EMM Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Looking at bracelets for my 5512 build. I see that the Yuki rivet bracelets are well regarded. Yuki sells 2 of these - one stretchy and one not. Which one is more accurate/better? Also, he has his 92350 bracelet on sale. How does this compare to the stock bracelet that came with an SSD? My SSD came with a bracelet that is labeled 72200 (that's the number for a Turn-o-graph), and looks like a standard Oyster with a SD clasp attached. Is Yuki's better? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjjoyce1 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 The Yuki 7206 bracelet is extremely accurate - Most rep rivets have links that are too thick, the end links aren't correct, and the link to link dimensions are off. The Yuki dimensionally is perfect - I compared mine to the chart in the sticky'd guide in this section. It's stampings are excellent. Unfortunately, the quality is very hit or miss. Mine was an extreme foul ball. I suppose some people would have lived with the quality issues, but I sent mine back and got a gen. In talking with others, this is pretty standard - one person ordered a couple at once and only one was good quality. Yuki's customer service, however, is superb - no issues on that side. As far as which is more correct, Rolex offered both styles. The "twist-o-flex" band was very popular back then, and the stretch band was Rolex's answer. Both are the exact same band. One has Z springs in the links to allow the expansion. Both are correct, it's just a matter of getting your wrist hairs pinched or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMM Posted April 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Thanks! So there's no chance I'll get a better or worse one by choosing stretchy vs. non-stretchy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 The Yuki dimensionally is perfect... Well, other than its inability to take 2mm springbars. The retaining hoops can be widened, but doing so shifts the endlinks slightly out of alignment with the rest of the bracelet. Overall, an excellent bracelet worth the steep price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 The Yuki 7206 bracelet is extremely accurate Well, other than its inability to take 2mm springbars. I agree with both of these comments, but would add that the stretch version is the most uncomfortable bracelet I have (I have both the gen & Yuki's version). You will need to take the springbar issue into account (either use the bracelet with a watch that does not require 2mm dia springbars or be willing to live with very stiff end links (assuming you are able to expand the hoops without killing the bracelet, which I have done twice). Click here for the thread where I compared Yuki's 7206 with a gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMM Posted April 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 Wow. Thanks for all the comments and the link. Disappointing that the comments from 18 months ago still apply. I am tapped out on this pbDad 5512 build already, so a gen bracelet is not in the cards for now. So am I better off with the folded 7836 Yuki sells? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjjoyce1 Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I am tapped out on this pbDad 5512 build already, so a gen bracelet is not in the cards for now. So am I better off with the folded 7836 Yuki sells? I forgot about the spring bar issue - thanks guys for making mention of that. But I think you'll run into the same issue with the 7836. . .? I saved some $$$ by getting a U.S. C&I bracelet. The links are a bit different dimensionally side link to middle link than the standard Swiss rivet, but the good thing is they're half the price of the Swiss and there are no rep copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 I forgot about the spring bar issue - thanks guys for making mention of that. But I think you'll run into the same issue with the 7836. . .? Yuki confirmed that their 7836 will take a bar that's 1.8mm, tops. Nevertheless, I've still wanted to order one, but it's been unavailable since last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 If you want a 7836, then get it from Josh. He sells them for $50 and they are pretty good. If you want the older style 7206, then get the non-stretchy one. The spring loaded bracelet is not comfortable and it rips out your arm hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMM Posted April 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Josh's bracelet works with 2mm springbars? If so, that seems like the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Josh's bracelet works with 2mm springbars? If so, that seems like the way to go. I think it's a mixed bag. I ordered a couple of 7836s from Mary (Watch International), who seems to get them from the same supplier. The first bracelet fit a 2mm bar with no problem whatsoever. The second would not. However, I imagine it would be easier to open these up, compared to a 7206. For one thing, you wouldn't have to worry about deforming adjacent links. The Josh/Mary 7836s are nice, low-cost folded-links, but they are of a distinctly lower quality than the Yuk 7206. You might not feel the cheaper steel right away, but you'll definitely see the difference if you have to resize the bracelet and open up a couple of links. There are also several shortcuts that were taken in the construction. It wouldn't be so bad if these only meant poorer visuals (e.g. the boxy clasp and the crimped final mid-link). However, designs like the overly-simplified links next to the clasp result in the bracelet being stiffer -i.e. less comfortable- than the real thing. But for <$50, pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 The good news: I got my rivet back from the jeweler yesterday, he finally finished resizing it. Other than the two rivets with tiny round tops instead of indented ones like