Black cord watch band for deco-era platinum watch?

[glitterata]

Hi, jewelry friends--

I need some watchband advice. I now have a small collection of platinum and diamond art deco ladies'' watches. They came with old black cord watchbands that I need to replace (frayed cord, busted clasps, etc.)

My local jeweler wanted $40 for a nylon cord watch band with a stainless steel clasp, made in China. That''s $40 for a couple of pieces of string and a stamped steel clasp that must have cost pennies to make. I couldn''t get myself to buy it. For the price of three or four of these things I could buy a whole new deco-era platinum and diamond watch.

I went home & did some poking around online. I found similar-looking cord bands for $10 - $20 apiece. The problem is, I have no idea how to cut a cord down to my size and fit it on the watch. I figure it can''t be all that hard, but I need instructions.

Can any of you help me out? How do I shorten the watchband (cord) and affix it to the watch?

Thanks!

 

[Lula]

Hi, Glitterata

It''s been many years -- okay, decades -- since I saw my grandmother shortening a strap like this, but from what I remember the metal at the bottom of the strap (latch/catch end) is able to be pried apart, the cord comes loose, and you cut the cord to your size (with a little slack to allow for it to be pinched back into the latch/catch pieces.

Remember to take the extra out on both sides of the catch (left and right). So if the watch cord is one inch too big, you shorten each side 1/2 inch.

 

[glitterata]

Thanks, Sara! I think I''ll risk buying one and trying it myself.

 

[Lula]

If you can post a photo of the cord when you get it, that might help me remember better how it worked -- i.e., if it''s easy enough to pry apart with your fingers or if you needed some household tool (pliers? scissors?) to open it up. I remember it wasn''t too big a deal -- but we''re going back to the 1960s in my memory, which is hard to do these days!

 

[glitterata]

Thanks, will do! (The 1960s are getting dimmer and dimmer in my memory too...)

 

[Lula]

Hi, Glitterata, I don''t know if you''re still interested in how to shorten one of these cord bands, but I have more information on how they work.

The catch/fastener at the bottom of the watch actually open up on each side so you can remove the cord, cut it and slide it back into the catch. It stays in there because it is "pinched" in place by the catch.

As far as I can tell, the only way to get the little clips off near the top of the band (the watch end) is to open them with a needle nose pliers or tweezers and then pinch them back on after you slip the cord through the lugs.

Does this make sense?

 

[glitterata]

That does make sense, and thank you!

My watch is back at the watchmaker''s being fixed again, so I haven''t tried to change the band yet. I do plan to try, though.