how does someone refurbish a stretched out Rolex bracelet??

[grandmasterP]

how does someone refurbish a stretched out Rolex bracelet??

I've seen pics of some really badly stretched Rolex bracelets that have been refurbished back to new condition.....but just curious how do they do it??

as I understand, the most common problem.......dirt and grit gets in between the links and the pins and acts like a grinding compound that wears down the metal

but how does the repair work?? is metal added to the thinned out links?? or are they pinched tighter?? are all the link pins replaced?? or do they just replace the thinned out links??

and is a refurbished bracelet as strong as a new one?? I mean if they just squeeze the thinned out links tighter and don't replace any pins.....

is this just a temparary fix?? or will it last for years and years??

[powerfunk]

I'd like to know more about this too. And from what I can gather from these forums, Michael Young is the only dude in the universe who seems to be refurbishing Rolex bracelets...and everyone else in the world refurbishes Rolex bracelets by sending them to Michael Young. I hope some other fine craftsmen will eventually fill the excess demand for this service!

[beetleything]

Somewhere ?? recently i saw a pic ....on here i think ....of what a worn pin looked like - PRETTY BAD ...and the new one next to it.......that's your answer.

Found it.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...01&postcount=4

[BeeMee]

I haven't checked Michael Young's website lately, but back in 2009, before I sent him my Day-Date bracelet for repair I remember some information about tightening a Rolex bracelet.

In a Rolex bracelet, except for the links with the removable screws, the pins that hold the links together are a tight press fit into the outer sections of each link.

As I understand it, M.Y. developed special machinery to disassemble and reassemble a Rolex bracelet without damaging any of the parts. After the bracelet is disassembled, the old pins are no longer used and the bracelet is reassembled with new pins.

If the bracelet has folded links, he reshapes and tightens the links before reassembling the bracelet.

I am sure there is more to the process, but basically that is the simple explanation.

[grandmasterP]

cool, thanks for the info.....still wondering how he replaces the thinned out parts? are they scrapped and new links used? or material added?

maybe he uses bigger diameter pins to tighten things up if the holes the pins fit in are egged out or sloppy??

I repaired a beater Tag Heuer sel bracelet that the pin holes were worn out and sloppy. I used epoxy and locktight and the bracelet is tight like new again......sounds crude but my watchmaker says sometimes he does the same thing as a last resort. it's lasted years and is still tight

the sel links come apart by pulling the two halves apart. kind of a bad design since the holes easily get enlarged and then the bracelet becomes sloppy

one reason I discourage people from buying watches with an integral bracelet......it means you can only use that bracelet and if it stretches or breaks good luck finding a replacement one.

do you feel the refurbished bracelet is as strong as a new one?? last as long??

Originally Posted by BeeMee

I haven't checked Michael Young's website lately, but back in 2009, before I sent him my Day-Date bracelet for repair I remember some information about tightening a Rolex bracelet.

In a Rolex bracelet, except for the links with the removable screws, the pins that hold the links together are a tight press fit into the outer sections of each link.

As I understand it, M.Y. developed special machinery to disassemble and reassemble a Rolex bracelet without damaging any of the parts. After the bracelet is disassembled, the old pins are no longer used and the bracelet is reassembled with new pins.

If the bracelet has folded links, he reshapes and tightens the links before reassembling the bracelet.

I am sure there is more to the process, but basically that is the simple explanation.

[darrenvs]

Rolex don't refurbish worn bracelets. You get a new bracelet supplied at a reduced cost.

[gwozhog]

Originally Posted by darrenvs

Rolex don't refurbish worn bracelets. You get a new bracelet supplied at a reduced cost.

I believe everything you said except for the reduced cost part.

[darrenvs]

The price is reduced in relation to the price of a new bracelet. Its approx half in the UK

[Brushpup]

Originally Posted by gwozhog

I believe everything you said except for the reduced cost part.

Rolex and reduced cost?

[cajunron]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

Rolex and reduced cost?

Yeah, that IS a good one!

[crowncollection]

no seriously you get a very small trade in credit

[Mpoweroo1]

Originally Posted by crowncollection

no seriously you get a very small trade in credit

It is true, the rep when I had mine serviced said they provide a trade in credit as the old ones are used for training purposes.

[honitel]

Originally Posted by powerfunk

I'd like to know more about this too. And from what I can gather from these forums, Michael Young is the only dude in the universe who seems to be refurbishing Rolex bracelets...and everyone else in the world refurbishes Rolex bracelets by sending them to Michael Young. I hope some other fine craftsmen will eventually fill the excess demand for this service!

I sure hope there will be other craftsmen who will come out. Although,Michael Young is really good at it!

[cjlewis610]

Originally Posted by beetleything

Somewhere ?? recently i saw a pic ....on here i think ....of what a worn pin looked like - PRETTY BAD ...and the new one next to it.......that's your answer.

Found it.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...01&postcount=4

Thanks for tracking this down!

[bobbipiazza]

Originally Posted by beetleything

Somewhere ?? recently i saw a pic ....on here i think ....of what a worn pin looked like - PRETTY BAD ...and the new one next to it.......that's your answer.

Found it.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...01&postcount=4

I noticed these pics...they're Bob Ridley's work. He repins riveted bracelets, and repairs buckles / clasps on various generations of bracelets.