Bezel Modifying on a CW

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asafesh
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by asafesh »

As to your comment on other brands, my question to them was specifically about their warranty, which vaguely said to be mechanical only. Also, I did not ask them to replace my parts, only to give me the information required to do such a thing under my own risk. Giving knowing the other risk, of losing the warranty, I might not do it, but they could just tell what i originally asked, which is, can the bezels switch.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by Thermexman »

My tuppence worth:

Whilst the standard bezel on your stock C65 and the bezel on the prototype look to be the same, the prototype may have been made to gauge the aesthetics rather than the functions so might not actually operate or be constructed quite the same? Common sense would say that they should be the same but I suspect that the person you corresponded with at CW can't be certain so isn't going to be able to give you the definitive answer?

Also, CW don't supply parts for self fixing/modding or third party repair and, like it or not, that's their prerogative.
If I went to Ford/Honda/Fiat etc and asked them how to repair or change something on my car but said that I want to do it myself or get another garage to do it, do you think that they would happily divulge the info?

What you want to do is a great idea and if CW had gone along with the idea, it would have been superb but to be blunt, you were being a tad optimistic there. To criticize their stance is a bit unfair.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by Viognier »

Thermexman wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:56 pm My tuppence worth:

To criticize their stance is a bit unfair.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by asafesh »

Thermexman wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 3:56 pm
Also, CW don't supply parts for self fixing/modding or third party repair and, like it or not, that's their prerogative.
If I went to Ford/Honda/Fiat etc and asked them how to repair or change something on my car but said that I want to do it myself or get another garage to do it, do you think that they would happily divulge the info?

What you want to do is a great idea and if CW had gone along with the idea, it would have been superb but to be blunt, you were being a tad optimistic there. To criticize their stance is a bit unfair.
To be honest, cars are like the least good example for what you suggest, because the aftermarket market there is huge, but I get your point. I even reached back to CW thanking them for their patience with my query. I think they do reserve criticize since they do make custom watches with their bespoke service- so the knowledge is there. They don't have to share it with me, but I don't think you should scold me for trying (again, tinkering with my own watches which is super legit). And by the way, even Rolex gets modded by companies like Prohunter. So trying to stop a private person from modding his own watch on such a small scale (with original parts) is pathetic. But i will agree its their right to do so.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by Thermexman »

Not disputing your right to do whatever you want with your own watches. In fact, I even said it was a great idea.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by asafesh »

I'm sorry, I was referring to the unfair criticize part of your comment, which was unfair by me. So thanks.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by timor54 »

I’ve seen a modded Oris diver 65 where the bezel insert was replaced. The original had a bronze edged bezel with a black aluminium insert which was replaced with an OEM bronze bezel insert. It looked to be a simple task of leveraging off the bezel and then removing the old insert which was just glued in place, putting the bezel back on then gluing the new insert in place.

Now I can’t believe that the Trident 65 is fundamentally different in design so I would assume it’s a fairly straightforward process. The sort of task any reasonably experienced Seiko modder could do in less than half an hour.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by exHowfener »

It's probably very easy to do (of course it's always easy with someone else's watch!) Probably just a matter of popping it off with a butter knife, a plastic bag and a bit of masking tape. If the bezel isn't held on by some kind of mechanical fixing (screw), then it must be a press fit. BUT you may need a press to push it back on. I can understand, sort of, CW not helping enthusiastically but any competent watch repairer should be able to do this. After all, they must repair broken bezels.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by tikkathree »

I'm kinda with timor54 on this issue: plenty of watches have bezels held on by a spring and atop which sits, most commonly, an aluminium bezel insert held in place with double-sided sticky.

Two things puzzle me:
1) What would be so left-field about CW as a brand as to use a completely different bezel/insert design, always assuming that such a thing exists?

2) In the history of Christopher Ward the brand, how is it that not one single owner/forum member has fessed up to modding a CW watch?

Somebody's modded a CW watch and just not let on......
C60 MKI, MKII, MKIII: "some",
C6 & C60 Kingfishers,
C600 Tritechs,
C63 "some",
C65 "some",
C4, C40, C8, C9, C3, C5, C20 & 23FLE
Some other brands
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by rkovars »

There have been a few mods unearthed just recently from the forum's past. I think the main thing is that as prices have crept up the modding has gone down. Makes sense. You wouldn't want to muck up a watch approaching $1K.

As a side note, I have been toying with popping the bezel on my C65 GMT to see if I could mod it to be bi-directional (which all GMTs should have IMO). I've got one of the devices that are used to pop a bezel (I bought it for another project a while ago - mine is a cheap version of this one Tool). One of these days I'll take the plunge when it annoys me enough (probably after the 60/60 goes by).

