Shorten watch straps yourself – remove links step by step
The guide shows how link bracelets with pins, collars, and screws differ, and covers six steps from measuring to fine-tuning the clasp. You will also learn what can be done without tools, when a watchmaker is a better choice, and what the job might cost at a watch store.
Short answer
Most metal watch straps can be shortened at home by removing links. Push the pin out in the direction indicated by the arrow on the inside of the link, remove the same number of links on each side of the clasp, and reassemble the strap. You will need a link tool, or a thin punch and a small hammer. A mesh strap is shortened instead by moving the clasp.
Innehåll · 7 avsnitt
- What do you need to shorten the watch strap yourself?
- How to shorten the watch strap – step by step
- How do you shorten a mesh strap or a watch strap with a sliding clasp?
- Can the watch strap be shortened without tools?
- When should you have a watchmaker shorten the watch strap instead?
- How much does it cost to shorten a watch strap in a store?
- Find a watch with a steel link at Kronura
What do you need to shorten the watch strap yourself?
Try on the watch before removing a single link. If you have just bought it and want to be able to cancel the purchase, wait before shortening the strap. According to Kronura's terms for open purchase, a watch whose link has been adjusted cannot be returned.
The job itself requires few tools:
- Link tool (bracelet adjuster) – a holder with a screw-driven pin that pushes the pin out straight. The easiest choice if you are going to shorten one or two watch straps. Kronura sells a bracelet adjuster of this type.
- Punch and small hammer – an alternative to the link tool. The punch should be slightly narrower than the pin. A plastic or brass hammer scratches less than a steel one.
- Precision screwdriver – for watch straps with screw links. The screwdriver blade should fit exactly in the screw slot.
- Spring pin tool – a small tool with a fork-shaped tip that moves the spring pin in the clasp when you fine-tune.
- Tweezers, soft cloth and a small bowl – so that pins and sleeves do not disappear and the glass does not get scratched.
Kronura
Watch bracelet adjuster
€4,95
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How to shorten the watch strap – step by step
Work at a table with good lighting. Place the watch on the cloth with the glass facing down.
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Try on the watch and count the excess
Put on the watch and pinch the strap together at the clasp until the watch fits the way you want. Count how many links are left over on each side. The watch should sit securely without pinching – how it should fit is described in our guide on the right watch size. It is better to remove one link too few than one too many.
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Find the arrows and choose links
On the inside of the links that can be removed, there are small arrows. The arrow shows which direction the pin should be pushed out. Take the same number of links from both sides of the clasp. Then the clasp will be in the middle of the wrist and the dial in the middle on top. If there is an odd number, take the extra link from one side.
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Push out the pin or unscrew the screw
How the link comes off depends on how the watch strap is built. Look at the edge of the link:
- Pin (split pin) – a pin that is held in place by friction. Place the link in the tool so that the arrow points away from the pin and push out the pin in the direction of the arrow.
- Pin with sleeve – the pin is held by a very small metal sleeve inside the middle link. Push out the pin in the same way, but hold the strap over the cloth. The sleeve falls out easily.
- Screw link – a slot at the end shows that it is a screw. Unscrew counterclockwise with a screwdriver that fits the slot. If the screw is very tight, do not force it.
Use an even pressure. If the pin does not move, check that you are pushing in the direction of the arrow.
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Lift out the links and save the parts
When the pin is out, the link comes loose. Repeat until the right number of links are gone. Put the links, pins and sleeves in a small bag and save them. You may need them if the watch is to be worn by someone else or sold on. Since the strap is already apart, it is a good opportunity to clean the links, because dirt accumulates in the joints.
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Reassemble the watch strap
Bring the two ends together so that the holes are in line. Put the pin back in from the same side it came out, i.e., towards the direction of the arrow. Push it in until it is flush with the edge of the link. If the strap has sleeves, first put the sleeve in the hole of the middle link and then push the pin through it. Tighten screws properly, but without over-tightening.
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Try on and fine-tune in the clasp
Put on the watch again. If it feels almost right but a whole link would be too much, adjust in the clasp instead. Many folding clasps have two or more small holes on the side where the strap attaches. Push in the end of the spring pin with the spring pin tool, move the pin to another hole and release. Pull the strap to check that the pin is secure.
How do you shorten a mesh strap or a watch strap with a sliding clasp?
