DIY watch crystal replacement(pic heavy)

So I picked up a nice Seiko kinetic a few weeks ago, pretty scuffed crystal but cheap enough to buy still.

I got a quote from a pro watch repairer to replace the crystal and although the price was reasonable I decided it wasn't worth the outlay as it's not a top end watch.

Soooo.... I decided to give it a go myself!! I ordered the crystal and gasket and a watch case press to get it fitted in. Just a budget press for £7.99 and the crystal and gasket was £17.

So here are the pics and the process(not a pro obviously)

Here is the watch with the scratched crystal


First I removed the bracelet and clamped the body in a small watch vise to make it easier to remove the back with the case tool I already had


Plenty of downward pressure to prevent the tool slipping and the case back unscrewed fine


One small screw and a small part to lift slightly and the crown and stem can be removed


Then the movement just pops out


Now the slightly more stressful part, tapping out the old crystal!! I selected one of the dies that came with the press and laid the watch on towel to let the crystal pop out and gave the die a good tap with a hammer.


Lifted the case and there was the crystal, phewww!!


Fitted the new gasket and crystal and then in to the press with the correct dies chosen. Squeezed the press down while pulling funny faces waiting for a pop of shattered glass!!


And...... successump


Couple more pics as I am so happy it worked out ok


I can't help trying to fix stuff myself and definitely happy I gave it a go

 

When you going to become KKFora's watch repair vendor?

Great work! I would not have attempted that.

 

Don't think I would have the same confidence working on someone else's watch!!

I wasn't expecting the crystal to be so thick, approx 3mm at the edge and must be 3.5mm at the domed centre!

 

made to take absue it looks like

 

Looks like it, also just thinking it's probably needed for the pressure 200m down in the ocean, something like 300psi?

 

Result!
Is that a screw down crown? Always worried after a going through like that that it is still water tight. assembling empty and submerging I think was the old drill, but each time you open the case, you don't know for sure when you put it back if it is still intact.

Looks great.

 

When I was a child I also fixed two of father's Seiko watches. I removed all the excess parts from the inside so that watches became lighter. The downside is they never worked, but who cares about such things?

Impressive work. And I know whom to send broken watches…

 

Yep screw down crown Mike, well it used to be as it was faulty when I bought the watch, looks like the thread on the tube is stripped, next job on my list!
There is a gasket in the tube that the stem goes through that makes it watertight, I actually submerged it with just the crown in and no movement fitted, the barrel I put it in was only about 4 feet deep so no real pressure but enough to see if it's safe doing the washing up with it on

 

I remember taking apart an old mechanical watch when I was about 15 years old, springs and parts flew everywhere!! Quartz/Kinetic is about as far as I will go for now