Dent in Trident pro bezel insert fix update...

Bebop23! · Post by **Bebop23!** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 12:00 pm

Hi guys

I thought I would update you on my issue regarding the small dent in my Trident C60 Mark 1 bezel insert.

I had expected CW to replace the bezel insert for me but they I form me that the mk1 bezel (2014) is now discontinued and the only fix is a new case - presumably with new bezel attached at a cost of £174.30!

I can't help but feel rather let down here. I have never had need for after sales support until now and after all these years but do feel rather taken advantage of. After all..... a bezel for.a rolex GMT master is 50 quid!

I have and another member of my family have spent a total of o we 25000 pounds in a sum total of around 19 watches which include limited editions and would expect them to go out of their way a little to help.

I will just have to pay up and grit my teeth here. No more Chris Ward watches for me or my family after I get my repair done. Watch selling and.fantastic and always supported them these last 13 or so years. After sales very disappointing for a regular customer....

Richard D · Post by **Richard D** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:02 pm

CW will not favour individual customers for repairs and servicing, it’s not a charity. It would be poor business to do so.

Bahnstormer_vRS · Post by **Bahnstormer_vRS** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:04 pm

For those that might have missed it, here's a link to Bebop23!'s original post seeking help.

Clearly frustrating that CW no longer have individual spare parts, but at least they have been able to offer you a repair that will bring the watch to be cosmetically like new again; at what I feel is a reasonable cost, presuming the £174 includes parts, labour, shipping and VAT.

Why not get it serviced at the same time and then you will have a new watch?

Alternatively, consider the Ding a battle scar, ask them to return the watch to you and wear it with pride.

Guy

Kip · Post by **Kip** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:07 pm

Without going into CW's spare parts practices, which were revised a couple years ago, it would seem that the problem is with your expectations. They do now have spare parts for a much longer period of time. This was not the case several years ago.

I do understand that as it would seem to be something simple. I will also advise that there are no aftermarket bezel inserts, that I have ever found, that would fit.

I certainly understand feeling let down, but if they don't have the bezel insert, they just don't have it. Comparing to Rolex makes no sense since Rolex had/has been at this a lot longer than CW both in 2014 through now. You could choose to decline and search the after market for a used one with a good bezel and do a swap. You might get lucky. If not, you are going to end up with essentially a new watch upon return.

I wish you luck with your decision.

Bebop23! · Post by **Bebop23!** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:49 pm

Hi didn't think my comments would go down too favourably with everybody. I was simply making the point that I was an avid and strong upporter of Chris Ward watches. We certainly won't be buying more when I pay yo have this repaired. To be honest, my comment about Rolex bezel despite being true was more a frustration with the feeling of this matter.

I value all of your opinions - particularly yours, Kip.

I thought it was important to also give a balanced view.... seller vs After sales support.

Mikkei4 · Post by **Mikkei4** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:51 pm

It's a shame that CW can't supply a replacement for the original bezel but it's not just watches that parts become unavailable for 9 or 10 years after original production. Whether somebody has spent £500 on 1 watch or £25,000 on 19 watches is neither here nor there - the part isn't available for anybody. How many spare parts would you want CW to produce and retain for all of their back and future issued watches? Even if they had done that there still wouldn't be any guarantee that the spare supply of your bezel wouldn't have been exhausted in the past 9 years.

CW have provided what they can in the circumstances and have given you the quotes asked for.

As suggested, consider it a battle scar on a loved watch maybe.

Alternatively see if a local watch repairer would consider removing the bezel and tapping out the ding.

Sorry that we can't give more favourable responses.

tikkathree · Post by **tikkathree** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 2:56 pm

Bebop23! You say yourself that this is your first call on CW's service department in around 13 years and nineteen watches: well that's a pretty good track record for the brand on one hand (though isn't there something in the handbook about getting watches serviced every few years?).

On the other hand I wonder what level of spare parts you imagined that CW might be holding for you "just in case this excellent repeat customer never sells a watch on and maybe sometime in the future might need a new bezel insert or whatever"? That doesn't make a lot of sense.

I get your frustration but can you imagine the feeling of loss when a world dominating brand like Seiko reaches a point of refusing to even service particular watches after a period of time because of the whole spare parts stockholding issue? Not a simple cosmetic blemish like a dinged insert but a watch consigned to the scrap bin when it stops working?

You've still got a say in the outcome of this: either take the brand new case option for £175 or wear your watch with a ding in the insert and keep the £175.

