Swapping a SS bracelet onto a 116506

[SeeDweller]

NOTE: Early today, I put this post into a different thread, but have not had much luck with serious answers. Hoping someone can help advice me here....
In advance, thank you!
________________

As you can tell by the "Title" of the thread . . . my wife has talked me into obtaining a new (through AD) Platona! OMG, it's gorgeous, to be sure! That ice-blue set off by the brown bezel and sub-dials! (Drool....).

However, I'm into keeping things in really nice condition, and fortunately, so is she.
Thus, we've agreed to put a SS bracelet on the Platinum watch (it'll blend in very well, and definitely hold up to scratches WAY better!).
(And I beg you to please skip the comments that if we can afford the Platona, we can afford to wear out the bracelet - - it's not what we prefer to do)
So, we ordered the SS bracelet (78590) that fits the modern SS Daytona, and we're hoping to put it on the new 116506.

..... and the problem is: The case sizes are actually different! The pin-hole "spacing" (the location of the pin-hole on the lug, relative to the case)) is not the same on the SS and the Platinum version!!!
(Wish I was better at posting pix, because the actual profile of the SS lug and the Platinum lug are slightly different.
I do NOT know why they'd make the Platinum lug even more bulky, but they did....).

When installed on the Platinum watch, the end link for the SS bracelet is loose enough that it "swivels" outward, away from the platinum watch-case..
It's not attractive, and worse, will probably wear the lugs down (from the movement of the SS against the softer metal).

What does anyone recommend?
1. Is there any "shim" or "spacer" that could be used, to tighten up the end link?

2. Can I use the Platinum end link, but attach the SS bracelet and clasp?

3. Other thoughts?

Again, I appreciate any creative ideas you have!!

[SeeDweller]

No one?

Not one single thought about the best way to spare the soft (precious metal) bracelet and wearing this fine watch with an equally beautiful SS bracelet?

Nothing????? (I'm SO shocked!!).

[Fredrik]

Well, platinum isn't that soft to begin with, and the 5% other platinum group metals it is usually alloyed with makes it even harder. It has never crossed my mind that it could be considered soft, it is not at all like gold in my experience.

[mmmmp]

Restore the original configuration by re-installing the stock bracelet.

Sell the SS bracelet or return the SS bracelet (if possible) as soon as you can.

The next time you have a 'creative' solution to a potential problem, stop and think it through. You don't mention anything about sourcing the SS bracelet or researching dimensions. I suspect you were worried the forum would not condone this modification. (I sure as hell wouldn't!) But, my thinking would be: it's your watch, do as you please - an opinion I'd keep to myself.

Bottom line, regardless of your finances, you're about to learn a costly lesson. (Although, if the bracelet is 'mint', it may not be too bad.)

I hope things work out for you but with a forum of experts, artists, engineers, etc. here on the forum, one simple 'will it fit?' type question would have steered you away from this silly attempt to 'preserve' your timepiece.

Don't get mad at me either: you asked and got my opinion. Regardless, best of luck, I hope you don't get stung too bad. (But, you can afford it right?)

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

Well, platinum isn't that soft to begin with, and the 5% other platinum group metals it is usually alloyed with makes it even harder. It has never crossed my mind that it could be considered soft, it is not at all like gold in my experience.

Thank you. I had been informed that Pt was way softer, in terms of being scratched, than was 14K YG. And it has certainly been my experience that my TT (YG/SS) bracelets have that center-link scratch almost immediately, as soon as the bracelet touches the desk!!

Your encouragement that the Pt might not be as "soft" (or shall we say, "scratch-able"?) as I had thought is certainly worth considering.

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by mmmmp

Restore the original configuration by re-installing the stock bracelet.

Sell the SS bracelet or return the SS bracelet (if possible) as soon as you can.

The next time you have a 'creative' solution to a potential problem, stop and think it through. You don't mention anything about sourcing the SS bracelet or researching dimensions. I suspect you were worried the forum would not condone this modification. (I sure as hell wouldn't!) But, my thinking would be: it's your watch, do as you please - an opinion I'd keep to myself.

Bottom line, regardless of your finances, you're about to learn a costly lesson. (Although, if the bracelet is 'mint', it may not be too bad.)

I hope things work out for you but with a forum of experts, artists, engineers, etc. here on the forum, one simple 'will it fit?' type question would have steered you away from this silly attempt to 'preserve' your timepiece.

Don't get mad at me either: you asked and got my opinion. Regardless, best of luck, I hope you don't get stung too bad. (But, you can afford it right?)

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

Mark - -
First, thank you for your well-thought-out response. You're right that I asked (and got) your opinion. And we're all entitled to our own (however crazy they may seem to others....).

