Removing residue from the Sea-Dweller 126600 crystal gasket.

[ihomen]

Hi, I was about to replace the crystal in my Clean Rolex 126600 Sea-Dweller with a genuine crystal and gasket.

It wasn’t possible to easily remove the gasket — it’s pressed in so tightly that I ended up cutting it out piece by piece. When I started, I didn’t realize how deeply it was seated in the watch case. I’ve stopped at the point where the upper half of the gasket has been removed, but the remaining part is still stuck in the groove in the case. From what I know, the gasket is made of PTFE or a similar material.

Do you have any ideas on how to remove the remaining part of the gasket from a groove that's about 0.4mm wide? I’ve tried using a very thin screwdriver, but it’s completely unsuitable for the task. I also tried a soldering iron with a thin 0.4mm copper wire attached, heated to 200/300/400°C — the gasket started to melt slightly, but it was very ineffective and I gave up on that method. That’s why I’m now looking for other solutions.

I’ll add that I have a 3D printer and the ability to design my own tools. I was considering something like a hole saw with sandpaper or an abrasive edge that could grind down the gasket. But maybe there are better and more effective solutions?

Here photo and visualization of the situation:

2BBbki.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBbki.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

2BBVap.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBVap.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

2BBxJb.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBxJb.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

 

[KJ2020]

Hi, I was about to replace the crystal in my Clean Rolex 126600 Sea-Dweller with a genuine crystal and gasket.

It wasn’t possible to easily remove the gasket — it’s pressed in so tightly that I ended up cutting it out piece by piece. When I started, I didn’t realize how deeply it was seated in the watch case. I’ve stopped at the point where the upper half of the gasket has been removed, but the remaining part is still stuck in the groove in the case. From what I know, the gasket is made of PTFE or a similar material.

Do you have any ideas on how to remove the remaining part of the gasket from a groove that's about 0.4mm wide? I’ve tried using a very thin screwdriver, but it’s completely unsuitable for the task. I also tried a soldering iron with a thin 0.4mm copper wire attached, heated to 200/300/400°C — the gasket started to melt slightly, but it was very ineffective and I gave up on that method. That’s why I’m now looking for other solutions.

I’ll add that I have a 3D printer and the ability to design my own tools. I was considering something like a hole saw with sandpaper or an abrasive edge that could grind down the gasket. But maybe there are better and more effective solutions?

Here photo and visualization of the situation:

2BBbki.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBbki.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

2BBVap.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBVap.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

2BBxJb.png hosted at ClickPix.org

Image 2BBxJb.png hosted in ClickPix.org

clickpix.org

Bro there is a crystal retaining ring that surrounds the crystal gasket that is supposed to be removed prior to removing the crystal and crystal gasket. Check out the thread below for detailed instructions with pics showing how to do this.

6-digit Sub crystal and bezel swap

 

[ihomen]

I think now I get it. So in the thread you linked, Op is using knife but in my case it make no sense due to different construction. Looks like it is possible to push out the inner ring that contain rehaut. Thanks for that lead @KJ2020

 

[ihomen]

Update: No luck with pushing out rehaut ring :/

 

[geoffdragon]

The rehault is part of the case. So unless you are very strong it won't budge....

So your case isn't constructed like this?

 

[ihomen]

Update 2: Alright guys, I got it – it is possible to pry it up, but you have to do it from a different spot that I initially missed. I’ll take some photos and post them for others in the future.

 

[ihomen]

Thank you guys for help, before posting I spend like whole day to solve that :/

 

[DD60]

This is why you will need to use (very carefully, please) the edge of a utility razor blade to create a gap along the bottom edge of the retaining ring just enough to use case knife to begin lifting up the retaining slowly/gently a little at a time working the edge in a circle around the retaining ring until you can work the retaining ring free. Pretty much the directions in the above post.
If you're having difficulty and you don't want to risk damage to your watch or yourself, I suggest you get it to one of the trusted watchsmiths listed to complete the work for you.
Good luck.

 

[KJ2020]

Lifting the retaining ring up using its lip (the area you used) is not advised. You can easily distort that protrusion, which will negatively affect bezel rotation. Your bezel gasket (hytrel ring) sits under that lip and is what holds the bezel onto the case. A distorted lip can cause rough or uneven bezel rotation, and even create a bezel gap to the case at the area of the distortion.

Also, if you are planning to use a gen crystal gasket with the rep retaining ring, you are likely going to find it quite difficult to re-seat the rep retaining ring. This is because the gen crystal gasket is thicker (wider) and more dense than the cheap rep crystal gasket. To make this work, often a gen crystal gasket has to have its width thinned some.

