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#31 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NB, TX
Watch: 3570.50
Posts: 1,012
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Michael,
On steel/gold bracelets, do you normally encounter significantly more wear on the gold links than the stainless pins? I would assume fairly balanced wear on all stainless or all gold bracelet components. |
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#32 |
Banned
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 6,268
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Thank you Michael! Welcome to TRF :)
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#33 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Real Name: Adam
Location: Ontario, Canada
Watch: Pepsi.
Posts: 5,749
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Welcome Michael,
Your work is absolutely incredible, a true life saver to Rolex owners. |
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#34 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Real Name: David
Location: australia
Posts: 20,157
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Great info welcome to trf
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watches many |
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#35 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
|
Band restoration Part 2
As promised this is Chapter 2 of the band restoration manual
Today we continue on the modern day solid links jubilee band since we are on the same machine as yesterday. See Pic 1. Essentially same machine, but the black gripping claws are changed. The Jub links have a different curvature to the oyster links so a special set is machined. There is only a small gap beteeen the 2 center links of a jubilee band and this is where we insert the tool to pull it open. Pic 2 Shows the process of turning the knob that slowly expand the 2 claws. Pic 3 Shows the first link openened. Now the work starts. Essentially when you look at Pic 4. It shows the 2 pins of a Jub link. On the right is the untouched pin, as you can see the 3 center links grinding on it leaving grooves on the pin. As we are to preserve as much original parts as possible we will not replace the pins unless absolutely required. For this particular band it is not so bad, so a metal sleeve/tube is inserted on the left hand pin to renforce it and to also make it thicker so it will reduce the gap between links when we reassemble the link. Repaeat this process 20 times and you are done for one Jubilee Band. Then it goes thru the polishing wheel and nylon wheel for the satin finish. No so difficult right? ![]() Just FYI with my slow fingers for this demo, it took me roughly 20 mins to disassemble this link and put it back. Preview: In the next couple of chapters I will go through the restoration of a Folded link and a Rivet link band. Both from a restoration technique point of view are essentially the same. Stay tuned ![]() |
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#36 | |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
|
Quote:
You are correct, the wear on gold links are significantly more than on steel ones, the worst ones are 2 tone jubilee bands. I have one that is sent in with pins literally thinner than a piece of hair, imagine what a tough time it had endured. The only way to restore this is to find a set of links from a steel Jub band and then transfer it over keeping the gold links , clasp and ends. So be sure not to send it in too late, I am just a magician and not god, so I cannot really reverse wear. |
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#37 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Vince Choo
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Watch: 5513 '67 Sub
Posts: 160
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Very interesting how these are assembled and disassembled. Thank you for sharing!
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#38 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
|
My work pod
In case you are interested in where I work, here are some photos of our new service center in Hong Kong.
We also do full watch restorations and servicing; with the proper watch tools: Bergeon tools, Wistchi Watch analysers, Rolex case opening tools, Rolex pressure testers etc... So any folks in Hong Kong or drop by Hong Kong can come here and have a chat. |
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#39 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Vince Choo
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Watch: 5513 '67 Sub
Posts: 160
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very nice!
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#40 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: West
Watch: Day-Date
Posts: 932
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Wonderful thread, great! Many thanks for sharing.
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#41 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Stockholm
Posts: 6,014
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excellent!!
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#42 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Earth
Posts: 259
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Oh... if you could only do "beads of rice" bands!!!!
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#43 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
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Yes we can do bead rice Gay Feres bands as well, we 've done a few over the years.
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#44 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 6,382
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Thank you and welcome.
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#45 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: mel(oz)/Yorks(uk)
Posts: 1,917
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'' I am just a magician and not god ''
damn , thats a shame :(....hey mike, welcome :) |
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#46 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
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Thanks buddies for all the great comments, very encouraging
I can only reward with more eye candy photos, showing as much behind the scenes as possible ![]() |
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#47 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 11
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Thank you so much for the fantastic and very speedy job executed on my 16660 bracelet
Many thanks |
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#48 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: USA
Watch: See my signature
Posts: 1,189
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Michael,
Would you agree that wearing your watch loose around your wrist and periodic cleaning (ultrasonic) will greatly extend the life of your bracelet? Seems the real culprit is fine grit getting into the links and acting as an abrasive which grinds down the parts and wearing your watch tight only increases the wear. Woody .
__________________
"Woody and Jen say hey from North Kakalaki" ![]() 19019, 19018x3, 17000x2, 16570x2, 16220, 5700, 1501, 6564, 16030, 16710, 16610 |
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#49 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
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Its a difficult question to answer. It really depneds at which state your band is.
When the links are tight then wearing it tight increases the friction on the pins. But when the links are already loose the if you wear it loose then the links are laterally grinding off each other and the corners of the center links have the corners grind off and that's worst than pin wear becasue I cannot economically repair those damages. Physically yes I can laser solder every center link and repolish them, but then financially only the 18k bands are worth doing, so this is what we generally do. So the trick is to get bands restored when they are moderately loose and not wait till the links are worn beyond repair. A band should be able to withstand 2 band restorations before the end of life. |
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#50 | |
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2011
Real Name: Mickey®
Location: Atlanta, GA
Watch: Swiss Made
Posts: 5,801
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Quote:
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#51 |
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2008
Real Name: George
Location: Detroit Michigan
Watch: 18078
Posts: 1,142
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Thanks Mr Young for giving us more info on how you do the great work you do.Before I send my Prez to you I have one question. With a 18k band, are the parts you replace all 18k gold ?
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#52 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Real Name: Serg
Location: US of A
Watch: AP
Posts: 7,425
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Fantastic! I've seen some pictures of your work and it is a work of art ... and love I guess!
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How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat???? |
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#53 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Real Name: Marc
Location: SoCal
Watch: Not enough ;-)
Posts: 21,232
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Thanks for the pics Michael
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#54 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Real Name: john
Location: Scotland
Watch: sub 16610Lv
Posts: 13,523
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a very interesting thread michael. thank you.
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"AFTER DARK" BAR AND NIGHT CLUB GM. |
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#55 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
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#56 |
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 8,391
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So when you restore a rivet 20mm what parts do you replace??
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#57 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: brazil
Posts: 196
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Michael is a fine gentleman and does a awesome work
He restored a 9315 bracelet that was pure garbage. I got it back in pristine condition. ![]() Highly recommend him to any forumite Luciano |
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#58 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Real Name: Michael Young
Location: Hong Kong
Watch: 5510 Submariner
Posts: 80
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Really nothing , just rebending the center links with the curvature bent back in, except sometimes we put small pieces of metal sleeves within the link.
Hold your breath till I go onto Chapeter 3 of this Thread, I will go in details on how it is done. |
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#59 |
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 8,391
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How much does this cost??
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#60 |
2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Real Name: PaulG
Location: Georgia
Posts: 40,718
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Excellent thread...one worth bookmarking for future chapters.
And refer the doubters to read so they may see the stuff of what really causes "stretch".
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