Rolex Sub Bezel swap

TedR

Hi folks

I have the green bezel 50 anniv LV Sub (non ceramic) which I love, but always hankered after the standard black bezel look. Recently I bought a black bezel on the bay and after watching a few youtube vidz on changing bezels, and a stiff drink, I went at my watch with the necessary tools. Nervous doesnt describe it.
Lo and behold it was actually very easy; there is a tricky little spring which can fly when you release the original bezel, so I did that part with the watch in a clear plastic bag.
Apart from that it was straightforward enough. The amount of gunk and fluff in the now exposed under bezel area was disgraceful! I gave that a good old clean out.

Anyway, Ive attached a few dodgy pics of before and after... I hope I posted them correctly from my Flickr account, I'm not great at that stuff.

Very very happy with the change, it feels like a new watch now. Totally changes the experience of wearing it. ( I suspect I should have bought a black one in the first place :-))
The aftermarket bezel isnt a Rolex one so the little pearl at 12 o clock isnt as well finished, but apart from that it looks very good. Still have the original obviously.

I saw Eoin in the pics of your watches thread wonder about changing the bezel on a Steinhart, Im sure it is pretty much the same method. Its not hard, and it gives you two watches from one, as it were.




Before, Green

Green Sub by Eamonn Ryan, on Flickr

After, Black

IMG_2017 by Eamonn Ryan, on Flickr

Wibbs

Nice job Sir. *doffs hat* I've taken bezels off a couple of watches down the years, some were easy, some were thundering [expletive deleted]. I dunno if I'd have the gentleman jewels to attempt it on a Rolex. Fair play.

TedR

Thanks :-)
I figured if it went horribly wrong, the watch was probably due a service soon anyway, so I took the chance. I recommend the stiff drink before work of this nature too!
It really was low tech though, even that little curved spring that runs the ratchet clicks when you turn the dial is not what I expected in a Rolex, its a either a very elegant technical solution or an unexpectedly cheap and cheerful solution... not too sure which!

TedR

Ive just seen that the green bezel in one click off in that pic aaaagh
apologies to the other OCD lads on here

sparrowcar

TedR wrote: »

Ive just seen that the green bezel in one click off in that pic aaaagh
apologies to the other OCD lads on here

It's ok, if you state your error then Mitch B will forgive...

Eoin

Braver man than I!

Wibbs

TedR wrote: »

It really was low tech though, even that little curved spring that runs the ratchet clicks when you turn the dial is not what I expected in a Rolex, its a either a very elegant technical solution or an unexpectedly cheap and cheerful solution... not too sure which!

I'd expect that in a Rolex "tool watch" TBH. It's easy to forget, but back in the day before the "luxury" thing kicked off around their steel tool watches, they were a mid tier solid workaday watch and this means simple is often better a solution. Sure you could have a system of ball bearings and the like, but much more to go wrong.

TedR

Eoin wrote: »

Braver man than I!

The first bit of the process where you angle a butter knife or similar blunt flat surface under the bezel and press upwards til it pops does need several deep breaths before going for the move

Thats where the stiff drink comes in!

Cyrus

did you just swap the insert out or the whole bezel

i think a rolex insert is only £35-40 so id be trying to get an oem one i think

also the maxi dial on the lv with the black bezel is considered by some to be the nicest modern sub

Menas

I much prefer the black bezel, looks very nice !

TedR

Cyrus wrote: »

did you just swap the insert out or the whole bezel

i think a rolex insert is only £35-40 so id be trying to get an oem one i think

also the maxi dial on the lv with the black bezel is considered by some to be the nicest modern sub

Just the insert, (the coloured metal ring section). It clicks into the receiving circular bezel ring, there is a metal gasket underneath there as well.
I just kind of assumed an oem one would be silly money, I must check it out.
I wonder where is best place to get one?, I imagine the ebay ones are all copies like the one I bought. It was cheap though, 15 quid or something, cant remember.
Regarding the looks, if I could do it again I would DEFFO buy the non date version, in time I have come to prefer the cleaner crystal and face when there is no cyclops.
But feck it, thats all fussy stuff, I do love the watch.

Cyrus

TedR wrote: »

Just the insert, (the coloured metal ring section). It clicks into the receiving circular bezel ring, there is a metal gasket underneath there as well.
I just kind of assumed an oem one would be silly money, I must check it out.
I wonder where is best place to get one?, I imagine the ebay ones are all copies like the one I bought. It was cheap though, 15 quid or something, cant remember.
Regarding the looks, if I could do it again I would DEFFO buy the non date version, in time I have come to prefer the cleaner crystal and face when there is no cyclops.
But feck it, thats all fussy stuff, I do love the watch.

nope thats the big plus point of the alu inserts, they are cheap

not sure where you get one, all my subs have been ceramic bezel, but tz-uk should provide the answers

TedR

Ill do a bit of research although i am not on Tz, I must start that.
I think changing the ceramic ones, were you to try, is a bit more fraught. When pressing in the new insert, one applies a fair bit of pressure, more than you would imagine. I think there is a risk of snapping the ceramic ones :eek:, from what i could find about doing this job

hi5

I think your completely missing the luminous dot at 12 on the black one?

TedR

hi5 wrote: »

I think your completely missing the luminous dot at 12 on the black one?

No, its just my nasty photographic skills; its there alright, but it is more recessed than on an OEM bezel. The proper one is actually a little pearl as far as I know, and it sits up proud of the metal surface.
My 'inexpensive' replacement just has a nondescript shallow white dot.

Honestly though, only a serious watch head would know the diff. That said, if I could get the proper Rollie one I would.

Bluefoam

OP, I prefer the green... can the operation be reversed?

TedR

Yes easily enough, same process. I kept the old one as I am sure I will switch back in the future. And of course the old one is OEM proper Rolex.

Basically, you prise off the entire bezel ring, it is designed to pop off with pressure applied from under the edge.
You then press out the metal coloured section from its metal surround, and press in the new bezel insert into the now vacant space
It does require a fair old bit of pressure to get it to click back in, its awkward. When one side goes in, the other side tends to pop out. When you do get it right you can feel that it is seated securely.
There is a little leaf spring which generates to one way bezel turn direction and makes the 120 clicks when you turn it full circle; that little feller does its best to fly when you get the bezel off, so you have to be careful. Once gone I dont think it would be easy to find, its pretty tiny.

Overall, I wouldnt do it every day maybe, but it isnt a hard job.