Repairing a Tudor Princess bracelet

[jlovda]

I am moving this thread to Vintage because no one has replied to my question.

My wife owns a Tudor Ladies Princess-Date Chrono-Time 9321 purchased new in 1977. She fell down and bent one of the center links. I sent pictures to Rolliworks. Michael told me he has never seen a band like this before. First, how was this band put together? The pins holding the links together seem to be completely hidden inside the "H" shaped outside links. There are also no screwdriver slots for the main pins holding the band to the case. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to go? Is this an unrepairable design?

Thanks

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[oysterfisher]

The band elements are held together with an interference fit. The pins are tight and can be knocked out with a band tool. In your case you should be able to just rotate the band by hand (in the opposite direction) and the band will be fine again. These tapes are widely used! Tudor has built men's and women's versions of this design, with and without a rotating bezel. The clocks are often gold plated.

You will see small rings on the edge of your band, these rings indicate that the pin is pushed in there.


Nice watch!

[TuRo]

Good advice by Oysterfisher. If not resolved, any half decent jeweller with general skills should be able to pull apart and flatten and refit for £25 to 50 I'd have thought. These are common bracelets fitted to the fabulous 70s watches with the two-part dial with its 45 degree outer dial like the 38mm 9121/0, 9141/0, 9111/0 and others with fluted, smoot tiny flute and rotating bezel...and the lovely smaller Princess versions as you have - they are hugely undervalued at present and a future collectable with the most collectable at moment being 9121/0 orange hand Ranger 2 and the Blue Silver Bullseye, the burgundy, blue, cobalt dials are also fabulous, very comfy too !!!

[jlovda]

Originally Posted by pauldavidthorpe

Good advice by Oysterfisher. If not resolved, any half decent jeweller with general skills should be able to pull apart and flatten and refit for £25 to 50 I'd have thought. These are common bracelets fitted to the fabulous 70s watches with the two-part dial with its 45 degree outer dial like the 38mm 9121/0, 9141/0, 9111/0 and others with fluted, smoot tiny flute and rotating bezel...and the lovely smaller Princess versions as you have - they are hugely undervalued at present and a future collectable with the most collectable at moment being 9121/0 orange hand Ranger 2 and the Blue Silver Bullseye, the burgundy, blue, cobalt dials are also fabulous, very comfy too !!!

Thanks for your reply. I will be checking a few watchmakers including the two Ridleys'. As I mentioned, Rolliworks did not seem interested and they are supposed band gurus.

We bought this watch at Bucherers in Geneva in 1977. Paid $225. A few years later we went to Norway and in a jeweler's window I saw a men's version with the rotating bezel in burgundy. My wife had recently given me a 1675 GMT for a wedding present so I reluctantly had to pass. It was an unbelievably beautiful watch.