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AP Diver Cyclops Lens Replacement Tutorial


BigCrown

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AP Diver Lens Replacement Tutorial

Here is a simple, step by step procedure to remove and install the new Colorless AR Date Cyclops Lenses that will be finished later this month.

1. Remove the caseback: there are 8 round screws that hold the caseback in place. These crews actually go through the entire mid-case and attach to the hexagonal screw heads seen from the bezel. This is a great sign because the AP Diver actually uses 1:1 case construction. I found this very impressive.

2. Remove the base metal 'cap' that encapsulated the movement. There are four small screw heads that need to be removed.

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3. Remove the winding stem. To release the 'clutch', aka keyless works system that holds the stem in place; there is a small, familiar button that you will need to press with a screw driver or tweezers. Shown with the blue arrow.

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4. Remove the movement by removing three screw heads and the steel wings that hold the retainer ring into the case.

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5. I find it best to place the movement onto a movement holder (but this is optional). Once secured, you can remove the retainer ring and re-install the winding stem. Be sure to press the keyless works button while you install the stem.

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6. The trickiest part! while removing the hands, I generally suggest setting the time to a time that will be easy to re-install the hands later. I typically use noon or 3 o'clock. Pull the winding stem out to the time setting position. This will put the watch into 'hacking' mode. Please use good hand removers that will not scratch the steel hands.

7. The dial is secured by dial feet which penetrate the movement plates and lock into place by two rotating 'wings'.

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8. Once the locking wings are rotated outwards (unlocked position), the dial will slide off the movement. (pull upwards so you do not bend the dial feet).

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9. The dial is primarily two layers with the cyclops lens 'sandwiched' in the middle. The lower level is also secured by the dial feet.

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10. The cyclops is held in place by just a simple sandwich fit (no adhesive). Once the dial plates are separated, the cyclops can easily be removed with tweezers.

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11. Now that the ugly blue AR cyclops lens has been removed, you simply retrace these steps to install the new one. I will have an AP Diver with one of the colorless cyclopses installed very soon (next week). Then after our approval, the order will be shipped. :)

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I am fairly certain you can still sign up / purchase 1

Big crown got a sample produced thus far but he rejected it because it still had a little blue tint

Believe that it may be another 2 weeks until any new updates for that reason

As he is waiting now for what hopefully will be perfection

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  • 4 weeks later...

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