It's good advice. I used a towel the first time I adjusted one, so collars couldn't bounce. Having done it several times, now I use a rubber mat (w/ lipped main work surface).
I have an old Seamaster. It uses two collars - one for each outer link on each side of the bracelet. So when you're done sizing, you put one collar in and turn the bracelet to put the other collar in and the first one falls out. So you finish putting the other collar in then try to put the first collar back in and the other collar falls out. Repeat till you lose your temper.
Have never owned a 'Pin & Collar' watch. Was always nervous about them from listening to reviewers Thanks Gary, you have shown how easy 'Pin & Collar' are to adjust.
For pushing in I have ‘invented’ an opposite pushing tool. What you need is a flat surface instead of the pin on the screw tool. I have made one by accidentally breaking the tip off. Then filing a bit to make it completely flat. And that’s it - now you can steadily and gently push it in 😂
this type of pin & collar were far more better than my seiko monster pin & collar version. thank you very much for this detailed tutorial video. i like to see more tutorial videos like this in future. have a great day sir.
I’m cool with either , only challenge I have had with a bracelet would be a folded bracelet on a classic Orient & some of the real low rent ones that we see on Vostoks (usually end replaced by natos)
I have recently bought a Thorn titanium that came with one of their spring loaded quick adjust bracelets - just brilliant Paraphrasing - Some day, all bracelets will be made this way!
Thanks for showing that Gary. To be fair they were quite easy pin/collar system. But some Seiko and Omega bracelets have tiny collars and they can be right little piggies to do!😅
You made that look so easy. A couple of seikos i own have collars which are a lot smaller ( actually think theres 2 per pin) and i came close to hurling it to a seiko grave! That was using an amazon kit that looks like the one u have
Good tutorial. For any newbies, it's well worth getting some basic watch bracelet sizing tools. It makes the job *a lot* easier as you go through your watch collecting journey. San Martin has a video on the page where they sell the watch, but it's pretty basic and brutal - I think the person uses some pliers to pound things back together. Your video is better and provides more and better info.
I don't mind pin and collar, my seiko marinemaster and omega SMP, (older model) both use pin and collar. Very secure method compared to screws which you have to glue in, but even then they can eventually loosen.
Very useful, thanks. As a side note, does this particular San Martin fit an 8” wrist, do you think, or would I need to ask them for additional links? Thanks!
Dont understand the hate. It's better that a poorly made screw. I've had more issues with wonky screws and stripped threads than pin installations. PS The Cronos Sub is $159 (31/5/24) on the Cronos site - with glide clasp and screw bracelet.
The thing is, sometimes the pins are a little bit stubborn. And you be very careful not to lose the collars. Personally, I like to use the lid of a cardboard box as a work surface for this kind of work.
These long pin links are a nuisance. Mine was on the San Martin BB58 homage. I bought the link removing tool in long pin version which is available with a lot of searching, it pushes the pin all of the way through as you wind in the knurled screw but it does nothing for re-inserting the pin which is a pain. Ended up buying a small table top vice with hard plastic grips to wind the pin back in gently as my 1st attempt with the same micro hammer as yours and I bent a pin.
All pin and collar bracelets are not the same unfortunately. Some collars are much easier to put back in like on this bracelet. Seiko for some reason has to make things very difficult. Their collars don't go back in like this and if you don't know what you're doing and put them in wrong, they will fall out and there goes your watch. I absolutely hate Seiko bracelets with a passion!
Seiko bracelets are awful, there's no excuse for it. Not when you can buy watches with much better bracelets with screw links and a fully milled clasp for half the price and it's got the same movement in it. I do own a couple of Seiko's but the bracelets lay unused in the boxes. Garbage.
San Martin pin and collar system the easiest I’ve ever used. The pin and collar system on my King Samurai and King Monster among the worst (in saying that, still not that hard). Anyone that thinks pin and collars are too hard, come see me when you’ve removed links from an Uncle Seiko Razorwire bracelet. That thing was the biggest nightmare to resize I’ve EVER encountered!
I absolutely hate pin and collar. Just use split pins. Very secure, very easy to remove and put back, and no collars to remove!! But this does seem easier than Seiko's since it's bidirectional.
