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New 1680 White....Great!...But bad gasket...Arrrgh!


btocamelo

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Here is a recent adoption...cartel 1680 White with the 2846 movement. First, I would like to add that communication and shipment was A+ from this dealer.

His name starts with the letter "A" :lol:.....anyhow, I noticed the bezel was hard to turn and eventually noticed that I could pull the bezel assembly straight up and off. The problem I noticed was that the white plastic gasket was crushed on one side. I am not sure how this gasket is assembled, and is that all that holds the bezel in place?....also, does a rubber o-ring gasket go into that case groove at the bottom of the crystal? Without the plastic gasket, the bezel assembly just wobbles. The dealer, has been great after-sales service and offered to send me a new plastic gasket. Though I am not sure how it goes once I get it.

I contacted JMB to get some input and for future mods.........here are some photos, if you guys can comment on the gasket problem?

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Wow, These are a nice rep for the money....

But i'm curious if they accept gen parts?

Would a gen crystal fit? Also could the insert and bezel be swapped out for the rolex parts a la the MBW?

Good luck with the fix either way!

Cheers

Ed

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That's interesting. I have the cartel one and it leaked originally. I found that the crystal was actually cracked under the bezel. I don't remember there being any plastic gasket on mine.

I bought a Clarke crystal and replaced it with some G S Hypo cement and it's at least water proof enough to use for swimming. Plus the Clark crystal is a little better quality as far as clarity and more distortion free. Also the Clark didn't come with a gasket.

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Wow, These are a nice rep for the money....

But i'm curious if they accept gen parts?

Would a gen crystal fit? Also could the insert and bezel be swapped out for the rolex parts a la the MBW?

Good luck with the fix either way!

Cheers

Ed

I don't know why not if it will take a gen crystal. The bezel retainer is held in place by the outside of the crystal.

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I don't know why not if it will take a gen crystal. The bezel retainer is held in place by the outside of the crystal.

I've had some comment about this....but I wanted to confirm if all the cartel 1680 use that same plastic gasket system to hold the bezel assembly in place.

Without that white plastic ring...the bezel assembly is just loose...I'm not sure a Clark crystal is any thicker....would still have to use the plastic gasket.

I'm not sure that the GEN 1680 bezel assembly works this way...anyone know?

From looking at some GEN photos....it seems there's black rubber o-ring that goes in that machined case groove that

Edited by btocamelo
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The Gen assembly has no white nylon gasket.....nor do the MBW's. The metal compression ring that the bezel snaps onto is too big. That is why they use the nylon gasket. A gen crystal will not help. Advice: install the crystal with some GS crystal cement, install the white nylon gasket, install the compression ring, install the brass friction washer and then snap the bezel in place.

I wouldn't swim with it though.

Nice looking watch for the price.

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here are some additional measurements REP crystal width 30.49mm to 30.51mm (wondering if GEN retaining washer will work)....and the inside of the Bezel, which obviously is larger and is why the white plastic gasket is used......but can this REP use the GEN method of retaining the bezel?

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Edited by btocamelo
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For what it's worth, here's a picture of mine:

DSCN3700.jpg

And here's the original vs the Clark crystal on the left. You can see the slight cracking at the base of the one on the right.

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Was yours the original model that came with the 2836-2 or the later one that had the older 2846-2 movement? Mine was the original and it may have been slightly different, but definitely no gasket and tight fit on the bezel retainer.

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For what it's worth, here's a picture of mine:

Was yours the original model that came with the 2836-2 or the later one that had the older 2846-2 movement? Mine was the original and it may have been slightly different, but definitely no gasket and tight fit on the bezel retainer.

mine is the recent 2846 movement.....

so how does your bezel stay on tight?...does the flat(gold) metal washer fit tight around the crystal, and this allows the rest of the bezel assembly to turn?

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Are you referring to the fit of the beze/insert onto the compression ring and over the brass washer?

if this is loose, you can try to bend the bezel inward....kinda rolling the edge to tighten the circumfrence.....or you can have someone here make you the correct size rin and eliminate the nylon washer and loose fit......maybe someone who has done this before.

