RO Bracelet Stretch - please tell me I’m crazy. Some idiot yanked my wrist

[Vince_76]

I know the title sounds crazy and I’ll preface this by saying that, like some on this forum I’m a bit OCD at times, and it gets exacerbated by events like this.

Anyways, long story short, some dude grabs my wrist, on my 15500 and yanks on it with some decent force. Thankfully he wasn’t wearing any rings or anything… the watch was snug on my wrist, but I wonder if he applied enough force to stretch the bracelet at all.

I know common sense tells me no, particularly since the watch was snug on my wrist and didn’t really move it all. Not to mention one needs about 29.7k psi to deform stainless steel, per my understanding. But I keep second-guessing and think that the bracelet is a bit looser.

Just need some reassurance, and on the topic of it, curious what folks’ experience has been with stretch on the royal oak over time. Also, does AP use 316L steel for their bracelets, screws, etc?

[messikens]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

I know the title sounds crazy and I’ll preface this by saying that, like some on this forum I’m a bit OCD at times, and it gets exacerbated by events like this.

Anyways, long story short, some dude grabs my wrist, on my 15500 and yanks on it with some decent force. Thankfully he wasn’t wearing any rings or anything… the watch was snug on my wrist, but I wonder if he applied enough force to stretch the bracelet at all.

I know common sense tells me no, particularly since the watch was snug on my wrist and didn’t really move it all. Not to mention one needs about 29.7k psi to deform stainless steel, per my understanding. But I keep second-guessing and think that the bracelet is a bit looser.

Just need some reassurance, and on the topic of it, curious what folks’ experience has been with stretch on the royal oak over time. Also, does AP use 316L steel for their bracelets, screws, etc?

Sorry to hear - would be interested to hear more of the backstory. Hope it's not an idiot at a bar sort of thing.

TBH I would expect you should be ok. If it wasnt sustained for a long period, the steel bracelet and the bars (esp given that you're talking about distributing the force among a number of them) can take some abuse.

Can't speak to the makeup of the steel but don't overthink it!!

[psm11]

Sorry to hear this Vince but it’s prob ok. Def would like to hear more about the other dude and why he did that.


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[jgottsman11]

maybe post a pic of the stretch that is bothering you. it's probably nothing though. forget about it and move on

[Vince_76]

Thanks guys. Happy it wasn’t more serious that’s for sure. There’s some sickos out there.

Anyways, going to wear the watch to dinner tonight, will post some pics in a couple hours.

[Vince_76]

Crown down, the way it was pulled

[rrschmieder]

Still looks great to me.. I understand there's a bit of tolerance already built into the bracelet for comfort. Maybe have a cocktail to treat the OCD? :)

[psm11]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Thanks guys. Happy it wasn’t more serious that’s for sure. There’s some sickos out there.

Anyways, going to wear the watch to dinner tonight, will post some pics in a couple hours.

Was he trying to steal it?


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[SearChart]

Sorry to hear about what happened.

I wouldn't worry about the bracelet too much, it still looks like new in the pictures you've posted.
If it were gold it could definitely have been bent, but steel? I don't think so.

[Vince_76]

Thanks all, really appreciate all the input. Yes, it was a sketchy situation where the watch could have been stolen. Happy that wasn’t the case

Originally Posted by SearChart

Sorry to hear about what happened.

I wouldn't worry about the bracelet too much, it still looks like new in the pictures you've posted.
If it were gold it could definitely have been bent, but steel? I don't think so.

Thanks SearChart. How is that possible that even gold would bend? He put his hand firmly in my wrist over my watch, and pulled down. The watch didn’t move and the downward pressure couldn’t have been more than whatever gold’s tensile strength is?

[saxo3]

Sorry to hear Vince_76 and thanks for your pm.

For the scenario you describe, it would be very difficult to calculate the local forces acting on a stainless steel (or any other metal) bracelet.

I think that the individual elements of the bracelet cannot be stretched by simply pulling, as the thief tried to do, because the forces are simply too small (by far).

Probably rather weak points on your bracelet are the "clusp fixations" (transition between the bracelet elements and the clusp), I don't know the correct term.

But I would be (much) more concerned about the bracelet/case connection, i.e. the spring bars. I believe (not sure) that AP calls them "screw-in lug bars/pins".

