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How do I fix my watch bracelet?


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So I just bought an AP replica and noticed that it has a manufacturing fault?

 Inked20190313_204215_LI.thumb.jpg.ffc6d72a434ff77150d16aa95fcfc3d0.jpg 

It has a hole for removable link where is shouldn't be, it was loose and I lost the original one. What you see in image is just a temporary fix. Now what the problem is that the watch has hole on one side and on the other there is no hole the metal is flush as it should be. The small metal link on the side that is okay if in place but when this pin is removed the link on the side of pin comes loose. This is a picture of watch flipped over.

20190313_204321.thumb.jpg.a1ba809b795156e7f5b9c3920918cb71.jpg

Now how can i get it fixed cause this piece of pin can come out anytime.
 

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You could use a small drop of screwlock to hold the pin in place. This is easier to remove than superglue.

Does the hole have a thread bored anywhere or is it just a blank walled blind hole?

If you are feeling particularly adventurous you could tap the steel at the open end with a suitable thread, then cut and chamfer a matching  pin and thread the screw head end of that. You would of course need to have taps and dies of the correct sizes.

If that seems like too much work, then threadlock or some other glue might be the least painful course of action.

You could also tap in a sleeve of some sort to hold the pin head in place. It all depends how neat and tidy you need it to look, and what tools and resources you have available. 

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Thank you for the answer Andy. No the hole does not have a thread, as I mentioned before it looks like a manufacturing fault which isnt supposed to be there as this is a non-removable link. I also thought of using some kind of glue to keep he pin in place. I think I will go for that instead of being adventurous.

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You could also fit a pin, then blank off the hole with a metalised epoxy (JB Weld SteelStik Epoxy Putty Stick or whatever you can find locally). If done with care, and if the colour matches well enough, then the hole would effectively vanish with a little light polishing.

 

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You could also fit a pin, then blank off the hole with a metalised epoxy (JB Weld SteelStik Epoxy Putty Stick or whatever you can find locally). If done with care, and if the colour matches well enough, then the hole would effectively vanish with a little light polishing.
 
Definitely a good advice.
In place of the metalised epoxy he can use some silver solder paste and a pen-torch ... when polished the silver solder will become almost invisible.

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Well thank you guys both of these advises are pretty good. I have this epoxy available locally, we mix the two tubes and it works just like other epoxies.

Image result for magic depoxy

But I wanna know that what should I go with; the epoxy or the solder, because the solder seems quite robust and permanent fix, but needs precision. So what should I use? Also how do i polish it afterwards to give it a final brushed look?

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53 minutes ago, Anonymous said:

Well thank you guys both of these advises are pretty good. I have this epoxy available locally, we mix the two tubes and it works just like other epoxies.

Image result for magic depoxy

But I wanna know that what should I go with; the epoxy or the solder, because the solder seems quite robust and permanent fix, but needs precision. So what should I use? Also how do i polish it afterwards to give it a final brushed look?

If you have the epoxy, then mix a small sample up and let the sample set then try polishing it with fine emery paper and judge the results from that. If it is a good colour match, then go with that, otherwise go with the silver solder. You could combine the two and epoxy in a small piece of silver solder, then finish the end of that flush with the band.

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Well thank you guys both of these advises are pretty good. I have this epoxy available locally, we mix the two tubes and it works just like other epoxies.
magic-depoxi-steel.png&key=6f290b92a40dcf15c8a06466c7a991f87d861e3c31e421fafb0c9537a3535412
But I wanna know that what should I go with; the epoxy or the solder, because the solder seems quite robust and permanent fix, but needs precision. So what should I use? Also how do i polish it afterwards to give it a final brushed look?
100% agree with Andy.
If you don't already have a pen-torch and have never used silver solder then use the epoxy.
Silver solder is not that difficult to use but it could need some training ... you can look at tutorials on YouTube to check before trying


That's the way I solder dial feet's
What you need is some silver solder paste with borax, a pen-torch and a brick as a working support (I use a junk piece of marble)

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2 hours ago, Anonymous said:

Helpful videos, but in case I get it soldered I will hire a professional for that so skill isn't a problem. And by the way this watch has a brushed finish, is emery used for brushed or polished finish?

I hope you have a friend that can do that, as hiring a rofessional to fix an AP replica is off the limits IMHO ... well ... considering the prixe of a Gen AP ROO it could still be a good deal :biggrin:

I've had a look at your bracelet and it seems to be brushed finish.