Next, I'm not trying to preserve the timepiece itself. My wife really wanted this, and she bought it (well . . . "WE" bought it, really! ), and I am delighted that she loves fine horologic pleasures. Not many of my watch-loving friends are so lucky, right?? She swaps out her 18238 (which she wears on an ostrich strap, by the way...), with a gorgeous RootBeer 16753 (nipple-dial, and we've left the YG/SS Jubilee on that), and now has her "grail" 116506. She's in Heaven, for sure!

But, we rationalize putting this much money into watches, by admitting that the vast majority of our collection can be sold in the future, if we're ever in need of funds. (We are NOT super-wealthy, though we're comfortable, to be sure...). Thus, we tend to buy pre-owned, and wear our lovely baubles, and get GREAT pleasure out of them! On the other hand, when we can get a treasure in perfect condition, ... and we'll get just as much pleasure out of putting a strap on it, to preserve the bracelet in "new" condition, ... then we DO that.
So, it's a mixed bag! While I certainly love, and wear, the new Jubilee on my new Bat-girl 126710, I wear most of my vintage watches (e.g. 1655, 5512) on straps, with the Michael Young restored bracelets kept in the safe.
I'm perfectly OK with that.

So, THAT's why we're trying to figure out a way to keep this platinum bracelet in that "new" condition. This is easily (by a factor of 3) the most expensive piece we own, and it's kinda hard to just start banging the bracelet around. I hope I've explained this well enough, so you don't think I'm TOO silly, after all...

We'll still try to figure out how to do this (I've heard that a SS Yachtmaster 40, Ref 126622, bracelet might fit the extra large lugs of the WG or Plat. Daytona. . . . but I'll move slower this time. If nothing works out, then, my dear wife will have to start lifting weights to just wear the platinum bracelet after all! (I'm not as tied to this end-result as I sound...)

The SS 78590 will be nice to keep in the inventory (I still have a fantasy about buying and selling vintage Rolex over the next 10 years, as my retirement becomes more complete...), but I'll be able to turn it over, anytime. It IS brand new (in the coffin from Rolex, with all stickers and seals, bought from someone who can do such things...).

Thanks again, Mark. You sound like a really good guy.

[SeeDweller]

And just for the fun of showing you, . . . this thing looks pretty damn nice on a brown croc strap, too!!

[ratty]

To my eye, the watch looks great on the strap.

SS and PM Daytonas do have slightly different shape cases, so this may account for the spring bar holes being in a different place compared to the case as well.

[fsprow]

Just addressing the hardness (resistance to scratching) matter, there is very little difference in hardness of the ALLOYS of platinum, stainless steels (316 or 904), and 18K gold used in jewelry. The difference in use is that platinum requires special techniques to polish out scratches and other minor damage. Rolex RSC's and I'm sure others are well equipped to handle this.

If it was my watch, I would sell the SS bracelet and use your original and/or a leather strap.

[scooba]

Hi , I have a platty and would suggest wearing it and enjoy it , when you want to move it along get it serviced at RSC it will be returned like new and you will get your money back

Ref the SS bracelet you could sell it and possibly even make some money on that

The leather you have put on your 116506 looks really good .

[Fred48]

You might also consider a rubber bracelet.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by SeeDweller

No one?

Not one single thought about the best way to spare the soft (precious metal) bracelet and wearing this fine watch with an equally beautiful SS bracelet?

Nothing????? (I'm SO shocked!!).

Platinum is far from a "soft" precious metal. It is well above 18k gold for abrasion, wear, and hardness, although it is lower on the hardness scale than stainless steel.

I expect that you could pull the endlink apart on a stainless bracelet, and replace it with one from a platinum bracelet. You could also fill and re-drill the endlink so that it matches the measurements of the proper end link.

I would not expect the advantages to outweigh the effort. I would bet a lot that you cannot wear out a platinum bracelet through normal wear-and-tear.

[toolr]

Excuse my blunt response, but this whole exercise seems flawed from it's inception. What are you saving the platinum bracelet from, a few scratches? Are you attempting to keep it looking new while the watch case ages, or for the next owner when you sell it?
Put the platinum bracelet bracelet back on and enjoy the watch as it was intended. When it goes in for service years down the road it will come back looking new again.

[scooba]

Why not get a Stainless Steel Daytona as well ?

[SeeDweller]

Thanks, ALL, for your thoughtful and kind responses.

I'm still thinking about having someone do a 3D Scan on the original end links on the platinum bracelet, and with the resulting datafile, have a couple of stainless links 3D printed, and then have Rolliworks attach them to the SS bracelet that I have. But this has all become a "down the rabbit hole" kind of project, to be sure!

