Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
KBH

Breitling bezel removal

Recommended Posts

KBH

This is for Chiefsalami and his problem with his SA. Hope it helps. I don't know for sure but I suspect the bezel construction is the same.

 

With a razor blade, work it in and around the bezel until you have enough room to get a pocket knife blade in. You will need something more substantial than a razor to pop it off.

DSCN3899.jpg

 

With the knife blade work it around the same area until you feel it pop loose. It doesn't take a lot of force. You just need to loosen it about one third of the way around and the spring that holds it on will pop.

DSCN3893.jpg

Here's what the bezel and spring look like when it pops loose:

DSCN3895.jpg

DSCN3896.jpg

 

And this is the click mechanism. It consists of the clicker button and a small spring. If you want to make the bezel feel tighter, try stretching the spring a little and/or put a little shim under it. It appears that the clicker is the same on top and bottom. If yours is worn down from use just flip it over to the unworn side.

DSCN3898.jpg

 

When you reinstall the bezel it just pushes on and snaps. Make sure the spring is tightly in the groove with no parts sticking out. If necessary slightly stretch the spring out by straightening it. Also be very careful not to loose the small clicker and spring while removing and reinstalling.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
greg_r

Rather than risking injury with a knife blade, might I suggest using a caseback knife as sold by our own RWG shop?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
KBH

You might.

 

(A shameless plug has been inserted into my fine tutorial.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
greg_r
You might.

 

(A shameless plug has been inserted into my fine tutorial.)

 

 

:rimshot:

 

Well, don't want the kiddies cutting their widdle fingers now do we? ;)

 

Good tute though :popcorn:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

Thank you very much KBH. I also asked another expert on another forum and they said that the bezels are press fit and the only sure way to get it off is to cut it off, as andy66 recommended in my original post on this forum. They did also recommend heating it up to expand it a bit and then it would be easier to get off. I'm pretty sure I don't want to do either of these methods.

 

However, I guess it won't hurt to try to get a blade in there to pop it off. But I think this watch may be constructed differently than your SA. This is my watch:

IMG_4525.jpg

 

Anyhow, thank you very much for your help and writeup. Let me see what I can do.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
sconehead

I removed a BCE bezel here, http://www.replica-watch-guide.net/forum/i...61&hl=bezel , it was very difficult and I'm pretty sure I just got lucky. A lot of people have tried it with most ending up destroying/bending the bezel itself. I think it's construction will be similar to yours. It's slightly different to the steelfish imo... ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
KBH

Assuming it's the same, it is press fit, but the only thing holding it is a little wire spring. Once you get part of that little wire over the lip that holds it, a little twist and pull and it comes right off.

 

You're bigger problem might be scratching the finish. Tape the case before you start to pry on it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
auswatcher
You're bigger problem might be scratching the finish. Tape the case before you start to pry on it.

 

Excellent tutorial, KBH....I saw chiefsalami's other post, felt bad for him and advised him to check with the experts. The scratching is a concern though. But if its pressed on hard, wouldnt the razor blade snap.?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
offshore

Please tell me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that a decent bezel removing tool like this in the shop-

https://www.shop.homage-watches-guide.com/i...p;productId=135

would do that job on its ear!

There are other case back style tools that may or may not do the job, but this purpose built unit will apply pressure by load via wedging, in 4 different areas and the blades are quality stainless, not black steel like a number of others similar.

I use one of these now, and have had no problems with any bezel thus far encountered, and have not done any damage whatsoever.

O/S

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
auswatcher
Please tell me if I'm wrong, but I would have thought that a decent bezel removing tool like this in the shop-

https://www.shop.homage-watches-guide.com/i...p;productId=135

would do that job on its ear!

There are other case back style tools that may or may not do the job, but this purpose built unit will apply pressure by load via wedging, in 4 different areas and the blades are quality stainless, not black steel like a number of others similar.

I use one of these now, and have had no problems with any bezel thus far encountered, and have not done any damage whatsoever.

O/S

 

Offshore, i think the tutorial is for poor mugs like me without the special tools, though with all the horror stories of bending ect, this type of tool is a sound investment.

 

I assume you place it in there and slowly turn the knod so it gradually begins to lift, and as you say in 4 different areas so less likely to bend, right?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
trailboss99

Exactly Aus, It just pops 'em off asy as pie.

It's a copy of the tool that both Rolex and Briet ADs use.

I don't have one here yet as my Seiko snapback case opener does the job as long as you are carefull. I don't think I'd try that thing on it tho. They are a prick to remove.

