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Tips On Avoiding Disasters When Changing Straps/Bracelets

  1. cvalue13 Feb 16, 2020

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    I’ve been fiddling with watches for some time, but only recently have I come into certain watches that make me nervous when changing straps/bracelets. Perhaps I’m getting more neurotic with age, or simply purchasing things with more market sensitivity to even the finest of hairline scratches to the lugs - or both.

    Either way, spring bar tools do look of sharks teeth and Brillo, while spring bars themselves are a close second in terms of potential unfriendliness to lugs.

    Then, even after the new strap/bracelet is freshly mounted and all the scratchy-scratchy moments behind, there’s that nagging little voice in my head saying “but is that one funky spring bar end really seated properly in the watch - or will this thing pop off on me in a few hours?

    Accordingly, I’d love to learn best practices, or other’s tips and tricks to changing straps/bracelets with minimal risk to scratching the metal (or having a failure).

    As for my contribution (minimal as is): I’ve come to like enough the tiny adhesive “dots” that are placed over the spring bar holes, providing if only psychological comfort that something at all might be between my tool/spring bar and the lugs the next time I’m performing a spring bar extraction. I’m not yet sure how they hold up in the long run, but they’re cheap and (so far) better than nothing.

    Also, on certain watches I consider using masking (or scotch) tape over the bottom facet of the lugs (placed before and removed after the ‘procedure’).

    As for quieting the tiny voice saying “you know that strap’s not actually attached yet, right, you idiot?” - well, I’ve got little better than the ‘ole tug-tug-wiggle-pray. I’ve also considered having a stock of spring bars on hand and to change them out for new every-other strap/bracelet change, simply to try and preemptively avoid a spring bar failure - but, before such stockpiling, I’ll need to learn more about exactly which brands of spring bars are most trusted in quality.

    I’m certain the many more knowledgeable members of this forum have their own tips, tricks, and incantations - and it would be lovely to have a thread full of them for reference (perhaps even a sticky?).

    Are there watchmaker-recommended tools that on their own minimize the chance of scratches?

    Are there ‘masking’ procedures you follow when hoping to avoid scratches at all costs? Other techniques to the same end?

    And on spring bars themselves, is there any consensus of which replacement brands/models are best, or a “maintenance”/replacement schedule to avoid failures?

    Best, cvalue13

    (PS: I did search for any such threads before making this post, though I admit OF’s search feature leaves quite a lot to be desired - and so missed.)
     
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  2. alam Feb 16, 2020

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    you will find a few pages here and there

    ;)
     
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  3. cvalue13 Feb 16, 2020

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    thank you! Perhaps those and this can be collapsed into some ‘sticky’? Searching for the topic really is illusive (in that search terms yield over broad results, especially on the OF search platform), and its surely a topic folks would find as useful as current stickies in oiling, etc.

    though, I guess I’ll keep searching for a concerted discussion about quality replacement spring bars and recommended replacement/testing intervals
     
  4. Walrus Feb 16, 2020

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    You had some good ideas here. I don’t change many straps. When I purchase one at the jeweler I use they put it on with the purchase. A member here, very cool guy, recently sent me a strap to try. I threw it on without the proper tool but didn’t scratch anything. Seeing how this particular strap changed the look of the watch makes me want to order some more unique ones online. I’m going to order a proper tool and do a couple more watches. I imagine it’s like everything else, the more u do it the easier it gets
     
  5. alam Feb 16, 2020

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    Here's another post by one of our resident watchmakers who knows the spring bar subject very well..
     
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  6. Donn Chambers Feb 16, 2020

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    I’m not one to be overly concerned about scratching the back of my lugs (as only I see that), so I won’t address that aspect of the question. But I can address making sure the bracelet is on properly.

    like you, I have typically done the “tug-tug-wiggle-pray” routine over the years, and that has worked fine for hollow end links. But for solid ones designed to fit precisely to the case, I’ve had problems with this. Case in point is my Seamaster Pro 300m. The first time I took off the bracelet to swap out a strap, then put the bracelet back on, I ran into a problem. I thought the pins had set properly, because nothing moved when I gave it a good tug. But a few hours later the end link pulled away and the watch fell into my lap! Thank God I was sitting on my couch.

    The pin was not damaged, so I tried it again and this time looked at it closely with my loupe. I could see immediately that the end of one of the spring bars had seated itself properly, but the other was just compressed against the edge of the hole. The end felt solidly attached with no wiggle, but the spring bar was not set. I had to use a needle to move the end ever so lightly to align with the hole for it to pop in.

    After that incident, I ALWAYS use a loupe to make sure not ends of the spring bars have seated themselves. Sometimes they have, some times they haven’t. And on my watch, there’s no difference in the play of the end link.
     
    Edited Feb 16, 2020
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  7. MTROIS Feb 16, 2020

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    If available, go to your local OB and have their trained technician do it for you.
    No matter what, it starts with the proper tools and some tape on the back of the lugs in case of a slip...
     
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  8. Dan S Feb 16, 2020

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  9. cvalue13 Feb 16, 2020

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    That seems so obvious... now. Thanks, Dan.
     
  10. Braindrain Feb 16, 2020

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    Yes, proper tools and TAPE. Did I say TAPE?

    My pet peeve is seeing ppl stating their watches are 'mint' but the lugs are scratched to hell. That ain't mint.
     
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  11. Hands90 Feb 25, 2020

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    I've done it all and on all brands that I can think of.
    The tape doesn't really work that well except when putting the bracelet back on.
    On my PO I could get it back on without scratches using. But my Seamaster 300, scratched when the spring bar would come out of the case. With tape one time it shot across and still scratched.

    Either live with it and change them when you want. (Honestly a little polish on the lugs won't hurt) or with my Seamaster 300m, I have not taken the bracelet off and I might actually never remove it because of this.
     
  12. Braindrain Feb 25, 2020

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    You could use the tweezer Bergeon for bracelets. Works way better.

    You dont have to settle.
     
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  13. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 25, 2020

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    for bracelets i always use them.