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Adjusting the 3861 Bracelet - Help

Omegafanman
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For the first time (in a long time) I let the AD adjust mine..... they did it very quickly and easily.... Might be my age and eyesight but for this braclet I would leave it to the AD or boutique.....

If you do it yourself it helps to apply pressure when you turn the tiny tiny little screw... but then you risk a slip and scratch.
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donvag
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I saw this thread come back to the front page, so I thought I'd give you guys an update.

I ended up having the Omega Boutique do the adjustment for me. They did not have the right tool in-house, so they sent it to a technician to do the job. I asked one of the guys at the boutique why it was so hard to remove, and he told me that Omega knows that the first iteration of bracelets are hard to adjust, and that they plan on making the subsequent batches easier to adjust (with less loctite I suppose).

I wanted to make one more adjustment after I got it from the boutique, and it was much easier to do with the right tool. The Wiha 1.8 is what worked for me for the 3861 bracelet.
 
Omegafanman
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donvag donvag
I saw this thread come back to the front page, so I thought I'd give you guys an update.

I ended up having the Omega Boutique do the adjustment for me. They did not have the right tool in-house, so they sent it to a technician to do the job. I asked one of the guys at the boutique why it was so hard to remove, and he told me that Omega knows that the first iteration of bracelets are hard to adjust, and that they plan on making the subsequent batches easier to adjust (with less loctite I suppose).

I wanted to make one more adjustment after I got it from the boutique, and it was much easier to do with the right tool. The Wiha 1.8 is what worked for me for the 3861 bracelet.

Mine was adjusted in the AD in May 2021.... it only took them a few moments / no issues. The screws looked fairly clean. It is just a smaller bracelet so more links removed for me.
 
nicolamilton
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donvag donvag
I saw this thread come back to the front page, so I thought I'd give you guys an update.

I ended up having the Omega Boutique do the adjustment for me. They did not have the right tool in-house, so they sent it to a technician to do the job. I asked one of the guys at the boutique why it was so hard to remove, and he told me that Omega knows that the first iteration of bracelets are hard to adjust, and that they plan on making the subsequent batches easier to adjust (with less loctite I suppose).

I wanted to make one more adjustment after I got it from the boutique, and it was much easier to do with the right tool. The Wiha 1.8 is what worked for me for the 3861 bracelet.
Bullshit (from that OB). It can't be easier with a good 1,4mm screwdriver. I didn't find almost no loctite thread lock.
 
donvag
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nicolamilton nicolamilton
Bullshit (from that OB). It can't be easier with a good 1,4mm screwdriver. I didn't find almost no loctite thread lock.

Lol. That's what they told me. Maybe you got one from the second/subsequent batches. Who knows. I admit that I didn't have the right tool when I tried the first time around (I think I had a 1.6mm screwdriver)... But it was MUCH easier when I got it back from OB. Not sure if that's due to the fact that I had the right tool, or OB melted the loctite out. Perhaps a combination of both.
 
Pazzo
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donvag donvag
........

.., and he told me that Omega knows that the first iteration of bracelets are hard to adjust, and that they plan on making the subsequent batches easier to adjust (with less loctite I suppose).

No, I don't think so.
Quite probably, by using the proper reference of Loctite, something like No.243 thread lock and sealant or similar.
 
MattJG98
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When I bought mine I had it adjusted, but now a week later I'm finding it too tight, leaves too much of an imprint, yet another trip to the AD 🙄

I've got 16cm wrists and had 7 links removed, must be the record for the skinniest wrists on here?

Not risking scratching mine.
Edited:
 
T
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You need the right tools, place thin tape over the links, use magnifying glasses unless you have perfect vision. I did not need heat the links and could not see any thread locker material? I did pick up an extra link and some extra screws. I have the correct screwdrivers and a a nylon bracelet block I use. I also wrap the bracelet in cling wrap before sliding into the block, I have blue painters tape on the sides of the watch and front and back, all done over micro fiber towels. There is no way the AD is going to go to this effort for my watch. That’s why I do it myself. I can’t over stress having scotch tape over the links when removing, it so tiny and even the slightest touch of that screwdriver will create a tins scratch. Even I made a tiny hairline scratch when my wife startled me. Thank goodness it was a link I was removing, took it to my watch guy and he brushed the edge of the link and the tiny scratch is gone. I just can’t see how the AD or OB is going to do better, I am sure they have left a tiny mark somewhere, YMMV.
 
Felix_La_PuBelle
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It’s still hard to do in 2025 but with some advance warning thanks to this thread and patience it’s manageable.

IMG_2031.webp
 
Jakeys
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When I bought my 2504.52 last year after having been freshly serviced by Omega, I tried to adjust the bracelet (pin and collars, not screws) and found that no matter what I tried I couldn't remove the pin in the half link. I had a cheapy eBay tool for it which has always been fine in the past, but it was bending trying to push the pin out the correct direction. Confused and not wanting to risk damaging anything, I relented and took it to my watchmaker.

He ended up needing to use a special jig because apparently at some point the previous owner had hammered in a too large diameter pin. He managed to remove it and replace it with the correct pin and collars, but the half link is now slightly crooked when fitted. It doesn't bother me enough to replace it before the next service, but it goes to show sometimes you just can't do it yourself. 😜

I asked why Omega didn't catch this in the service, but apparently they only check if the pins are loose, they don't check if they're too tight. Makes sense.
 
Felix_La_PuBelle
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Jakeys Jakeys
He ended up needing to use a special jig because apparently at some point the previous owner had hammered in a too large diameter pin. He managed to remove it and replace it with the correct pin and collars, but the half link is now slightly crooked when fitted. It doesn't bother me enough to replace it before the next service, but it goes to show sometimes you just can't do it yourself. 😜

This is the reason I never use that small hammer that came with the cheap watch repair kit I have. If I ever had to hammer anything on my watches that’s when I know it’s time to take it to the pros.
 
Evitzee
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Felix_La_PuBelle Felix_La_PuBelle
This is the reason I never use that small hammer that came with the cheap watch repair kit I have. If I ever had to hammer anything on my watches that’s when I know it’s time to take it to the pros.
I find those little machines that push the pins out annoying and inefficient, I secure the bracelet in a block and tap the pin out vertically with a pin and hammer, same process when reinstalling the pin. We use whatever we are comfortable with.
 
Felix_La_PuBelle
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Evitzee Evitzee
I find those little machines that push the pins out annoying and inefficient, I secure the bracelet in a block and tap the pin out vertically with a pin and hammer, same process when reinstalling the pin. We use whatever we are comfortable with.

Agreed. My comfort level doesn’t know when the resistance on tiny watch parts is appropriate or not. For the modern speedy bracelet that brought me to this thread I was so confused because screws and pins have always been easier for me than pin and collar but the loctite threw me for a loop in this instance.

For push pins I have a couple three options I use ranging from a super cheap screw pin pusher to a set of Burgeon pin pusher pliers.
 
Archer
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Evitzee Evitzee
I find those little machines that push the pins out annoying and inefficient, I secure the bracelet in a block and tap the pin out vertically with a pin and hammer, same process when reinstalling the pin. We use whatever we are comfortable with.
Yup…

d9102575-8c56-4a52-a415-921e7fb40137.webp
 
Felix_La_PuBelle
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Archer Archer
Yup…

d9102575-8c56-4a52-a415-921e7fb40137.webp

The picture reminds me of the very first time I resized a bracelet and didn’t realize I should be doing it on a white surface. You’d think that one is obvious but live and learn.
 
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