Okay watchmakers, how do you resize a solid gold Kreisler mesh band?

Submitted by DarHin on December 23, 2013 - 9:54pm

I recently acquired a solid gold Kreisler mesh band for a '44 Tuxedo and it is WAY to big for my wrist.

Has anyone here ever resized one?

Thanks

Darren

 

Reverend Rob
Posted December 23, 2013 - 10:07pm

A goldsmith will do this. If it is the way I think it is, it involves cutting it down and gold soldering the end(s). We studied jewellery repair briefly at school, and the mesh bracelets, especially the fine, tiny ones, are very difficult to repair properly. Often you will see sections solidified with solder to prevent further breakage. The bracelet no longer flexes the way it originally did. It is critical to keep these mesh bracelets, especially the finer ones, as clean as possible. They should be ultrasonically cleaned a few times a year. Dirt and oil and dead skin get into the mesh and grind them up, and gold is fairly soft, depending on karat.