You just put the pin in the wrong way, when you extracted the pin it was from left to right now you must put it in right to left. There's a arrow on the links indicating the way to pull out when putting in it's against the arrow. You don't need to tapp that hard ❤ Sorry for the bad English
Seiko corner cutting. The first thing I do with my shiny new Seiko diver is remove their nasty fake 3 link bracelet and replace it with a quality bracelet with screws and a milled clasp, I don't dive so the tacky divers extension is irrelevant to me.
Central collar designs are just about tolerable. End collar designs are the work of the devil and to be avoided at all costs. Seriously. [Spoken as a collector of 25+ years]
I think pin and collar is the best type of fixing. The most secure for sure. Yes, adjusting them is a bit of a faff but only marginally so when you get used to it and have the right tools.
A lot easier than the seiko pin and collars!
I use a large, lipped tray as a work surface so that if any tiny components get knocked out they can't find their way to the floor too easily.
It's good advice. I used a towel the first time I adjusted one, so collars couldn't bounce. Having done it several times, now I use a rubber mat (w/ lipped main work surface).
I have an old Seamaster. It uses two collars - one for each outer link on each side of the bracelet. So when you're done sizing, you put one collar in and turn the bracelet to put the other collar in and the first one falls out. So you finish putting the other collar in then try to put the first collar back in and the other collar falls out. Repeat till you lose your temper.
I know, l,ve been there 😅
Great timing. I just ordered that exact same watch and it’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I’ll feel like an expert
I've never understood why people have issues with pin and collar. It's so easy.
Have never owned a 'Pin & Collar' watch.
Was always nervous about them from listening to reviewers
Thanks Gary, you have shown how easy 'Pin & Collar' are to adjust.
Seiko pin & collar bracelets are different than this and much more difficult to put back in. Those are the ones that I hate!
For pushing in I have ‘invented’ an opposite pushing tool. What you need is a flat surface instead of the pin on the screw tool. I have made one by accidentally breaking the tip off. Then filing a bit to make it completely flat. And that’s it - now you can steadily and gently push it in 😂
Good tip
Very nice. Yes, for me having little pliers is key. Thanks again!
I actually like sizing pin and collar bracelets 👍🏻
this type of pin & collar were far more better than my seiko monster pin & collar version. thank you very much for this detailed tutorial video. i like to see more tutorial videos like this in future. have a great day sir.
I’m cool with either , only challenge I have had with a bracelet would be a folded bracelet on a classic Orient & some of the real low rent ones that we see on Vostoks (usually end replaced by natos)
I take my Watches to a Jewelers and have them adjust the bracelet for me.
I have recently bought a Thorn titanium that came with one of their spring loaded quick adjust bracelets - just brilliant
Paraphrasing - Some day, all bracelets will be made this way!
Thanks for showing that Gary. To be fair they were quite easy pin/collar system. But some Seiko and Omega bracelets have tiny collars and they can be right little piggies to do!😅
Thank you Gary! I recently had questions about this. You make it look so easy 😊. Appreciate you.
San Martin are usually very generous in their supply of adequate tools to adjust the given Watch.
You made that look so easy. A couple of seikos i own have collars which are a lot smaller ( actually think theres 2 per pin) and i came close to hurling it to a seiko grave! That was using an amazon kit that looks like the one u have
Good tutorial. For any newbies, it's well worth getting some basic watch bracelet sizing tools. It makes the job *a lot* easier as you go through your watch collecting journey. San Martin has a video on the page where they sell the watch, but it's pretty basic and brutal - I think the person uses some pliers to pound things back together. Your video is better and provides more and better info.
What is the advantage to "pin & collar" over split pushpins?
Who knows I don’t know nobody knows,
A thing of the devil .
Thnx for this great video! Very helpful!!
I don't mind pin and collar, my seiko marinemaster and omega SMP, (older model) both use pin and collar. Very secure method compared to screws which you have to glue in, but even then they can eventually loosen.
Great tutorial! Thanks for producing this, really helpful.
Thanks Gaz 👍
Hi Gary I don’t think you can understand how helpful that’s going to be for us with sausage fingers 😂 cheers
Lol
Great tutorial
Very useful, thanks. As a side note, does this particular San Martin fit an 8” wrist, do you think, or would I need to ask them for additional links? Thanks!
