Thanks Eugene, I did indeed use padded pliers to compress the folds as much as possible. I never looked to see their position before it separated - perhaps they weren't fully compressed to begin with, but I am super cautious now when putting-on or taking-off the watch, to prevent putting torque on that joint. I also loosened the bracelet in terms of fit so it goes over my hand easier (requiring less pulling/twisting/tugging), but this is looser than I would normally wear it.
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