A mesh strap is woven from thin steel wire and has no links to remove. Instead, you set the length with the clasp, which slides along the strap and locks with a small plate. Lift the plate with a nail or a thin, flat screwdriver. Slide the clasp to the right position and press the plate down again. Pull the clasp to check that it is secure before you put on the watch.
The same principle applies to some simpler steel watch straps: the clasp is moved and no links are removed. Leather, rubber and textile straps are adjusted in the holes of the strap.
Can the watch strap be shortened without tools?
Partially. Mesh straps and watch straps with a sliding clasp can often be adjusted with just a nail or something thin and flat. The spring pin in a folding clasp can sometimes be moved with a pointed object, for example a paperclip.
Removing links is more difficult. A straightened paperclip or a paperclip can push out a pin in an emergency, but they easily slip, bend and scratch the link. Screw links require a screwdriver that fits exactly. If you are going to shorten the watch strap multiple times, a simple link tool is a small cost compared to a scratched link.
When should you have a watchmaker shorten the watch strap instead?
Do not do the job yourself if any of this applies:
- The pins are stuck despite pushing in the direction of the arrow.
- The links lack arrows and you cannot see how they are put together.
- The screws are very small or are so tight that the screwdriver slips.
- The strap is gold-colored or highly polished, so that scratches would be clearly visible.
- The watch is expensive or has sentimental value that makes you not want to take the risk.
If the watch is still going to be handed in for a battery change or service, you can ask the store to shorten the watch strap at the same visit. You can often change the battery at home – see our guide on changing the battery yourself.
How much does it cost to shorten a watch strap in a store?
At a watchmaker or watch store where you live, it can be free, but it can also cost a couple of hundred kronor. What you pay depends mostly on where the watch was bought.
- The watch was bought in the store – then the adjustment can be free. Bring the receipt.
- The watch was bought somewhere else – then it can cost a couple of hundred kronor. Ask how much it costs before you hand in the watch.
- You do it yourself – the tool is the only cost. Kronura's bracelet adjuster costs 49 kronor and can be used again the next time the watch strap needs to be adjusted.
The price varies between stores, so always ask first. If you bought the watch in a physical store, it is worth starting there.
Find a watch with a steel link at Kronura
A watch strap in steel can be adapted to your wrist, and now you know how it is done. At Kronura you will find men's watches in stainless steel and women's watches in stainless steel, with both link and mesh.
Would you rather avoid links? Watches with leather straps are adjusted in the holes of the strap, completely without tools.
Featured watches
Watches with steel bracelets
Four-link bracelet in stainless steel, from 28 to 44 mm.
Citizen Elegance EU6070-51D
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Citizen Tsuyosa Automatic NJ0150-81Z
40 mm · 12 mm tjock
Casio Edifice EFV-640D-2BVUEF
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Why do only some links have an arrow?
The arrow shows which links are made to be removed and in which direction the pin should be pushed out. Links without an arrow, often closest to the case and the clasp, are usually not intended to be removed. If arrows are completely missing, you can look at the edge of the link: a slot at the end means a screw link, a smooth end means a pin.
What do I do if the pin is stuck?
First check that you are pushing in the direction of the arrow and that the tool hits the middle of the pin. Increase the pressure carefully, but do not hit hard – the pin can bend and the link damaged. If it still does not move, it is better to let a watchmaker take over.
What do I do if the sleeve falls out or disappears?
The sleeve is needed for the pin to stay in place, so look on the cloth and the floor before you move on. Do not put the pin back without the sleeve, because the link can then come loose when you wear the watch. If the sleeve has come off, you can ask a watchmaker about a replacement.
Can I put back a link that I have removed?
Yes. A link is put back in the same way it was removed: bring the holes together and push the pin in towards the direction of the arrow. That is why it is good to save all removed links, pins and sleeves. If they have come away, you can ask a watchmaker about extra links for your model.
Can a leather strap be shortened?
A leather strap is adjusted in the holes of the strap, so it does not normally need to be shortened. Cutting the strap can damage the leather and affect how it looks. If the strap is too long even in the last hole, a shorter strap with the same width is a better choice.
What is the difference between shortening and changing the watch strap?
When you shorten the watch strap, you remove links from the same strap. When you change the watch strap, you take off the entire strap at the case, where it is attached with a spring pin on each side, and put on a new one. The change requires a spring pin tool and a new strap with the right width.