Help: BP 16610 bezel

[JustFou]

Hi,

I'm trying to change the crystal on my BP 16610 but I can't remove the retaining ring from the case and also I don't know how to put the bezel back as the assembly is different from any I've seen on the forum! Any help is appreciated.

 

[p0pperini]

The retaining ring is just like any other 16610 ring - you need to get a thin flat blade under it and work round it, prising it up. It’s tight and probably very well seated, so you might have to start off tapping a razor blade in between the case and ring.

The bezel is fun to reassemble - if you disassembled it correctly then it should be quite easy to understand the principle, but maybe you managed to force it off without removing the wire circlip first? (Although I’ve never managed to do that - I have bent two bezels while trying though). Anyway, to reassemble I find the best thing to do is bend the long click spring into position inside the bezel, and then place the spring/bezel assembly in position, relocating the end of the click spring in its hole. Then, the bezel is secured in place by feeding/bending/clipping the circlip back into its location in its grooves under the retaining ring and in the bezel.

There’s probably a pictorial guide on here somewhere… because a picture paints a thousand words and my rambling explanation may not have helped much… I had a quick search but couldn’t find one. But I know I posted some pics myself somewhere, when I bent my BP bluesie bezel.

Good luck!

 

[JustFou]

The retaining ring is just like any other 16610 ring - you need to get a thin flat blade under it and work round it, prising it up. It’s tight and probably very well seated, so you might have to start off tapping a razor blade in between the case and ring.

The bezel is fun to reassemble - if you disassembled it correctly then it should be quite easy to understand the principle, but maybe you managed to force it off without removing the wire circlip first? (Although I’ve never managed to do that - I have bent two bezels while trying though). Anyway, to reassemble I find the best thing to do is bend the long click spring into position inside the bezel, and then place the spring/bezel assembly in position, relocating the end of the click spring in its hole. Then, the bezel is secured in place by feeding/bending/clipping the circlip back into its location in its grooves under the retaining ring and in the bezel.

There’s probably a pictorial guide on here somewhere… because a picture paints a thousand words and my rambling explanation may not have helped much… I had a quick search but couldn’t find one. But I know I posted some pics myself somewhere, when I bent my BP bluesie bezel.

Good luck!

Thanks for the quick reply high appreciated! For the retaining ring part I might have to do that yes but my issue is more identifying the retaining ring as it's not gen spec so I can't compare it ... Do you have a picture of one? For the bezel part I've seen some guide but most of them do not have that specific click spring. Do you have a tip to bend the click spring inside the bezel as it keeps popping in my face haha? For the removing the bezel without removing the wire ... My wire clip was quite tight inside the bezel ring so that might be how I got mine out still inside the bezel ring!

 

[p0pperini]

Ah okay, well congrats on achieving the seemingly impossible and removing the bezel and circlip as a unit! But yeah, you need to remove the circlip wire and then feed it back in with the bezel in place on the case.

The click spring is also unique to the BP, and a right PITA. I just keep on trying, having it continually pinging out, until I finally manage to get it to stay precariously in position. It’s just a war of attrition - don’t give up!

I can’t recall the specifics of the peculiarities with the BP retaining ring. I’ll tag KJ2020 in a sec, he’ll be able to help (if I tag him in this post, my iPad will delete the entire post and replace it with the tag!).

 

[p0pperini]

KJ2020 - any chance you could contribute the benefit of your experience here KJ?

Cheers!

 

[KJ2020]

That does not look like any BPs I've had. The retaining ring on every one I've had in hand is not removable - it is molded into the case. So you can just push the crystal out from the inside as is. The crystal gaskets are shorter in height than gen-spec so you just refit the crystal gasket into the space inside the "retaining ring" and press the crystal down into the gasket from above.

The BP DG and ETA crystals are not gen-spec, having a 30.4 mm OD with a straight edge profile so they are one diameter on edge. The BP 3135 crystals are gen-spec, having a stair-step edge profile with a 29.5mm lower diameter where they connect to the gasket. But whatever the crystal used, the same "retaining ring" arrangement and a short height gasket is utilized.

Also the BP Sub bezels use an 8 sided wire clip to contain it under the case lip. The hands and dial lume on this one don't match and the hands don't look like BP hands. So again this does not look like a BP to me.