the rest..it was perfect, like it was made that way. I installed it back on my vintage Milgauss where it came from originally and the fit was great. He told me that it was a very easy job to do, replacing rivets, other than my bracelet is the stretch version and that threw him for a loop. He told me once he figured that out it wasn't bad. The bracelet looked awesome on my Milgauss! The bad news: I decided I wanted to put it on my 5512 with gen springbars, so I got out a couple small punches to open up the endlinks for the 2mm bars. I did that..and put it on the 5512 and the endlinks are now deformed, messed up and do not fit the watch well. I thought: well no problem, I'll just use the 5512's endlinks. That is when I discovered the rivet's endlinks are permanent to the bracelet and held on by more rivets! Uhg!!! I guess it goes back to the jeweler. At least I know in the future that my jeweler is able to properly resize any rivet bracelet I buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Congratulations on locating a jeweler who has rivets to fit the bracelet. If you speak with him again, please see if he will give you the name of the parts supply house where he purchased them & their part number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjjoyce1 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 At least I know in the future that my jeweler is able to properly resize any rivet bracelet I buy. I sized my rivet by gently inserting a razor blade into the center link fold joint - starting at the side, then evenly pried up on the short side until I could just barely squeeze the adjoining link out. I flattened it back with the bracelet on a piece of pine wood and used the rubberized handle of a pliers in a smoothing type stroke to close the link. Took awhile, but you can't tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Congratulations on locating a jeweler who has rivets to fit the bracelet. If you speak with him again, please see if he will give you the name of the parts supply house where he purchased them & their part number. Freddy, I kinda did and he kinda gave me a generalized answer that they are SS pins used for the flip lock clasps. When I showed him my rep 16610 last year..he kinda looked dissapointed in me..so I have not talked about reps since then. His shop is a couple doors down from my shop, we have been business neighbors for several years. When I saw the assortment box, it was a thin plastic box 2x3" with compartments and sizes of the tiny pins. He said it was a common repair for him. So I googled and found something like this, it looked similar: http://www.jewelerssupplies.com/product2097.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 "If you speak with him again, please see if he will give you the name of the parts supply house where he purchased them & their part number." I get them from Startime in Houston TX. They are called 'pressure pins' and refills come in packs of 10 in various sizes...10mm, 12mm, 18mm etc. For example a 'refill' bag of 10 sets 22mm long in 1.0mm diameter is: TFC-Pin22 This is for 10 tubes and 20 rivets in 1.0mm diameter. They also come in 1.2mm. This is also the part needed to repair a missing or damaged rivet in rolex etc clasps where they permanently attach to the bracelet. http://store.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=1E_bands_Pins-w_Tubes&Product_Code= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 automatico's sounds right, but thanks both of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 Those pins with tube are a life saver when it comes to fixing clasps. I just bought a bunch of 20mm ones. You can easily cut and sand them to the exact length you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMM Posted May 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 PBDad said he could fix the 2mm lugbar problem, so had him get me the Yuki non-stretchy rivet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted May 10, 2011 Report Share Posted May 10, 2011 Yeah you just need to replace the connecting link from the bracelet to the endlink. Its not easy but it can be done with the right parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) I just got an Explorer 1016 back from JMB for mods, and one of the mods he did was to drill out the bracelet to put 2mm springbars in there. It didn't appear to make the bracelet sit at a different height for me, and it feels pretty sturdy... Edited May 23, 2011 by ww12345 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwgforumfan Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Freddy, I kinda did and he kinda gave me a generalized answer that they are SS pins used for the flip lock clasps. When I showed him my rep 16610 last year..he kinda looked dissapointed in me..so I have not talked about reps since then. His shop is a couple doors down from my shop, we have been business neighbors for several years. When I saw the assortment box, it was a thin plastic box 2x3" with compartments and sizes of the tiny pins. He said it was a common repair for him. So I googled and found something like this, it looked similar: http://www.jewelerss...roduct2097.html What tool do I need to install the rivets myself? For the Yuki 7206, is it possible to remove unwanted links without removing the rivets by prying off the links carefully on the backside with a penknife or flat head screwdriver like gen? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 What tool do I need to install the rivets myself? For the Yuki 7206, is it possible to remove unwanted links without removing the rivets by prying off the links carefully on the backside with a penknife or flat head screwdriver like gen? Thanks! Yes, you can do that. Lots of people do it that way, but the problem is when bending the center links back...they often look sloppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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