Replacing Crystal on Ladies Fashion Watch?

[grsnovi]

So, it's finally happened... My wife asked me to look at one of her watches! When we had the battery replaced last it appears they cracked the crystal. I opened it up and tried to "pop" the crystal out but I suspect that I will also have to remove the bezel first? In any case I'll have to remove it to replace the crystal.

Is there a "trick" to getting the bezel off without scratching the rest of the finish?

The watch is a Pulsar (and I have already ordered one for $20 from eBay) but if I can do anything to this one I'd like to give it a shot. I suspect if I need to purchase a tool that (plus the crystal) will already be more than the cost of the $20 replacement.

Thoughts? The ring with the stones sits under the crystal and it isn't damaged.

Edited November 23, 2022 by grsnovi

[oldhippy]

I expect you will need to take the movement out and push the old glass out with your fingers. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, grsnovi said:

So, it's finally happened... My wife asked me to look at one of her watches! When we had the battery replaced last it appears they cracked the crystal. I opened it up and tried to "pop" the crystal out but I suspect that I will also have to remove the bezel first? In any case I'll have to remove it to replace the crystal.

Is there a "trick" to getting the bezel off without scratching the rest of the finish?

The watch is a Pulsar (and I have already ordered one for $20 from eBay) but if I can do anything to this one I'd like to give it a shot. I suspect if I need to purchase a tool that (plus the crystal) will already be more than the cost of the $20 replacement.

Thoughts? The ring with the stones sits under the crystal and it isn't damaged.

Hiya G . Hope you are well . The bezel looks pretty tight down and may not be removable. Some of these fashion watches need the glass to be popped out via pressurising the case. A few ideas here. You could try a sharp craft knife if you are sure the bezel comes off but this risks damaging the case edge, work around slowly and carefully. Heard a trick of double siding taping the glass to a flat surface and pulling on the straps, although this sounds hit and miss tbh. I think your best bet is to press the glass out from the inside with a case press choosing the correct size of die press and case support die so as not to damage the case or the diamond chapter ring. You’ll need a press anyway to press the new one in. Last resort is to go a bit cave man and tap the glass out with a hammer as it is already broken if you feeling brave again a bit risky if you hit the chapter ring. Or a die on the inside and tap out with a hammer, supporting the outside edge of the case. Good luck 

1 hour ago, grsnovi said:

So, it's finally happened... My wife asked me to look at one of her watches! When we had the battery replaced last it appears they cracked the crystal. I opened it up and tried to "pop" the crystal out but I suspect that I will also have to remove the bezel first? In any case I'll have to remove it to replace the crystal.

Is there a "trick" to getting the bezel off without scratching the rest of the finish?

The watch is a Pulsar (and I have already ordered one for $20 from eBay) but if I can do anything to this one I'd like to give it a shot. I suspect if I need to purchase a tool that (plus the crystal) will already be more than the cost of the $20 replacement.

Thoughts? The ring with the stones sits under the crystal and it isn't damaged.

Thats pretty shocking if it was a shop. Extremely poor effort breaking a crystal with just a battery swap. Depending where you had it done, it seems the industry is sadly lacking in good watch repairers.

Edited November 23, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[grsnovi]

8 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I think your best bet is to press the glass out from the inside with a case press

Thanks Rich! I do have a cheap Chinese press. I suspect the bezel will have to come off because I'm thinking the crystal will install from the "inside" which means the chapter ring would need to come out too.

8 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

That's pretty shocking if it was a shop.

We have a franchise here in the States called "BATTERIES+ BULBS" that only sells (you guessed it: batteries and bulbs). You can sign-up for forever watch battery service for a discounted price and I guess they figure that getting you in the store is worth it? Anyway, they don't hire watchmakers and I suspect they do a ton of quartz watch battery replacements. If we had noticed the damage at the time I would have raised a ruckus but it's been a month.

- G 

[mikepilk]

I've replaced the glass in a few of these fashion watches for friends. Is that I nylon gasket I can see round the edge, or is that the glass bevel? If it's a nylon gasket, they just push out with your finger from the inside, and push in easily with a press. If not gasket, then I guess the bezel has to come off?

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, grsnovi said:

Thanks Rich! I do have a cheap Chinese press. I suspect the bezel will have to come off because I'm thinking the crystal will install from the "inside" which means the chapter ring would need to come out too.

We have a franchise here in the States called "BATTERIES+ BULBS" that only sells (you guessed it: batteries and bulbs). You can sign-up for forever watch battery service for a discounted price and I guess they figure that getting you in the store is worth it? Anyway, they don't hire watchmakers and I suspect they do a ton of quartz watch battery replacements. If we had noticed the damage at the time I would have raised a ruckus but it's been a month.

- G 

It looks like the chapter ring is badly damaged as well as though it has happened from the inside.

Edited November 23, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches
Detailing damage with precision markings and angry unimpressed face. 😠

[grsnovi]

3 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

It looks like the chapter ring is badly damaged as well

Just an artefact of the photo, that ring sits below the crystal with an air gap of 1mm or so.

[Neverenoughwatches]

15 minutes ago, grsnovi said:

Just an artefact of the photo, that ring sits below the crystal with an air gap of 1mm or so.

. Thats a real optical illusion, looks like a hole in the ring and parts of the hole folded in. Bizarre but pleased for you thats not the case.

[grsnovi]

Well, it turns out that the $20 eBay watch that I purchased is brand new - so I guess I may not bother with trying to do anything to the one with the cracked crystal (at least not immediately, it can just go on the pile).