Centering your vintage Rolex clasp
Say you love vintage Rolex, but have a 6.25” wrist and find that the clasp doesn’t centre on your wrist. It’s wonky, it’s annoying, but you still wear it anyway because you love that piece overall.
Why does this happen?
For whatever reason, vintage Rolex bracelets (5 digit and older) have 5 fixed links at the 6 o’clock side. Contrast to modern day 6 digit Rolex references, where you can get it down to just 4 links before hitting the clasp. This makes modern Rolex more friendly to those with smaller wrists, whilst the vintage bracelets sit a tad too far to the 12 o’clock side.
The only way we can get the vintage bracelet to be more centred on our wrist is by figuring out a way to get rid of one of the excess links.
Here’s 3 ways you can solve for it
Reverse the bracelet
One of the quick and easy solutions is to simply flip the bracelet the other way around. This works because our wrists tend to need the extra link on the 12 o’clock side, and helps get the bracelet a bit more centred.
Pros - No further changes required, and no risk of damage to the bracelet
Cons - Your bracelet is upside down. Personally, I found it to be an annoying experience as the bulky head of the clasp is now the part that hits the table and catches on to things.
Break the 4th link
Take the bracelet to a watchmaker / jeweller and have them break off the 4th link. This is a quick and easy mod for them, as they’ll have the tools to pluck off the sides of the 4th link, and will be able to screw link 5 onto link 3.
Pros - Your clasp is now centred
Cons - There is a significant taper drop from link 3 to link 5, which may be jarring for some.
Note: if the watchmaker is an authorised Rolex servicer, they won’t be allowed to make this change as it destroys original Rolex specifications. You’ll have to find a watchmaker or jeweller who isn’t an official servicer for Rolex.
Break the rivet
This is the option that I chose. Like the 2nd option, you take your bracelet to a watchmaker / jeweller and have them
Break the rivet on the clasp
Unscrew out link 5 (no damage, you can keep this)
Put a new rivet into the clasp and into link 4
Pros - your bracelet is now centred and with the proper taper, and you haven’t damaged any links. You get to keep that 5th link, which can be riveted back on should you wish to put the bracelet back together to its original length.
Cons - as the rivet isn’t a screw, it doesn’t share the same circumference. This means that it’s a bit of a sausage down a hallway, with a gap down the hollow link. Personally doesn’t bother me, as when you wear it there will be enough tension for it to not move around.
And there you go! Hope that helps!
