How to size folded link bracelet without holes/arrows?

grenert · September 10, 2022

Hello, all!

I have a very old LCD watch (Optel Segtronic) from the mid-70s with a folded link bracelet. Unlike other folded link bracelets I've dealt with, I don't see any mechanism for sliding out the center pins. No openings or arrows. Is there any non-destructive way to size such a bracelet? It would be very disappointing if the narrow range of adjustment on the clasp was all it had! Since I'm trying to make it smaller, I am thinking of drilling my own holes in the back of the bracelet to force out the center pin (but not sure where to place the holes).

Any suggestions appreciated!

clockboy · September 10, 2022

A new one for me. However at a guess it still can be adjusted by pushing one of the link joiners. Unfortunately not all bracelet links are adjustable and as a extra issue no arrows to show which way to push. It’s a case of fiddling without too much force being applied.

Edited September 10, 2022 by clockboy

grenert · October 15, 2022

Well, I had no other choice than to go destructive. The links are too tight to put any tool inside to push out the joining pieces. My focus was to do as little damage as possible. The band naturally will only bend backwards a limited amount.

Either with my hands, or with one end of the bracelet held in a vise with nylon jaws, I bent the bracelet backwards, which opens up the links on the inside. To the right you can see a link that is fully opened (after prying open; bending backward doesn't open the links this much).

With that little gap opened up, I could put a screwdriver in there and carefully open up the links further so that they could be disconnected.

This opening of the links creates some reverse bending on the outside, so you don't want to open them up any more than is absolutely necessary.

Here, the links are opened and the bracelet can be disassembled.

After removing the extra links.

I closed the links by first placing the bracelet in the vice (soft nylon jaws!) and using the vice to start closing the links. Then I did the last bit by pushing down with a blunt tool with the bracelet on a soft (silicone) surface.

This mostly got rid of the reverse bends on the outside. You can see that the cheap gold plating came off from the distortion of the steel underneath. It was already starting to come off in spots anyway from nearly 50 years of oxidation.