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This guide was written by Oregon Sunset, watch tinker extraordinaire, and originally posted in the Invicta forum:
[glow=yellow,2,300]WARNING:[/glow]
[move]WarningWarning Warning
[/move]
Warning: Razor blades and Knives are extremely sharp and can cause deep and serious cuts, I take no responsibility for any ones errors or injuries. There is risk if not done correctly ( i.e. Excessive force will bend the bezel ring )
Well I promised to do this a while back, do you want to swap out a Omega/Scalloped bezel with a Coin-edge/RI bezel ring.
I know that by know you might have already seen the insert replacement how to. (Here: http://jholbrook.proboards33.com/index.cgi?board=Invicta&action=display&thread=1132270295
or
http://www.invictatalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=3842&highlight= )
Removing a coin edge bezel is pretty easy. I will not be showing photos of that here. You can use a Leatherman Micra ( with some scotch tape on the blade and insert it between the bezel and the Lug at 7 o'clock and gently lift. Then use a gentle leverage, it should have enough space to insert a paperclip as described below. You can also use the 3 razor blades method described below if you don't have a leatherman or watch case knife. Next you go to the lug at the 1 o'clock position and do the same, it should come off easily. I am unsure why but the Coin edge bezel has always come off easier ( for me at least), if you have to use any kind of force stop an use the Omega bezel method below (you don't want to bend or warp the bezel ring)
The parts that make up the Bezel (minus the insert) You want to be careful to not lose or bend any of the parts:
How it works : The watch case has a raised lip that a retainer wire with an octagon shaped, the angles are what keep the wire under the lip and the bezel ring in place yet still allowing it to turn. ( There is an area where there is no wire, it has some play that you need to find this spot it is between the wire ends) The Space between the wire ends has the least wire in contact with the lip, so it has more free play to work with.
Using a razor blade being extremely careful ( this is with the bezel insert already removed [ See other thread on how to Link above: ] , and the bezel ring on the watch case. It is a little safer to perform this with the bracelet still on the watch case, Because you have better leverage on the case, as well as large grip area, and the bracelet may deflect the blade and may prevent a cut if you slip.
You need to locate one of the ends of the retainer wire, once you have located it ( the other end of the wire is about 10-12 minutes away on the watch dial. this is the space between the yellow wire in the picture above You want one end of the Retainer wire in the 10-11 o'clock area and the other end in the 1-2 o'clock area. ( this is because of the area where you will you will want to use for leverage ( the lug at 7 o'clock red triangle area photo below) .
The Space between the wire ends has the least wire in contact with the lip. Once you have located the ends you will build up that area with 3 razor blades. You will insert one razor blade at a time, then you can apply light pressure on the finished end of the razor ( with 3 razor blades inserted and a little leverage it should lift the bezel ring enough to insert a paper clip under the bezel ring after you have removed the blades. ) This will allow you enough space to attempt to maneuver one of the retainer wire ends out from under the lip into the space where the 3 razor blades were. ) Once you get one of the ends of the retainer wire free it should be pretty easy to remove the bezel at this point. If it does not continue with the instruction below.
For Leverage I have tried a Leatherman micra ( with scotch tape ), a Watch case knife (photo below) , a pocket knife with scotch tape or you can build up the area at 7, o'clock lug with 3 razor blades, then you can build up the area at the 1'o'clock lug, then fiddle with end of the wire at 11 o'clock, Now I am not positive if I pushed the end of the wire toward the bezel or if I applied pressure to the first angle from the end. The key is to free the end of the wire.....Sorry It has been a few weeks, ( I played a bit trying to figure out how to write this in a way that is understandable and works easiest for the end user SO sorry if this isn't the most understandable. )
In the photo below ( I know that it doesn't show but the area between 11 and 1 is the area that should have enough space to fit a paper clip; this is from inserting 3 razor blades to lift the bezel ring away from the case) Then once the wire is free, you will then be able to build up the red triangle area with 3 more razor blades or Use a watch case knife ) The ring should clear the case easily now. Make sure that you do not loose the wire, or the flat clicker ring it goes on only one way ( there is a small hole at 12 o clock on the watch case, one side of the clicker has a detent ( goes into the hole to keep it in place)
NOTE: WHEN I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME I WILL CLEAN UP THIS ROUGH DRAFT. JONATHAN
Watch case knife is the Blue handle tool:
[glow=yellow,2,300]WARNING:[/glow]
[move]WarningWarning Warning
[/move]
Warning: Razor blades and Knives are extremely sharp and can cause deep and serious cuts, I take no responsibility for any ones errors or injuries. There is risk if not done correctly ( i.e. Excessive force will bend the bezel ring )
Well I promised to do this a while back, do you want to swap out a Omega/Scalloped bezel with a Coin-edge/RI bezel ring.
