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usamee
·Can anybody advise on how to safely remove the bezel on the new (current) aquaracer? Does anybody have a link to a video showing this for the current aquaracer model?
So, how DO you get the back off the new Aquaracer?
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ExpiredWatchdog
·So my next question, how do you remove the bezel without damaging it?
My question is, now that the bezel is off, how does the crystal come out. A normal front loader has a plastic crystal with a boss to hook a crystal lift onto. I can't see that in an Aquaracer.
Edit: Here's what's needed for a crystal lift:
From the G-S catalog. Notice the step near the rim; it's a cylindrical region for the lift to grip.
A crystal lift:
Still, this requires a plastic crystal to be flexible enough to compress into the case. Also, the case needs to have a tapered lip to grip the crystal once installed.
Edited:
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usamee
·I don't think the crystal needs to come off to change the battery. I believe the screws are under the bezel, and undoing them allows the backplate to be removed, which reveals the battery. Do you know if the bezel should be removable using a more basic tool like a good quality watch knife eg. Bergeon?
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ExpiredWatchdog
·That'd be my guess until I know more. Odd that they'd use a few screws when a large thread would be more reliable.
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usamee
·Yes, think they did it to ensure the backplate is always at exactly the right orientation. I was expecting somebody to have posted a video of a battery change of the new aquaracer line by now, but cannot find any after several days searching.
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usamee
·I will probably go for the Bergeon BG7052 tool which uses the same ring inserts as the tool in the above pic, just a smaller hand grip. But still not sure how to apply the force (assume it must be twisted in the normal bezel rotation direction) or if the bezel needs to be in any certain position to be able to lift it up.
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ExpiredWatchdog
·The 7052 uses screws to tighten. I considered that but the 7152 was recommended.
Here's a shot of the screws (snaffled from watchrepairtalk via a couple clues on WUS [thanks Timeless Epoch and nnt]):
They are under the spring plate that makes the bezel ratchet.
Some more detail about the bezel attachment. Picture a groove turned into the OD of the cylinder that holds the crystal. Also, a matching groove in the bezel, only turned into the ID. Now picture a "wave" wire like this:
The points are sized to fit into the groove in the bezel such that the flats protrude beyond the ID of the bezel, in fact into the groove in the case.
What happens when you pull and twist is that each flat grabs the edge between the case OD and upper groove wall. Twisting causes the wire to distort until the flats are all pushed into the bezel groove and clear the case OD. Voila, the bezel pops off.
The clue is to pull really hard, but also put even force on ALL the flats at once. That's what the tool does, lets you apply this even force.
I learned this the hard way on a WAF2010 by prying between bezel and case, but on only one place at at time. I was able to remove the bezel (and figure the rest of this out) but it took me a couple hours to straighten the bezel back out.
Here's the bezel after a engraving redo:
Oh, and many years of our son's abuse.
See https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/55270560/ for details.
Here's a shot of the screws (snaffled from watchrepairtalk via a couple clues on WUS [thanks Timeless Epoch and nnt]):
They are under the spring plate that makes the bezel ratchet.
Some more detail about the bezel attachment. Picture a groove turned into the OD of the cylinder that holds the crystal. Also, a matching groove in the bezel, only turned into the ID. Now picture a "wave" wire like this:
The points are sized to fit into the groove in the bezel such that the flats protrude beyond the ID of the bezel, in fact into the groove in the case.
What happens when you pull and twist is that each flat grabs the edge between the case OD and upper groove wall. Twisting causes the wire to distort until the flats are all pushed into the bezel groove and clear the case OD. Voila, the bezel pops off.
The clue is to pull really hard, but also put even force on ALL the flats at once. That's what the tool does, lets you apply this even force.
I learned this the hard way on a WAF2010 by prying between bezel and case, but on only one place at at time. I was able to remove the bezel (and figure the rest of this out) but it took me a couple hours to straighten the bezel back out.