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Are you referring to the fit of the beze/insert onto the compression ring and over the brass washer?

if this is loose, you can try to bend the bezel inward....kinda rolling the edge to tighten the circumfrence.....or you can have someone here make you the correct size rin and eliminate the nylon washer and loose fit......maybe someone who has done this before.

No...the bezel insert is fine and the bezel assembly stays together (top bezel part + inner gold flat washer + bottom bezel snap-in part)....my question is....in a normal functioning bezel assembly, is the inner gold flat washer suppose to fit tight with the crystal?....it seems that is the only part I can see that would grab the crystal, and it is free inside the bezel assembly to allow the bezel to rotate freely?

Obviously in the case of these newer 1680 REPs...the bezel assembly is too big, so they use that white plastic gasket to make the bezel a tight fit.

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Edited by btocamelo
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PM JMB, he can machine a retention ring for these to install clark or gen crystal.

Yep...I got him lined up once I get all the parts you mentioned to me, you were A+ help with that......I just wanted to post some photos to pick everyone's brain.

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On mine the first silver piece is tight on the crystal and the brass washer is only to add friction to the bezel as is turns. at least that's the way I remember it. I do recall that the first piece on held the crystal and had to be tight against the case or else the bezel turned too freely.

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My theory on the nylon spacer/shim is to allow for sloppy manufacturing tolerances (so they don't have to scrap ill-fitting rings), to allow one retention ring to be used (cost reduction) with different batches of crystals by just changing nylon ring, or all of the above!

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No...the bezel insert is fine and the bezel assembly stays together (top bezel part + inner gold flat washer + bottom bezel snap-in part)....my question is....in a normal functioning bezel assembly, is the inner gold flat washer suppose to fit tight with the crystal?....it seems that is the only part I can see that would grab the crystal, and it is free inside the bezel assembly to allow the bezel to rotate freely?

Obviously in the case of these newer 1680 REPs...the bezel assembly is too big, so they use that white plastic gasket to make the bezel a tight fit.

IMG_6885.jpg

IMG_6882.jpg

The brass friction washer there does not touch the crystal, it locks in to a groove in the crystal retaining ring, it has two functions when fitted correctly:-

1, it hold the bezel in place

2, it hold the bezel tight and will only allows it to turn when the bezel is pressed down, I had to slightly hammer pein mine to make it hold tight enough to perform both functions as i wished.

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Thanks for all the posts guys....I did find some threads w/comments from JMB and others regarding the bezel issue on these new cartel 1680's.........I know this issue will pop up more as this watch is sold........so we have this thread to point folks to....lots of good info here.

I will definitely be sending mine to Justin to get the custom ring made, the clark crystal and crown/tube installed.

Now that this vintage rolex bug has me.....I was contemplating ordering an MBK 1680

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just to follow up in this thread.......I don't know if it's a new policy over at Trustytime (Andrew).....but Andrew came through in flying colors.....I emailed him about the damaged bezel washer.....and what does he tell the factory to do? Send me a brand new case and bezel assembly! Awesome!!! A+ follow up customer service!!! He has earned more of my future business!

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I am considering the purchase of this watch (vintage 1680 White from Puretime). However, the last thing I want to be doing is pay full price and then have to mess around with flawed parts...I just want a plug & play no hassel vintage rep.

Is this a common occurance on this model...?

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I am considering the purchase of this watch (vintage 1680 White from Puretime). However, the last thing I want to be doing is pay full price and then have to mess around with flawed parts...I just want a plug & play no hassel vintage rep.

Is this a common occurance on this model...?

no such thing.

even the MBK (pictured above) needs lug hole drilling, crown tube swapping, cg trimming. even Yuki and NDT have flaws and they cost 10X the price.

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I have a PT and a Trusty 1680....I did notice that the PT 1680 comes with the drilled lugs and fat springbars....but my 1680 from Trusty did not, even though they were exactly the same watch....probably Trusty will get on the ball soon since it seems him and PT are almost identical sites.

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