I know that by know you might have already seen the insert replacement how to. (Here: http://jholbrook.proboards33.com/index.cgi?board=Invicta&action=display&thread=1132270295
or
http://www.invictatalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=3842&highlight= )
Removing a coin edge bezel is pretty easy. I will not be showing photos of that here. You can use a Leatherman Micra ( with some scotch tape on the blade and insert it between the bezel and the Lug at 7 o'clock and gently lift. Then use a gentle leverage, it should have enough space to insert a paperclip as described below. You can also use the 3 razor blades method described below if you don't have a leatherman or watch case knife. Next you go to the lug at the 1 o'clock position and do the same, it should come off easily. I am unsure why but the Coin edge bezel has always come off easier ( for me at least), if you have to use any kind of force stop an use the Omega bezel method below (you don't want to bend or warp the bezel ring)
The parts that make up the Bezel (minus the insert) You want to be careful to not lose or bend any of the parts:
How it works : The watch case has a raised lip that a retainer wire with an octagon shaped, the angles are what keep the wire under the lip and the bezel ring in place yet still allowing it to turn. ( There is an area where there is no wire, it has some play that you need to find this spot it is between the wire ends) The Space between the wire ends has the least wire in contact with the lip, so it has more free play to work with.
Using a razor blade being extremely careful ( this is with the bezel insert already removed [ See other thread on how to Link above: ] , and the bezel ring on the watch case. It is a little safer to perform this with the bracelet still on the watch case, Because you have better leverage on the case, as well as large grip area, and the bracelet may deflect the blade and may prevent a cut if you slip.
You need to locate one of the ends of the retainer wire, once you have located it ( the other end of the wire is about 10-12 minutes away on the watch dial. this is the space between the yellow wire in the picture above You want one end of the Retainer wire in the 10-11 o'clock area and the other end in the 1-2 o'clock area. ( this is because of the area where you will you will want to use for leverage ( the lug at 7 o'clock red triangle area photo below) .
The Space between the wire ends has the least wire in contact with the lip. Once you have located the ends you will build up that area with 3 razor blades. You will insert one razor blade at a time, then you can apply light pressure on the finished end of the razor ( with 3 razor blades inserted and a little leverage it should lift the bezel ring enough to insert a paper clip under the bezel ring after you have removed the blades. ) This will allow you enough space to attempt to maneuver one of the retainer wire ends out from under the lip into the space where the 3 razor blades were. ) Once you get one of the ends of the retainer wire free it should be pretty easy to remove the bezel at this point. If it does not continue with the instruction below.
For Leverage I have tried a Leatherman micra ( with scotch tape ), a Watch case knife (photo below) , a pocket knife with scotch tape or you can build up the area at 7, o'clock lug with 3 razor blades, then you can build up the area at the 1'o'clock lug, then fiddle with end of the wire at 11 o'clock, Now I am not positive if I pushed the end of the wire toward the bezel or if I applied pressure to the first angle from the end. The key is to free the end of the wire.....Sorry It has been a few weeks, ( I played a bit trying to figure out how to write this in a way that is understandable and works easiest for the end user SO sorry if this isn't the most understandable. )
In the photo below ( I know that it doesn't show but the area between 11 and 1 is the area that should have enough space to fit a paper clip; this is from inserting 3 razor blades to lift the bezel ring away from the case) Then once the wire is free, you will then be able to build up the red triangle area with 3 more razor blades or Use a watch case knife ) The ring should clear the case easily now. Make sure that you do not loose the wire, or the flat clicker ring it goes on only one way ( there is a small hole at 12 o clock on the watch case, one side of the clicker has a detent ( goes into the hole to keep it in place)
NOTE: WHEN I HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME I WILL CLEAN UP THIS ROUGH DRAFT. JONATHAN
Watch case knife is the Blue handle tool:
