Tips on changing DW Daytona bezel please?

[rek001]

I have one of his vint Daytonas, right now it has the steel bezel.

 

A black one came with the watch and I'd like to put it on.

 

A long time ago I sent the watch to Ubi who installed a lovely replacement crystal but now the bezel is on very tight.

 

I kinda sorta tried to pry off the bezel using a pocket knife blade but it won't budge and I don't want t scratch the case.

 

Is there a technique to getting this steel bezel off?

Thanks very much.

 

[SSTEEL]

Yes, a bezel removal tool. 

[freddy333]

Ideally, a bezel tool is the best way, but you can usually remove it by starting with something thinner than a knife, like a razor blade. Get a paint scraper that uses razor blades & work your way around the circumference of the bezel until you can slide it in all the way around easily. I have had some that take 30 minutes of effort before I was able to get the razor to slide in all the way around. It is very important to work, evenly, all the way around & not concentrate on 1 spot. That may bend the bezel, which will make it more difficult to remove (& may ruin it). Once you get to the point where the razor slides in easily, switch to a thin (non-serrated) knife & repeat the procedure. This is a common problem with DW Daytona bezels when the original aftermarket crystal has been replaced with a gen.

Be patient, be careful & it should come off. You will probably have to grind the inner circumference of the other bezel to get it to fit properly (snugly, but not so tight that you have to exert alot of pressure to force it over the crystal).

[rek001]

Thanks much for the replies guys.

Sounds a bit tricky, I've never done this and am worried I'll bend the bezel.

Well I'll give it a try.

[Catfish1]

Good luck, just take your time and remember to do a little at a time around the bezel when lifting it up.

[cc33]

I suggest you send it back to ubi, he can do it for you. Even if you manage to get the bezel off as freddy said the new one needs to be sanded on its inner wall to fit with the gen crystal.

[ogladio]

Make sure you have the NY bezel and not the DW while you're at it

[freddy333]

the new one needs to be sanded on its inner wall to fit with the gen crystal.

 

Grinding (with a Dremel or similar tool) is the preferred way to enlarge the bezel's opening (sanding would take forever).

[dieselpower]

I second the comment about using a NY bezel. You'll regret it if you don't.

[rek001]

NY bezel what is that, not familiar. Why would I regret not using one?

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. I had no idea this was going to be so involved. I have the black bezel from David, I'd like to fit that, if possible.

Grinding the inner wall with a dremel...I don't even own this tool.

 

I did find a bezel removal tool on eBay, current bid is $50, new ones are $100.

 

OK, this seems somewhat above my capabilities, which modder would be able to fit a black bezel for me?

Either the DW I have or a NY bezel which I woud buy.

 

Thanks again.

[Nanuq]

Amigo, you're making this a lot harder than it needs to be.  That steel bezel is pressed on there, so you need to pull it off.

 

Buy a package of single-edged razor blades.  You know, with the folded over safety piece across the other side.

 

Poke the sharp edge of the blade in between your bezel and your case.  You can put the watch on its side on a padded surface or you can do it by hand.  I do it by hand.  I hold the case in my palm and I steady the razor blade with my fingers to hold it perpendicular to the case.  It's easy.  Don't cut your fingers off.

 

Find a mallet.  Even a kitchen knife with a heavy handle works.

 

Tap the rounded-over edge of the razor blade, to force the sharpened edge slightly into the gap.

 

Pull the razor blade out, and rotate the watch a little... 45 degrees is fine.

 

Repeat the process.  Tap that sucker in there.  Pull it out.  Rotate the watch.  Do it again.

 

By the time you've gone clear around it may be showing a nice little gap between the bezel and the case.  If not, do this all again and use a little more force.

 

The bezel *WILL* come off.  Be persistent.  Don't rush it.  When you have a wider gap, use a thicker tool to continue the process and keep coaxing it off.  Don't worry, it's not made of cut crystal and you're not going to destroy it.

 

When it's off, try a press fit to see how tight the black bezel is.  You may be surprised... my first two black DW bezels were fairly loose.

 

You should be able to press it onto the case/crystal with your thumbs quite a ways before it stops.  Halfway down seems about right.  If you can't do that with your thumbs, get some sandpaper and sand the inside edge of the bezel.  As you do this, keep doing the test fit until you find you've loosened it up.

 

When you're ready, smear the base of the sides of the crystal (the walls) and the inside face of the bezel where you've been sanding with some silicon grease (I use plain old Vaseline).

 

Align the 12:00 as precisely as you can with "straight up" on the case, because it will drive you crazy to have it on there cock-eyed.  Now press that sucker on there with your thumbs.  Press HARD.

 

You won't get it pressed all the way down onto the case.  So now get a piece of wood and cut a hole that fits over the crystal but not over the bezel.  I use a hockey puck (softer material).  You can press using your hand or you can use vise grips or c-clamps, and press it down some more.  You'll get it pretty near to the case. 

 

Now stand on it and press it the remaining smidgen until it's seated all the way down.  Or drive over it (my preferred method).

 

See how easy that was?

 

 

 

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[rek001]

Oh boy, what a post.

 

Thanks so very much for the home-made tuto Nanuq!

 

I think I can handle this now, more confidence, but - the part about driving over it, surely you jest?

I've been on this forum long enough to know of your reputation for driving over watches, flipping them over the sides of boats, and "ahem" cooking them on a stovetop.

 

Now I'm excited, let you all know how it goes.

[Nanuq]

Well okay, you got me.  You don't really have to drive over it.  But it's so much fun! 

 

If you have c-clamps for carpentry you can make two pieces of board, one with the hole for the crystal, and use the clamps to press the bezel on by squeezing the boards together.

 

A word of warning: I have one of those cheap Chinese tools made to press on bezels and I made the mistake of using too small a "foot" on the backside when pressing a bezel ring onto my gen 1675.  It actually dented in the caseback!  Some of these backs are pretty thin. 

 

Think about that as you figure how you're going to apply the squish to get the bezel seated.  If the lugs protrude lower than the caseback, then your boards will bear against the lug tips (don't bend them).  Otherwise try cutting a 1/4" length of PVC pipe that's about the same diameter as the caseback threads and epoxy it to your board, then center your caseback over the PVC and your bezel inside the convenient hole in the other board, and squish 'em.  You can't go wrong.

 

Consider also that if it takes more than a "reasonable" amount of pressure to seat the bezel, chances are you need to sand it more.  I can almost ... not quite ... seat them with my manly Alaskan thumbs.

[freddy333]

For safety sake, I would exchange malleting for patiently working the razor in & around the circumference of the bezel by hand (wearing a glove would not hurt, just in case). Sometimes, it will take 30 minutes of gentle prodding to get the razor to slip in between the bezel & case, but, eventually, it always works. Much safer than having a razor blade explode on you.

[Nanuq]

Or you can throw caution to the wind and do it all in one mighty thwack.

 

You just need better aim than I've got. 

 

 

[krpster]

[southernsurfer]

 Or drive over it (my preferred method).

 

See how easy that was?

 

 

 

BEST Method EVER!!