New 6542 - budget factory option by TS-Station

[Hor-Fan]

Hey guys
working on a 6542 that I received from dealer clocks.


I think its a bp cartel version and I am having a hard time trying to remove the bezel . I assume it has the spring so I need to remove the insert prior to removing the bezel however I dont want to unnecessarily damage the insert so I am looking for suggestions.

I tried popping the crystal out from inside the case but it wont budge , probably because he has the crystal ring that the bezel is held on by via the spring .

What's the easiest way to remove the bezel assembly I guess its by removing the insert first

Any suggestions welcome.
thanks

I’d try warming it with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive then stick a piece of duct tape on the insert and try to pull it out.

 

[369mafia]

I’d try warming it with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive then stick a piece of duct tape on the insert and try to pull it out.

I'll give it a go...thx! I want sure if it was pressure fit or if adhesive was involved.

 

[369mafia]

I’d try warming it with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive then stick a piece of duct tape on the insert and try to pull it out.

success !! going to brass the bezel today thx again for yoru suggestion

 

[IAmRobTV]

Someone buy this and test it out for the sake of the vintage world. For $350 bucks I think it can even be salvaged for parts and it would still be worth it. The insert, datewheel, hands, movement can all be transplated into a gen spec case which is far superior in shape and should save quite a few bucks

Boutta buy it and ill lyk lol (2 years later)

 

[connie]

Hello i have a question that bugs me a lot maybe some guys with experience like @kilowattore can enlight me :
I have some high quality parts for a 6542 built in a drawer (MQ Bezel + hands).
I d like to get a base watch since i find the datewheel good enough and just swap the hands and bezel then age it a bit.

On those base (BP ? Cartel ? ) watch : does a viet dial like Ruby's would fit well into the case and would the date of the datewheel d be well centered ?

All of you lads who made this awesome built, let me know

Thanks a lot

 

[kilowattore]

Viet dial will not fit a BP/cartel case. This was the main advantage of the TS station version, pity its no longer to be found.

 

[connie]

Viet dial will not fit a BP/cartel case. This was the main advantage of the TS station version, pity its no longer to be found.

Damn. So what are my options if I want to build one with a perfectly centered date wheel ?

Thx a lot for your intels

 

[kilowattore]

It you are using a gen spec dial your only option is to source a case from the usual viet dealers, Phong, MQ and the likes

 

[cradle101]

I'm currently working on a Cartel 6542 GMT and I'm looking to age the lumed numbers inside the bezel insert.

The numbers are cut out of the plastic bezel and filled with an unkown type of lume. I've tried aging it with tea/coffee, but it doesn't 'stick' or darken it in any way. I've also tried to let some diluted acrylic paint set overnight, but this also doesn't work.

Does anyone has a suggestion on how to age the lume in the bezel insert?

 

[369mafia]

I'm currently working on a Cartel 6542 GMT and I'm looking to age the lumed numbers inside the bezel insert.

The numbers are cut out of the plastic bezel and filled with an unkown type of lume. I've tried aging it with tea/coffee, but it doesn't 'stick' or darken it in any way. I've also tried to let some diluted acrylic paint set overnight, but this also doesn't work.

Does anyone has a suggestion on how to age the lume in the bezel insert?

You have to remove the existing lume from the insert and reapply aged lume into the numbers . By applying coffee or paint to the back of the letters only ages the back of the numbers as I dont think the lume is porous enough to allow the coffee to saturate the lume and change the colour.

 

[chrome72]

You have to remove the existing lume from the insert and reapply aged lume into the numbers . By applying coffee or paint to the back of the letters only ages the back of the numbers as I dont think the lume is porous enough to allow the coffee to saturate the lume and change the colour.

Do you just dig it out or is there a better solution

 

[Hor-Fan]

It depends on the lume formulation. Try soaking in alcohol, it dissolves some lume binders.

 

[369mafia]

Do you just dig it out or is there a better solution

Yes you can using a oiler or a fine pin to scrape them clean or as Hor-Fan suggested using alcohol , to soften it first

 

[Manray]

It depends on the lume formulation. Try soaking in alcohol, it dissolves some lume binders.

Alcohol? Isn't the insert made of acrylic?

 

[Hor-Fan]

Alcohol? Isn't the insert made of acrylic?

Isopropyl 70% , I’ve used it before on fakelite inserts without problems - just don’t soak it too long or you might get some surface crazing.

 

[cradle101]

Thanks all for the tips! Seems to me that this is a very tricky endevour, but I might give it a shot.

 

[DeLoMan]

Really wishing I had bought one of these while they were still being sold by TS Station. Lesson learned!

 

[cradle101]

Well, neither soaking it in alcohol (and/or rubbing it with a cotton bud) nor scraping it out worked. The material seems to be a sort of plastic/rubbery substance, and not your average lume composition. It's virtually impossible to remove this material from the insert without the risk of ruining it (I learned the hard way, as the insert cracked).

 

[cradle101]

In addition, does anyone know where to get a reasonably priced rep insert? I've seen some on Ebay, but they go for around $250 minimum.

 

[Spoons]

In addition, does anyone know where to get a reasonably priced rep insert? I've seen some on Ebay, but they go for around $250 minimum.

Helenarou has a 6542 insert for $99: https://www.helenarou.com/aftermarket-plexi-insert-bakelite-for-vintage-rolex-master-gmt-6542.html