Crystal gasket shave - DIY

Crystal gasket shave Quick and dirty

Here is an SD43 I installed a gen crystal and gen crystal gasket on. Even though the crystal gasket had been thinned some, I still had to use a vise to get the rep retaining ring all the way down.

I think the advice you got from @DD60 about getting an experienced watchmaker / modder to finish this for you should be seriously considered.

 

[ihomen]

This is why you will need to use (very carefully, please) the edge of a utility razor blade to create a gap along the bottom edge of the retaining ring just enough to use case knife to begin lifting up the retaining slowly/gently a little at a time working the edge in a circle around the retaining ring until you can work the retaining ring free. Pretty much the directions in the above post.
If you're having difficulty and you don't want to risk damage to your watch or yourself, I suggest you get it to one of the trusted watchsmiths listed to complete the work for you.
Good luck.

The thing was that in seadweller there is a different pry point as I posted above in photos. Bu thanks for response.
Btw. I prefer to learn and do such stuff myself than just give it to someone else, its a fun hobby

 

[geoffdragon]

@ihomen is your crystal retaining ring set into the case? Is there a groove it fits into?

 

[ihomen]

Here is an SD43 I installed a gen crystal and gen crystal gasket on. Even though the crystal gasket had been thinned some, I still had to use a vise to get the rep retaining ring all the way down.

Just thinking loud, did you try to make a temperature difference? Like cool down the case and warm up the ring with gasket? Im It doesn't make huge difference, according to some calculations I made if you cool down case to ~23*C and warm up ring+gasket to ~85*C it adds tolerance about 0.015492 mm. But I think it could be possible to go even higher with ring temperature since the gasket if PTFE and can handle very high temperatures so for example 100*C wont damage it (old gasket start a bit melting in rage 300-400*C and higher).

Or it is just useless effort?

 

[casionite]

Hello,
I'm in the process of buying a gen crystal for Clean SD43 126600 but the original package doesn't include gasket. The seller can add it, just asks how high it is in mm. Do you @ihomen or @KJ2020 know its size? I have seen that the gen crystal with gasket usually has 2 of them included, so do you think that more than 1 is needed? Especially considering that it has to be adjusted as @KJ2020 mentioned

 

[ihomen]

2.25mm, but I think you can order such a gasket separately from eBay. If it's too high, you can file / polish it to decrease the height or use the gasket you already have in your SD43.

 

[casionite]

2.5mm, but I think you can order such a gasket separately from eBay. If it's too high, you can file / polish it to decrease the height or use the gasket you already have in your SD43.

Great, thanks @ihomen!

@KJ2020 what are your thoughts? Do you think that more than 1 is needed?

 

[KJ2020]

Great, thanks @ihomen!

@KJ2020 what are your thoughts? Do you think that more than 1 is needed?

The newer 7000 series crystals take a 2.25mm tall gasket. For whatever reason Rolex stopped including the gaskets in the crystal blister. This is denoted by -J1 at the end of the crystal part number.

It's always handy to have an extra gasket when fitting a crystal but I often use only one.

 

[KJ2020]

Just thinking loud, did you try to make a temperature difference? Like cool down the case and warm up the ring with gasket? Im It doesn't make huge difference, according to some calculations I made if you cool down case to ~23*C and warm up ring+gasket to ~85*C it adds tolerance about 0.015492 mm. But I think it could be possible to go even higher with ring temperature since the gasket if PTFE and can handle very high temperatures so for example 100*C wont damage it (old gasket start a bit melting in rage 300-400*C and higher).

Or it is just useless effort?

I wouldn't go there with attempted temperature differentials. By the time you got the pieces in place at room temperature to begin the press you'd lose some or most of any tiny advantage. It takes about 10 minutes to shave off some of the outer gasket wall and it usually results in a normal press being achievable.

The only time I mess with heating is if I've used too thick a diameter fishline as a hytrel ring and it's preventing any bezel rotation and won't pry off. The only solution then is to melt it away.

Using fishline as a hytrel ring

 

[casionite]

That's very helpful. Thanks a lot

The newer 7000 series crystals take a 2.25mm tall gasket. For whatever reason Rolex stopped including the gaskets in the crystal blister. This is denoted by -J1 at the end of the crystal part number.

It's always handy to have an extra gasket when fitting a crystal but I often use only one.

 

[KJ2020]

That's very helpful. Thanks a lot

Do take note that on some reps the gen 2.25mm tall crystal gasket causes the crystal to sit low enough that it touches the second hand and stops the movement.

The only one I know of where there this ocurrs is the GMT Master series, which has 4 hands. I can't tell whether or not this would be an issue on your rep 126600. It was not an issue on mine, which was a Noob model.

 

[JTB16635]

I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to get the retaining ring out of a 126600 (Clean) at the moment. The ring sits down in a milled channel. Doesn't look like there is room to get under the ring with a blade. Grrr