How To Adjust A Steel Watch Strap

Steel watch strap with links may need to have links removed to properly fit your wrist. If you're good with your hands, you can use the included link-adjustment tool to do this yourself. If you're not comfortable doing so, you can take it to a local watch store (where you'd go to replace watch batteries) or jeweler, and they should be able to do it for you.

STEP A:Put the watch on without adjusting it, you will need to note how big the watch is.

1.If the watch is very loose, you will have to remove lots of links.

2.If the watch is just slightly loose and you are not in danger of it falling off, you might consider leaving it.

 

STEP B: Find the clasp, pinch the band evenly from the clasp until it is the proper size.

1.It is recommended to have an equal number of links on either side of the clasp that need to be removed. This will make sure the watch itself stays centered on the wrist band.
If removing an equal number of links will make the watch too tight or still too loose, it would be fine to remove different number of links.
2.Write down the number of the links that need to be removed from either side of the clasp.
3.If you can't accurately judge the number of links to remove, remove one less than you expect-it is always easier to remove another link than add one back in.

STEP C: Get your tools assembled, these are several things you will need to adjust your watch strap.

1.A links remover. This was shipped with the watch and can be used to push the pins that hold the links together out of their holes.

2.A pair of needle-nosed pliers. This tool is recommended to help you remove the pins.

3.A small jewelry hammer.

4.Make sure you are working on a flat surface with good lighting. You will need to collect any pins you remove from the band.

STEP D: Removing links from the wristband.

1.Count up the number of links you will need to remove.

2.Find the pin holding the last link in place, this is where you will start to remove the links.

3.Place the steel strap on the remover channel with the back side upward. Push the sharp end of the pushpin against the head of the link pin (the end with a directional arrow), lining the target link pin up with the pusher pin and use the outside screw to apply pressure and push the link pin out of the watch strap.

*For those watch straps without directional arrow, you need to distinguish between flat end and round end of the link pins, you should push the link pins from the round end. 

4.Once you have enough of the link pin out of the hole on the other side of the wrist band to grasp it with the pliers, you can grasp the end of the pin tightly with the needle-nosed pliers.

5.The links you need from one side of the clasp should be removed now. You need to repeat the process for the other side of the wrist band.

STEP E: Remove the second pin close to clasp from the section of removed linkand then reassemble the watch Strap.

1.Repeat the pin removal process to remove the second pin close to clasp from the section of removed links. When you have finished, you should have two pins ready to use later.

2.Line up the link close to the clasp with the last link on one side of your wristband.

3.Take one of the pins you removed and insert it into the hole.

4.It should go most of the way in on its own, except for the last little bit on the end, use the hammer to gently pound the pin into the hole the whole way.

5.Repeat this process on the other side link of the clasp, your watch band is now adjusted and assembled.

STEP F: Try on the watch, it should now fit without being too big or too small.

1.If you have over-adjusted the watch, try adding a link to each side of the watch band.

2.If you haven’t taken enough links out, re-assess how many need to be removed for the watch strap to be tight enough and comfortable.

3.Wear the watch for a few days to make sure it’s comfortable.