What is the origin of this piece, the clasp code and serial number?

 

[KJ2020]

BP 3135, crystal changed to Clark's gen-spec with AR cyclops

 

[p0pperini]

Also the BP Sub bezels use an 8 sided wire clip to contain it under the case lip.

The OP's has the wire circlip KJ - it's just that they managed to force off the bezel without removing it - it's poking out from the bezel if you squint carefully.

Also, I'm pretty sure there's no removable crystal retaining ring on the OP's case. I always forget all the details of the BP's peculiarities compared to gen spec, but now you mention that, I'm even more inclined to think this is a BP. It may however have had its hands changed, because as you point out - the lume on the hands is yellower than the dial.

 

[KJ2020]

The OP's has the wire circlip KJ - it's just that they managed to force off the bezel without removing it - it's poking out from the bezel if you squint carefully.

Also, I'm pretty sure there's no removable crystal retaining ring on the OP's case. I always forget all the details of the BP's peculiarities compared to gen spec, but now you mention that, I'm even more inclined to think this is a BP. It may however have had its hands changed, because as you point out - the lume on the hands is yellower than the dial.

OK see it now bro. I had some doubts about the dial too after doing a close compare - BP Sub dials have a short ft and space m. His m looks different albeit mostly hidden and pretty blurry.

Very interested in the serial and clasp code. But yeah on BP 5 digit Subs or GMTs you can change the crystal without taking the bezel off. I never do anymore precisely because of the hassle involved. The movement comes out, push the crystal out from inside, remove the insert, replace gasket and press new crystal, replace insert.

 

[p0pperini]

Interesting observations about the dial KJ2020. Makes me wonder when and where the OP picked up this one - and whether there's been any of the same shenanigans going on in recent times, like there have been with Noob, VSF, JKF, where reps are being sold as from a factory but are cobbled together from parts sourced from all over.

 

[JustFou]

OK see it now bro. I had some doubts about the dial too after doing a close compare - BP Sub dials have a short ft and space m. His m looks different albeit mostly hidden and pretty blurry.

Very interested in the serial and clasp code. But yeah on BP 5 digit Subs or GMTs you can change the crystal without taking the bezel off. I never do anymore precisely because of the hassle involved. The movement comes out, push the crystal out from inside, remove the insert, replace gasket and press new crystal, replace insert.

Man I wish I knew that before removing that bezel ... Too late for that! I ordered a startime case that I will just transfer this movement in. However this was sold to me by hont as a BP 3135. Movement matches it but the hands or dial haven't been switched. I'll reply later with the clasp code and serial! Also I do have the wireclip but my assembly doesn't seem to have the same space between the bezel assembly and case as the other bp case I've seen.

 

[JustFou]

That does not look like any BPs I've had. The retaining ring on every one I've had in hand is not removable - it is molded into the case. So you can just push the crystal out from the inside as is. The crystal gaskets are shorter in height than gen-spec so you just refit the crystal gasket into the space inside the "retaining ring" and press the crystal down into the gasket from above.

The BP DG and ETA crystals are not gen-spec, having a 30.4 mm OD with a straight edge profile so they are one diameter on edge. The BP 3135 crystals are gen-spec, having a stair-step edge profile with a 29.5mm lower diameter where they connect to the gasket. But whatever the crystal used, the same "retaining ring" arrangement and a short height gasket is utilized.

Also the BP Sub bezels use an 8 sided wire clip to contain it under the case lip. The hands and dial lume on this one don't match and the hands don't look like BP hands. So again this does not look like a BP to me.

What is the origin of this piece, the clasp code and serial number?

Clasp is PJ4 (not BP as far as I know?)
Serial is S270579 or M240368 (inside rehaut)

 

[KJ2020]

PJ4 and the M24 serial are BP codes so those parts are BP. You can get your crystal out as I described above. When you put the bezel back on you can tape the inner wire back with bracelet tape so it will slip right over the lip. You'll have to seat the click wire and wrap it under the bezel as you push the bezel into place over the lip. When everything is in place, cut the tape and pull it out.

