TommyJoe Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Got a little problem that I could use some advice with. I've got a beautiful stainless Day/Date with the hidden clasp oyster band (brushed outer links and polished mid-links). I tried to take it off last night and when I put my thumbnail under the little Rolex coronet (crown logo) to release the clasp, the damn coronet popped off. The clasp has always been tight and took a little more effort than I felt it should to remove, so I guess I've worn out the glue holding it on by "ronching" (technical term meaning " to exert much man-force") on it every day. The coronet has a little stem on the bottom of it that goes in the hole on the last link of the band, but of course it needs an adhesive to keep it on. What kind and brand of epoxy or glue should I use to put it back on and keep it there? I would also like to loosen the clasp a bit so it doesn't take so much ronching to get it off. Can I adjust the tightness of the clasp mechanism? If only the rest of this watch were built as well as the ETA movement, I probably wouldn't have these problems. Any suggestions on these topics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 You can try any epoxy that is made for steel (check your local hardware or automotive parts store), but my guess is that with such a small point of contact between the 2 parts & the frequency of stress they receive (whenever you use the clasp) it will probably break off again. The only permanent fix would be to weld the 2 pieces together or replace the broken parts with a single piece as on the gen bracelets. I do not wear modern Rolex watches, so I cannot be too specific, but you might check with some of the other collectors to see if they offer a better quality rep bracelet (or search ebay for a gen). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w.genzo Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I had the same experience with my Date Just. A gen (or 1:1 aftermarket) bracelet didn't fit my rep. I bought a new bracelet from the same seller, it's pretty cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevethebest Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The answer is easier (this time) : glue the coronet back with an epoxidic glue as suggested. The issue is how you handle your watch: you should never pull the coronet, but the sides of the bracelet itself! Notice that the inner clasp is narrower than the barcelet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyJoe Posted February 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Thanks for the advice fellas. I went to the local auto parts store and picked up some multi-metal epoxy and applied it a few hours ago. I'll wait until morning before I put any pressure on it, but I have a feeling that Freddy is probably right. As for your suggestion, Steve, since the thing fell off the other day, I've been pulling on the sides of the band to take the watch off, but I have to pull so hard I fear I'll rupture a nut. The clasp does taper like yours, but below the coronet link it's almost the same width as the band itself. There's not enough room to get a grip on it, so I would think the coronet is placed on the edge of the link to aid in releasing the clasp (on the gen, anyways). If you're recommending I avoid tugging on the coronet because it's a rep, then I completely agree (hindsight is 20/20). It's got the newer, polished stainless clasp, by the way. The two main problems seem to be that it's a rep (shoddy craftsmanship) and it's clasp is too damn tight. Upon further inspection, it doesn't appear that the clasp tension can be adjusted. I'm a rookie to this, though, so maybe a more experienced member can offer a remedy. Is it something that I could lube, or would that be overkill? I'll let y'all know how the glue works tomorrow. Thanks again guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyJoe Posted February 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 IT WORKED! (so far, anyways). I glued it back on Saturday night and let it sit overnight and it worked great. I've removed the watch several times yesterday and today with no sign of weakness. Hope it lasts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWATCH Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Had the same problem with the coronet falling off on a Datejust. I took it to a jeweler friend of mine to figure out how to fix it. Welding was out of the question, so we tried a little epoxy. I don't know what brand he used but he uses it to set stones in jewelery. It seems to be OK so far, but also opening the clasp from the side helps too. It seems like the thing is a press fit. There appears to be a post on the coronet with a metal 'shield'? wrapped around it. I figure that the shield part wasn't thick enough to mate correctly with the hole in the bracelet. It's a tricky proposition, since you're always going to apply pressure to the coronet to open the bracelet. I have a feeling that the epoxy will fail eventually in the long run. But replacement rep bracelets aren't that expensive. Maybe they'll fix this flaw after they fix the two VII's instead of one VII and one VIII on the Datejust dial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyJoe Posted February 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 UPDATE It's been a whole five days since my quick fix and it seems just as strong as ever. Don't worry, though. You'll all know if it falls off again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.