Are there any DIY techniques for tightening up the links on vintage bracelets? I have a couple of old 1171s and 1162s that have seen better days and now are significantly stretched.

Are the “non-removable” links simply attached with friction pins? Can one side be pried off? Is the pin the problem, or is it the link itself?

In one sense, the stretch is simply a sign of a bracelet well used for many years and should be cherished. On the other hand it simply rattles too much!

Any ideas are appreciated!

 

Be nice to see some pics , then I will have a better feel for what your asking .

 

I’ve kinda started to like them worn and rattly.

 

Pictures of course!

Stretched 1162


Newer 1162

 

Not so much “stretched” I would say, but badly worn. Both the holes for the pins, but also the hinge pins. How would one go about repairing all that wear? I shall watch with interest. I understand it has been done with gold alloy bracelets, but the labour would be the same to restore a steel one. Or perhaps greater.

 

I don't think they look too bad at all , in fact to me they add character to a watch of similar age But I get what you mean about the stretch & not sure how it could be done , it could be quite an expensive option . Looks like all the links would need to be opened up & pins replaced then re closed , which I think would need someone who's pretty specialist getting involved . I have heard of a guy called Michael Young ,who works magic on stretched Rolex bracelets , might be worth checking him out. I've put a couple of pics showing my MKII ,with 1159 showing a fair bit of stretch but it's really comfortable to wear .

 

Well, I’m not eager to throw massive dollars at it. It sounds like a DIY approach is out of the question. Perhaps learn to love it or save for a better example.

 

Depending on bracelet construction and the damage, some bracelets can be DIY repaired. About a dozen links on this Gay Freres bracelet were badly stretched, but I was able to gently pry open the end caps and fish out the broken springs.


Then I slightly bent and clipped some large capacity 3/8" (9mm) staples into a similar size and shape of the old springs, inserted the new staple-springs into the links and closed the end caps. The new staple-springs are ever so slightly stiffer than the old springs but otherwise seem to work perfectly.

 

Wow, well done!

I take it from your description that:
1. What I had assumed to be straight friction pins are really springs
2. The only way to get at the pins (springs) is to pry open the links.

Is it fair to say, then, that the primary cause of the bracelet stretch is really deofmation of the pins/springs, rather than actual wear of the links?

 

It depends of course on how your bracelet has been built and what has been damaged by wear. Stretch could be caused by worn link holes. In my case, the stretch is provided by small leaf springs that connect the links together. Each spring had broken into two pieces, so all I really did was find a similarly sized piece of metal - which just happened to be a large staple, of the kind used to staple a large stack of paper - that I could gently bend into a similar leaf spring shape. It took a few attempts to get the right amount of curvature in the staple to replicate the original leaf spring, but staples are cheap and plentiful.

You'll need to figure how how your particular bracelet is constructed and how it has worn. If your bracelet has little value and you are inclined to do so, it might be fun to take it apart. (This hobby is supposed to be fun after all!) Worn pin holes may be fixed by laser welding which is usually beyond DIY capabilities but might be available at a local jewelers or at your watchmaker.

 

Michael Young at ClassicWatchRepair.com did a fantastic job on my Rolex Jubilee bracelet and I know he does Omega bracelets too. Usually about $200 but it comes back like new.

 

Before the OP does this he might want to contact the OP of this thread...

https://omegaforums.net/threads/your-experience-with-michael-young-classic-watch-repair.72165/

No idea what the issues may be, but I do recall seeing that thread and thought it was worth pointing out. I've never sent anything to Michael Young directly, but have seen restored bracelets done by him and the work seemed good to me.

Cheers, Al

 

The only experience I have had with him was the service of a Oyster Perpetual I had a while ago, all went well. I do hear he is very good with bracelets.