Adding a stainless link to RO

[Bonobuds]

Hello TRF,
My 15400 white arrived! I need to add a link. How difficult is it to do? I have the 1.5 link from APSC in hand. The local AP AD is not the one I bought it from, so would prefer doing it myself if it is an easy fix.
Thanks!

[denmanproject]

The screws are in there pretty good so make sure you have a properly sized, good quality screwdriver and heat up the bracelet a bit with a blow dryer first

Also not a bad idea to use some painters tape in the area to avoid scratches in case of a slip

[ndrenfro]

Ive done it several times. If you have the right size screwdrivers it’s pretty easy. Using tape to protect the bracelet around the screwdrivers is a good idea.


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[Islatate]

Originally Posted by Bonobuds

Hello TRF,
My 15400 white arrived! I need to add a link. How difficult is it to do? I have the 1.5 link from APSC in hand. The local AP AD is not the one I bought it from, so would prefer doing it myself if it is an easy fix.
Thanks!

There are 2 types of screws used in the 15400 bracelet. If you own an H serial, the screws are longer with the threaded part at the far end (the end away from the screw head). If you own the "i" or "j" serial, the links use a very short screw and an approx 1.25cm pin.

Just check to make sure your 1.5x link uses the same system as the one in your bracelet.

I find the long screw easier to remove and re-install than the short screw/pin system. But a 1.2mm wide slot head screw driver will do the trick. I suggest taping the the link in case your hand slips.

[Bonobuds]

Originally Posted by Islatate

There are 2 types of screws used in the 15400 bracelet. If you own an H serial, the screws are longer with the threaded part at the far end (the end away from the screw head). If you own the "i" or "j" serial, the links use a very short screw and an approx 1.25cm pin.

Just check to make sure your 1.5x link uses the same system as the one in your bracelet.

I find the long screw easier to remove and re-install than the short screw/pin system. But a 1.2mm wide slot head screw driver will do the trick. I suggest taping the the link in case your hand slips.

Thank you for your prompt reply. APSC wouldn’t sell me the link until I gave them the serial number! It is a new J series, but the 1.5 link didn’t come w/any screws, I am assuming two things 1) it is the right link & 2) that I just add it & use the screw from the one I loosened.

[Islatate]

Originally Posted by Bonobuds

Thank you for your prompt reply. APSC wouldn’t sell me the link until I gave them the serial number! It is a new J series, but the 1.5 link didn’t come w/any screws, I am assuming two things 1) it is the right link & 2) that I just add it & use the screw from the one I loosened.

My understanding is that the 1.5x link also uses 2 systems of fastening (long screw or short screw/pin.

The best way to check if your 1.5x link uses the same short screw/pin system on your "j" bracelet is to remove the short screw on any link on your existing bracelet and try it on your 1.5x link. If the thread on the short screw catches, then you have the newer 1.5x link. If the short screw just spins around in your 1.5x link, then that means your 1.5x link requires the long screw.

Good luck.

[DCheeta]

As you have a J-series and therefore the short screw/long pin configuration, I recommend working on a surface that won't allow the tiny screws to bounce or roll away. They're minuscule and can easily escape from you!

[Islatate]

Originally Posted by DCheeta

As you have a J-series and therefore the short screw/long pin configuration, I recommend working on a surface that won't allow the tiny screws to bounce or roll away. They're minuscule and can easily escape from you!

Great suggestion Dave! That's happened to me on more than one occasion - I end up on my hands and knees scouring the floor for very tiny shiny object!

[DCheeta]

Originally Posted by Islatate

Great suggestion Dave! That's happened to me on more than one occasion - I end up on my hands and knees scouring the floor for very tiny shiny object!

Me too! Others can learn from our pain.

[Nad]

Just another suggestion for not losing the screws...............

When changing straps on another watch I have with wire lugs, there are also tiny screws that could portentially bounce around and get lost.

I found that using a towel to work on (instead of a hard surface), the towel 'loops' catches these screws very well and prevents them from bouncing and getting lost:

[Bonobuds]

I couldn’t get the torque to turn the screw, so I went to the local AD for assistance. They had to use some special AP heater to get the lugs out only to find APSC sent me the wrong style link, even after confirming my serial #! 45 miles in, parking costs, 45 miles home. I voiced my displeasure with APSC, was promised some “goodies”. Time will tell. I’m hoping for a travel case. I already have an AP pen, which is awesome!

[Islatate]

Originally Posted by Bonobuds

I couldn’t get the torque to turn the screw, so I went to the local AD for assistance. They had to use some special AP heater to get the lugs out only to find APSC sent me the wrong style link, even after confirming my serial #! 45 miles in, parking costs, 45 miles home. I voiced my displeasure with APSC, was promised some “goodies”. Time will tell. I’m hoping for a travel case. I already have an AP pen, which is awesome!

The same thing happened to a friend of mine - they sent 1.5x link that uses the long screw for a bracelet that uses the new system (short screw with long pins).

I feel your frustration!

[Islatate]

Originally Posted by Nad

Just another suggestion for not losing the screws...............

When changing straps on another watch I have with wire lugs, there are also tiny screws that could portentially bounce around and get lost.

I found that using a towel to work on (instead of a hard surface), the towel 'loops' catches these screws very well and prevents them from bouncing and getting lost:

That is a great suggestion. Next time I remove links on my AP bracelet, I will borrow one of my wife's face towels!

[BlueIn2Red]

Originally Posted by Islatate

The same thing happened to a friend of mine - they sent 1.5x link that uses the long screw for a bracelet that uses the new system (short screw with long pins).



I feel your frustration!

It happened to me too - I travelled 7000 miles to my AD (actually, boutique, and I didn’t travel only for that reason of course!) to get the 1.5 link done, and it didn’t fit. To be fair though, they told me this could well be the case; apparently AP fitted different bracelet types to the 15400, even within the same serial number prefix, so they can’t know exactly what kind of link you need without actually seeing the watch. It’s an odd kind of “system”!