resizing a watch bracelet

[singingbell]

I just bought a watch (Citizen Eco-Drive) from eBay, and need to shorten the stainless steel bracelet to fit my wrist. Researching online, I found Web pages that describe how to resize the watch band -- there are small arrows on the back of some of the links, which apparently indicate how to remove the pins. The instruction recommends buying a pin removal tool that would cost around $15 (kind of like this tool on Otto Frei).

I''m tempted to try it, but not sure if it''s as easy as it sounds. Has anyone resized a watch bracelet yourself? Is it fairly simple to do, or should I just take the watch to a shop?

 

[Skippy123]

I would take it to the watch shop; they do it fast and safe most of the time. I would be too scared to mess w/it myself. It should only cost about $10 or so to adjust the size.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 8/21/2007 11:08:20 PM
Author: Skippy123
I would take it to the watch shop; they do it fast and safe most of the time. I would be too scared to mess w/it myself. It should only cost about $10 or so to adjust the size.

I agree Skippy. I''d take it to one of those places in the mall, or a jewelry store. $10 sounds about right. Yes you could do it yourself, but I''d rather someone do it for me that has done this over and over. Last thing I''d want is my watch to have a loose pin and fall to the ground...

 

[singingbell]

Thanks for your replies. I definitely agree that it would be better to let someone with more experience to handle the resizing, and $10 isn''t bad at all. I guess I''m a bit wary of mall stores because of a not-so-good experience. I took a watch in to replace the battery, and the store manager convinced me that the watch needed a professional cleaning for it to run efficiently. Since the watch was a gift, I wanted to keep it in good condition, so I agreed. Come to find out later, the price I paid for the cleaning was almost enough to buy a brand new watch in the same model.

One reason why I got the Eco-Drive is that I won''t have to worry about battery replacements anymore!

I think I will take my watch to the store. At least now I know to ask a lot more questions before handing over my watch and my money.

 

[omieluv]

Sorry to hear about you last mall experience! I have not had bad experiences going to a mall store, nor have I ever had any tell me that I needed to have my watch serviced.

I recently purchased a new watch from an online vendor and took it to my local jewlery store for sizing. Typically, I had always gone to mall stores for watch sizing, however, the jewlery store was more convenient. They sized the watch and did not charge me, which amazed me because I did not buy my watch from them. I can honestly say that I will be going back when I need my battery changed!

 

[Maisie]

I resize watches all the time at work. If I can do it anyone can! It is very straightforward if you have the right tools. I can explain step by step if you need me to?

 

[singingbell]

Quick update... I happened to be near the mall for lunch, so I took my watch with me. Went to two different shops. The first shop (a watch store) quoted $10 to do the resize, but the technician with the necessary tool wasn''t available for the day so I was asked to go back on another day. The second shop (a jewelry chain store) quoted a more expensive $15 but promised a quick turnaround, so I agreed.

The resize was a bit tricky because my wrist is very small. When the bracelet length looked just right on the wrist, it felt too snug. An extra link made the watch more comfortable to wear, but looked kind of "floppy" on my tiny wrist. The lady working with me suggested trying it out for a day or two, and if I change my mind, I could take the watch back to her for further adjustment. When I was ready to pay, she smiled and told me that there''s no charge! On the whole, a surprisingly pleasant and smooth experience.

* * *

Omieluv, thanks for sharing your positive experience, which made me less hesitant to give the mall stores another try.

Maisie and SDL, you''re very kind to offer helpful advice! Maybe you can help me with something... One minor thing that''s kind of bugging me on the bracelet -- some of the pins are pushed farther in than others, so when I look at the bracelet from either side, I''d see some holes where I used to see the end of the pins. (Hope that makes sense!) I assume I can just take a tiny screw driver and push them back bit by bit until they''re aligned?

 

[Maisie]

You can push them back in gently. It should be fine

 

[Gypsy]

I''m glad you had such a good experience and got your watch adjusted at the same time! Wrist pics please!

 

[singingbell]

Gypsy, here''s the wrist shot for ya, along with my RHR sneaking in to share the spotlight.

The watch face only shows its true color (dark blue) in bright light; most times it appears black.

 

[singingbell]

While I''m at it, here''s a closer look at the watch -- the Eco-Drive Cortina. I chose it over the Palidoro (which I adore) because I wanted the versatility of the two-tone band for everyday, and I''m really glad I did.

I''m having fun with the luminescent hands/markers, ducking into the closet or a dark corner every once in a while to see what time it is... Hehehe.

 

[charles de gall]

I have the bracelet resizing tool, a little vise that holds the link whilst the pin is pushed out. It''s very easy and I do it all the time. Some pins are harder than others to remove and reinstall, so unless you have the proper tools and the patience it is best to have a pro do it.

Many high end watches use screws which are a lot easier to deal with than the pins. Omega uses mostly pins, and that is annoying for a watch of that cost. Rolex and Breitling, among many others, use screws.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love Eco-drive watches! It is so wonderful never having to worry about batteries! Yours looks really nice!

 

[singingbell]

Date: 8/25/2007 9:25:26 PM
Author: charles de gall
Some pins are harder than others to remove and reinstall, so unless you have the proper tools and the patience it is best to have a pro do it.

I quickly found out how true that is... I put some minute scratches to the side of the bracelet, just trying to push the pins a few millimeters. It takes more manual dexterity than I have to hold the watch still and aim the eyeglass screw driver at the tiny pins.

So the pins shall stay where they are until I can find the right tool or person to fix them.

The scratches aren't noticeable, really. It's kind of like getting that first ding on one's shiny new car. Once other dings start to appear, one learns to let go.

Date: 8/25/2007 10:16:30 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I love Eco-drive watches! It is so wonderful never having to worry about batteries! Yours looks really nice!

Thanks DS! I wanted a watch that doesn't rely on batteries, and initially I thought my only option was an automatic watch. Your recommendation on PS was one of the reasons why I looked into the Eco-Drive in the first place! I think a light-powered watch is such a cool idea!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Congratulations!!!

One of my watches is solar powered and I love the idea of never needing batteries!