Here's the bezel after a engraving redo:
Oh, and many years of our son's abuse.
See https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/55270560/ for details.
Edited:
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flawless
·The clue is to pull really hard, but also put even force on ALL the flats at once. That's what the tool does, lets you apply this even force.
I learned this the hard way on a WAF2010 by prying between bezel and case, but on only one place at at time. I was able to remove the bezel (and figure the rest of this out) but it took me a couple hours to straighten the bezel back out.
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dtf
·Here's the bezel after a engraving redo:
Oh, and many years of our son's abuse.
See https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/55270560/ for details.
Nice job on that bezel refinishing.
Those tiny screws look like a bad thing for a dive watch. Add a few years of wear and they’ll be nicely corroded in
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Aquagraph
·Any hints on getting the back of my purple Kirium? It seems to be stuck fast. I've tried an ice cube (a trick that worked once before on a different watch) but no dice.
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flawless
·Any hints on getting the back of my purple Kirium? It seems to be stuck fast. I've tried an ice cube (a trick that worked once before on a different watch) but no dice.
If you want to avoid damaging the caseback, put a plastic bag (like a ziploc) in between the tool and the caseback.
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Aquagraph
·I've tried a two prong and a three prong. But it ain't budging. I even took it to my local supermarket watch battery man... he couldn't move it either.
Good tip though! I will remember that - thanks.
I think it might need servicing anyway, so I guess I will send it to my man - he'll have to get the back off!
Good tip though! I will remember that - thanks.
I think it might need servicing anyway, so I guess I will send it to my man - he'll have to get the back off!
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Mspeedster
·I've tried a two prong and a three prong. But it ain't budging. I even took it to my local supermarket watch battery man... he couldn't move it either.
Good tip though! I will remember that - thanks.
I think it might need servicing anyway, so I guess I will send it to my man - he'll have to get the back off!
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Aquagraph
·Wow. How on Earth did you get the tool to stay in place? That seems to be the biggest issue really, constantly slipping out of the grooves. I probably need a better tool... but even so. I can't imagine wafting it around on the end of a bar.
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Pitfitter446
·My old 2000 was frozen solid. I used a breaker bar (a hollow longer cylindrical extension) in conjunction with my case vice/clamp and case-back tool remover wrench. That gave me enough torque force to do the trick.
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Aquagraph
·I had visions of you a tool like my breaker bar, 1 metre long with a 3/4” drive on the end for using with sockets on troublesome bolts! Glad you explained.
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Mspeedster
·Wow. How on Earth did you get the tool to stay in place? That seems to be the biggest issue really, constantly slipping out of the grooves. I probably need a better tool... but even so. I can't imagine wafting it around on the end of a bar.
I used the bar to apply most of the force from the clamp end. By keeping it flat on a table, I could apply enough pressure on the case-back removal wrench, so it didn't slip out of the notches.
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Aquagraph
·So how do you hold the case clamp still ad how does the watch not slip out of it? Maybe that's a Kirium problem, very slippery shape!
I was looking at these things..
Looks helpful since you not only hold the watch but your applying force to keep it in place from the same base.
Plus you can screw the whole thing to a bench
I was looking at these things..
Looks helpful since you not only hold the watch but your applying force to keep it in place from the same base.
Plus you can screw the whole thing to a bench
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Mspeedster
·So how do you hold the case clamp still ad how does the watch not slip out of it? Maybe that's a Kirium problem, very slippery shape!
I was looking at these things..
Looks helpful since you not only hold the watch but your applying force to keep it in place from the same base.
Plus you can screw the whole thing to a bench
That tool looks like it will do what I basically did in a less professional manner. But if it's really stuck, the bar I used can apply more force than that circular handle.
I think the shape of the Kirium is problematic if it won't stay firmly in place in the clamp
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Aquagraph
·Well. Its not just the Kirium... maybe I just need a better clamp...