Replacement of domed crystal

[IanL]

Hello All,

I recently smashed the crystal on my watch. It's a Skagen SKW6054, which has a domed crystal. (I've attached some images found online. I could photograph my watch, but the pieces of the crystal are in the bin!)

I've been quoted £85 to replace it which seemed like a lot of money, and I wondered whether I could buy a replacement crystal and whatever tools are required and do it myself for less (and also learn a new skill / gain some satisfaction from doing it myself).

So, specific questions:

- Is it realistic for a novice to expect to do this successfully first time? I assume that a domed crystal would be more difficult than a flat one, though I don't really know why!

- What tools would I need, and where is a good place to get them? (And how much are they likely to cost?)

- How do I identify the right crystal, and where is a good place to get it?

- Do I need anything else to do the job?

And in case the answers to those aren't encouraging Can anyone recommend a reliable, affordable repairer?

Many thanks,

Ian.

[ManSkirtBrew]

14 minutes ago, IanL said:

I've been quoted £85 to replace it which seemed like a lot of money, and I wondered whether I could buy a replacement crystal and whatever tools are required and do it myself for less (and also learn a new skill / gain some satisfaction from doing it myself).

Disclaimers: I have never touched a Skagen. I'm going by pictures I've been able to find online, so this is kind of generic advice to someone new. Also I'm in the US, so apologies on the mixed currencies in my reply.

Well a brief online search shows generic Skagen glasses priced at $25 on Esslinger, and real Skagen ones from £25-42 on Cousins UK. Add in the cost of tools, the watchmaker's time, skill, and the monetary liability of working on your watch, and £85 looks pretty reasonable.

That said, as you noted there's a satisfaction in doing it yourself, so it's not always about saving every penny. Crystal replacement isn't too difficult, and flat or domed doesn't make much of a difference in my experience.

You will need tools to open the case, remove the movement, clear out any old crystal bits, and then press in a new crystal.

For a crystal press, I use one of these, about £45 at CousinsUK.

Some people like the lever style. This one is only £14.15 at Cousins.

It looks like a snap-back case, so you can use the press to close it back up, too. To open it you'll want a case knife of some sort. I use this type most of the time.

And then you'll want to have a nice pair of tweezers, and probably a small screwdriver to remove the stem, most likely in the 1mm range.

You'll also want a spring bar tool, so you can remove/reinstall the bracelet. This is a nice one for £8.95.

Hope that helps your decision!

[IanL]

Thanks for that, very helpful.

But naturally, the more you learn, the more questions you have!

Cousins have domed crystals in any diameter and multiple thicknesses. The gasket is still in my watch, and with a vernier, if I push a bit, I measure the inside diameter as 36.0mm.

So, knowing nothing, that seems like it would be a reasonable interference fit, but is there a better way to figure this out? And how best to determine the correct thickness to use?

Is it OK to re-use the gasket, or should I buy a new one?

I probably have a bunch more questions, but that'll do for now

[xyzzy]

You can buy generic domed crystals off aliexpress or ebay from China for very cheap.  Both glass and sapphire.  Only in 0.5 mm size increments.  The broken bits might have helped you figure out what thickness the original was.  Doomed also come in double dome and single dome.  Double dome has a concave inside, while single dome is flat on the inside and has a magnifying effect.

If you accurately measure the inside of the metal case part where the crystal + gasket sat, the size to get is probably rounded down to the next 0.5.  If you measure the inside of the gasket still in there, it's probably about the size exactly.  It's likely Skagen uses standard 0.5 mm sizes.  And they may even be a database where you can lookup the genuine Skagen crystal to replace with and its specified size.  I don't know Skagen, a Skagen enthusiast would know this better.

You should get a new gasket.  Maybe even two.  It's easy to damage them when installing the crystal.  And the domed crystals are harder to press in straight in my experience.

[IanL]

Thanks for that. I've done some measuring. Inside of the case came up at 36.7mm diameter. Gasket is L-profile 1.7mm tall, 0.4mm thick.

So I'm planning to get 1 or 2 of these gaskets, in 36.5mm

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/lring-height-170mm-sternkreuz

And 1 or 2 crystals, in 36.0mm. The old one was definitely double domed, and the gaskets suggest 2.0mm thickness, though they are referring to flat crystals.

I'm not sure, though, whether I need a straight-walled crystal or whatever the not-straight-walled ones are called (See attached images)

Anybody know? Is it determined by the case / gasket, or will either work?

Thanks,

Ian.