Reply With QuoteNot used them myself but Tic Toc Man in Hatton Garden? Just up the road to EC4.
Afternoon chaps
After a frustrating experience with a watch repair shop near Liverpool St (who wanted to charge me £65 to fit a bezel insert that I was supplying) and another similarly unhelpful experience near Bank, I thought I'd turn to the forums to see if anyone knows/can recommend a decent watchmaker in London (the closer to EC4 the better) who will be able to fit a bezel insert on a GMT Master II for me, without it costing an arm and a leg...
Would prefer somewhere that can do it on the spot also, as far as I'm aware it should only be a 5 or 10 minute job for someone who knows what they are doing.
Alternatively if anyone on here wants to do it over a pint then please shout, the beer would be on me!
For the record, I tried myself but can't get the bezel insert into the bezel (much swearing was involved in the attempts too so I think it is beyond my capabilities). I could go to Rolex but it is a bit of a trek across London.
Not used them myself but Tic Toc Man in Hatton Garden? Just up the road to EC4.
There's an old thread in the Mods and Wreckers forum with piccies (corner of a desk covered in a tea-towel works perfectly), should be easy to find - I thought it was beyond me but honestly, it's a doddle now and I swap bezels like I change undies (rarely, and begrudgingly lol).
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...l+change+rolex
Last edited by notenoughwrists; 30th May 2013 at 14:26. Reason: added info
also, I think Rolex only charge £25 for this (or did a couple of years ago)
Thanks chaps - yeah I've got an invoice from Rolex where the previous owner had a new bezel fitted for £30 (inc the bezel), so £65 for pure fitting was just the jeweller trying it on, in my opinion.
I will have a look for the tea towel technique - just had a quick google and it sounds like its commonly found to be a pig of a job (getting the bezel insert fitted into the bezel), which I hadn't appreciated from my initial research on the topic!
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...l+change+rolex
See the link in this thread, about 3rd post down
Thank you :)Originally Posted by notenoughwrists
It is the 'Red Hot' look I am going for, as per your pics - I look forward to having it all back together as it looks great on there!
It really is a 5 min job; 10 if you tape everything and take your time. The inserts are a very tight fit - I used a thin plastic bottle to push my bezel over to pop the insert out and back in again - this ensured even pressure all the way round - but I am sure anything round that gently gets wider would do the job just as easily - otherwise it is a case of being brave and forcing it in with your fingers - they are quite tough though and I've used this technique when I have had too.
It's just a matter of time...
Oh, and all black looks best to me ;)
It's just a matter of time...
You must have jinxed me - struggled for about 10 minutes with the coke bezel with no luck, so I thought I'd try refitting the all black bezel, which went in with comparative ease.
So the good news is that the watch is back together again, bad news is that it isn't on the coke bezel as planned!
All replies much appreciated, think I'll get myself to Rolex for a new coke bezel (they can fit it!) when I get round to it.
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That jewellers is the one with the TAG and Rolex Reapir Centre sign hanging outside? If so, yup they are mucho expensivo, wanted to charge 90quid to fit new glass to wifes Midi f1, 35quid to replace battery and thats not pressure tested.
Like you say, either just trying it on or they must have seriously high overheads due to their location......
Enough black bezls out there to wet your whistle, I prefer the Red Hot
RIAC
About a year ago, the cost was £30 for a Pepsi insert. And that included a new insert!
All's well that ends well!
Popped into Rolex at St James' Square today and they straightened out my red/black bezel for me (they said it had a kink in it), and then fitted it to the watch for me - total cost £0.
Worth noting that she did say if a new one had to be put in then it would be on an exchange basis and I wouldn't be able to keep the old bezel.
A very pleasant experience, I'll be going straight to them for any future Rolex related issues.
Edited to add: darrenb - yep, that is the one, I won't be returning in a hurry.
Great to hear you got it sorted. On another note it seems everything is on an exchange business nowadays. Bloody ridiculous carry on that is!
DIY 5 min job; there's tutorial on YouTube or view a physical demo @ a cost of a pint
Regards M.
This exchange malarky must be a fairly recent thing as about three months ago I put my GMT in for a bezel change from pepsi to black and they gave me the old one back in the packaging of the new one, that cost £55 total, but I did get a nice green rolex service pouch.
That same day I dropped my SD off for a service and was called three weeks later to be told the crown was worn (although it seemed fine to me) and it would be £53. I asked if I would get the old crown back as it was original to the watch (trying it on here tho') and she said no, she'd have to get me a revised price for the crown if I wanted the old one back. So it looked like they were going to give me the old crown back but charge whatever the price is for the new crown without a p/x, as if £53 wasn't enough!
They discourage you from keeping the old one but if you do 'lose it' before you attend then there is a 50% surcharge usually making the £37 bezel more like £54. But still ok as a bezel alone will always sell for £40 upwards for the convenience
RIAC
I didn't ask any more about the exchange thing, just on the basis that I would have happily exchanged an unuseable bezel for a useable one if my existing red/black bezel couldn't be fitted - I popped the all black bezel out last night and left that at home in case they tried to charge me extra to keep it.
Just thought I'd mention it on here as I know it has been raised before, it did seem to be standard practice unforunately.
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