Metal bracelets impossible to remove from Cartier Tank Must?
Hi, I spent a few hours today trying to remove a beads of rice bracelet from a Cartier Tank Must and I am wondering if there's something I was missing or there's some trick I am not aware of.
First some background - in August 2022, I bought a new breads of rice bracelet recommended by You're Terrific. I sat on the braclet since and today I received my new watch so I decided to put it on. Some things to consider:
Unlike leather or rubber straps, a metal bracelet endlink has no flex or give at all. It cannot compress or squeeze and there's no twisting.
This endlink had tight tolerances so almost exactly the 19mm lug width
Quick release springbars were used. The endlinks don't expose the "shoulders" of the springbar (ie Omega bracelet) so it's not possible to compress both at the same time.
Typically I would use the QR to compress one side (closest to the arm), move the springbar end out of the hole and "rest" it against the lug wall then compress the other side, move it out of it's lug hole, then wiggle the strap up. Or if it's a leather strap, and the lugs are thin enough and there's enough play, I could just release one side then pull it straight up.
This was not possible with this bracelet. I couldn't compress the opposite end because the springbar would bind inside the endlink. I could only compress the side closest to the QR lever. I also couldn't push the unseated side far enough to clear the lugs (up or outward). Eventually the QR handle broke off. I was close to trying to cut off the bracelet but somehow I was able to wiggle it out by sheer luck.
Now I am afraid of putting any bracelet on there because I can't tell if I'll have a repeat situation. For the record, putting it on was no problem and it's impossible to tell if it's going to be an issue removing it until you try. It's not really easy to replicate this outside of the actual lugs of the watch.
I attached two images showing that the Tank has fairly "tall" lugs as well as a groove cut into it to make installing straps easier (but I suspect this might make them harder to remove) plus a review of the strap explaining exactly the situation I encountered.
Has anyone else experienced this? What could I have done differently?
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I did the same thing and had the same issue. Once I got it off I never used the beads of rice again.
I’ve just purchased a delugs rubber for my tank must - with quick release. Will see how that goes!
I did the same thing and had the same issue. Once I got it off I never used the beads of rice again.
I’ve just purchased a delugs rubber for my tank must - with quick release. Will see how that goes!
Hi, thank you so much for chiming in. I want to warn everyone that will listen, but it's such a small intersection of Tank owners and the beads of rice bracelet. I don't want to badmouth the seller, but I am positive they got an influx of sales due to a popular YouTuber who was advocating for this bracelet. I am honestly shocked the influencer didn't disclose this issue. The only thing I could think of was he installed it and never tried to remove it. But I know that's not true because he regularly posts wrist shots of his Solarbeat on various straps.
Just out of curiosity, what did you do to get the beads of rice bracelet off? Did you find a trick that worked or did you kind of wiggle and twist and curse til I came loose?
I don’t think youreterrific had any bad intent! He’s a good guy!.. but comments on the video show a load of people had the issue. All I can think is he’s some magician at it or he got a slightly different version from the supplier. As you say he seems to pop it on and off all the time.
I can’t remember how I did it. Think I just got lucky after much struggle and vowed to never use it again!
Delugs leather straps look so good on the tank - and I’m hoping for the same from the rubber.
Here’s mine when it was on the devil bracelet!
Ps. The new “tank normale” shows cartier can do a bracelet like this (in gold and platinum at least.) if they made one in steel for the tank musts I’d be all over it.
I don’t think youreterrific had any bad intent! He’s a good guy!.. but comments on the video show a load of people had the issue. All I can think is he’s some magician at it or he got a slightly different version from the supplier. As you say he seems to pop it on and off all the time.
I can’t remember how I did it. Think I just got lucky after much struggle and vowed to never use it again!
Delugs leather straps look so good on the tank - and I’m hoping for the same from the rubber.
Here’s mine when it was on the devil bracelet!
Ps. The new “tank normale” shows cartier can do a bracelet like this (in gold and platinum at least.) if they made one in steel for the tank musts I’d be all over it.
Agreed. A thin strap looks amazing on the watch. LOL @ Devil Bracelet! I wonder if other braclets would work fine with it? My guess is you'd want something with exposed shoulders on each side.
Agreed. A thin strap looks amazing on the watch. LOL @ Devil Bracelet! I wonder if other braclets would work fine with it? My guess is you'd want something with exposed shoulders on each side.
Surely a 19mm bracelet with quick release bar would be ok…
I’m too scarred anyway. Leather (and my rubber experiment) is the way forward for me on this one…
Surely a 19mm bracelet with quick release bar would be ok…
I’m too scarred anyway. Leather (and my rubber experiment) is the way forward for me on this one…
Just wondering, what do you mean by quick release bar? I refer to springbars as either standard or quick release (little knob you can use to release one side). The BoR in question did have a QR but it ended up not working.
Just wondering, what do you mean by quick release bar? I refer to springbars as either standard or quick release (little knob you can use to release one side). The BoR in question did have a QR but it ended up not working.
Ah did it - I forget. I’ve tried to put the horror behind me!!
For sure I got the youreterrific one - so if that had quick release my one did too..
Ah did it - I forget. I’ve tried to put the horror behind me!!
For sure I got the youreterrific one - so if that had quick release my one did too..
Yeah, it had a QR which lets you compress one side but since the fit is so tight and the lug holes are down the rail/notch, once you release that one side, you still can't pull it out. If use used standard spring bars with access to the shoulders on each side, you could compress both at the same time and try to pull it straight out.
Yeah, it had a QR which lets you compress one side but since the fit is so tight and the lug holes are down the rail/notch, once you release that one side, you still can't pull it out. If use used standard spring bars with access to the shoulders on each side, you could compress both at the same time and try to pull it straight out.
Yes of course. The horror!
Ok no bracelets for me.