Sizing a Metal Watchband - Adding Links

The watches I sell, at least the ones with flexible metal bands, are designed to fit an 8 inch wrist. I guess someone somewhere has determined that that is a normal wrist. I know to fit my watches to my wrist I need to remove a link. And I'm sure many others need to make an adjustment or two. So what follows are some basic instructions on how to add or remove a link from a metal watchband. By the way loyal shoppers, if you find that you need an additional link to resize a band on a watch you bought from me just let me know and I'll ship you a couple.

How to remove/add links to the flexible watchbands on the watches that I sell in my eBay store, All-4-Corners.

Remove plastic protective coating from band

The first four links on either side of the watch case are permanent and can't be removed. The 5th and 6th links on either side are removable and this is where all the adjusting action takes place. This is clearly illustrated in my 3rd-grade-level diagram.

The clasp link and link on either side of it are removable, but that's not where you'd want to remove or add anything.

To remove a link: using a sharp object push one of the removable pins most the way through...until the band separates at that point. No need to push it all the way out. Sometimes there is an arrow on the backside of the band which indicates which way the pin should travel, but not always. If you find that the pin won't budge, try going the other direction. Do the same for the link you want to remove, this time totally removing the pin as well. With the excess link removed you can rejoin the band. Sometimes the pin can be a mother bear to get back in, but it will jiggle back into place eventually.

To add a link, the process is about the same...push the pin through, insert link, push pin back in.

On my watches, each link adds about 3/8 an inch to band length. If you need to add two or more links I suggest you evenly space them on each side of the clasp in order to keep clasp centered.

There is a tool for easily pushing the pins out. Its cheap and comes in handy if you're doing the operation a lot and can save you some bloodloss from pushing the sharp object through your thumb. Been there, done that. Here's one on Amazon that comes highly recommended watch link remover