Hi everyone, I'm picking up my dream watch later this week... a Basel 2016 Rolex Explorer I'm buying it via a private sale and the owner has larger wrists than me, so a link or two will likely need to be removed. A few questions for our learned modern Rolex owner's: What screwdriver would you recommend I purchase in order to remove the links? Does Rolex seal the screws with locite in the same way Rolex does? If so, is there a trick to loosening the link screws? I messed up one of my Speedmaster's links a bit trying to use a Home Depot mini-screwdriver to resize my bracelet. I gave up quickly and brought it to my AD to be completed the right way. Problem is, I don't have an AD to go to in this instance. In light of this, Is there a watchmaker or two anyone can recommend in the Montreal area (where the watch is being picked up) who could help me with a quick re-sizing? Cheers and thanks!
They do use thread locker, and the trick is to just use a lighter and hold the flame close for a few seconds. do yourself a favor and get a nice set of screw drivers! i scratched my brothers speedmaster screws when i resized it for him. (he didnt care, it was his 30th birthday present from me) those things are threadlocked as well. Congrats on the new piece!
My first attempt with my Speedy was an unmitigated disaster My preference would be to find a Montreal watchmaker to help me out with it - I'm just a klutz when it comes to these things - but I'll do it myself if I have to
What about bringing it to a Rolex AD/Boutique? They will probably have someone there trained to resize and would probably do it for free. Plus you get to play with other watches at the same time. On a side note I have seen videos of people soaking the bracelet in hot water before removing screws
Thanks @Jwit - unfortunately no boutiques in Montreal - just two AD's and as they're independent watch-sellers, I wonder if they wouldn't be annoyed given I didn't buy the watch from them?
You'll need a 1.6mm screwdriver. Preferably hollow ground tipped. Go slow you shouldn't have issues, I've never had to heat anything up to break the loctite on the Rolex watches I own.
Personally I would take it to a Rolex AD. Resizing a bracelet is something they can do very quickly. Plus, since you're only going to have to do it once, do you really want to risk ruining the bracelet?
If you really want to try it yourself search the classifieds on TRF for a Rolex reference 2100 tool. That is the screwdriver they put in the Seadweller tool kit and it's the perfect size and shape to fit in the Rolex sport watch link screws. Good luck and congrats on the new Exp.
Might cost you 10-15 bucks but it will be worth it and you would be wearing your watch instead of hunting for tools.
Thanks everyone! Great advice all around, as usual. I'll stop by one of the AD's and see if they're willing to re-size the bracelet for a fee.
