Ceramic or Steel bezel?

WatchOveR

Active member
Do you guys know if there is any chance to replace the watch bezel? From ceramic to steel, or vice versa

I accidentally broke my aluminum bezel (at least, it looks like aluminum) while I was trying to polish it. I probably over-polished it somehow; either way, it looks awful. Tried it to remove the bezel on my own, but without success.

Any ideas if it is in general possible?

Owning a Glycine Combat Sub
 

WorldWideWisdom

Active member
Good for u that you couldn’t remove the bezel on your own. If u had, you would never place it back. And it’s not a good idea to remove it by yourself. Even masters can’t do it correctly and not every master even takes this challenge, as most of them lack the necessary equipment.

I needed to replace a Hamilton bezel and it was impossible to find a watchmaker who would make it in my country. Most of them explained it was too difficult to place it back, sometimes- impossible.

Also, the watch model has a lot to do here. Some watches have their bezels as an integrated part of the watch case and o chances to buy a separate bezel. Pan Europe Hamilton is one such example.

Not all watchmaking brands build watches considering a potential bezel change. As I recall, Steinhart does build mechanisms for interchanging bezels but only for its watches; interchanging with other bezels is not possible


Wish could have written a more positive insight for u
 

staYingPosiTIve!!!

Well-known member
Removing the bezel is not a big deal. Don’t really know bout Hamilton or Glycine, but Rolex owners do it easily. You can watch some YouTube videos to see how easy-peasy they perform it
 

peGASus4338#!

Well-known member
Removing the bezel is not a big deal. Don’t really know bout Hamilton or Glycine, but Rolex owners do it easily. You can watch some YouTube videos to see how easy-peasy they perform it
you're talking about professionals here... an usual customer is unlikely to make it as easy as those on YT
 

Racrought

Well-known member
well, the idea of removing something from your watch by yourself is not the best one. especially when we talk about the bezel. this is not a simple strap or bracelet that you can pull out without any consequences. it is going to be better to ask for professional help. even if the bezel seems to be simple to remove and replace sometimes you can remove it the wrong way and damage some other parts of the watch.
when i was younger and uninformed i did it to my dad's old Rolex. it seems to be really easy to remove the bezel. i wanted to replace it to a new one. that Rolex was a replica version, still my father used to love it too much and to care about it. long story short, i dont actually know what i did exactly but turned to scratch a part of the case and the dial.

dont do it if you are not sure. at least this isn't going to cost you a fortune to change it. professional watchmakers are going to do it quickly and without any harm.
 

UltrARiott

Active member
Do you guys know if there is any chance to replace the watch bezel? From ceramic to steel, or vice versa

I accidentally broke my aluminum bezel (at least, it looks like aluminum) while I was trying to polish it. I probably over-polished it somehow; either way, it looks awful. Tried it to remove the bezel on my own, but without success.

Any ideas if it is in general possible?

Owning a Glycine Combat Sub
didn't u think of contacting the supplier? if the watch is on warranty, he might help u
 

JL$4k029

Active member
no worries dude, it's possible to replace the bezel and insert. you just need a good service to find. I'm not sure wether your watch is aluminum. it must be 316 steel for the model, if I'm not mistaken. you should have done "hard" polish on it to have it damaged so hard 😁😁😁😁😁🫣
seek a service. the replacement is approx. 175$; at least t was half a year ago when my brother needed an exact service. n to sure if they will particularly replace it from steel to ceramic, or vice versa, as you want. it depends on what watch parts they have in their repair shop. they either can propose to wait until they get a suitable component for you, or replace is by the same material. up to you. what matters is that you can revive your watch😉
 

Albert

Well-known member
don't recommend changing anything... stick to the formula the watch originally came in.... any modification takes its toll, plenty of side effects that you won't know how to manage... not all specialists know how to switch correctly from one detail to another, so you might end up paying for a service that will ruin your watch in a short time
 

BusyAsHell

Well-known member
I wouldn't make radical changes, tbh... stick to the OE concept better. any modification of details can impact the integrity of the watch... also, you need a high-level specialist to make the correct details exchange without affecting the operation mode and water resistance of the watch... I would opt for the oe bezel, if I were u
 

DomPerignon

Active member
for diversity, I would like to have both steel and ceramic bezel watches. I love steel, but I admit that I sometimes get bored of it. so a ceramic bezel would be perfect to vary. in your case, I would leave the initial concept. if you want a ceramic, get a new watch. but any changes in the initial watch concept can have unwanted consequences, especially if the switching is done by a non-professional
 

igivente

Well-known member
bored of steel alredy) would wxperiment wiht a ceramic one) I know good specialists who can handle such tasks, only that I live in Delaware US, so I don't know how convenient it is for you to call on them... either way, with specialists guys, there are good chances to switch from steel to ceramic bezel hustle free. Just make sure that the specialists you find are really professionals in what they do


Also, pay attention to the Water resistance aspect. if your watch is WR, it must remain WR even after switching to another bezel. For this, the specialists must place a special material between the bezel ring and the new bezel to ensure water impermeability. An additional WR test after replacement would be a great IDEA
 

StevenOhio

Well-known member
the mass media says that ceramic is very resistant in bezels... idk... I tried this material in a replica and I didn't like how it wears at all... it was scratched quickly, traces of impacts remained on it, and in the end, it broke... maybe my fake didn't have an authentic ceramic bezel... i guess it was some ceramic-like material... either way, I was left with a bitter taste after this experience and I just opt for for the ss bezel... I'm a bit bored of it, but resistance and durability take priority
 

Twirejj4279

Well-known member
i know ceramic has taken the home industry by storm. it is a really modern and somehow innovative material. but I think I prefer stainless steel. in getting my watches to last. but the 2 experiences with ceramic beels that cracked in just a sec when I dropped them from a very short height, showed me that ceramic is not for me.... I am ready to pay a high price for watches, but with the condition that they are durable. the ceramic looks fine, but I'm not ready to pay a lot of money for a product that is unlikely to last


and i don't blame anybody. I am aware of the advantages and disadvantages of this material and I just make the choice that suits me better
 

Nobbing

Well-known member
I love ceramic on bezels. though, you must know that this material is quite easy to crack even with minor impacts. so, you have to make a decision between aesthetics and durability. if it's durability, then steel would be the right way to go. if it's aesthetic, then a ceramic one will totally do, but be prepared for any outcome after impacts

in general, I know that it is possible to change the bezel. you have to find the right repair service
 

Energybooster

New member
ceramic +1!!!!! hit them!!!! chair if it breaks, i dont mind,,, i have plenty of ss watches to serve me long. a ceramic one is for beauty. I really like how they look. and also, they are not really that sensitive... I mean, they are sensitive but not like glass
 
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