Does putting a watch on the Rolex Pillow stretch the bracelet?

[Tools]

One thing to remember with the pillow though..

You should never clasp your bracelet around the pillow. The force you exert by the lever action can bend the clasp or damage the pins if it gets into a bind or maximmized the cushion capability of the pillow.

The pillow should always be squeezed and inserted into the watch..

[mikeceee]

So when people talk about bracelet stretch or bracelet slack or whatever it is, how does this happen?

I see the logic of steel not being bent by a pillow yet can also understand the concern having seen people discuss bracelet stretch etc that over time a bracelet being tightly wrapped around any object could cause a problem.

Let's not forget how water will eventually crush even the strongest stones

[mikeceee]

Originally Posted by Tools

One thing to remember with the pillow though..

You should never clasp your bracelet around the pillow. The force you exert by the lever action can bend the clasp or damage the pins if it gets into a bind or maximmized the cushion capability of the pillow.

The pillow should always be squeezed and inserted into the watch..

I appreciate this Thread and the allegedly "laughable" question because without it I wouldn't have learned this important tidbit. So maybe we should stop criticizing a simple question

[this guy]

Considering that a soft pillow was an ineffective torture technique during the Spanish Inquisition, I doubt a pillow will harm a stainless steel watch band.

[theken]

In the background, what is the third, center rope attached to?
To the Oyster bracelet, of course...this is a required test at the Rolex factory for all watches prior to shipping to insure that the foam pillow will not distort the 904L steel bracelet.
Barkeeper...another round, please!

[steve.r]

Originally Posted by Colnago

OK.....lets put this to bed...

As I have said I am a structural designer by trade...I have done some digging......SS will take roughly 500kN/mm sq.......Gold is roughly ten times weaker than SS....so it will take roughly 50kN/mm sq.......500kN/mm sq is roughly the same as 50kg/mm sq....so in other words on every square mm of cross sectional area of a SS bracelet you can support 50kg.....110lb......the cross sectional area of the weakest part (the outer link) of the Oyster bracelet (excluding the pins holding the thing together) is 8.75 square mm.......the maths isn't difficult......8.75 x 50 = 437.5kg.....962.5lb....per side!!!....for an all Gold bracelet it would be 8.75 x 5 = 43.75kg.....96.25lb...per side

If you consider that a fabric cushion placed by Rolex in the storage box for their watch, inteded for exactly that purpose could exert a greater force than detailed above on the bracelet of your watch then I am at a loss as to what to say next......

Ok, to really put this to bed, if someone is really worried about a pillow stretching the braclet, I want to know the effect of 50kg force per side of my wrists. In an accident, who is going to come off the best, my wrist or my watch?

[HogwldFLTR]

Actually I had a dream I was eating a giant marshmellow and woke to find my pillow missing and my belly stretched out. I kept coughing up feathers as well. Oh wait; that wasn't a Rolex pillow so nevermind.

[Chelseafan]

Fabric vs metal ...no...fabric looses...is this a serious question?

[ssultan]

I love this forum. Fun coffee read. No disrespect to op.

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by mikeceee

So when people talk about bracelet stretch or bracelet slack or whatever it is, how does this happen?

I see the logic of steel not being bent by a pillow yet can also understand the concern having seen people discuss bracelet stretch etc that over time a bracelet being tightly wrapped around any object could cause a problem.

Let's not forget how water will eventually crush even the strongest stones

Mike, bracelet "stretch" is not an actual stretching of the metal. It comes from wear. When a bracelet moves, specifically when the links pivot around the link pins, there is metal against metal friction. Eventually this wears the link pins and holes, making the pins diameter smaller and the holes bigger - resulting in a "stretched" bracelet.

This is greatly accelerated by a) not keeping the bracelet clean through occasional ultrasonic baths and, b) wearing the bracelet loosely. Dirt and crud that get in the pins/holes act as an abrasive, greatly accelerating wear. Wearing the bracelet snug results in the bracelet staying "quieter" on your wrist so the links aren't pivoting as much.

A well maintained bracelet worn more towards the snug side will last decades, no problem.

[SeaAndSky]

Originally Posted by Colnago

"is it better for the bracelet, to not store it with the pillow?"

"I would be interested in hearing the explanation that this has no effect on the stretching of the band"

You guys HAVE to be kidding...please tell me it's a joke.....

No kidding. Has the forum always been this way or am I just noticing these threads more? It seems different from the place I lurked for several years as I gathered intel on all the different Rolexes before buying. I like your avatar by the way. I'm going to put in several hours on my C-59 later today.

[Cinquecento]

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

This question is for the newer models, like D, Z, and on series. In the big rolex main box, there is a little pillow like thing on which the watch is resting. This pillow is squeezable also and you have to squeeze it to insert it on the underside of the watch's. It then decompresses and the watch's bracelet becomes tight.

The question is that if you are storing some rolexes in a safe, for long term, is it better for the bracelet, to not store it with the pillow?

thanks,

Bruh....