Dont understand the hate. It's better that a poorly made screw. I've had more issues with wonky screws and stripped threads than pin installations. PS The Cronos Sub is $159 (31/5/24) on the Cronos site - with glide clasp and screw bracelet.
The thing is, sometimes the pins are a little bit stubborn. And you be very careful not to lose the collars. Personally, I like to use the lid of a cardboard box as a work surface for this kind of work.
Thank you for sharing. 👍👍👍
These long pin links are a nuisance. Mine was on the San Martin BB58 homage. I bought the link removing tool in long pin version which is available with a lot of searching, it pushes the pin all of the way through as you wind in the knurled screw but it does nothing for re-inserting the pin which is a pain. Ended up buying a small table top vice with hard plastic grips to wind the pin back in gently as my 1st attempt with the same micro hammer as yours and I bent a pin.
All pin and collar bracelets are not the same unfortunately. Some collars are much easier to put back in like on this bracelet. Seiko for some reason has to make things very difficult. Their collars don't go back in like this and if you don't know what you're doing and put them in wrong, they will fall out and there goes your watch. I absolutely hate Seiko bracelets with a passion!
Seiko bracelets are awful, there's no excuse for it. Not when you can buy watches with much better bracelets with screw links and a fully milled clasp for half the price and it's got the same movement in it. I do own a couple of Seiko's but the bracelets lay unused in the boxes. Garbage.
I did exactly the same thing. I took off the crappy Seiko bracelets and replaced them with much better ones. Seiko bracelets are the worst!
I recently sized a Seiko Sharp Edged with a pin and collar bracelet. It wasn’t my first, but it was the worst.
If you havent seen, Mr Jones is having a huge sale. I picked up a last laugh for $175 and debating going back for the robots playing pinball lol.
San Martin pin and collar system the easiest I’ve ever used. The pin and collar system on my King Samurai and King Monster among the worst (in saying that, still not that hard). Anyone that thinks pin and collars are too hard, come see me when you’ve removed links from an Uncle Seiko Razorwire bracelet. That thing was the biggest nightmare to resize I’ve EVER encountered!
This is normal procedure for Citizen owners
I absolutely hate pin and collar. Just use split pins. Very secure, very easy to remove and put back, and no collars to remove!! But this does seem easier than Seiko's since it's bidirectional.
You just put the pin in the wrong way, when you extracted the pin it was from left to right now you must put it in right to left. There's a arrow on the links indicating the way to pull out when putting in it's against the arrow. You don't need to tapp that hard ❤
Sorry for the bad English
First watch I had with this was a Zodiac, I thought I had broken the pin lol.
Seiko corner cutting. The first thing I do with my shiny new Seiko diver is remove their nasty fake 3 link bracelet and replace it with a quality bracelet with screws and a milled clasp, I don't dive so the tacky divers extension is irrelevant to me.
I've never had a pin back out, i can't say that about screws.
I find pins and collars very annoying. I much prefer split pins if they are going to use pins. Of course screws are the easiest to deal with.
If only Seiko used this system.
I'm not "afraid," I'm just not going to pretend pins and collars are acceptable in current year.
They are actually a bit safer than even the screws, at least those without loctite.
Pin’n’collar in 2024!?! What does this San Martin think it is - a £2,000 Longines!?! 😂
@@rimas.kalpokas nope
The good thing about what San Martin is doing is you can pay extra and get the same watch with screw pins
@@borassictime918if its good enough for Patek... 😂
A Seiko pin and collar is better than omega's ridiculous double screw and pin system.
I don't get why people don't like these. It's really not much different than doing split pins.
Im not into buying any watch that doesnt have screw pins.... Period. Kind of a deal breaker for me these days..
I’m not afraid of pin, I’m afraid of deep rehaut
Pin and collar technology is a thing of the past. Why keep it around?
Central collar designs are just about tolerable. End collar designs are the work of the devil and to be avoided at all costs. Seriously.
[Spoken as a collector of 25+ years]
Or you could just take it to a jewellers who have professional tools to resize it. Far better to spend a fiver than to risk scratching up your links.
You think jewellers don’t scratch watches….they don’t take as much care as the owners do
My boy, pins and collars are so yesterday! I like ‘em screws, screw all day, all night.
I think pin and collar is the best type of fixing. The most secure for sure. Yes, adjusting them is a bit of a faff but only marginally so when you get used to it and have the right tools.