Bezel removal for noobmariner and J12

[jdub765]

So I've tried knives, a watchmaker knife that came w/ my ebay watch toolkit, credit cards, etc and I can't get the bezel to pop off either of these watches. I found this link: http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=8561

The noobmariner doesn't seem to have any apparent cutouts that I can see, and no amount of pressure seems to pop the bezel off either watch... what am I doing wrong? Can someone describe this process in detail?

[cornerstone]

I don't have a noobmariner - but from what I have read the recommendation is not to remove it; or at least be prepared to bend the bezel if you do.

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showto...el++noobmariner

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showto...el++noobmariner

[HauteHippie]

cornerstone is right. The noob bezel is a ridiculously tight fit. I'm guessing that the roughly $300 Bergeon bezel extractor would make easy work of it, but that's kind of silly.

[Pugwash]

There are tales of one poor member slicing chunks out of his fingers removing the Noobmariner bezel. Not for the feint-hearted.

[cornerstone]

Coming soon to ESPN2...........Xtreme-Watchmaking!

Starring: death-defying crown stem extensions, limb-mutating hand swaps, and the infamous 'Cage of Bezel Teeth'.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that being a WIS isn't up there with piloting a fighter jet....

[Star69]

be afraid - be very afraid !

don't do it - try do remove the insert with heat or remove the pearl first.

cheers,

Frank

[By-Tor]

I took the bezel off of my "Noob" GMT, which comes from the same factory as the Noobmariner. It will come off, but it's extremely tight.

But If you're planning to use the same bezel again, I don't recommend it. But do as kelster suggested. In my case the whole purpose was to install another (sharper) bezel on my watch, so I didn't have to worry about screwing up the old one. Mine came off without damage though.

[jdub765]

Yikes. ok I'll just use a hairdryer and heat it off. I'm guessing that the SeaDweller that I have w/ a similar case and bezel would be the same...

No suggestions on the J12 though? Are tehre any generic alternatives to the $300 Bergeon bezel remover?

[By-Tor]

No need to heat it. Pop off the pearl, and insert a needle into the pearl hole.

Then just squeeze the old insert out. If you're not planning to use it anymore, that is...

PS: When you reglue the new insert, keep rotating the bezel for the next hour or so. It's not nice if your bezel gets stuck. Sometimes, when you put too much glue, the insert edges get attached to the crystal.

And don't use superglue (which can damage the insert surface), just standard paper glue will be fine.

[HauteHippie]

Yikes. ok I'll just use a hairdryer and heat it off. I'm guessing that the SeaDweller that I have w/ a similar case and bezel would be the same...

No suggestions on the J12 though? Are tehre any generic alternatives to the $300 Bergeon bezel remover?

Looks like OFrei has one for $175. I'm in the camp of not having been able to remove noob bezels without ruining them, as well.

[itreeman]

I bought the generic bezel remover (the one that's about $175) and I had no luck with it. Knife works better for me. I think the expensive Burgeon might actually be the best bezel remover but it's expensive. Quick video of the remover...

[url="http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z150/gophaster/?action=view

[Tekidonc]

I completely ruined my bezel trying to remove it from the Josh cheaper noob... Very cheap metal (well cheap watch too...)