear, and is really the true impetus for the Forstner brand’s resurrection.

I believe I bring an informed perspective to this review as I own two vintage JB Champion bracelets, and can use my wearing experience of them to levy against the titular reissued version. The vintage models I own are the JB Champion Type JB-4 (worn by Apollo astronauts), which I wear on my modern Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, and the JB Champion Type JB Steel Strips, which I wear on my Universal Genève Polerouter Date.

I purchased these two new old stock vintage bracelets prior to the reissue’s existence, and let me tell you, neither example came at a bargain. The price of admission for feeling like an Apollo-era astronaut is astronomical for what you are getting. The range you might expect to pay for one of these bracelets, back in the day, was anywhere between $5 USD and $20 USD. With respect to the period, I know those prices aren’t overly affordable, for the time. However, given those prices, you wouldn’t expect the increase in investment needed to own a reasonable example today. At the time of writing this article, if you go on eBay to source an Apollo-era example (with original packaging included), you will need to pay between $500 and $800 CAD. I certainly wouldn’t fault anyone for experiencing sticker-shock from that last sentence. Frankly, it’s outrageous. But I’ve been a willing participant in legitimizing those prices twice before – so, I guess I’m part of the problem.

Fortunately, if you are compelled to add a bit of uniqueness to your Speedmaster, and want to feel a little more like Gene Cernan or Deke Slayton (because, why wouldn’t you?), you no longer have to break the bank and feel like you’ve been had. Forstner Bands to the rescue. They currently offer two versions (each with two different lengths) and they are both reasonably priced at $125 USD (approximately $180 CAD). That’s what I call, “…one giant leap…” for the watch community.

However, I won’t just grant the reissue top marks because it’s easy on the wallet. It’s got to be comfortable to wear and has to successfully mimic the original. After all, I don’t want to feel like a knock-off Apollo commander – I want to feel like the real deal. So, will it give you the goods for the price rendered?

The Look

When it comes to the versions you see the Apollo astronauts wearing in photos from the time (during training and on missions), they all look pretty much the same. They all have a similar checker-blocked Milanese pattern, they’re all a slimmer diameter than the lug width of the Speedmaster Professional case, and they all feature some sort of outward-facing clasping mechanism. However, there are two subtle differences that can be found from model to model.

The first you may notice is the variations found in the shape of the lug ends on the bracelet. Some bracelet types offer straight lug ends, while others offer “horned” lug ends. There seems to be a bit of variation, from model to model, found in the straight lug end versions of the 60s as well (some cylindrical and some boxed). These variations (whichever you choose) will have a visible impact when it comes to aesthetics.

The second important difference to note, from model to model, is the clasping mechanism. On some versions, the locking tab is totally smooth. On others, lined access indentations provide the user with a bit more to push against to engage the sliding motion of the locking tab. My personal favourite, from the vintage models, is the crown design locking tab. The middle point on the crown design really allows the user to pinch and engage the mechanism with ease. The layout of the clasping mechanism will have very little (or no) impact on how the bracelet looks on the wrist. Little details do matter, of course, when we’re talking about something as small as a bracelet. However, the version of clasping mechanism your model offers will have a larger impact on function than form.

Forstner Bands’ reissued version, from the perspective of aesthetics, really nails the design squarely on the head. With watch enthusiasts, the devil is certainly in the details, and they did not disappoint. Everything is there (except for patent numbers, because of course they wouldn’t be).

The body of the bracelet (or band, as Forstner refers to it) replicates the checker-blocked Milanese pattern to a tee. There seems to be an ever so slight variation in the reissue’s Milanese link length and shape, but it is so minute that it can only be subtlety noticed under a macro view. This difference in the reissue from the original almost doesn’t bear mentioning. However, the longer pinched links of the modern version does seem to have an impact on the bracelet’s look as a whole. Since the reissue’s link length and shape don’t allow it to lay as neat, flat and flush as the vintage version, it can look a fraction bulkier on the wrist than the original. But frankly, this is next-level hair splitting. The difference is negligible when looking at it strapped to your wrist.

As for the clasping mechanism, there doesn’t need to be much said – the design is a 1:1 mimic of JB Champion Type JB-1’s clasp design (with the lined access indentations). From a looks perspective, it’s dead on.

The lug ends design is what gets me most excited for what Forstner Bands has done with the reissue. In my experience of sourcing a vintage model, it was extremely difficult to find a version with “horned” lug ends. So difficult, in fact, that I settled on investing in a version with straight lug ends. Forstner Bands also offers a version with straight lug ends, and let me make it clear – I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the straight lug end versions. However, I definitely prefer the “horned” options. The extra bit of space the horns fill between the bracelet and the watch case really does a lot for the aesthetic appeal. What’s more, the curve the horns introduce between the lugs really rounds off the connection between the bracelet and watch – marrying the two as a perfect pair. A slight deviation from the vintage bracelets worth mentioning is that the “horned” lug ends come flush to the lugs of a modern Speedmaster when mounted. The original bracelets from the 60s were not perfectly matched to the lug width of a Speedmaster, so there was some wiggle space left between the bracelet’s lug ends and the watch’s lugs. Frankly, I prefer that they come flush as the reissue’s lug ends do. It makes the whole aesthetic appear less slapped together.