 

[p0pperini]

KJ2020 Ah there's that awesome tip with the tape! Damn I love that and what a potential life-saver.

JustFou Note that the tape trick isn't necessary unless the gap between the bezel and the case is too small to feed the wire in. So check with a test-fit first - it might be possible to feed the wire back into place easily enough through the gap once the bezel is on the case. I think I had to use KJ's solution once out of, say, 5 or more BP cases I've been reassembling.

 

[Waspy]

That does not look like any BPs I've had. The retaining ring on every one I've had in hand is not removable - it is molded into the case. So you can just push the crystal out from the inside as is. The crystal gaskets are shorter in height than gen-spec so you just refit the crystal gasket into the space inside the "retaining ring" and press the crystal down into the gasket from above.

The BP DG and ETA crystals are not gen-spec, having a 30.4 mm OD with a straight edge profile so they are one diameter on edge. The BP 3135 crystals are gen-spec, having a stair-step edge profile with a 29.5mm lower diameter where they connect to the gasket. But whatever the crystal used, the same "retaining ring" arrangement and a short height gasket is utilized.

Also the BP Sub bezels use an 8 sided wire clip to contain it under the case lip. The hands and dial lume on this one don't match and the hands don't look like BP hands. So again this does not look like a BP to me.

What is the origin of this piece, the clasp code and serial number?

So, if I wanted to replace an insert on a BP 16610, I should remove the movement (and dial and hands attached) and just push the crystal out with my thumbs? This would give me access to the rear of the insert to remove it? Then just push the crystal back in?

 

[Eunomians]

Curious if anyone knows a source for the BP crystal gasket. I can’t find one!

 

[KJ2020]

Curious if anyone knows a source for the BP crystal gasket. I can’t find one!

You'll have to make one bro.

It's not so bad, I've done it several times. BP has two sizes of 5 digit Sub crystals. 29.5mm and 30.5mm OD, depending on which case you got. The 3135s are 29.5mm OD crystals which is good for you but check to be sure.

So you get a gen-spec gasket, put it on a junk crystal and shave it down to the height your case needs. This will mean taking the gasket down to where you are almost contacting the junk crystal underside to the sandpaper.

Crystal gasket shave - DIY

Here is a pic of one I did. This case takes a 30.5mm OD crystal. I converted it to take a 29.5mm gen-spec crystal by adding a second gasket inside the stock one. Both gaskets are the same height. Look around 3 - 7 o'clock you can easily see both gaskets. Neither one shows with the bezel and insert in place.

 

[KJ2020]

So, if I wanted to replace an insert on a BP 16610, I should remove the movement (and dial and hands attached) and just push the crystal out with my thumbs? This would give me access to the rear of the insert to remove it? Then just push the crystal back in?

Yes, exactly that. If the crystal doesn't come out easily by hand a press will certainly do it.

 

[Rolexmike69]

The retaining ring is just like any other 16610 ring - you need to get a thin flat blade under it and work round it, prising it up. It’s tight and probably very well seated, so you might have to start off tapping a razor blade in between the case and ring.

The bezel is fun to reassemble - if you disassembled it correctly then it should be quite easy to understand the principle, but maybe you managed to force it off without removing the wire circlip first? (Although I’ve never managed to do that - I have bent two bezels while trying though). Anyway, to reassemble I find the best thing to do is bend the long click spring into position inside the bezel, and then place the spring/bezel assembly in position, relocating the end of the click spring in its hole. Then, the bezel is secured in place by feeding/bending/clipping the circlip back into its location in its grooves under the retaining ring and in the bezel.

There’s probably a pictorial guide on here somewhere… because a picture paints a thousand words and my rambling explanation may not have helped much… I had a quick search but couldn’t find one. But I know I posted some pics myself somewhere, when I bent my BP bluesie bezel.

Good luck!

When you bent the bezel how did you rectify? Purchase a new bezel and if so do you have a source? Did you straighten it?
I’m not understanding to reassemble the large click spring (crazy looking lol) while trying to put the bezel with clip wire on as well. Maybe I missed something in explanation by @KJ2020 ?!? I’m lost lol.
Good news is I have new crystal in. lol.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[aodaodaod]

Do you know where I can buy the steel bezel ?