Consider that your dinged watch tells a story, it has personal history. Enjoy it. Don't write off your considerable experience with CW on the back of this.

golfjunky · Post by **golfjunky** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 3:00 pm

£50 for a Rolex bezel" really?

JAFO · Post by **JAFO** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 3:09 pm

I can understand the difficulties. I have a green Loreo Rolex-Hulk Homage.

I got a nasty scuff on the aluminium bezel. I floated the bezel off with some nail varnish remover. The bezel is a non-standard size. The best I could find was a black replacement, but I just can't find a 3M sticky ring in this size, so I am struggling with this, I could glue it without a sticky ring, but I'm not sure about that.

Here's a pic. The watch head with the new black bezel resting in position. The damaged green bezel - the scratch is near the 40 - it's much more noticeable in real life, and a green seiko bezel I bought, but which doesn't fit.

The pic below is a bit dark. The scratch is noticeable, but even if I put the green bezel back, I don't have a sticky ring. I took the photo in portrait format, but it's gone landscape on me!

I am just adding a second photo to show the watch without the bezel in place. The bezel just rests in place outside the crystal, so it's not a difficult repair.

In your case the new case might come with a ceramic bezel - hopefully the price quoted includes fitting, and it's a pretty good way of rescuing your watch.

Thinking about it, if the CW bezel is a standard size, you could just buy one for a few quid and probably insert the bezel yourself.
As Kip says it might be hard to find the same size. You need the internal and external diameters.

Bebop23! · Post by **Bebop23!** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 6:33 pm

Thanks for all your responses on here everybody…. And yes, I do get my watches serviced when needed. Just not by CW.

Hopefully, you won’t been in need of any watch parts some way down the line. If so, then good luck!

Bebop23! · Post by **Bebop23!** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:14 pm

Thanks to all again. I will update you all when I receive my watch back in 2 to 4 weeks.

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:53 pm

golfjunky wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 3:00 pm £50 for a Rolex bezel" really?

I bought a Pepsi bezel insert in 2017. At the time an insert swap would have been about£30-35 (Rolex keep the old one) or about £50-60 for the new and me keeping the old as a spare.

Mine had a black insert, I bought the Pepsi that they fitted whilst I waited and also kept the original black.

A ceramic bezel insert for the current models is a whole extra level of pain (cost), although I don’t know the actual cost.

Neil

rkovars · Post by **rkovars** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:11 pm

nbg wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 7:53 pm
golfjunky wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 3:00 pm £50 for a Rolex bezel" really?
I bought a Pepsi bezel insert in 2017. At the time an insert swap would have been about£30-35 (Rolex keep the old one) or about £50-60 for the new and me keeping the old as a spare.

Mine had a black insert, I bought the Pepsi that they fitted whilst I waited and also kept the original black.

A ceramic bezel insert for the current models is a whole extra level of pain (cost), although I don’t know the actual cost.

Neil

Doing a cursory eBay search it looks like the insert itself (OEM not aftermarket) are as low as $300 US up to $1000. A whole bezel assembly with insert is running $1000 US.

Vintage aluminum inserts are going as high as $2000.

You have to be careful because eBay is awash with aftermarket Rolex parts.

This is all if you were trying to source the parts yourself.

I've seen in other spots that if you do it at Rolex the insert is $300 (ceramic), the bezel ring is $185 and they require a full service at $800. So you are in over $1K to get a new bezel on a modern Rolex (source serviced his watch in 2022).

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:26 pm

^^^ Rich people sometimes pay much, much more for a period correct bezel insert…

On another forum someone was after a particular insert. The heritage department in Geneva didn’t have any left, but IIRC could manufacture one at an eye watering price.

He offered to trade from a choice of (IIRC) a 1680 or a 116520 just for the correct bezel insert!

Neil

tikkathree · Post by **tikkathree** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:30 pm

JAFO wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2023 3:09 pm I can understand the difficulties. I have a green Loreo Rolex-Hulk Homage.

I got a nasty scuff on the aluminium bezel. I floated the bezel off with some nail varnish remover. The bezel is a non-standard size. The best I could find was a black replacement, but I just can't find a 3M sticky ring in this size, so I am struggling with this, I could glue it without a sticky ring, but I'm not sure about that.

EDIT: I failed to post this 3 hours ago....

I'm thinking you could find a sticky insert ring and trim it to size. Why, I'd even ask for your internal and external diameters and I'll go and look in the spares box.

Would I superglue an insert in place sans double-sided sticky? I'm pretty sure that somewhere down the line I've done it but like you I'd prefer the sticky tape route.

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