Are all bezel inserts held on with sticky tape?

Any Seiko mods where the bezel inserts is changed use double sided sticky tape.

Is the same method used from factory to hold bezel inserts in place?

Do all other brands use double sided tape?

It feels like a cheap and insubstantial method of holding on the insert for something that's a relatively expensive tool.

What about Seiko dive watches that are over 1k, or other brands?

Hi,

Vintage Seiko 7548/6309 diver bezel inserts were friction fitted no double sided tape, many Swiss brands were tightly sprung fitted.

So a £100-£200 dive watch budget or beater watch double sided tape is ok.

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Originally Posted by Bry1975

Hi,

Vintage Seiko 7548/6309 diver bezel inserts were friction fitted no double sided tape, many Swiss brands were tightly sprung fitted.

So a £100-£200 dive watch budget or beater watch double sided tape is ok.

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Fair enough but no new Seiko is 200 quid. They're all 400+.

Take the peospex Willard At 1700 new, or 62mas at over 1k, do they use sticky tape?

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Originally Posted by Wilson_smyth

Fair enough but no new Seiko is 200 quid. They're all 400+.

Take the peospex Willard At 1700 new, or 62mas at over 1k, do they use sticky tape?

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I think most aluminium inserts are held in place by tension. I have never had a new watch where the insert was originally held in with tape.
Tape is generally used for poor fitting replacement inserts or where an insert has been removed time and time again and becomes slightly distorted / deformed and the tension no longer holds it.
Now ceramic inserts…

Most OEM Seiko bezel inserts are friction fit and I should imagine the new stuff is but not 100% sure.

Vintage rolex and tudor were all friction fit too.

I would rather be belt and braces and have a decent friction fit and some tape too just to be certain

If they’re just friction fit, it’s surprising it’s not possible to nudge them into better alignment with a bit of force.

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Originally Posted by M1011

If they’re just friction fit, it’s surprising it’s not possible to nudge them into better alignment with a bit of force.

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Try removing one without damage

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Originally Posted by lewie

Try removing one without damage

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Sort of the point I'm making.

I was always making custom dies for my crystal presses and a few were for removing bezel inserts by pressing them out evenly so no damage to insert or bezel, these dies are for the 6309 family of bezels/inserts and others, they made the job easy and stress free and I love stress free.


https://i.imgur.com/vGkYiqh.jpeg

Factory inserts on some current Seikos use sticky tape.
I’ve modded some myself, most recently a turtle which I had bought new, and am sure it was taped in - used a Stanley blade to slice my way in carefully and separate, once the whole bezel was off.

Same on some SKX versions I played with years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

They use thin-film, double-sided tapes in aircraft production - considered to be a permanent bond. I doubt that bezels undergo the same kind of stresses.
I had to destroy a bezel to remove it when fixed with tape - it wouldn't budge.

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Originally Posted by UKMike

They use thin-film, double-sided tapes in aircraft production - considered to be a permanent bond. I doubt that bezels undergo the same kind of stresses.
I had to destroy a bezel to remove it when fixed with tape - it wouldn't budge.

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same here, cant recall the make of watch but the tape was impossible to budge with buggering the insert
Keith

This guy soaks the bezel to loosen the sticky tape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_zDht9pl5U