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by SeaAndSky

No kidding. Has the forum always been this way or am I just noticing these threads more? It seems different from the place I lurked for several years as I gathered intel on all the different Rolexes before buying. I like your avatar by the way. I'm going to put in several hours on my C-59 later today.

Well, this thread is from 2009. Just how long have you been lurking?

[Storky]

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

This question is for the newer models, like D, Z, and on series. In the big rolex main box, there is a little pillow like thing on which the watch is resting. This pillow is squeezable also and you have to squeeze it to insert it on the underside of the watch's. It then decompresses and the watch's bracelet becomes tight.

The question is that if you are storing some rolexes in a safe, for long term, is it better for the bracelet, to not store it with the pillow?

thanks,

Just got home and quickly scanned this thread.

IMHO you could hang a 10kg weight (for years) from most Rolex bracelets and they wouldn't stretch.

I've sold watches for 35 years and to me the 'stretching' phrase that people use is wrong. It's WEAR that's the problem, it won't be as relevant to most of the guys in this forum (that look after their watches!) ...Because you keep your watch bracelets clean!
Yes bracelets do wear, but what speeds up the process is that if a bracelet is not cleaned it will get dirty and this 'dirt' will act like sandpaper and wear the bracelet much more quickly! Some wearers insist on wearing a Rolex really loosely on their wrist which makes it even worse as the bracelet moves about more. Think of a door hinge with grinding paste on it ... make sense? Let's say a bracelet has 10 links and there is half a millimetre wear on each link and the same on the pins (that hold the links together - that's 10mm extra length!
So forget stretch it's WEAR! ... and guys, if your wrist is dirty, give your bracelet a clean with warm soapy water (Only if you're confident your watch is water resistant!!!) and don't forget to make sure that the crown is screwed up tight otherwise it's expensive.
There, I've had my say ... hope it helps!

[Storky]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Mike, bracelet "stretch" is not an actual stretching of the metal. It comes from wear. When a bracelet moves, specifically when the links pivot around the link pins, there is metal against metal friction. Eventually this wears the link pins and holes, making the pins diameter smaller and the holes bigger - resulting in a "stretched" bracelet.

This is greatly accelerated by a) not keeping the bracelet clean through occasional ultrasonic baths and, b) wearing the bracelet loosely. Dirt and crud that get in the pins/holes act as an abrasive, greatly accelerating wear. Wearing the bracelet snug results in the bracelet staying "quieter" on your wrist so the links aren't pivoting as much.

A well maintained bracelet worn more towards the snug side will last decades, no problem.

Apologies ... I've now read the thread a bit more thoroughly and realised I've repeated most of what you've said!!!!

[submariner66]

All this pillow talk is making me......... sleepy

[powerband]

In other news, the Golden Gate Bridge is now 3 feet from the water because the weight of 800,000 vehicles crossing daily since this thread was created in 2009 has stretched all the steel suspension cables.


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[steve.r]

Originally Posted by powerband

In other news, the Golden Gate Bridge is now 3 feet from the water because the weight of 800,000 vehicles crossing daily since this thread was created in 2009 has stretched all the steel suspension cables.


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Does that mean that jumpers will survive the drop now ?

[997.2]

is this a joke?

[Gryfalcon]

"In other news, the Golden Gate Bridge is now 3 feet from the water because the weight of 800,000 vehicles crossing daily since this thread was created in 2009 has stretched all the steel suspension cables."
ahahahaha

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by 997.2

is this a joke?

I was wondering the same. I lay my watch on a microfiber cloth, which sits on my dresser

[havingagoodtime]

Are the safety nets still a go?

Back to the OP, lots of relevant points came from this thread, so thanks for asking your question. Similar reason why I listen to talk radio, it's the callers that really make the shows interesting!

[rolex_DateJust]

I put my watch on this every night before I go to sleep. I recently found that by covering the watch with your polishing cloth as "sheets", it'll be a lot better for the bracelet to not "wear" so fast.

The head stays on the pillow the early serials come with and the cloth ( as sheets ) cover the bracelet



By the way, I got this picture from the Internet when I searched for "tiny baby crib"...... This is definitely not something I do lol

[Racerdj]

For sure no on the streaching. It was mentioned that keeping the boxes separate from the watches is a great idea and I do so.

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by mikeceee

So when people talk about bracelet stretch or bracelet slack or whatever it is, how does this happen?

It happens like this:

[Sublover2166]

Originally Posted by Alcan

It happens like this:

This certainly don't happen from keeping your watch wrapped around the pillow in the box!, lol.

[Manofsteelpt]

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

Thanks .... as a safety precaution, I store boxes in one place, the certificates in another and the watches in another. My safe is padded on the inside so I keep my watches in there in little ziploc bags ....

Wouldn't hurt to separate the bands from the cases and find another spot for them... One can never be too cautious.

[powerband]

Originally Posted by Manofsteelpt

Wouldn't hurt to separate the bands from the cases and find another spot for them... One can never be too cautious.

Oh that's good. I would take the movement out and store it in the broom closet.


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[Rondineli]

Had I good laugh this morning reading this old thread, thanks for resurrecting it

[kilyung]

I had forgotten about this one... and for good reason.