How to remove Radiomir crystal: has anybody done it successfully?

[txcollector]

I'm trying to remove a Radiomir crystal from a 45mm case but it has been very hard to do it. Even with the press the crystal won't move at all. I've checked the clearance from the die and there's room but no matter how hard I push it won't move.

I have tried to remove the bezel assembly as well but again very hard and I'm afraid of scratching the case.

Any pointers? Has anybody done this before?

Thanks

 

[txcollector]

so nobody with at least a tip?

 

[hooligan]

Never tried it myself, pal. I would send it to someone and have it done, honestly.

 

[Billio]

i think you just need to push it from the inside out using a crystal press. It might take a fair bit of effort though. Ive managed to remove it this way. Either that or use a very thin blade and hammer and use it to separate the bezel from the watch then remove the crystal from the bezel using the press.

 

[fine dd]

Sometimes the crystal is glued in - that will make it difficult to press it out.

In this case i use cooking water.

Put the complete dismantled case in hot water for 2-3 minutes and try to press it out again.

 

[babola]

I can only talk about the one I got in '06. It was a Black Seal 183G and it came non A/R-ed sapphire that I sent to chieftang for a 'treatment'.

I used a doctor's 'hammer', the one they use to check for reflexes etc. They have metal frame but rubberized rounded ends, think of a giant pencil eraser ;-)

So all I did was to put a little cloth piece inside the case underside of the xtal and lightly but decisively whack it from the inside out while holding the case face down in the palm of my other hand. It just popped out, simple as that. The Pam xtal on gens and good reps should be secured to the bezel by a white carbon-plastic seal, virtually unbreakable. Make sure you don't loose it, whatever you do.

I basically came to this idea after watching a youtube video that'd shown different stages of Breitling watch service in their authorized service center. They used pretty much the same method there to remove a crystal from the case.