Tried To Upgrade My Own Bracelet: Before and After
About a week or two ago, I was contemplating buying a Strapcode bracelet for my Orient Kamasu, but instead I decided to spend about half the money on the tools and equipment needed to “upgrade” the bracelet myself.
I know I’m still missing out on the solid end links and the milled clasp with 6 micro adjust points, plus now my original bracelet is defaced, so resell will be quite low compared to if I kept it original, but I really don’t mind.
I never plan on selling this watch, and I can always buy the Strapcode one later on. I will say, there is a lot more to buffing and polishing than one expects, I spent about 2 hours watching different videos and reading about the processes, and I learned a lot. Between the rotary tool, extra wheels, buffing & polishing paste, and extras, I was about USD $60 in. Compared to the similar Strapcode that is running for USD $130, I will consider this a win, but it is far from the result I wanted, and far from the finishing on the Strapcode.
In some lighting, it hardly looks like much a difference at all. I’m wondering if the brushing is heavier on the Strapcode, which increases the contrast from the brushed and polished surfaces, but I am still happy overall, and I got a drop of experience with buffing and polishing, albeit my methods are like Stone Age compared to a real polisher’s technique and equipment.
Let me know if you’ve had any similar experiences! I always fear the worst doing DIY, so I’m really just glad I didn’t make the watch look worse.
Before:
After (Uncleaned):
After (Cleaned and Assembled):
Strapcode Bracelet for Reference:
MI, USA • Quartz & Mechanical Lover • I ramble a lot
Yours looks great!
Product images are always heavily edited. Don't compare apples to oranges.
Yours looks great!
Product images are always heavily edited. Don't compare apples to oranges.
Thank you so much, the more I stare at it the more I’m like “I should’ve just gotten the Strapcode” but you’re right—shouldn’t compare my first time trying something like this to a professional product.
Looks great brother! Diy watch mods are so fulfilling and therapeutic almost
Mate it looks great, so I would be happy with myself if I was you.
As UnholiestJedi suggested online pictures are heavily edited and very misleading. I have done the same thing to a number of bracelets myself, also to give them that new look again and to get the overall brushed finish consistent I used one of my wife's nail buffers, which are called emery boards from memory.
Just don't tell my wife, she still thinks she just misplaced them somewhere 🤣
Mate it looks great, so I would be happy with myself if I was you.
As UnholiestJedi suggested online pictures are heavily edited and very misleading. I have done the same thing to a number of bracelets myself, also to give them that new look again and to get the overall brushed finish consistent I used one of my wife's nail buffers, which are called emery boards from memory.
Just don't tell my wife, she still thinks she just misplaced them somewhere 🤣
Thanks so much, shoot I might have to pick up a pack of them 😂
Thanks so much, shoot I might have to pick up a pack of them 😂
There's all different grades of them, you know some are quite corse and then they gradually get smoother. One that I pinched, or I say borrowed premaritally, has 4 sides and each side has a varying degree of polishing or wet and dry sand paper for one of a better word, on it.
Welcome to the slippery slope. Looks like you did a good job to me.
looking great, next step is trying not to scratch the new polished surface 😢
looking great, next step is trying not to scratch the new polished surface 😢
Thank you! Yes, that was my first thought after I finished 😂 I need to get better at accepting scratches. It’s hard Lol!
Welcome to the slippery slope. Looks like you did a good job to me.
Thank you very much! Everyone’s kind words mean a lot!
Looks great brother! Diy watch mods are so fulfilling and therapeutic almost
Thanks a ton! It was definitely fulfilling!
Thank you very much! Everyone’s kind words mean a lot!
What did you use to achieve the brushed effect. Happy to help if you need advice
Nice work sir