Rebuilding / restoring a stretched two-tone Jubilee bracelet?

Call Happy Jewelers in Fullerton, CA and ask for Gabe, he’s the owner. I’ve bought 5 Rolex’s from him and if anyone can help you, he will be able to.

He has a website, you can get the phone number there.

Tell him Mike and Yvonne referred you.


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I have not used him, but several people on Rolex Forums recommend a guy named Michael Young in Hong Kong. Again, I have no personal experience. Here is a link to one of the threads
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=891371&highlight=Michael+Young

I would also suggest contacting either Flatplane Eddie (I have bought a watch from him and he is excellent) or Darth550 on F-Chat. They probably have sources

 

I know Eddie had my Datejust serviced prior to sending it to me and the bracelet was as close to new as possible. I don’t know who he uses, but I’ve had zero issues.

 

There's two style of Jubilee bracelets and they fail differently. The older (pre year 2000 or so - I forget when the changeover was) have oval center links which are a little convex in cross section - people call them hollow center links. These stretch as they are solid gold on the two tones. I've tried to squeeze them back with a pliers in a pinch but really it it not the best way and they should be removed and reformed with a jig if possible and if not too scratched or scored on the surface. The newer style has more solid (I think cast) links. They are a bit less prone to stretch and deforming. However both bracelets can suffer the consequences the Presidential style develops which is wearing of the holes which the steel pivots insert through. If this is seen the whole bracelet is disassembled, steel pins removed. Laser welding of extra materal if needed, new steel pins inserted and all reassembled and polished. I've also heard good things about Michael in Hong Kong but have not used him. I would vote for this type of restoration over an aftermarket bracelet and afterwards it is impossible to tell anything was done without dissassembly.

 

https://www.rolliworks.com/service-page/bracelet-repair

 

ABC Watchwerks in LA, no affiliation or connection to them, and I haven't used their services but have heard good things from others including from members here.

As always, do your due diligence.

 

I have a 1976 Datejust that came with the original bracelet when I bought it. It was REALLY stretched out as it was worn extensively throughout the 40+ years since it was manufactured. I put a few different straps on the watch and it wore them all exceptionally well. But, a fellow forum member here suggested that I go on ebay to a specific seller and ask for one of his bracelets with the Rolex logo. It has worked perfectly. I have the original so that at the point when/if I want to get it repaired I can do so. In the meantime I wear it on the cheap replacement bracelet and it works and comes with the added bonus that if it gets banged around, I really don't care!!


PDG

 

Very interesting, I never knew this was possible to restore stretched bracelets. Definitely good to know.

 

I bought a used original Rolex on ebay for my wife’s daily .
Great deal .