Q&A for How to Remove Watch Band Links

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  • Question
    Can I adjust a watch band without removing the links?
    Bill Green
    Jewelry & Watch Expert
    Bill Green is an Expert Jeweler and Appraiser. He is also the Founder & Creative Director of Jewelry & Timepiece Mechanix, and the Founder and Designer of Amaroo Handmade Opal Jewelry, based in Haddonfield, New Jersey. With over 40 years of industry knowledge, he and his team are known for restoring everything from new watches to vintage jewels and being one of the few shops that still design and make jewelry and watches. Jewelry & Timepiece Mechanix is part of the American Society of Jewelers and Gemologists and Ethical Metalsmiths. Bill studied at the Miami Jewelry Institute and the Gemological Institute of America as well as apprenticed with many accomplished craftspeople.
    Jewelry & Watch Expert
    Expert Answer
    It would depend on what type of watch or watch bands you have. If you have an adjustable watch band, first examine the snap-down deployment buckle on your watch. Look for small holes or dots located on the side of the buckle, near its edge. These holes indicate the attachment points for the spring bar inside the buckle. To make the band smaller, depress the spring bar and slide the buckle closer to the center. By doing this, you effectively shorten the bracelet by the distance between the dots. Depending on the design of your watch, there may be some flexibility in how much you can adjust it in this manner. However, the extent of adjustability varies depending on the specific watch model.
  • Question
    How tight is a metal watch band supposed to be?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    The watch should be snug enough so it doesn’t slide around a lot (the rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t slide down more than 2 in (5 cm) when you let your arm hang down), but not so tight that it feels uncomfortable or leaves imprints in your wrist.
  • Question
    What do I do if the links don’t have arrows?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    If none of the links have arrows, push the pins through from the side where you can’t see a seam in the pin. If some links have arrows and others don’t, you won’t be able to remove the links without arrows.
  • Question
    How do I remove pins from a watch strap?
    Community Answer
    Use a very strong and thin needle. There's a small hole on the other end of the pin, so insert the needle and just push the pin out.
  • Question
    What do pins look like?
    Community Answer
    They look something like a tiny shock absorber. Tiny pins on each end, inserted into a cylinder with a spring in between. Warning: these things are diabolical and will spring away at the slightest slip of your tool. Always work with the watch band on the horizontal with some sort of backboard for them to bounce off if you slip.
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