So you just have to finely sand the protruding solder flat with 500/800/1000 grade paper, then you redo the brush finish ... all over the bracelet side of course so that all the links have the same finish.

To redo the brushed parts on vintage Rolex bracelets I use soft art sanding blocks ... I don't exactly remember which grade but I can tell you and post a pic when I come back home this evening.

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1 hour ago, manodeoro said:

I hope you have a friend that can do that, as hiring a rofessional to fix an AP replica is off the limits IMHO ... well ... considering the prixe of a Gen AP ROO it could still be a good deal :biggrin:

I've had a look at your bracelet and it seems to be brushed finish.

So you just have to finely sand the protruding solder flat with 500/800/1000 grade paper, then you redo the brush finish ... all over the bracelet side of course so that all the links have the same finish.

To redo the brushed parts on vintage Rolex bracelets I use soft art sanding blocks ... I don't exactly remember which grade but I can tell you and post a pic when I come back home this evening.

Well I'm not gonna sand the whole side, as you said it's just a replica no need for such hard work. And about hiring a professional, I understand you think but labor here is quite cheap, the professional might take $5 if he's very expensive, so that isn't a problem. And considering that, I think silver solder is the best choice. 

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If you, or a professional intends to actually solder it, it would have to be silver solder.

Old fashioned leaded solder and common or garden "electronic" lead free solder (tin based) will not stick to steel, and certainly not to stainless. I'm not sure where "here" is, but in for example India, which I'm fairly familiar with, I'm sure a fairly run of the mill Jeweler would be able to do the job for around the $5 mark.

If I took it to a Jeweler here in the UK, it would probably cost ten times that amount, and you would have to endure some sniffy comments along the lines of "are you sure you want me to do this, it is a fake you know".  

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Well I'm not gonna sand the whole side, as you said it's just a replica no need for such hard work.  


I do not agree with this if I may.
As you fell OK wearing a replica you just should just consider it as a watch, replica or not replica.
And all watches deserve respect IMHO.
So if I were you I would do the job the best I can ... the redo all the brushing.

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16 hours ago, AndyHull said:

If you, or a professional intends to actually solder it, it would have to be silver solder.

Old fashioned leaded solder and common or garden "electronic" lead free solder (tin based) will not stick to steel, and certainly not to stainless. I'm not sure where "here" is, but in for example India, which I'm fairly familiar with, I'm sure a fairly run of the mill Jeweler would be able to do the job for around the $5 mark.

If I took it to a Jeweler here in the UK, it would probably cost ten times that amount, and you would have to endure some sniffy comments along the lines of "are you sure you want me to do this, it is a fake you know".  

Well you're pretty close, I'm from Pakistan.

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18 hours ago, Anonymous said:

Well I'm not gonna sand the whole side, as you said it's just a replica no need for such hard work. And about hiring a professional, I understand you think but labor here is quite cheap, the professional might take $5 if he's very expensive, so that isn't a problem. And considering that, I think silver solder is the best choice. 

Speaking about gens vs replicas and about watches deserving or not some hard work or money ... may I ask you

"Which one of those watches below would you choose to keep and wear if both were given to you ?"

 TYAZR.jpg

TjOMZ.jpg

Edited by manodeoro
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2 minutes ago, manodeoro said:

Speaking about gens vs replicas and about watches deserving or not some hard work or money ... may I ask you

"Which one of those watches below would you choose to keep and wear if both were given to you ?"

 TYAZR.jpg

TjOMZ.jpg

Well the second one looks much neat.

And I not at all meant what you think. I like watches whether replica or original, but I'm not a much of a repair guy. But I might get it finished by the 'professional'  

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18 minutes ago, Anonymous said:

Well the second one looks much neat.

And I not at all meant what you think. I like watches whether replica or original, but I'm not a much of a repair guy. But I might get it finished by the 'professional'  

My bad ... my apologises

BTW ... those 2 watches are only  2pics of the same replica that my father in law bought during the 90ies (check the scratch on the insert close to the "30" on the right) :)

1rst pic was taken when he pass it to me saying "please see what you could do with that"

2nd pic was taken before passing it back to him some weeks later (of course I didn't just rebrushed and repolished ... I reworked the lugs, crownguards, crown, Solid endlinks, polished the crystal and cyclop, serviced the movement, etc ...)

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