Watchband repair?

January 25, 2007 7:10 PM

How do I keep my watchband from coming off the watch?

I recently got as a gift a very nice Swiss Army watch on a leather band. It's a really nice watch, but I've spent now $13 on getting the watchband reattached. It just has one pin that refuses to stay in, and every time it pops out, it vanishes, and I have to use it as a pocket watch until I get to a jeweler.

What the heck can I do? I like this watch! It's my first real analog watch, and I kinda want to keep it. Should I convince the jeweler to put some glue in the hole when he puts the band back on or what?

posted by SansPoint to clothing, beauty, & fashion (9 comments total)

Get a new pin, and throw out the 'one pin that refuses to stay in.'

You can also fix that yourself with an extremely uncomplicated and cheap tool I don't know the name of.
posted by kmennie at 7:19 PM on January 25, 2007

kmennie

The pin that falls out is being replaced every time. I keep losing it when it pops out. It's not the pin, I suspect.
posted by SansPoint at 7:23 PM on January 25, 2007

Sounds like the hole the pin goes into isn't terribly deep. If you want to get really daring, you could try to deepen it with a punch. Or I suppose you could ask the jeweler to look into it.
posted by advicepig at 7:27 PM on January 25, 2007

I should add that it usually comes out when I move my hand and arm in a vigorous way (such as shaking hands, not *that*). Perhaps the hole is too shallow, as you said advicepig
posted by SansPoint at 7:30 PM on January 25, 2007

Contact the manufacturer and see if they'll fix/replace it.
posted by JekPorkins at 7:37 PM on January 25, 2007

1) Use a strong magnifying lass or jewelers loupe to inspect the holes in the case to make sure there's no gunk or whatnot filling in one or both holes and preventing the springbar from seating securely.

2) Make sure you are using the proper length springbar (have a real watch repair shop size it.)

3) If that doesn't do it I'd guess JekPorkins has it: the watch case was not manufactured correctly and the hole isn't deep enough to seat the springbar properly. If you can't get the watch replaced, it's possible a jeweler could enlarge the offending hole.
posted by mojohand at 8:15 PM on January 25, 2007

You could make the hole bigger yourself by using a pin-drill, which is basically just a handle for holding a drill-bit. Most hobbyist or tool places have them, and they usually come with a small selection of tiny drill-bits.
posted by veedubya at 5:27 AM on January 26, 2007

You could deepen the hole using a pin vise and a small drill, but unless you have experience doing that, I don't recommend you try. Drilling stainless steel is not like drilling most other metals, and the drill you'd be using is so thin that it'd be easy to snap. If you had a snapped-off drill bit embedded in the hole, all hope of getting a free replacement watch would be gone.

Ask your jeweler if the hole is clear, or if it's too shallow. If it's too shallow, try to get a replacement watch.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:11 AM on January 26, 2007

the Swiss Army Watch 3 Year Warranty is here. Should be a free fix with $10 shipping and handling.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 5:28 PM on January 26, 2007