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Magnification equipment for changing/sizing a bracelet

  1. blueteg Jan 26, 2021

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    I'm in the process of trying to size a newly acquired 1125 bracelet for my late 60's Seamaster.
    The bracelet just arrived yesterday and upon inspecting it, I realized that this bracelet uses screws, not pins. doh!

    Using the 'fine' tip (1.2mm) of my Bergeon spring bar tool for width reference, it appears that a 1.2mm screwdriver blade will be a decent width to span the majority of the recess in the screw(s). So I'm going to place an order for a Bergeon 1.2mm screwdriver tomorrow. Before I close out the order and pay the shipping on something so small, I'd also like to get something to give me a little better visual fix on what I'm working on.

    So my question for you guys is what do you use to magnify the work piece(s) when you're working on bracelets/links?

    I'm debating between these two types of magnification aids:
    Headband Magnifier w/ 4 different lenses (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.5 magnification), $24
    or
    Folding Magnifier (3x magnification), $10
    or, I would also welcome suggestions on other contraptions to help me.

    Pinky promise: that I won't go full gorilla on the screws and post another thread next week asking for help on what to do now that the screwheads are FUBAR'd. ;) If the first one won't cooperate with light effort, I'll probably just tap out and take it to a watchmaker to have him remove them (along with the thin layer of dead skin cells and other crude that are currently residing in the screw holes. :eek:
     
    headband magnifier smaller.jpg folding_magnifier_29.583__02204.1477097887.jpg
  2. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Jan 26, 2021

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    Just go to your local drug store/chemist and get a pair of 3+ reading spectacles.

    I use them for general work and only use a loupe/microscope for detailed work like incabloc springs.tiny screws etc.
     
    Leeroy and blueteg like this.
  3. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jan 27, 2021

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    For sizing a bracelet - I generally use no magnification.
     
  4. ExpiredWatchdog Jan 27, 2021

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    I agree with Archer but if you buy the headband unit, do yourself a favor and spend the money on a real Donigal Optics Optivisor with glass lenses. I find a four plate is fine for casework (and I own four, five and ten). You can wear your normal glasses underneath them for perfect correction.

    This is definitely a case of "You get what you paid for".
     
  5. blueteg Jan 28, 2021

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    Great tip! I cruised over to my local drug store and picked up a set of +3.25 reading glasses, for $10. These should do the trick. :thumbsup: