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APjumbo

Amateur Pepsi Bezel swap

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APjumbo

Today I get to attempt my first 6-digit bezel and crystal swap.

Taking my VRF and swapping in a Clean insert and prof crystal.

This will either end with a super nice pepsi to enjoy for years with a  nice click click.

Or a new thread in the parts section with pieces of a Pepsi and missing tiny clicks balls and springs and two cracked inserts.

Wish me luck!!

 

89-C6-C585-08-A3-44-A3-8372-1-C5-ACC6-AD

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APjumbo

Bezel popped off no problem with a razor and a case back tool. 
This shows my lack of understanding, turns out there are no clicky springs or balls on the GMT, just this three post spring.

This other black gasket fell out of somewhere. Searched all over threads and I don’t see a simple explanation of where it goes back, it doesn’t look like a hytrel ring, the CF parts don’t have anything similar.

Any ideas?

between the bezel assembly and metal washer/gasket I suppose.

 

Edit - turns out this black gasket isn't supposed to be in here. Probably the handywork of the dodgy prick I bought this piece from years ago.

BE1-BF139-78-D7-4-AA7-AF5-A-13075283-D58

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APjumbo

How infuriating.

So newbie mistake #2

I thought these movement holder screws were like a regular 2824.
Nope.

I tried removing the screws completely, even stepped up to these better screwdrivers, there’s  $15 mistake.

Every time I use one of these more expensive tips it ends up chipping.

So turns out with this movement you just release the screw a little, the movement then becomes loose in the case, twist, and pull the whole thing out. Pretty neat design actually. No worry of dropping or losing the tiny screws or feet.

D075-FEEA-5-B4-B-4-DDF-B0-FE-479083-AE0-

 

This is supposed to be a fun relaxing hobby.

3-F67969-F-8106-4-D64-A327-6-CFC06485-C9

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APjumbo

A lot of Rolex people on the forum are talking about date font, AR, mag, halo ring, black hole. 
I have a difficult understanding all this lingo.

All I know is now that these crystals are side by side. It’s pretty obvious which one is more awesome.

0451-B791-D4-C8-4-C29-9-E49-613-A3-CE241

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APjumbo

So in hindsight the movement didn’t have to come out. I pried off the crystal retaining ring with a blade no problems.

With the movement re installed and lined up the the rehaut I checked the crown would still work without any binding.
Then lined up the new crystal best I could.

253-AB211-77-AE-46-A2-94-E2-E5-B9-DEE61-

Heck of a time pressing the retaining ring back down evenly. I could use a better press. In the end I sort of did it by feel with my thumbs on the inside to feel if it was pressing on evenly, then finished it off with an socket followed by a plastic press ring.

46-AB28-B0-FD7-A-4-C3-C-A711-D4682-F77-A

VRF insert is just sticky tape so carefully pried out with a screwdriver. Going around in circles several times.

FABFC94-D-B4-C0-48-D9-B1-D0-BA122-F78-CB

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APjumbo

Sanded down the face of the bezel to give it a proper lip. 1000grit dry followed by 2500 wet then cape cod. As per the instructions KS2020 provided. Learned that the Batman doesn’t have this lip, only the Pepsi. And I believe he said Clean added the incorrect lip on the new Batman models.

53-D37-FF2-97-A5-471-F-BA38-5-DC0-D68813
6-E010-A4-B-7245-4-BB2-8-F0-D-2557673-B5
365-BB497-519-E-49-EB-BDBE-57-D229-E5-BD

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APjumbo

The CF is also sticky tape but the prying with a screwdriver was making me nervous. Once I had gone around twice I put it on a press puck and just evenly pressed down lightly on the outside to separate it, very carefully.

2-DC8-B0-A9-6728-4-C1-C-AEEB-D143885-CF6

 

1-FBD7-F01-4-BB9-4-AA0-9476-E4322209-E20

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APjumbo

Double check that the cyclops is aligned

Throw this thin metal ring thing on

87-FBA55-C-5585-4772-96-E4-4-F3-DF1-BF41

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APjumbo

Test fit to see if I need two or three layers of sticky tape.

253-AB211-77-AE-46-A2-94-E2-E5-B9-DEE61-

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APjumbo

As far as the hytrel ring everyone talks about. Mine stayed put inside the bezel groove the whole time. I reused the VRF bezel, so it wasn’t something I had to mess with.


So this is where things get a little tricky.

I didn’t quite understand from the other threads out there if I was supposed to put the three point click spring on the watch head and then press the bezel on

or if I was supposed to press the 3 point click spring into the underside of the bezel and then snap the whole assembly on.

I tried putting the spring into the bezel and snap the whole thing on, it went on with the help of the press, and would turn, but was quite stiff (that's what she said)

After pulling it on and pressin on a few times, I tried the CF spring, same result.

Finally I placed the 3 point spring onto the watch head and then with just my thumbs pressed the bezel on top, lining up the tree tabs.

Click, perfecto! Turns and clicks beautifully!

Added two layers  of tape to the underside of the bezel insert, pressed it in, turned the bezel, damn! the insert is not spinning, its stuck to the glass.

Pop the bezel off one last time, trim the tape down with a blade, bezel back on, insert back in, and all is well.

 

 

DF4625-F2-96-F1-4721-A507-F59-F0118-B21-

 

The triangle on the insert at 12 isn't perfectly aligned with the bezel scallops, to get it aligned I think you would have to, pull bezel, pull off insert, pull up crystal retaining ring, rotate it a bit either way, press on, bezel back on, insert back on.

 

Some threads that helped me along the way:

 

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/modification-repairs/8689930-ceramic-insert-removal-guide

 

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/10310195-rolex-6-digit-sub-bezel-and-crystal-swap-diy

 

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/10076178-cf-pepsi-bezel-lip-mod

 

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/9515190-zzf-v2-bezel-not-flush

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/modification-repairs/8187545-gmt-master-ii-126710-genln-bezel-install

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/9773571-advice-needed-on-rolex-ceramic-bezels

 

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NCRich

I am not sure why you removed the bezel.  You could have removed the movement, popped the crystal, used a case knife to remove the insert.  Then put the new crystal in, replace the movement, and then put the new insert on.

I try never to remove the bezel on anything if I can avoid it.

But its an interesting post.

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KJ2020

Rich, that approach won't work (shouldn't  work) on most 6 digit reps. A 6 digit crystal should not budge until its retaining ring is lifted, and that should not be able to happen until the bezel is removed. If either comes up by simply pushing on the crystal from the inside, I would doubt WR, whose importance admittedly varies among owners.

Cheers, KJ

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NCRich
19 minutes ago, KJ2020 said:

Rich, that approach won't work (shouldn't  work) on most 6 digit reps. A 6 digit crystal should not budge until its retaining ring is lifted, and that should not be able to happen until the bezel is removed. If either comes up by simply pushing on the crystal from the inside, I would doubt WR, whose importance admittedly varies among owners.

Cheers, KJ

Hmm...I guess I've never tried that on one built like this one.  I've done it on a 6 digit less expensive one like a U1.

Another reason to stay lost in the 5 and 4 digits I guess.  Thanks for the info!

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Oascom

Great job :)

 

 

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