I'm not sure what could be different about the bezel construction either. But I am a little gun shy to be the Guinea pig. :problem:

I'm confused about what CW stopped the OP from doing? If he wanted to mod it he should mod it warranty be damned. If you mod a Rolex after purchase, it would void all warranties and Rolex would very likely refuse service as well (probably forever). I don't see how what CW did is any different in that regard. Hell, at this point Rolex won't even sell parts to legitimate watch makers for legitimate repairs.

I should add that I think the switch would look great. I can understand the hesitation though (re above).
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Viognier
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by Viognier »

tikkathree wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:22 pm I'm kinda with timor54 on this issue: plenty of watches have bezels held on by a spring and atop which sits, most commonly, an aluminium bezel insert

2) In the history of Christopher Ward the brand, how is it that not one single owner/forum member has fessed up to modding a CW watch?

Somebody's modded a CW watch and just not let on......
gaf1958 (Gary) has publicly shared his CW Mods. On watches out of warranty I will add.
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tikkathree
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by tikkathree »

rkovars wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:05 pm There have been a few mods unearthed just recently from the forum's past. I think the main thing is that as prices have crept up the modding has gone down. Makes sense. You wouldn't want to muck up a watch approaching $1K.
Okay, a few. As to prices I guess even the mki C60s are holding value and if anything's relative it is the value of money.
rkovars wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:05 pmAs a side note, I have been toying with popping the bezel on my C65 GMT to see if I could mod it to be bi-directional (which all GMTs should have IMO). I've got one of the devices that are used to pop a bezel (I bought it for another project a while ago - mine is a cheap version of this one Tool). One of these days I'll take the plunge when it annoys me enough (probably after the 60/60 goes by).
We'll await the photos; there'll be some kind of spring in a ratchet arrangement.
Viognier wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:51 pm
gaf1958 (Gary) has publicly shared his CW Mods. On watches out of warranty I will add.
Ah yes, thank you.
C60 MKI, MKII, MKIII: "some",
C6 & C60 Kingfishers,
C600 Tritechs,
C63 "some",
C65 "some",
C4, C40, C8, C9, C3, C5, C20 & 23FLE
Some other brands
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by rkovars »

tikkathree wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:52 am
We'll await the photos; there'll be some kind of spring in a ratchet arrangement.
I still need to work up the nerve to do it. I know that they were trying to get the action of the C60 to be as good as Rolex and the construction of the bezel assembly ratchet is more complex with ball bearings on springs. I have seen on some Rolex forums that replacing ratchet stop with a ball bearing on those will make it into a unidirectional bezel.

Don't know if the C65 is the same construction as the C60 or not. Or if either of them are the same as a modern Rolex. The older models with basically just a click spring are more simple. I am guess that some modification to the spring on these would have the same effect (basically rounding the stop end without shortening it too far).

There is a picture of a modern Rolex assembly in this old thread.

I can just picture those small bearings and springs going everywhere! Then I would never get it back together.
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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by jkbarnes »

rkovars wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:06 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:52 am
We'll await the photos; there'll be some kind of spring in a ratchet arrangement.
I still need to work up the nerve to do it. I know that they were trying to get the action of the C60 to be as good as Rolex and the construction of the bezel assembly ratchet is more complex with ball bearings on springs. I have seen on some Rolex forums that replacing ratchet stop with a ball bearing on those will make it into a unidirectional bezel.

Don't know if the C65 is the same construction as the C60 or not. Or if either of them are the same as a modern Rolex. The older models with basically just a click spring are more simple. I am guess that some modification to the spring on these would have the same effect (basically rounding the stop end without shortening it too far).

There is a picture of a modern Rolex assembly in this old thread.

I can just picture those small bearings and springs going everywhere! Then I would never get it back together.
It was a simple spring on my Seiko 5. I’ll give it a go on a sub $200 watch. But I’d be scared to death about trying it with something nice like a CW, let alone a Rolex. As soon as I hear ball bearings I’m running for the hills!

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Re: Bezel Modifying on a CW

Post by rkovars »

jkbarnes wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:03 pm
rkovars wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:06 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:52 am
We'll await the photos; there'll be some kind of spring in a ratchet arrangement.
I still need to work up the nerve to do it. I know that they were trying to get the action of the C60 to be as good as Rolex and the construction of the bezel assembly ratchet is more complex with ball bearings on springs. I have seen on some Rolex forums that replacing ratchet stop with a ball bearing on those will make it into a unidirectional bezel.

Don't know if the C65 is the same construction as the C60 or not. Or if either of them are the same as a modern Rolex. The older models with basically just a click spring are more simple. I am guess that some modification to the spring on these would have the same effect (basically rounding the stop end without shortening it too far).

There is a picture of a modern Rolex assembly in this old thread.

I can just picture those small bearings and springs going everywhere! Then I would never get it back together.
It was a simple spring on my Seiko 5. I’ll give it a go on a sub $200 watch. But I’d be scared to death about trying it with something nice like a CW, let alone a Rolex. As soon as I hear ball bearings I’m running for the hills!

Classic scene! :lol:
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