The friction washer is missing for sure. Now, I just got to this rodeo late, so trying to get the jest of the issue.
Most "gen" non friction bezel assemblies, or plexi bezel assemblies rely on the crystal retainer to act as both the track on which the bezel snaps on and rotates and also as a guide. The friction retainer is there to offer the classic "push down to change" design. Bending the spring to give it more resistance helps to engage the action better. Now, if the bezel is so tight that it cannot even be taken off, then there is an issue with too close a tolerance and this needs to be addressed. You can pry the bezel away from the crystal retainer and reduce its circunferance slightly and see if that works. This is a tedious process and is all trial and error. All about the small increments, rather than taking too much off. That ol' saying that "once you take it off, it ain't coming back on" applies here.
WSO bezel assemblies used to be notorious for this.
In Fargo's case the issue has to do with the Cartel assembly itself. Some of the different models have a very gen like assembly, and some have the paperclip setup.
The ones that have the gen like assembly can be used again with a different plexi that has a wider outer diameter, thus not needing the nylon spacer that these factories use to keep everything in place. If you could measure the OD of the crystal with the nylon spacer while installed on the case, this will give you a ballpark of what size crystal to get. eBay and Ofrei are good sources. Also ST(* time)
Sometimes you can even get real lucky and source a gen retainer and fit the outer bezel to this with a little sanding and then you're good to go.
Fargo, measure the OD of the parts together. Also, try to separate the bezel from the retainer (a little heat to the outer bezel helps and then you can use the cap of a pill bottle, or even a cap from a NyQuil bottle helps)
Measure the diameter of the lip from the case where the crystal sits on. These two measurements should give you the size for the crystal you need. There needs to be a slight "crunch" for a mechanical seal to take place, but this is in the .01 or MM
Then it is a matter of finding the crystal that fits your case, a bit of GS cement and then pressure fit everything. May not be good for 100m dive sessions, but should be good for pool and snorkeling if everything else is sorted out.
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