What Bracelet "Stretch" Really Looks Like

[powerband]

Just wanted to share with the group a couple of pictures of what generally causes bracelet "stretch." It's not that metal stretches, but that metal gets polished away by dirt, sweat, skin cells, and grime. Through time, an unclean bracelet allows gunk to polish away the pins that hold the links together; and also the housing of these pins get burnished away. The reduction in metal (on pins and their housings) creates gaps, and thus separation. That's your "stretch." Then a vicious cycle starts as the gaps make it easier for more debris to work its way in.

Check out this pin I pulled off a 25-year-old Rolex bracelet. Almost half of the pin is worn away. (This is one of the better pins.)





Just a friendly reminder to clean your bracelets.

[A.Sharp]

Ah thanks for sharing! Hate stretch.

[GB-man]

cool i never really knew the culprit until now. thx

[GradyPhilpott]

Thanks. That really drives the point home well.

[NEW_MEXICOS_BEST]

This is funny because when I tried my watch on in the Rolex store it fit perfect and would not spin around my wrist and now after wearing it for about 14 hours total in the last two weeks it already for loose on my wrist. Is that normal or should I have it looked at.

[Check]

Thanks for the visual reminder.

I wash my watch and bracelet about once per week with soap and water. Is this enough to prevent this or should I also buy an ultrasonic cleaner?

Thanks again.

[Check]

Originally Posted by NEW_MEXICOS_BEST

This is funny because when I tried my watch on in the Rolex store it fit perfect and would not spin around my wrist and now after wearing it for about 14 hours total in the last two weeks it already for loose on my wrist. Is that normal or should I have it looked at.

This may just be normal swelling/decrease of your wrist during the course of the day. Maybe your wrist was swollen hen you tried it on at the AD?

[powerband]

Originally Posted by Check

Is this enough to prevent this or should I also buy an ultrasonic cleaner?

Thanks again.

This is a great cleaner. After checking out the video, you can google it for purchase info. I think it's better than soap and water, which is better than no cleaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5B1_jXS0ys

Cheers.

[NEW_MEXICOS_BEST]

Originally Posted by Check

This may just be normal swelling/decrease of your wrist during the course of the day. Maybe your wrist was swollen hen you tried it on at the AD?

You might be right, I was doing a lot of walking around that day. Good point

[George Ab]

Good explanation and like the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Well done!

[SUBversive]

Wow. Thanks for sharing. The sands of time....

[Daytona-Dan]

The solution: Clean your watch every now and again with simple hand soap and a toothbrush.
This is even more important with TT and Gold watches which are much softer.

[Billywiz]

Great photo example thanks

[joejoe1225]

Great Picture - Thank You.

[Travelller]

Erosion is nothing new but the fact that the pins can erode that quickly IS amazing!!!

Thanks for taking the time to show it to us

[powerband]

Originally Posted by Travelller

Erosion is nothing new but the fact that the pins can erode that quickly IS amazing!!! :

It is amazing. The degree and rate of wear, I suppose, depend on how dirty a bracelet gets. The bracelet I acquired (from pictures above) was probably unmaintained by a previous owner.

Cheers.

[fforte393]

Originally Posted by powerband

This is a great cleaner. After checking out the video, you can google it for purchase info. I think it's better than soap and water, which is better than no cleaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5B1_jXS0ys

Cheers.

This product looks great, but his video demonstration is horrible. thanks for sharing

[samsmart]

Originally Posted by powerband

This is a great cleaner. After checking out the video, you can google it for purchase info. I think it's better than soap and water, which is better than no cleaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5B1_jXS0ys

Cheers.

Great looking product.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

[subtona]

Originally Posted by powerband

Just wanted to share with the group a couple of pictures of what generally causes bracelet "stretch." It's not that metal stretches, but that metal gets polished away by dirt, sweat, skin cells, and grime. Through time, an unclean bracelet allows gunk to polish away the pins that hold the links together; and also the housing of these pins get burnished away. The reduction in metal (on pins and their housings) creates gaps, and thus separation. That's your "stretch." Then a vicious cycle starts as the gaps make it easier for more debris to work its way in.

Check out this pin I pulled off a 25-year-old Rolex bracelet. Almost half of the pin is worn away. (This is one of the better pins.)

Just a friendly reminder to clean your bracelets.

great info and pics

Originally Posted by NEW_MEXICOS_BEST

This is funny because when I tried my watch on in the Rolex store it fit perfect and would not spin around my wrist and now after wearing it for about 14 hours total in the last two weeks it already for loose on my wrist. Is that normal or should I have it looked at.

eat more salt.

[NEW_MEXICOS_BEST]

Originally Posted by subtona

great info and pics




eat more salt.

Hahaha ill keep that in mind.

[Kingair]

Thanks for sharing

HAGWe

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Thanks for sharing

x2...

[Pup]

Originally Posted by powerband

This is a great cleaner. After checking out the video, you can google it for purchase info. I think it's better than soap and water, which is better than no cleaning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5B1_jXS0ys

Cheers.

Yep..lots of Veraet enthusiasts on this forum. On its website, the company runs specials on bulk product orders all the time too. Great reminder.

[powerband]

Originally Posted by powerband

Check out this pin I pulled off a 25-year-old Rolex bracelet. Almost half of the pin is worn away.

And, I'd say another 7 to 10 years and the Rolex will snap and fall off my arm and hit the pavement at 70 mph somewhere southbound on the 101 because I had it hanging outside my convertible to showcase and impress the blonde in that beige Lexus one lane over.

[Sean.UK]

Am i the only one who is impressed that a pin would last as long as that under fairly abrasive conditions?

[cop414]

Great pics, good food for thought.

[kngzfrd]

Wow! Thanks for the good info, and the pics!!!

[slowcode]

My 118239 stretches during the course of the day and when I raise my arm, it rides up an inch farther. This I assume is due to body heat working on the relatively soft gold.

I do not use a sonic cleaner. I bough one for this expressed purpose, but was warned off because the agitation destroys the watch's movement. Rather than removing the bracelet every day for cleaning, I take a medium sized drinking glass, measure jewelry cleaner/water in an amount that will completely submerge the watch, secure the crown, and place the watch in the glass while I'm in the shower, getting ready for the day. Then I place the watch on my hand and rub my palms together firmly but gently on the bracelet and case to clean the surfaces. I use a cotton swab to gently lean the clasp and undersides of the lugs. Dunk it a few more times and then rinse with cool water. I dry it with a soft cloth and wear it.

I THINK these measures will make the watch last longer.

But gold is a soft metal. And I am somewhat concerned that over time the bracelet will self-destruct, meaning I'd be leaving a massive repair expense for my son. I'm 50, so I guess it needs to last another 15-20 years.

I guess what I'm saying is that dirt and grime certainly affect the wear of the watch band but that day-in day-out metal-on-metal movement has to come into play to some extent, particularly on gold bands.

I have an all-steel Submariner I put a new clasp lock band on in 1983 and wore the heck out of it - never cleaned it, serviced it maybe twice ever. It has no droop or stretch that I can detect. I have always chalked that up to stainless being so hard.