Popular Aftermarket Deployants

First offering is the safety clasp type currently sold by Don Ginsler. The "male" end of the strap goes under the clasp and is secured to a stud on the backside, using the original adjustment holes. The "female" end (on the right) is secured with a spring pin in one of three adjustment positions, which can be used to fine tune the fit of the strap. This is the "Breitling" style sold by Don Ginsler, also.
Ginsler 1

Shown here with the safety clasp open, but the press-to-release catch is still engaged.
Ginsler 2

Fully opened, one can see the strap behind the buckle which engages a stud on the backside, similar to the one visible on the front side. The outer piece of the buckle engages the stud which is visible, and is then secured with the safety clasp on the left. With a padded strap, this makes for a fairly thick arrangement at the bottom of the wrist, but the leather strap is against the skin rather than the buckle. An advantage to this style is that it securely locks in place.
Ginsler 3

Here is a larger view, closed...
gins-004.jpg

And opened...
gins-005.jpg




Next we have the more common style, as sold by Don Jones. Once again, this is on a "Breitling" style strap. As you can see, the "male" end this time goes to the outside, and is retained by a stud on the underside of the silver retainer shown around it. All adjustment is made with the original holes in the strap. The "male" end continues to use the loops on the other side of the strap.
Jones 1

The mechanism side, which is against the wrist, but is not quite as bulky as the safety clasp type.
Jones 2

The same clasp, now on one of Wayne Lee's Seiko Military's nylon strap.
lee-001.jpg

Opened, again the Seiko Military.
lee-002.jpg




Now, one that was recommended to me by Gary Fischman. This one from Equation of Time, it is a double-folding, latching deployant. It snaps shut firmly, and is released by a double pusher. Finished very nicely.
eot-001.jpg

Here, a view of the wrist side.
eot-002.jpg

A view of it opened.
eot-004.jpg

Here is something I find unique about this clasp. The pin, which engages the male end of the strap, will hinge open and allow you to adjust the fit, without pushing out a spring pin. One can see the slight impression it has made in the strap The second type (above) must be dissassembled to adjust the fit.
eot-005.jpg

And here is the adjusting piece closed. It snaps shut, and when worn, presses against the wrist, so I doubt if it would ever open on it's own.
eot-005b.jpg

Another view of the opened clasp. This clasp is not offered with a strap.
eot-006.jpg

Finally, this additional review from Gary Fischman: There are several deployant buckles available from Equation of Time. I purchased this one - a double folding buckle (sometimes referred to as a "Z" design) with a push-button release. The buckle is German made of heavy-gauge stainless steel. It is a well finished, high quality buckle that is far superior to the standard buckle on many watches such as Rolex. The double folding design causes the buckle to lie flatter on the bottom of the wrist instead of wrapping up the side of the wrist as most single folding buckles have a tendancy to do. I find this much more comfortable and the watch sits in a more "proper" position instead of leaning to one side of the wrist. The push-button release is a nice feature - no yanking is needed to unlatch it. I highly recommend this high quality product.
EOT.jpg




Finally, some images of the watches "on wrist". First up, a Minerva strap and deployant buckle, for your comparison.
Minerva

Next, the Z-style deployant on a Zenith (hmm?).
Zenith

The Don Jones product on the Seiko strap.
Seiko

And the Don Ginsler buckle on a Fortis. I feel like I've been giving blood...
Fortis






by Dick Carlson atrltd@swbell.net, January 10, 2000