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MartinRG · 17 April 2019, 04:43 PM

Hey guys,

A few weeks back I bought a great looking Explorer 14270. Everything seems to be good and checked out. But as usual I went to my local (experienced) watchmaker to check out the condition of the timepiece and clean it up a bit. No problem at all and I have done it more than a few times at that place, they're a reputable place over here. They immediately called me about the caseback being really stuck and that it should take a little longer than normal. No problem and I asked them to be careful. A few days later it was ready, got a service and was in perfect condition again they liked it a lot.

Now there's a strange thing going on. I like to change the band from time to time to a leather one and back to the original one. Before the service the endlinks fitted perfectly, not too tight and not too loose, just how it's supposed to be. But now the 6 o'clock endlink fits really, really tight. It still fits, but I have to push and pull it hard. Could it be that the lugs are bent inwards a tiny, tiny bit due to the force while trying to open the caseback? When inspecting the case I don't see anything bent or damaged and it looks all good and clean. The 12 o'clock side is also fine and fits like it should. Flipping the endlinks over doesn't work either.

What should be the correct fix and what do you guys suspect to be the problem? I don't think that the endlinks are bent themselves or are the problem (I might be wrong). My guess is that it's a 6 o'clock lug that bent a few microns, enough to make it a tight fit but not enough to show weird gaps. Should I bring it back to the watchmaker and let them fix it, go to the AD (1.5 hour drive), or just live with it?

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

17 April 2019, 04:43 PM	#1
MartinRG "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Netherlands Watch: 214270 Posts: 17	Endlink fits too tight Hey guys, A few weeks back I bought a great looking Explorer 14270. Everything seems to be good and checked out. But as usual I went to my local (experienced) watchmaker to check out the condition of the timepiece and clean it up a bit. No problem at all and I have done it more than a few times at that place, they're a reputable place over here. They immediately called me about the caseback being really stuck and that it should take a little longer than normal. No problem and I asked them to be careful. A few days later it was ready, got a service and was in perfect condition again they liked it a lot. Now there's a strange thing going on. I like to change the band from time to time to a leather one and back to the original one. Before the service the endlinks fitted perfectly, not too tight and not too loose, just how it's supposed to be. But now the 6 o'clock endlink fits really, really tight. It still fits, but I have to push and pull it hard. Could it be that the lugs are bent inwards a tiny, tiny bit due to the force while trying to open the caseback? When inspecting the case I don't see anything bent or damaged and it looks all good and clean. The 12 o'clock side is also fine and fits like it should. Flipping the endlinks over doesn't work either. What should be the correct fix and what do you guys suspect to be the problem? I don't think that the endlinks are bent themselves or are the problem (I might be wrong). My guess is that it's a 6 o'clock lug that bent a few microns, enough to make it a tight fit but not enough to show weird gaps. Should I bring it back to the watchmaker and let them fix it, go to the AD (1.5 hour drive), or just live with it? Let me know what you think. Thanks!