Rolex 1600 bezel swap

[Vibes]

Hey there, I have a gen 1603 that I am trying to put a 1600 smooth bezel on, and it is just too tight. The crystal measures about 30.6mm and the bezel is 30.38. Do I need to shave he bezel a bit? I should probably have a watchmaker do it on a lathe, correct? Also, I kinda cracked the crystal at the bezel; are the Clark 25-118 xtals any good? If not, what do you recommend?

[alligoat]

Ofrei.com shows a Sternkruz  crystal at 30.6mm and a GS at 30.61mm. 

http://www.ofrei.com/page419.html

So I'd figure your bezel is a little tight for the 118 crystal. You can sand it down slowly and keep trying to test fit it, or take a Dremel tool and keep going around with the sanding wheel tool. I don't know how tight is good enough- 30.55mm maybe give or take- that's why you go slowly. Automatico would know more about this probably.

[automatico]

"Automatico would know more about this probably."

 

What I know would not fill a lume dot.  Fill a second hand dot, maybe.

 

Measured a couple genuine 16xx steel bezels and the ID is 30.5mm.  Bezels for 160xx quicksets are the same ID but a hair taller.

Measured four (4) genuine 16xx cases and all case necks are between 29.45mm and 29.5mm.  The cases range from very, very good to looking like they spent a month in the drunk tank but they all measure the same.

So...a crystal should measure around 30.55 to 30.6 after it is pressed down over the case neck for a good oem spec bezel fit.  The bezel ID of 30.38mm is too small. 

 

You can tell if a bezel is too tight or too loose after fitting a few to crystals. 

A good fit and the bezel will slide down to the case. 

Too tight and the bezel will bind up and/or crack the crystal sidewall. 

Too loose is...too loose.  It's too loose if you can lift the bezel with a fingernail or if a blade raises the bezel up with very little force.

I always had good luck with Sternkreuz crystals.  Never tried a Clark 16xx DJ crystal.

 

[Vibes]

Cool, so do you think that maybe this is not a gen bezel? It seems kinda tall and wide,  especially compared to the 1603 bezel,  but i have not handled one before. Maybe I’ll see what the seller says when I tell him the measurement.

[automatico]

"Cool, so do you think that maybe this is not a gen bezel? It seems kinda tall and wide,  especially compared to the 1603 bezel,  but i have not handled one before."

 

Yours looks like the standard 'engine turned' bezel for 16xx DJ but the 30.38mm ID size is off quite a bit. 

I measured a couple genuine 16xx engine turned steel bezels like yours and they are 34.65mm OD, 1.75mm high, and 30.5mm ID.  All my 36mm genuine DJ bezels are the same 30.5mm ID, slow set, QS acrylic, and sapphire.

 

Quick set acrylic ET 36mm DJ bezel is 34.8mm OD, 2.1mm high and 30.5mm ID.

Sapphire ET 36mm DJ bezel is 34.4mm OD, 2.3mm high and 30.5mm ID.

Oys perp date bezels are 29.5mm ID.  Engine turned OPD bezels have hour markers standing above the 'engine turned' marks on the top surface...one for each hour except the 12 has two.

Like this:

https://rwg.cc/topic/195803-123-build-15010-franken/

 

I can not remember seeing a replica (genuine style) engine turned DJ bezel but they are probably being made somewhere.

[Vibes]

Sorry about all the confusion, i’ll start over. This is a gen 1603 and I am trying to fit a 1600 smooth bezel. The 1603 bezel fits perfectly and the 1600 smooth bezel I bought has too tight an ID. I am wondering if the 1600 bezel should be modified to fit or whether is is not gen or correct anyway, so I should return it and find another. 

 

1600 bezel

ID: 30.38

H: 2.77

OD: 34.83

[automatico]

"Sorry about all the confusion, i’ll start over. This is a gen 1603 and I am trying to fit a 1600 smooth bezel. The 1603 bezel fits perfectly and the 1600 smooth bezel I bought has too tight an ID. I am wondering if the 1600 bezel should be modified to fit or whether is is not gen or correct anyway, so I should return it and find another."

 

No problemo.

I'm always confused. 

 

Sounds like you have a replica smooth bezel of some sort. 

Rolex insanity has jacked prices up...genuine 16xx bez on eBay, item numbers  333308798965  and  264557504757 

ST has them for $15 plus S&H (ream, gouge on S&H) but they are for sapphire models.  

WSO has aftmkt examples for $40.  They may be Ok, or not...might be for sapphire DJ too.

[Drummania]

vibes—your smooth bezel is for 16200 sapphire.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vibes]

Thanks everyone! I am returning the one I bought and bought from one of the links Automatico provided! Strange that they don't have 1600 in the discription, only 1601. BTW, the WSO bezel says it is for '80's and newer, so it is probably for sapphire too. Very happy to tone down the bling on this watch and let the beautiful ghost dial speak for itself!

 

 

[Vibes]

Got it all sorted, thanks so much!