ROLEX 6-Digit Sub Bezel and Crystal Swap - DIY

[KJ2020]

Nice write up..glad you are using that lathe bit and hopes it makes your work easier as it does for me

Yes indeed bro, that die was a game saver on a recent gen SD43 crystal and gasket install, thank you. No amount of force on crystal presses could bring the retaining ring home. Gen gaskets are tough and dense.

So I shaved the inner diameter of one side of the lathe die back a tad by hand sanding and drilled a dip for the cyclops. Added some protective tape and on to the big press - the VICE! Pucker factor was up, IDK but guessing this crystal was around $500 so checking the progress every freaking second. It worked and nary a scrape or a brush to the glass. I knew the crystal wouldn't leak but had to check the tube and caseback. Good to go. What a nice crystal the gen SD43 is. That baby is thick!

 

[fall1n1]

Amazing guide as always bro, you’re truly a treasure to this community!

 

[Vvvlllooo]

Yes indeed bro, that die was a game saver on a recent gen SD43 crystal and gasket install, thank you. No amount of force on crystal presses could bring the retaining ring home. Gen gaskets are tough and dense.

So I shaved the inner diameter of one side of the lathe die back a tad by hand sanding and drilled a dip for the cyclops. Added some protective tape and on to the big press - the VICE! Pucker factor was up, IDK but guessing this crystal was around $500 so checking the progress every freaking second. It worked and nary a scrape or a brush to the glass. I knew the crystal wouldn't leak but had to check the tube and caseback. Good to go. What a nice crystal the gen SD43 is. That baby is thick!

Nice work..and that sd43..I could only imagine the stress

 

[shigetty]

Thanks to the great tutorial, I successfully installed a gen crytal on my ZF Hulk! I'm very satisfied with the result.


The ZF retaining ring is extremely tight and I spent an hour struggling to remove it with various blades, small knives, etc. The effort resulted in lifting the retaining ring up only 0.5mm. So I pressed the crystal from inside the watch case with the crystal press, the crystal popped off right away, the retaining ring and the gasket were removed easily. This worked for me but might damage a crystal and a gasket.

When I press the retaining ring back to the case, I used GMF DJ 36mm bezel as a die.
I purchased the ZF Hulk 3 months ago, and the insert is clean-V3-1-7.

 

[KJ2020]

Thanks to the great tutorial, I successfully installed a gen crystal on my ZF Hulk! I'm very satisfied with the result.

Looks awesome bro, congrats!

 

[nunu78]

KJ2020 Hope you doing good, would you please direct me to the source for the gasket for my Noob submariner .
I have order one from ebay but its not the right size.
I would really appreciate if you can help me in this regard.
many thanks,

 

[KJ2020]

KJ2020 Hope you doing good, would you please direct me to the source for the gasket for my Noob submariner .
I have order one from ebay but its not the right size.
I would really appreciate if you can help me in this regard.
many thanks,

Try this one bro, people are saying it works, even for a 126610

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802452306523.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.3c5 b5c5fnro8Yk&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

Or you can try a pack from oascom , many happy customers

​​​​​​​https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...ts-and-accessories-aa/10617571-hyrtel-gaskets

 

[nunu78]

Try this one bro, people are saying it works, even for a 126610

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802452306523.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.3c5 b5c5fnro8Yk&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

Or you can try a pack from oascom , many happy customers

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...ts-and-accessories-aa/10617571-hyrtel-gaskets

thanks but I'm looking for this one , my bad if I didn't explain it well.
Untitled by nunu 78, on Flickr
Untitled by nunu 78, on Flickr

 

[KJ2020]

thanks but I'm looking for this one , my bad if I didn't explain it well.
Untitled by nunu 78, on Flickr
Untitled by nunu 78, on Flickr

I use Clark's crystal gaskets on Ebay, they are good. Or check Cousins in UK. Rep crystals and gaskets can vary a little in thickness and height, etc. You need a gasket for a 29.5mm crystal. You should get a few assorted heights, at least 2.7mm and 2.85mm, probably even 2.5mm

Have a look at the thread below, particularly Post #34 to see what different gasket height does to the date mag.

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...the-clean-pepsi-sucks?p=10487018#post10487018

Try some different height gaskets with your crystal and case and decide which one works best for you.

This is the gen crystal part number, so look for a gasket advertised to fit this crystal

b25-295-c12-c1

 

[KJ2020]

nunu78

Clark just got new stock of gaskets in

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...kw=clark+25-295&_sop=10&_fcid=1&mkpid=0&ut=RU

 

[nunu78]

nunu78

Clark just got new stock of gaskets in

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...kw=clark+25-295&_sop=10&_fcid=1&mkpid=0&ut=RU

Thanks a million

 

[repreg123]

Great guide, thanks.

 

[JTL12]

Thanks to the great tutorial, I successfully installed a gen crytal on my ZF Hulk! I'm very satisfied with the result.


