droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Hello all, need some help here. I am noob and just starting to "work" on my watches. Against the advice of several members, I bought a Pure Time 6542 Pepsi. I should have listened . I will say I contacted every TD on 2 forums about this piece and Angus was the only one to find it for me. He no longer had it and sourced it from one of the factories, so thank you Angus. Now to the watch, as others already know it is not a very good representation. Spent about $400 on it really to see if I would wear a more casual watch and how it looked on the wrist. Have been researching a nice Vintage GMT build and trying to evaluate how much time and money I want to spend on this project. Here is the issue. When I received the watch bezel rotated and watch runs fine. First day I wore it, while driving home the bezel and insert fell off. The assembly stayed together, but I cannot find any kind of retaining ring or how it was attached. Angus suggested I send it back to be fixed but I have read on many posts that this is not a good idea. I am going to sell the watch once it is fixed--at a loss obviously....Pictures are coming need to upload from my phone. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Sounds as though you lost the spring. There are 4 parts to the 6542 bezel set, the retainer, the spring, the bezel and the insert. The spring is the sorta-octogan shaped thin wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thank you JoeyB. I will look closer in my car for the spring. If I cannot find it is this something I would be able to get somewhere--that will fit this watch? And how does that little spring hold the bezel on.... Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 It looks to me like the retaining ring and spring is right there attached to the bezel... It's a design flaw where the retaining ring won't let go of the spring.. A bit complicated but in short you can press the whole assembly back on, it's all there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 The spring resides in a channel on the inside of the bezel & clips onto the underside of the retaining ring on the case. You may be able to source a spare from the seller or some watchmaker may have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 The red is your retaining ring.. Spring is between that and the bezel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I can't answer your question because it's a replica. Who knows what size wire they used to make the spring, factories differing. However, if you have any old Subs or GMTs lying around, those bezels are likely held on the same way. It's how the reps were made until recently. Then it's a matter of the wire thickness. Or if you can find a source for stainless wire, maybe a jeweler, and bend your own. The spring expands in the slot cut in the bezel to slide over the retainer. Once past the ridge in the retainer the spring retracts to original shape and locks the assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Wow, you guys are awesome, thank you so much. I am at work but I do think the spring is missing--hard to see with my poor pics. I will search the car and/or see if Angus will send me one. I am assuming once I have the spring I can then press it on. I am sure I will have more questions. thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 It's impossible for the spring to be missing it's in the black dark cavity between the retaining ring and the bezel and since the bezel and retaining ring are sitting there in your pic attached it can only mean one thing.. That the spring is there holding them together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 What you have is a loose fit between your retaining ring and the crystal. The whole shebang fell off, leaving your crystal behind. Just push that bezel assy back on (and be prepared for the next time it falls off). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 CC thanks. I will follow up when I get home. Appreciate the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 What you have is a loose fit between your retaining ring and the crystal. The whole shebang fell off, leaving your crystal behind. Just push that bezel assy back on (and be prepared for the next time it falls off). Nanuq, thanks--yes it goes back on easy but will just slide back off. I will get some better close up pics when I get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 You might be able to find a crystal with thicker "chimney" walls, that would fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VesperMatt Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Maybe I am wrong... but I have a Puretime 6542. I took the watch and the bezel apart as soon as I got it, which was years ago now, I guess, so my memory is fuzzy. My bezel assembly never had a retaining spring on the bezel assembly, that I can recall. On mine, the bezel is two parts and the inner ring and the bezel are cut at an angle. The inner ring is smaller at the top than the bottom and I am *pretty sure* that when I got the watch, this inner ring was attached with adhesive. Since its slimmer at the bottom and then angles out, it keeps the bezel from coming off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 That makes perfect sense to me. I thought it might be glued just based on what I saw. I just had hard time believing it would be designed that way. Almost certain to come off at some point. I think I may try some epoxy and see if I can get it to stay on. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Ah so they aren't even made to gen spec, in that case make sure the dial is dust free and try gluing it back on. I wonder why they wouldn't use the same design as the orig. it's stupidly simple and effective and there's no glue! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 As cc33 said, your retaining ring is still inside the bezel assembly. The OD of your crystal is too small, or the crystal is cracked at the base. I had the same problem with mine a few weeks back, took it out the watch box and it fell off!! Sent it to Matt and he found that the crystal was cracked, probably when the retaining ring was pressed on before. He had to try several crystals before he found one that was big enough (OD) to allow the retaining ring to fit tightly on the crystal. About the only thing that's usable with the PT 6542 is the movement, which we discussed before. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Unless the crystal is glued in, gluing the retaining ring will possibly keep the bezel on, but the crystal will come off next, because the retaining ring acts as a clamp to secure the crystal to the case. If the retaining ring is loose on the crystal, there is nothing to keep the crystal on. To fix it properly, you need a thicker crystal or a smaller retaining ring. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks A, should have listened to you in the first place. A $400 lesson; although I pretty much knew what I was getting. May just put it in sales thread for cheap and see if someone wants to mess with it. Would send it to Matt, but will not keep it anyway and either way going to lose $ on this one. I am excited about the new Pepsi GMTII. I would imagine we will see a rep of that soon. That may solve my itch for a Pepsi until someone sells a really nice vintage one, or I develop the patience and more so the knowledge to build one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Really appreciate all the help from everyone here. I can't express my gratitude enough. What a cool place where knowledgeable people offer to help each other. Always feel like I am taking and not giving.....hopefully at some point I can give back. I guess if someone runs into this problem with the PT 6542, I would be able to answer this question. FYI: if anyone has questions about vintage Corvette's/Camaro's/Chevelle's I can help, that is what I have spent most of my life playing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 FYI: if anyone has questions about vintage Corvette's/Camaro's/Chevelle's I can help, that is what I have spent most of my life playing with. '69 Yenko Camaro. I must own one. Someday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 You better save your money:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 You better save your money:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk My lifelong favorite, 1960 Corvette. (58' - 60' works) And yes, I have save for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 My lifelong favorite, 1960 Corvette. (58' - 60' works) And yes, I have save for it.Be happy to donate to your fund.... Build me a nice GMT. Kiddin. I have had 12 mint old personal Vettes over the years and a bunch more when I owned a car lot. Lots of personal Camaros and Chevelles too. On the search now for a 68-72 Vette Roadster 4 speed car. Nothing over the top show car but more something nice but that I can drive and do doughnuts with. Had the show cars and end up never driving them because afraid of a rock chip or any little thing that devalues them. I love muscle cars even more than Rolexes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Oh and I really love the 59 with the curved tail lights in the fenders Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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