How to size a metal watch bracelet
Remove links from a watch bracelet at home: how to tell pins from screws, which way to push, how to keep the clasp centred, and how tight it should be.
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How it should fit
You should be able to slide one finger between the bracelet and your wrist. Wrists swell in heat and after exercise, so leave a little room, and use the fine adjustment in the clasp for the last few millimetres.
What you need
- A pin pusher or a fine, flat-ended tool, for pinned links.
- A screwdriver that fits the slot exactly, for screwed links. A loose fit chews the screw head.
- A soft cloth, and a small dish for the pins. They are easy to lose.
Find out which kind you have
- Arrows on the inside of the links: pinned. Push the pin out in the direction of the arrow.
- Slots on the side of the links: screwed. Unscrew them.
- Pin and collar: a pin held by a tiny tube inside the link, common on Seiko. Catch the collar when you take the link apart and put it back when you rejoin.
Steps
- Count how many links to remove. Wrap the bracelet around your wrist and pinch the excess.
- Take links out from both sides of the clasp, so the clasp stays centred under your wrist. If the number is odd, try it both ways and keep the one that sits better.
- Push out or unscrew the pin, remove the link, and rejoin the bracelet with the same pin.
- Try it on, and fine-tune with the holes in the clasp.
Keep the spare links
Store the removed links and pins with the watch box. You will want them if your wrist changes, and a watch sells for more with its full bracelet.