How to Size a Watch Band

When you buy a new watch it can be frustrating that it doesn't come in the right size. Sometimes the jewler that you buy it from will size it for free, but if you order your watch online, or buy a used watch, you're out of luck. I've been through the process more than a few times, and I've learned it's not worth it to pay to size your watch. It will cost you upwards of $5 to get your watch sized at a jewler, and you'll probably end up a little embarassed when they size your watch for you using basic tools in about 3 minutes. Save your money, and spend it on something better. Sizing your watch at your home is a piece of cake, anyone can do it, and it only takes a few minutes to size a watch.

Examine your Watch: Look at the band of your watch. You should see some little arrows on the links that can be removed. The arrows point the direction the pin can be removed. If you don't see any arrows, that usually means you can push the pin in either direction. The arrows make it easier for you to size your watch. Rolex, Omega, Citizen, Seiko, and a lot of the better known watch brands have arrows showing you where to remove the pins.

Get Your Tools: They have tools specifically for removing the pins out of a watch. If you'd rather, you can use a hammer and a really small nail, but you'll have to find the right size nail to fit inside the tiny hole that the watch pins sit in.  Becuase most people don't usually have nails that size lying around, it's easier to buy a watch pin removal tool.  Now I know I'm all about saving money here, and I love the 'do it yourself' attitude, but when you're making adjustments on your expensive watch, you may not be comfortable using a "hammer and chisel" approach. 

Why the Kit?  The kits usually include a few small pins and a screwdriver looking tool that you use to push the pins out and size the watch.  Since the kit has multiple pins, it will work for multiple watch sizes.  This means, you can buy one kit, and never pay to size your watch again.  To make things even better, a kit to size your watch is often cheaper than paying to get your watch sized.  You can usually purchases a kit for about $5, but a nicer kit might cost a few more bucks.  If after a week or two you decide the jewler sized your watch too tightly, or too loose, you will need to pay to have the watch sized again.  With a kit you do it yourself, and keep your money.  A kit is the way to go when you size a watch. 

Now that you've got a kit we can get to sizing the watch.

Determine Your Size: Before you just begin taking out watch pins, it's a good idea to know how much you need to reduce (or enlarge) your watch by. Put your watch on your wrist and scrunch it together. The number of links you can bend out of the circle around your wrist is the number you should take out. So, essentially, you're pinching part of the band together to see how many you can pinch in between your fingers. Then you're going to size the watch accordingly.

Remove the Pins: Use your kit to remove the number of links you determined need to go. Make sure to keep the pins as you remove them, in case you need to size the watch larger again at a later time.  Use one of the pins to attach the watch ends back together again. 

 Save the Watch links and Pins: If you ever need to size the watch again, it's nice not to have to buy a bunch more links and pins.  Put them in a plastic baggie and keep them with the box or documents for your watch.  You can also choose to keep them with your tools or a place where you won't forget them.  If you ever sell the watch, include the extra links and pins.