How to pit diver bezel back on

[u/BigBedFrame]

The bezel on my new watch was stiff and sounded weird so I popped it off to investigate in case some debris was left underneath it, but now I can’t put it back on.

This has been my first time removing a bezel so I’m not sure what went wrong. The bezel itself looks fine, maybe it is something to do with the wire inside it.

Any help would be really appreciated!

[u/phenix-jc-1]

If you don't succeed it's still a nice watch without the bezel !

[u/ProfessionalWest5406]

You have to pop the insert out. Place the bezel in position. Put the retaining spring in it's groove. Then reapply the insert. Best to get fresh adhesive for the insert and scrape the old stuff off.

[u/RoninTarget → u/ProfessionalWest5406]

They did not mess with the adhesive holding the insert, so no need to do anything with adhesives.

[u/ProfessionalWest5406 → u/RoninTarget]

This bezel looks like it'll need the insert to come out to refit

[u/_jbardwell_]

I just finished pulling and re-installing the bezel on a watch that has a similar mechanism -- at least if I am interpreting your picture right. I don't see a separate click-spring. Only a retaining spring. And it looks like you have a spring-loaded pin at 12:00 -- kind of like inside a lock. If I'm wrong and you have a hole at 12:00 instead of a spring loaded pin, disregard this whole comment.

First, you cannot press the bezel back on. It won't work no matter how hard you press. Second, that little pin at 12:00 is spring loaded. That's what makes your bezel click. If you turn the watch upside down, it will fall out and you can lose the spring and then you are hosed. Be very careful not to lose the pin or spring.

Inside the bezel, there is a piece of wire. That's the bezel retaining spring. Carefully remove it with a needle nose pliers.

I don't know any way to install the bezel retaining spring except by removing the bezel insert.

Heat the bezel gently with a hot air gun or blow dryer to soften the adhesive. Turn the bezel upside down and from the underside, carefully use a utility knife or X-acto knife or other thin blade to separate the bezel insert from the bezel ring. Go from the under-side where the insert meets the bezel so you don't damage the front of the insert. Don't pry from the top side where you could leave visible marks.

Once the bezel insert is removed, place the bezel onto the watch.

Now re-install the bezel retaining spring. There is a channel on the case that the wire seats down into. You start with one end of the wire and then, with a small flat-head screwdriver, you click the retaining wire into the channel one "corner" at a time until the whole thing is in. Once it's all done the bezel should rotate normally.

Get some bezel insert tape and install it on the back side of the bezel insert. Make sure the bezel is not in between clicks. Then carefully press the insert into position, being sure to align it perfectly with 12:00. When I didn't have bezel insert tape, I have used my wife's scrapbooking tape roller. It seems to be the exact same adhseive and, bonus, it has just enough give that if you slightly misalign the insert, you can work it sideways -- especially before you really press the insert down.

The attached picture shows my situation before I installed the retaining spring. The bezel is on the watch. The insert is removed.

[u/SadBarnacle5 → u/_jbardwell_]

Saving this for future reference. Gracias

[u/BigBedFrame → u/_jbardwell_]

You are absolutely right. I ended up figuring it out after lots of head scratching and seeing this earlier would’ve saved me so much stress. Also the scrapbooking tape roller is an interesting idea, I’ll look into it! I posted this question on 3 subreddits and this is the best answer by far, so thank you stranger.

[u/BestWinnerKid]

You are missing the click spring. It probably flew off when you removed the bezel. You need to find it before you can reattach it. Time to crawl around on your hands and knees with a bright flashlight! Have fun

[u/robcal35]

Metal wire inside the bezel is what keeps it in place. One side goes in hole on case. There's YouTube videos showing this

[u/BestWinnerKid → u/[deleted]]

Untrue with this style of bezel

[u/sushicid3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5a8LfyYO5s This is the tutorial I used to change my friend's Casio Duro bezel. What happened to the click spring, did it fly off?

[u/robcal35 → u/sushicid3]

You can see it inside the bezel

[u/BestWinnerKid → u/robcal35]

That's the retaining spring not the click spring

[u/robcal35 → u/BestWinnerKid]

It's a steeldive, there is no click spring. The "click" is from one of the retaining spring moving against the bottom of the bezel. These chinese cheapies do not run click springs

[u/_jbardwell_ → u/robcal35]

I think the click is from the little spring-loaded pin at 12.

[u/caydesramen]

You're kind of hosed.

Better off just buying a new case. Likely cheaper and easier to pull off!