 

 

Col.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
auswatcher

Thanks for that col, was looking at the tool and wondered if that's what you do.

 

If it works that easy then its better to fork out the dough rather than bend, break or stuff up the bezel and in the long run costing you more.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

That looks like a good tool. Thank you for the suggestion, offshore! I might just have to invest in that tool.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

Update!

 

Rather than dropping $100+ on a tool that might be better suited for the gen watch, I took a close look at removing the bezel by prying it off. To my surprise, it came off rather easily. I taped off the case and bezel so that I wouldn't scratch it, and used an attachment of a multitool to pry it off (pictured below). The bezel came off, but so did the crystal. The "press fit" theory holds true for the bezel and crystal as an assembly, since I tried to pop the crystal off the bezel and it wouldn't come off.

fd35a48c.jpg

 

A couple of observations:

 

1. The ratching "spring" is not like what was shown on the particular watch above. It is simply a very thin flimsy metal ring with a couple of tabs to secure it to the watch body under the bezel, and two tips cut and curved upwards into the bezel for the ratcheting. I'm not sure, but I don't think a gen bezel could be installed onto this watch and have it work correctly, so the myth about using gen parts on this rep watch appears to be false. I bent those ratcheting tabs a little more sharply to hopefully get the ratcheting action a little tighter. But I don't think it helped much, so I re-did the floss technique, this time with less floss until it was tight "enough". Still a bit tinny though.

 

2. The crystal came off very easily and there is no gasket between it and the watch body, which makes me question water-resistance. Should there be a gasket, or should I get one installed, since there appears to be a groove in the body for one? Would this even work?

 

3. I am particularly concerned about water-resistance due to the crystal, but also now due to the fact that I don't think the crystal and bezel are on very tight, or at least as tight as they were before I popped them off. I think that one tool I may have to actually purchase is a press, maybe even with the "bezel press tool kit" to make sure the crystal and bezel are installed correctly. I've tried to push on it as much as possible, but it seems slightly off center and there is now an inconsistent gap between the bezel and watch body.

 

Pics below. You can see the backside of the bezel, as well as the metallic ring that causes the ratcheting of the bezel:

6b981487.jpg

5d8d4fbf.jpg

80a6cb7c.jpg

Edited by chiefsalami

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
KBH

Thanks for the update.

 

Lots of crystals, particularly on older watches with plexi crystals are glued on and still remain waterproof. Even the early Rolex Subs and Sea Dwellers were glued on with no gasket. I would suggest GS hypo cement that is available in Col's store.

 

One thing I don't know is how well it works on glass/sapphire compared to plexi.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

Thanks for the suggestion. However, I didn't see any residue whatsoever when I took the crystal and bezel off, which leads me to believe it was not glued on from the factory anyway. Just press fit on. My plan is to use a crystal press to make sure the crystal and bezel are installed as well as can be, and then do a pressure test on the watch. At the very least, I want to be able to swim and shower with it without concern of leaks or condensation. I think I'm going to purchase the press from the RWG store.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
offshore

@KBH/chief,

GS won't do a lot for you on glass! It may give a bit of a seal, but wont secure things any better.

A better product is Loctite 358, which is a UV cement. (Like shit to a blanket)

 

I have seen glass to metal on a few vintage watches,but all the modern stuff has some form of a seal medium, so I'm guessing our Chinese friends were just being lazy here.(especially if there is an O ring groove!) You'll probably find it is in fact an area for a flat ring, which are more commonly used under crystals.

 

O/S

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

update #2

 

I took the watch in to a local watch repair, and had them use their press to press the crystal and bezel on a little tighter. The guy said the crystal looked pretty good and level, but was able to press the bezel down a bit. Looks much better now.

 

I also had them do a pressure test on the watch, due to my concern about water-resistance. The watch passed pressure to 5 atm, even before pressing the crystal and bezel. I haven't had it in water yet, but was going to try simply immersing it first, before trying to swim or shower with it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
KBH

Thanks for the update. I'm a minority I'm sure. But I think a lot of these watches, and almost all the current dive watches would pass 5 atm without a problem right out of the box.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
trailboss99

Well done Chief!

You are braver than me, i'd be shaking in my boots trying to take the bezel off that thing.

Since it didn't scratch(tape or not) t may indeed be DLC.

 

 

 

Col.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
chiefsalami

It was scratched very slightly, but because I was very careful and taped it off first. I'm not sure, but I don't think it is in fact DLC.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×