They may have been bent a little. I would check and replace both "spring bars" just to eliminate the possibility (or risk) of weak spots there.

I'm not a bracelet expert by any means.

An interesting article one can find here:
https://apchronicles.audemarspiguet....-oak-bracelets

[In-N-Out]

Watch is likely fine, but some more details would be nice about the incident if you can.

What do you mean the watch “could have” been stolen? Was someone pretending to admire it first and then tried to snatch it off?

[l_chissle]

Looks fine.

[Tools]

It is extremely unlikely that pulling on your watch will stretch the metal at all. What could happen if the force was great enough is bending of the small diameter connecting pins/screws, however this would take a tremendous amount of force.

In industrial occupational safety training, there are numerous accounts, with pictures, of workers hanging by their watches with the wrist taking almost all of the damage, and rings that take off fingers before they stretch.

Typically, with bracelets, "stretch" is not actually stretching of the metal, but wear of the connecting pins where their diameter is reduced resulting in more gap between metal parts. This wear results in more space between parts, so a measurable increase in length appearing to be stretch when the exact opposite is actually occurring.

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by saxo3

Sorry to hear Vince_76 and thanks for your pm.

But I would be (much) more concerned about the bracelet/case connection, i.e. the spring bars. I believe (not sure) that AP calls them "screw-in lug bars/pins".

Thanks Saxo. Do you think it looks bent or are you just saying that as a precaution? the guy put his whole hand over my watch and pulled down, and the watch didn’t move. So I’m trying to understand how that would stress the screw in bars? Probably overthinking it, but if he applied vertical force and my wrist was at my side, with the watch not moving, I don’t see how the screw in bar would be affected.

Originally Posted by In-N-Out

Watch is likely fine, but some more details would be nice about the incident if you can.

What do you mean the watch “could have” been stolen? Was someone pretending to admire it first and then tried to snatch it off?

Thanks. Yes, essentially in a pretty residential area, walking to someone’s house. Some guy was a bit belligerent striking up a convo, so I tried to cut the conversation short, at which point he tried to snatch my watch. Punched him in the throat and ran

[Il Tifoso]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Thanks. Yes, essentially in a pretty residential area, walking to someone’s house. Some guy was a bit belligerent striking up a convo, so I tried to cut the conversation short, at which point he tried to snatch my watch. Punched him in the throat and ran

Yikes, glad you’re ok and things didn’t escalate further!

[hussain]

Oh Damn Vince_76, glad you're ok. The watch bracelet looks fine, bend is natural.

heres a pic of mine for assurance

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by hussain

Oh Damn Vince_76, glad you're ok. The watch bracelet looks fine, bend is natural.

heres a pic of mine for assurance

Thanks Hussain! You’re the man. Appreciate the pic.

Everyone, really appreciate the reassurance.

[gmtmister]

don't let the brain play tricks on you Vince, your watch/bracelet are perfect!

[VogelPhoenix]

Bracelet looks fine. I might expect to see one of the pins to fail if sufficient force is applied, but not what is usually described as bracelet stretch (resulting from gradual wear of pins/links).

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by gmtmister

don't let the brain play tricks on you Vince, your watch/bracelet are perfect!

Thank you Gmtmister! What I needed to hear

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Thanks Saxo. Do you think it looks bent or are you just saying that as a precaution? the guy put his whole hand over my watch and pulled down, and the watch didn’t move. So I’m trying to understand how that would stress the screw in bars? Probably overthinking it, but if he applied vertical force and my wrist was at my side, with the watch not moving, I don’t see how the screw in bar would be affected.

If you only want to hear a confirmation then everything is fine, a judgement on photos alone is nonsense, from a technical point of view.

The "pins" (or screw-in parts) are weak compared to the individual bracelet elements, which are not stretched, 100 % sure.

I don't say the bracelet has an issue! But, as a precaution I would check the pins. It does not take a tremendous force to bend these.

[jokerjacket]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Thanks. Yes, essentially in a pretty residential area, walking to someone’s house. Some guy was a bit belligerent striking up a convo, so I tried to cut the conversation short, at which point he tried to snatch my watch. Punched him in the throat and ran

Whoa! Someone tried to take it off your wrist?! Did they spot the watch from a ways away I wonder.

[westoque]

Bracelet looks fine imo. Also note that the 15500 bracelet is thicker than the new 15510 ones.


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