Help please - remove bracelet from 1680 Red Sub?

[rek001]

HI guys

 

So I bought a vintage Red Sub from Angus, I'm new to vintage Rolex, I absolute love this watch.

 

I have a slim wrist and had to remove as many links as possible, it was difficult, the screws were VERY tight, took me over 1 hour.

I need to remove 1 last link, the screw just won't budge, tried everything - solvents, heat, cold.

 

At this point screw head is getting stripped and I need to stop.

 

So I contacted Angus, he said to send back the bracelet and he would send me another, all for free.

To me "for free" means air mail, so the whole thing will take probably about 6 weeks, which I'm not happy about. I'll have to negotiate something with him. I guess I could wear it on a NATO strap during this process, sigh.

 

Anyway, sorry for noob question but - how do I remove the bracelet from the watch head?

 

There are metal tabs completely covering the spring bar access points between the lugs, on the underside of the watch.

There are lug holes drilled all the way through to outside of lugs.

 

Do I push into one lug hole from the outside of the lug to release the spring bar? I don't want to screw up anything here.

 

Thanks much.

 

[jackflash]

Do I push into one lug hole from the outside of the lug to release the spring bar? I don't want to screw up anything here.

Yeap, that is exactly what you do.

[Stephane]

Yeap, that is exactly what you do.

+1

[rek001]

OK thanks so much, good to know I'm not that stupid LOL.

 

And to re-install bracelet, I push the spring bar through the lug holes and it will lock in place?

[panerai153]

Very easy , either use a spring bar remover with a plain end or a big paperclip, depress one side of the springbar, hold tension to move the springbar away from the lug hole. Repeat on the other side. Much easier to remove bracelets on watches with open lugholes.

[Stephane]

well, yes.
You should put one end in the hole, then with a blade press the other end until it comes in between the lugs and then move it slowly so the other end finds the other hole :-)

[woof*]

One the first tools to buy in this hobby is a good quality spring bar tool, and not one of the cheapo's off ebay.

I bought several cheap ones, and broke them too..until I bought a good one. Ofrei offers either the Bergeon or the same unbranded a little less.

Get a few extra tip sets too. Use the straight pin end for lugholes, and the tiny fork for sel type bracelets. Your watch bracelet worries will be over

http://www.ofrei.com/page252.html

 

[rek001]

Thanks much for replies guys, you are the best!

I'm taking the watch and bracelet to one more jeweler in the city today, maybe he can free that last screw.

So annoying if I have to send the bracelet back to Angus.