Source: Omega

A final word on aesthetics and something to think about when considering alternative bracelet / strap options for your Speedmaster Professional, specifically. This is personal preference, but I’m not a fan of the Speedmaster’s modern interpretation of the Omega issued bracelet. As I stated earlier, I think very highly of Omega’s vintage flat-link bracelet. Its reintroduction on the recently announced Speedmaster Moonwatch Calibre 321 is a very nice sight to see indeed. However, the bracelet found on the standard Speedmaster Professional is an apple that has fallen very far from the tree – both in form and function. It wears chunky and the robustness of the endlinks cause the bracelet to protrude outward from the watch, disallowing it to fall downward to meet the wrist. For those with an average or large wrist size, this probably isn’t an issue. However, for those with a diminutive wrist (mine’s 6.5 inches or 16.5 centimetres), this makes the Speedmaster Professional nearly prohibitive for wear. So, if you’re interested in repatriating some of that Apollo-era vibe into your modern Speedy, and happen to have a smaller wrist, a Forstner Bands reissue will make you feel like you’re training to rocket to the moon, and bonus – with the bulk eliminated, the modern JB’s slender and lay-flat form will allow your Speedy Pro to be much more at home on your svelte wrist.

I’m thrilled to see a company in the watch industry that understands how to do a reissue. Forstner Bands has proven they can park their design egos and deliver exactly what people want – a product that allows the wearer to achieve the look they want (which, lo and behold, is usually identical or nearly identical to the original genuine article). All watch companies, no matter the capacity to which they contribute to the industry, need to learn from Forstner Bands’ example. When you’re endeavouring to offer a reissue, whether it’s a watch or bracelet, don’t deviate from the source of inspiration. Great job on the look of this bracelet, Forstner Bands.

The Feel

If I’m going to wear something, it can’t just look the business – it has to feel comfortable. So, how does the reissue feel, and does it feel as good on the wrist as the vintage versions?

First off, I’d like to mention that when you first handle one of the reissue JBs, if you’re familiar with the vintage examples, it will sound a little more tinny than the originals. It’s not a problem. I just mention it because it leads me to believe that Forstner Bands is using slightly different materials than the vintage versions. The reason I bring this up is because the difference in material does manifest in the feel of the wearing experience. Not worse and not better – just different. I notice that my vintage example seems to stay cool while on the wrist, where the modern iteration matches the temperature of my body. I assume it’s because of the type of steel that’s being used in each that causes this difference in effect – not sure. However, both feel great against my skin. No irritation and no snagging of hairs.

Next, let’s talk range of motion and fluidity. Forstner Bands deserves big praise for how forgiving they’ve made the reissue in its movement. The vintage models are not overly rigid, but when compared to the modern version, you can only conclude they’re stiff as a board. The range of motion the reissue allows significantly improves the feel of the bracelet and, by virtue, the watch on your wrist. Big thumbs up.

Bottomline, it feels great. You don’t feel handcuffed by the reissue, it moves fluidly, and you don’t even notice it – unless you’re looking down to admire it.

In Summary

If, when wearing your Speedmaster Professional, you imagine yourself an Apollo astronaut, attaching a JB Champion to your Moonwatch will only augment your fantasy. The question is, do I recommend that you go for a Forstner Bands reissue, or invest in a vintage model JB? Unequivocally, choose the reissue.

Considering the massive price difference (a savings of $300 CAD, and upward) and the fact that, despite the cheaper price tag, it still stands up meaningfully to the original in every way that counts, it would be unreasonable for me to suggest you buy a vintage example. Not to mention, there is no supply shortage to deal with and you can interact directly with a legitimate business, instead of taking your chances on eBay. Frankly, had I had the option to buy the reissue prior to my buying the vintage JBs, I would have never owned the originals I currently have.

Plain and simple – if you want a JB Champion bracelet, the Forstner Bands reissues are the only responsible way to go.

What I Love

  1. The “horned” lug ends. They can be difficult to find in the vintage models and they look so darn good on the reissue.

  2. The price. You can save serious money by going modern instead of vintage – and you aren’t really losing anything.

  3. The range of motion. Forstner Bands’ JB moves a lot more fluid than the vintage models, making a more comfortable wearing experience.

  4. The perfect execution of reissuing a beloved vintage aesthetic. Many watch brands could learn from Forstner Bands’ example.

What I Would Change

  1. I’d prefer the implementation of the crown design locking tab instead of the lined access indentations configuration. The crown design is easier to use for opening and closing the clasping mechanism.

  2. Maybe look at the construction of the Milanese links that form the body of the bracelet to see if there is a way to make it lay as flat as the vintage models. However, there’s such a small difference, it may not be worth the effort.

  3. I need to come up with two more so, I guess, consider mimicking the packaging that comes with the original versions – adds to the vintage vibe.

  4. It would be nice if the bracelet came with some branded literature educating the purchaser on the detailed history of the band and its use among Apollo astronauts. They could get that information elsewhere, if they wanted, but it would add to the overall buyer’s experience if it were included.

Conclusion

The Forstner Komfit “JB” Mesh Watch Band (with Horned Ends) makes me feel how I want to feel when I strap my Speedmaster Professional to my wrist – like a squared away mission commander, training to go on one of the greatest adventures the world has ever known. That it succeeds in making me feel this way means its value is fully legitimized.