GMTIIC Bezel Insert

[cskent69]

My GMTIIC CHS Bezel insert came a little left of center. I have read that a number of folks have had the same problem with theirs. Has anyone gone through the process of taking the bezel off and re-aligning it?

I would like to - but am afraid of scratching the insert and not being able to get a replacement.

I read in one post a person just used a knife to dig it out - but that seems really risky?

Do you all think that a real bezel remover would do the trick?

[HauteHippie]

Some of the older subs, like the original Noobmariner, had their bezels installed so tightly that there was no way to remove them without bending. I'd worry less about scratching the insert once the bezel is removed than I would about bending the bezel trying to get it off.... If you work a razor blade around the case under the bezel, prying upward as you make your way around, and it's not coming off then I'd stop. Also, unfortunately, with the tight bezels the bezel removers are also ineffective.

[hiker01]

This is something new and different. Mine (and a lot of others) had the crystal improperly installed with the 3 o'clock side about 1 mm higher which made the watch improperly sealed and

prone to water leakage. I returned mine and I think you should, too! If you start fixing it and you break it in the process, you'll have an expensice souvineer in your hands!

Hike

[freddy333]

This is actually a very good question & 1 that will have to be addressed if people are going to be modding GMTIIC cyclops, etc.

Because of the finicky nature of the GMTIIC's movement, I have been hesitant to do anything with mine beyond open/close the caseback (to verify the seal & check to be sure there was nothing loose floating around inside).

But, like cskent, I would also like to know the best procedure for removing the bezel? Does the bezel come off like MBW Subs & SDs, by wedging a caseback opener (or your thumbs) under 1 edge & then lifting/prying the bezel off? Or, like Datejust cases, do they require a procedure along the lines that Chief stated (working a razor blade under the bezel & then around its circumference until the bezel begins to move)?

As far as I know Lani is the only 1 who removed his bezel (to deal with his cyclops removal), but he has not described the procedure he used to get the bezel off.

[docblackrock]

Actually I had an issue with my insert not being seated correctly.

Not wanting to yank the insert out for fear of damage I looked at removing the entire bezel assembly, with the old masking tape, blade method. However, it was clearly not going to budge easily so I gave up, and gently using toothpicks worked around was able to snap the insert out. Cleaned off the excess DS tape, and she just snapped right back in place, snug as you like.

[HauteHippie]

This is actually a very good question & 1 that will have to be addressed if people are going to be modding GMTIIC cyclops, etc.

Because of the finicky nature of the GMTIIC's movement, I have been hesitant to do anything with mine beyond open/close the caseback (to verify the seal & check to be sure there was nothing loose floating around inside).

But, like cskent, I would also like to know the best procedure for removing the bezel? Does the bezel come off like MBW Subs & SDs, by wedging a caseback opener (or your thumbs) under 1 edge & then lifting/prying the bezel off? Or, like Datejust cases, do they require a procedure along the lines that Chief stated (working a razor blade under the bezel & then around its circumference until the bezel begins to move)?

As far as I know Lani is the only 1 who removed his bezel (to deal with his cyclops removal), but he has not described the procedure he used to get the bezel off.

This movement is so suspect that you're trying to do all the case / crystal work without removing it? Wow, I wasn't aware of this and complicates things significantly.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Good luck getting the bezel off... I used everything from a case knife to a sledge hammer and was never able to get it to move at all. And I mean AT ALL. Typically even on stubborn bezels if you work around them you can get them to lift a little. This one did not even do that.

I finally ended up taking a #10 exacto knife and slowly and carefully prying the insert off. I placed the blade between the crystal and the insert and worked my way around. Now understand that you need to be VERY careful of you will scratch the bezel insert. Although I was lucky, another member received a watch with a scratched insert SO they CAN be scratched.

Once you have the insert out, you will find that it is extremely tightly fit in to the bezel and the makers used what appeared to be double sided tape in a few places to make sure it stayed in there.

I re-aligned it and used a few drops of epoxy but I am convinced that it would have stayed in even without glue. It snaps in JUST like it would on a gen 16610.

While the insert is out, take a look at the click mechanism for the bezel... pretty interesting stuff. And it would be the time to pull the crystal and repress it!!!

[jake48]

OK - Here I go giving advice I should listen to myself...

Carlsbad and Doc have good approaches - getting the insert out with out removing the entire bezel assembly. I can tell you from experience, going in between the insert and the crystal with an Xacto knife is dicey - so be careful. I have also read of people simply using some WD40 and in some instances a little heat from a hair dryer to loosen the tape on the back side of the insert, allowing the insert to loosen and be removed much easier.

Again, as one who has bent a bezel into the shape of a banana trying to remove it, like Carlsbad said- if it doesn't budge using the traditional methods - STOP - it ain't coming off.

Now for the sure proof method. Remove the movement, dial and hands all as one (this will not disturb the movement as this is all one piece). Next, push the crystal out of the case from the backside (you can usually accomplish this with two well placed thumbs)

Now you you have the inner lip on the backside of the insert exposed. Being careful not to bend the insert (again, I know this from experience) push as evenly as possible on the backside of the insert and it will come out. Just be careful not to pry too much on any one specific point as the insert needs to be dislodged evenly in order to keep from bending it.

That should do it.

Edited July 25, 2008 by jake48

[freddy333]

Good info all.

So for the purpose of cyclops removal, I guess the bezel can stay in place.

If there is a sufficient amount of insert real estate exposed after the crystal is removed, you may be able to press the insert out with a nylon or aluminum crystal press block or something similarly flat & round. My experience pressing inserts out by hand is that they often end up bent.

[llsteve80]

I want to take mine out also. It is aligned perfectly, but I would like to get some of that tape off and see if it sits lower in the bezel.

I read somewhere in one of the original threads, about the upcoming watch, that the bezel assembly had to be destroyed on the genuine to be removed and reverse-engineered. If this is true, I would only worry about getting the bezel insert out and forgetting removing the actual bezel. It was in one of the numerous thread, and god help me I tried to find it.

SO, you heard that I heard that someone else heard you can't get it off w/o ruining it.