The ZF retaining ring is extremely tight and I spent an hour struggling to remove it with various blades, small knives, etc. The effort resulted in lifting the retaining ring up only 0.5mm. So I pressed the crystal from inside the watch case with the crystal press, the crystal popped off right away, the retaining ring and the gasket were removed easily. This worked for me but might damage a crystal and a gasket.

When I press the retaining ring back to the case, I used GMF DJ 36mm bezel as a die.
I purchased the ZF Hulk 3 months ago, and the insert is clean-V3-1-7.

Absolutely gorgeous watch!

 

[JTL12]

Late to the game here but what an incredible thread!

KJ the amount of work you did here and documented is crazy and I would never have the nerves to try and do this to even one of my watches, let alone multiple ones!

 

[McDuck888]

Trusty explorer 2 die, I love that. A thorough read of this has given me hope of attacking a six digit sub soon. Thank you so much

 

[Gunner33]

Wow! This is so helpful. Thank you so much for this post! This will certainly help me with my sub. Has anyone dome tha same type of comprehensive walk through for a GMT?

 

[CTbeforeLP]

Awesome guide brother!

Is the explorer II bezel from a 216570, 226570 or a 16570?

I have a gen crystal on its way, wanted to prepare for it by getting one of those explorer 2 bezels!

 

[KJ2020]

Awesome guide brother!

Is the explorer II bezel from a 216570, 226570 or a 16570?

I have a gen crystal on its way, wanted to prepare for it by getting one of those explorer 2 bezels!

16570 bro. You can also use other 5 digit bezels from a Datejust, Day-date, etc. Any model that has the same 29.5mm crystal. Ofc test fit the bezel being used carefully to make sure it misses the crystal but catches the retaining ring.

 

[deadaglev]

Question to the Pros here
how exactly do you shave the hyrtel gasket/ring on a VSF 116610 to reduce the friction caused by a little to big hyrtel ring resulting in a too hard to turn bezel?
All the hyrtel rings/gaskets i tried so far, VSF stock and aftermarket, were just to big to give a nice and smooth experience.
I experimented already with the L shaped gasket from a VSF 126610 and the same issue was resolved by slightly reducing/shaving the underside (marked red).
Given the fact that the hyrtel gasket from the 116610 is T shaped rather than L shaped, i wonder witch part needs to be reduced in order to achieve the same effect?
I market the sections read again that i think needs to be reduced, but what do you guys say?
And how exactly to you remove material there?
The L shaped gasket was just sanded down with fine grid sandpaper. Easy to do here because you just rub the gasket over the sandpaper. Same as shaving a crystal gasket to reduce the height of the crystal.
Do you do the same here too with sandpaper that is bend to an L shape or just with the end of the paper and then try to reduce that exact area or is there a better solution or tool?
thanks as always for your insight!

 

[KJ2020]

Question to the Pros here
how exactly do you shave the hyrtel gasket/ring on a VSF 116610 to reduce the friction caused by a little to big hyrtel ring resulting in a too hard to turn bezel?
All the hyrtel rings/gaskets i tried so far, VSF stock and aftermarket, were just to big to give a nice and smooth experience.
I experimented already with the L shaped gasket from a VSF 126610 and the same issue was resolved by slightly reducing/shaving the underside (marked red).
Given the fact that the hyrtel gasket from the 116610 is T shaped rather than L shaped, i wonder witch part needs to be reduced in order to achieve the same effect?
I market the sections read again that i think needs to be reduced, but what do you guys say?
And how exactly to you remove material there?
The L shaped gasket was just sanded down with fine grid sandpaper. Easy to do here because you just rub the gasket over the sandpaper. Same as shaving a crystal gasket to reduce the height of the crystal.
Do you do the same here too with sandpaper that is bend to an L shape or just with the end of the paper and then try to reduce that exact area or is there a better solution or tool?
thanks as always for your insight!

I quit trying to modify or re-use a damaged hytrel ring except to cut away a short piece if it's mangled.

Fishline makes a great substitute and costs very little.

First make sure the insert is removed from the bezel. It should go in last after the bezel is seated and working satisfactorily. Bezel grooves are all different so you need to experiment a little with the fishline diameter. Somewhere between 0.50mm and 0.65mm is what has worked for me. Start small and work up. If you go too big, it's possible to press the bezel on and it may not rotate. In one instance I did that and I could not get the bezel back off. I had to melt it in an oven and start over. This will also melt your crystal gasket so try to avoid this. You should know before it happens that it's too big. If you get in between sizes, it can be sanded a little along its length. A thin coating of silicone grease can be applied to aid in slipping over the retaining ring lip, and in rotating smoothly.

Some more info here, although this bezel has a unique half groove which in this effort was actually a benefit.

Noob GMT Pepsi's poor bezel design