I am looking to shorten my recently acquired vintage Gay Freres BOR bracelet to fit my wrist. The adjustment space of the clasp is not sufficient, so it will likely mean taking out a few links and I am looking for tips & tricks to do this without causing irreparable damage. If the best idea is to take it to a watch maker, then that is what I will do, but perhaps there are other ways? Thanks for helping out.

 

1st off-
Are you sure there are no links that have pin access on the ends(a hole on end of link)?
If there are some, you just need a pin pusher you can get from Otto Frei

 

Yep, checked that. All are solid, no pins.

 

Thanks Kyle. Nice patina by the way!

 

Ok. If you are handy, patient, and enjoy DIY
this can be done with good results. Otherwise
take it to the watchmaker.
There may be a better way to do this but this worked for me.
Remove bracelet from watch.
Determine how many links you need to remove.
Use a block of wood to go under bracelet for keeping links stable.
Rows are 2-3-2-3
Leave 2 links attached to endpiece that holds springbar.
Remove next 3 links with end of knife blade by prying open one
side far enough to slide over link pin its on with the end of the knife
blade.(I tried other tools but the knife worked perfect, strong and
because of the blade end taper, fits perfect to just pry one side)
Try not to deform whole bead, just pry up one side. Slide them off pin.
Remove next 2 row beads the same way.
ONLY Open the next 3 beads row, leaving them attached.
Slide free link out now.
Now practice closing the beads on the ones you took out
and are not putting back.
Closing method is to reattach to link pins making sure bead
faces correctly. Push down gently on open side to close most
of the way. Then take very small pliers, bend bracelet at bead,
working from inside of bracelet, gently place pliers tangs on either
side of bead and gently pressure to close bead the rest of the way.
If you did it right, it should be only noticeable with a loupe that
they have been opened.
Good luck

 

Results:

 

Thanks Pitpro, I should be able to do that. The watch may need a service, in which case I will talk to the watch guy before doing any DIY.

 

Detail pictures of bracelet links to clasp. Interesting blob of grey where the bracelet links to the folding part of the clasp (first and second pic). Looks like a DIY solder job to fix broken end link.

 

The links in the top half of the clasp look OK. The area with the grey blob of old solder may present problems.

You need to measure your links either side from the lug bars to the clasp and determine what has to be removed.

Ideally you take the same number of links from either side (plus or minus a couple depending on wrist shape).

Then grab a soldering iron and a solder sucker (or some multi-strand copper wire) and suck out all of that solder. You can also just heat it up and bang it out if you know how to do it (wear eye protection).

Once there you can follow Pitpro's guide, but I'd use jewellers side cutters and an awl to gently open the links.

If the slodered area has been bodged, you may need to fabricate a new end link from an old donor bracelet. I'll see if I have anything in my junk tray.

Good luck with it.

 

Thank you Jim, much appreciated! Hans.