When my wife returns from her trip, I believe I'll just present the watch to her wrist, with the original platinum bracelet, and like virtually ALL of you have suggested, . . . just tell her to wear it, don't worry about the scratches, and have fun in life!! (I LOVE the suggestion and reassurance to my anxious inner-self that when the time comes . . . we'll just have RSC service it, polish it, and it'll look great. Really appreciate you understanding my "issue"!)

What a fabulous forum we've got here!!!!

[SearChart]

Just wear the platinum bracelet. This makes no sense at all...

[Wigwag]

Originally Posted by SeeDweller

I'm still thinking about having someone do a 3D Scan on the original end links on the platinum bracelet, and with the resulting datafile, have a couple of stainless links 3D printed, and then have Rolliworks attach them to the SS bracelet that I have.

I doubt Rolliworks would have any interest in helping you with this.

[henrylee]

I would just enjoy the watch

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by Wigwag

I doubt Rolliworks would have any interest in helping you with this.

Then you must not know Mike very well.

Your supposition happens to be incorrect.

(and that's about the most negative thing I've EVER posted on TRF, so you've brought out the worst in me)

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by henrylee

I would just enjoy the watch

As you've read from my posts above , . . . we are most definitely going to enjoy the watch, on a platinum or SS or freaking NATO strap, is my lady wants.
It's ALL about the fun, right?

But I think you're simply reassuring me to not worry about the scratches, so thank you for the friendly pat on the shoulder. I appreciate that!

[Wigwag]

Originally Posted by SeeDweller

Then you must not know Mike very well.

Your supposition happens to be incorrect.

(and that's about the most negative thing I've EVER posted on TRF, so you've brought out the worst in me)

I'm very surprised that a company of their stature is supportive of the manufacture and installation of non-Rolex components. It's quite worrying, in fact.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Wigwag

I'm very surprised that a company of their stature is supportive of the manufacture and installation of non-Rolex components. It's quite worrying, in fact.

On the contrary imho, thanks to companies like this we have the freedom to mess up our watches as we like.
RSC’s are not very accommodating.

OP should do what he wants, regardless how weird it is

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by Wigwag

I'm very surprised that a company of their stature is supportive of the manufacture and installation of non-Rolex components. It's quite worrying, in fact.

If Rolliworks was to put a non-Rolex part on a Rolex watch or bracelet, and then not disclose it . . . THAT would be worrying, to be sure. But, that's not what we're discussing here.

Mike Hui is a pretty honorable fellow, and runs a VERY high quality shop. None of what we're musing about, should affect that opinion, at all!

Hey, we're all just having fun here, right?

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by joli160

On the contrary imho, thanks to companies like this we have the freedom to mess up our watches as we like.
RSC’s are not very accommodating.
OP should do what he wants, regardless how weird it is

You're awesome! Thank you for that supportive comment.
Hell, . . . we don't know if ANY of this will work, so it's all just fun and games to think about problem-solving the situation.

BTW, we've been running the same discussion over on the After-Dark forum, and there's about an equal amount of "What the hell are you thinking??" comments over there, too.
But it makes me smile to receive those, such as yours, who really enjoy the challenge to try to work something out that's out of the ordinary. You've got a true "tech" mind. Thanks again,

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by SeeDweller

You're awesome! Thank you for that supportive comment.
Hell, . . . we don't know if ANY of this will work, so it's all just fun and games to think about problem-solving the situation.

BTW, we've been running the same discussion over on the After-Dark forum, and there's about an equal amount of "What the hell are you thinking??" comments over there, too.
But it makes me smile to receive those, such as yours, who really enjoy the challenge to try to work something out that's out of the ordinary. You've got a true "tech" mind. Thanks again,

Except there is no problem. You have a perfectly fine watch with an original bracelet that fits...

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Except there is no problem. You have a perfectly fine watch with an original bracelet that fits...

"Problem" is a relative term, my friend.
(One man's "problem" is another man's pleasure.)

I think I've spelled out the issue pretty well in Posts #1 and #6, above. The "problem" is mine, of course. You dismissing it as inconsequential is really irrelevant for this discussion. Thank you just the same.

Enjoy your week!

[Nathan356]

You could also just try swapping the stainless clasp onto the platinum bracelet, since the clasp is the part that sees the most wear anyway. Not quite sure if that will fit but now that you have both its worth a try. Kudos to you for trying and reporting back. I have to laugh at people who think what you are doing is a waste of money and time considering the rest of the world thinks our entire hobby is a waste of money and time :P.