I'm (slowly) building a Franken 45mm Planet Ocean and I've already installed a gen tube and crown (see here: http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/45-5mm-planet-92079). Next stage was to install a gen crystal.
The tools/equipment you'll need:
- Glass Pressing Tool
- Latex Gloves
I also using a jewellery cleaning bath (ultasonic cleaner) but this isn't essential.
Total time to do the job - less than an hour.
From R2D4's fantastic thread you can get the part number you need: http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/ome...nce-guide
And to confirm: X20079 Omega 062SB3063- Sapphire Glass
I also purchased a gen gasket, but as you'll see, that didn't quite work out...
OK, so here are the parts as they arrived:
The rep crystal easily pushed out by hand. I also removed the rep gasket, then placed the case in my ultrasonic cleaner:
This was to clean up the case whilst it was stripped of all other parts, and ensure that the case was clean of any dust or dirt that would be in the recess where the gasket fits which would lead to a potential leak. I am intending the completed watch to be sufficently water resistant for swimming.
So, now the case is clean and ready to go:
From now on, I will be wearing the latex gloves to prevent any dirt, dust or fingerprints getting on the gasket of crystal. Firstly the gasket was installed in place (the white rep gasket is also shown):
And here it is fully installed, a very good fit as well:
Now the crystal is positioned in the gasket:
Making sure it is corrected seated, and not at an angle - ready to be pressed in:
Now, placing the case in the press, and using the correct size fittings, it can be pressed in:
And here I encountered a problem.
The crysal would not fit. I tried to press it in with all my strength, assuming it would be a tight fit. Nothing happening. Assuming that it was a very close thing, I decided to heat up the case in the hope it would expand sufficiently to allow the crystal to fit. It didn't!
OK, so what's going on? The gasket fits in the case. But the crystal will not fit into the gasket. So the case must be a fraction too small. A quick search on RWI revealed that I wasn't the only one to encounter this problem. I read several suugestions that the gasket could be 'thinned out', but I was concerned that any method that I used to do this would result in the gasket having an uneven thickness which would not leave the watch water resistant.
I had slighly damaged the rep gasket when removing the rep crystal, so decided against using that, and instead, measured the crystal and case using vernier calipers. Then I purchased two potential gaskets from CousinsUK, an example is shown here:
They didn't work either!
So, I resorted back to the slighly damaged rep gasket. When I checked it again, it only had a 'kink' in it, which I thought might be corrected once pressed into place. So repeating the above steps, I pressed the gen crystal in using the rep gasket:
Then, reassambling the case back and crown, I pressued tested it in my homemade test tank, up to 5 atm, and it passed with flying colours!
So, there you go, no need to buy the gen gasket, and make sure that you look after the rep gasket when pressing out the rep crystal...
-OW
The tools/equipment you'll need:
- Glass Pressing Tool
- Latex Gloves
I also using a jewellery cleaning bath (ultasonic cleaner) but this isn't essential.
Total time to do the job - less than an hour.
From R2D4's fantastic thread you can get the part number you need: http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/ome...nce-guide
And to confirm: X20079 Omega 062SB3063- Sapphire Glass
I also purchased a gen gasket, but as you'll see, that didn't quite work out...
OK, so here are the parts as they arrived:
The rep crystal easily pushed out by hand. I also removed the rep gasket, then placed the case in my ultrasonic cleaner:
This was to clean up the case whilst it was stripped of all other parts, and ensure that the case was clean of any dust or dirt that would be in the recess where the gasket fits which would lead to a potential leak. I am intending the completed watch to be sufficently water resistant for swimming.
So, now the case is clean and ready to go:
From now on, I will be wearing the latex gloves to prevent any dirt, dust or fingerprints getting on the gasket of crystal. Firstly the gasket was installed in place (the white rep gasket is also shown):
And here it is fully installed, a very good fit as well:
Now the crystal is positioned in the gasket:
Making sure it is corrected seated, and not at an angle - ready to be pressed in:
Now, placing the case in the press, and using the correct size fittings, it can be pressed in:
And here I encountered a problem.
The crysal would not fit. I tried to press it in with all my strength, assuming it would be a tight fit. Nothing happening. Assuming that it was a very close thing, I decided to heat up the case in the hope it would expand sufficiently to allow the crystal to fit. It didn't!
OK, so what's going on? The gasket fits in the case. But the crystal will not fit into the gasket. So the case must be a fraction too small. A quick search on RWI revealed that I wasn't the only one to encounter this problem. I read several suugestions that the gasket could be 'thinned out', but I was concerned that any method that I used to do this would result in the gasket having an uneven thickness which would not leave the watch water resistant.
I had slighly damaged the rep gasket when removing the rep crystal, so decided against using that, and instead, measured the crystal and case using vernier calipers. Then I purchased two potential gaskets from CousinsUK, an example is shown here:
They didn't work either!
So, I resorted back to the slighly damaged rep gasket. When I checked it again, it only had a 'kink' in it, which I thought might be corrected once pressed into place. So repeating the above steps, I pressed the gen crystal in using the rep gasket:
Then, reassambling the case back and crown, I pressued tested it in my homemade test tank, up to 5 atm, and it passed with flying colours!
So, there you go, no need to buy the gen gasket, and make sure that you look after the rep gasket when pressing out the rep crystal...
-OW
