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Bezel tightening service?

71bucks

Active Member
18/5/10
273
54
28
HI everyone,

I've got two reps with bezel 'issues': blue Pelagos that turns way too easily and Aquatimer that moves on its own when shaken.

Does anyone do work to try and tighten up/improve bezels? Or a suggestion on how to do it (I did replace a bezel on an SKX...)?

Checked with Katt and he said he doesn't do bezel work.

Thank you!
 

71bucks

Active Member
18/5/10
273
54
28
Didn't get any response so I decided to pop the bezel off the blue Pelagos and see what was going on under that bezel. What I found is that there are springs in each corner of the case (on top of which the bezel sits when put together). One of the four springs was missing. I measured it up (.057" x .140" with 5 coils) and ordered the closest I could find to those specs (from Amazon). 5 new springs will arrive tomorrow and I'll play around with putting one in the missing spot and then putting one in each spot to wee which makes the bezel feel the best. It's a little scary popping a bezel off; I did it with a dull butterknife but I see esslinger sells a tool for it (which I'll get, but it's $155 which is kinda pricey).

I'll see what the deal is with the Aquatimer bezel in a few days when I get the nerve to pop that bezel off.
 

johnzalez

You're Saying I Can Sell?
12/2/07
97
2
8
Keep us posted. I'm curious how your repair goes. FYI, I have one of those bezel removal tools and I doubt it's much different from using a butter knife. Maybe slightly easier to use but not any safer on the case/bezel assembly.
 

71bucks

Active Member
18/5/10
273
54
28
Which bezel opening tool are you talking about? I'm talking about the one that looks like a little vice that gets under the bezel on all four corners and, as you turn the knob on the tool, it lifts the bezel off. I'm not talking about the one that just looks like a dull pry bar.
 

71bucks

Active Member
18/5/10
273
54
28
Replaced the missing bezel spring with the closest I could find quick (.057" x .190" with a 3.3lb spring rate): marked improvement. The little bit of roughness it had is gone and it takes more force to turn the bezel. The "click" sounds great (always did because that wasn't the problem). Had I gone with a heavier spring (thicker gauge wire and therefore a higher spring rate) I'd be even more happy, I think. As it is, I'll probably leave it as is.

I assume that Rolex's have the same setup under the bezel: coil/compression springs at four corners of the case, a bearing surface ring over top of the springs (springs pushing up on the bearing spring surface), one of the compression springs topped with the clicker (for lack of knowing the right name of the piece) and bezel snapped on top. So as far as a "bezel tightening service", have to figure there is none and getting a bezel to move with the same effort as genuine would be a matter of matching spring rate under that bearing surface ring to gen...and that'd probably just be trial and error.
 

tyrande

Known Member
14/4/15
109
0
0
Looking to do the same for my V6F pelagos, which has a really crappy bezel action(tons of play, really easy to turn). Are you also able to realign the insert with it popped off? It's about 1/3 of a minute out of alignment. Also where did you apply force with the knife? I've done this to much cheaper watches and I'd find there was only a few places on it that would actually let you lift the bezel
 

71bucks

Active Member
18/5/10
273
54
28
Used the knife on the corner(s) above the lugs. I’ll say that getting the bezel off was a little scary.

The insert should be able to be removed with the bezel off: you can see the inside lip of it with the bezel off. Not sure how I’d do it: maybe if it didn’t pop right out if apply a little heat. I’m guessing heat could damage it and prying it off could crack it so it’d be a careful process with a chance of loss.

i think some marine grease under the bezel on the teeth is a good idea: did that on an omega and it was a big improvement.

also just did find some springs of the same size with a higher spring rate: I’ll install in a few days and report back.
 

tyrande

Known Member
14/4/15
109
0
0
also just did find some springs of the same size with a higher spring rate: I’ll install in a few days and report back.

Great, look forward to it. I actually managed to align it by rotating the insert very hard clockwise with my thumb but the spring is still anaemic to say the least so if you can get a nice crisp action on it I'll follow in your steps
 

dannybb

You're Saying I Can Sell?
27/11/16
63
5
8
Used the knife on the corner(s) above the lugs. I’ll say that getting the bezel off was a little scary.

The insert should be able to be removed with the bezel off: you can see the inside lip of it with the bezel off. Not sure how I’d do it: maybe if it didn’t pop right out if apply a little heat. I’m guessing heat could damage it and prying it off could crack it so it’d be a careful process with a chance of loss.

i think some marine grease under the bezel on the teeth is a good idea: did that on an omega and it was a big improvement.

also just did find some springs of the same size with a higher spring rate: I’ll install in a few days and report back.

Hey mate,

How did this go? Did the higher spring rate work better?


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