Endlink fits too tight

[MartinRG]

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!

[Andad]

There is little to zero tolerance in the fitment of the endlinks to the lugs on some Rolex watches.

This has started many threads on the ‘squeek’ that some owners have asked about.

This tightness (and the squeek) will disappear once the watch has been worn for a while.

I doubt the lugs could have been bent by manual handling.

[MartinRG]

Okay thanks for your response. I also doubt that the lugs have been bent, that would be weird. What I just noticed is that the endlink (558b) has been bent a bit weird... I've tried to get it in the original shape and the fit is already better. Maybe a little too soon panic post of mine, but I think the endlink just has been butchered a bit. Let's see if I can get the fit even better.

[Andad]

How did you ‘adjust’ the end link?

[MartinRG]

Well it’s hard to describe but it was bent in a way that it wasn’t straight like these in the picture anymore. Of course it’s the non solid endlink, those you can’t “adjust” haha. I tried to very carefully shape it again like this, and now it fits way better.

[77T]

What s/n range is your 14270?

Early Oyster 78360 and 558B has a lot play from wear usually. If it’s the later case without lugholes you shouldn’t have any tightness unless the wrong endlinks were fitted.


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[MartinRG]

Originally Posted by 77T

What s/n range is your 14270?

Early Oyster 78360 and 558B has a lot play from wear usually. If it’s the later case without lugholes you shouldn’t have any tightness unless the wrong endlinks were fitted.


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It’s a 1997 with U serial and without the lug holes. The bracelet on mine is the 78790 with 558B’s. The 12 o’clock doesn’t have any tightness but the 6 o’clock one is tight. But not as tight as it was, it can slide in now without pressure but hasn’t room to wiggle (pro: no noise lol). That bracelet and endlinks are what it came with originally, right? The clasp code matches the watch serial date.

[Tools]

The endlinks are adjustable.

When they get loose, usually from wear of the tube, the batwings are bent slightly to rotate the contour against the case.

Your picture shows a slight bend in the batwing. They are not intended to always be flat unless brand new.

Likely your endlinks have been slightly adjusted and new spring bars fitted, and you are noticing a different fitment than before due to these adjustments/parts.