A quick assessment guide to flat-link bracelet stretch…

[M'Bob]

In general, bracelet stretch is hard to quantify. Often, you’ll hear terms like, “tight,” “mildly stretched,” etc., but it’s often not vey helpful if there’s no basis for comparison.

With Rolex and their chunkier bracelets, the shots below are often quite helpful. You can see that the first bracelet is quite tight, and the second one, less so:




However, with an Omega flat-link, it’s obvious that attempting to assess this way is less accurate, as its flimsy nature often causes the bracelet to fold up.

Thus, an alternative method is to lay the bracelet on a flat surface, and bend it to its full extent:



The top bracelet would be fairly tight; the middle two medium; and the bottom loose (even considering the longer radius).

So, when you’re buying a flat-link, and wondering how tight or loose it is, have the seller bend it and take a picture; it might help you get a sense of that parameter.

 

[Dan S]

That's also the standard way to demonstrate the stretch of a Rolex bracelet, but as a buyer, you have to know what you're looking at, and your expectations need to be aligned with the specific style of bracelet.