Tudor Chrono Question

[creation88]

I have a gen Tudor 79260 chrono with a black bezel and I want to change it to a steel one. Rolex won't do it for me as they don't allow franken-watches -- changing the bezel would make it a 79280 -- and as that won't match the case number on my watch, to them that makes it franken -- even though it would contain no aftermarket parts.

I've managed to source a gen steel bezel but can't pop the original bezel off. Do I need special tools or is it a case of sliding something under there?

Or should I just take it to a watchmaker to save scratching the hell out of my watch?

[ubiquitous]

If you want to do it yourself- Place a piece of masking tape on the case, and be sure to get the edge of the tape as close to the bezel where it meets the case as possible. Use a case knife to press into the seam where the bezel meets the case. Carefully work your way around the bezel, lifting in very slight increments- You need to be very careful if you have a bezel with an acrylic inlay as you risk cracking the bezel (I don't recall that a 79260 has a true acrylic inlay). After a few turns, you should be able to lift the bezel enough to the point where it will come loose on it's own.

To reinstall, you'll need a bezel press and the appropriate sized dies. It's simply a matter of pressing the bezel back on over the crystal and gasket.

When in doubt... Have a competent watchmaker do the work for you! This shouldn't be a difficult procedure, and should only take a few minutes to complete. The most difficult part of the procedure will likely be lining up the bezel so that the tachy points correspond correctly.

[creation88]

Thanks for the speedy reply. I think it's competent watchmaker time -- the only reason I'm even considering doing it myself is I'm so g'damned impatient -- I have to remember that none of the correct tools + impatient = disaster.

BTW -- The bezel insert looks like it's painted aluminium (I'm not 100% sure) but it certainly isn't acrylic.

[ubiquitous]

Yeah... Probably printed on metal in that case. I'm not fully versed in Tudor Chronos like the Big Blocks and the sort, but some did have the acrylic bez (like the old school MC's). I think the 79260 is too recent for that....

[gavidoc]

If it has the metal black insert, that type of bezel will be easier to pop off on your own. They are similar to the way a Speedmaster bezel is put on. Same method.

USe a knife to pop it off (or you could easily wedge some razor blades into the seam and stack them up at the 4 corners). Once you get a portion past the bezel lip, it will pop right off. As for reinstalling, I've always used a big Socket Wrench that fits around the crystal. On my Gen Speedy, I lined up the new bezel so the tachy was correct, taped it on to the crystal with clear box tape, put a screw through a piece of wood, chucked it into my drill press and pressed down (with socket applied to the bezel and around the crystal. Took 30 mins. to do.