I made that video years ago, when I lived in Bangkok and there was no one local I trusted to do this, and my choice was do it myself, or wait several months until I got to UK.
Why would an amateur need to remove a bezel? Spoiler alert - you don't. I liked to do it, so I could thoroughly clean the watch - I would strip the case parts down as far as I could go, including the pushers, and clean it all. This was about fifteen years ago when I found a lot of privately owned watches that my wife would label a biohazard.
I am not a watchmaker, just an enthusiastic amateur who has assessed the financial risks of my actions and ready to accept consequences, - which is why I now send any valuable bezel work away. That said, for service bezels or special bezels, or low quality bezels, it is fun to mess about.
Regarding the poker chip method. The tapping I use is very gentle. It is about finding the right angle and getting the chip right in the corner between the case and bezel. The poker chip is a deliberate choice, for its shock absorbing qualities it is a hard plastic, but it changes the nature of the energy transmission, and prevents scratching of the case or bezel.
I will attempt it myself if the bezel or watch is not pristine, but I am also ready to walk away and send it to Simon Freese if it does not release after a couple of taps.
To be honest, nowadays, it is rare I find myself needing to do this on a fine watch. However, if I am working on one of my less valuable specials, I am happy to change bezels.
As a comparison, Simon uses a watch knife and a cloth, and a simple twisting motion that still to this day I cannot see how he does it. Like a magician.
I have also learned that there is a minor variation in bezel size, and case size. Sometimes a bezel will not go on without "adjustment". In other situations, the bezel is too large, and it will not hold. This also requires adjustment that is outside my knowledge.
Ideally, when refitting a bezel, I hope for a click when I push the bezel on. The most important thing is that if after about four attempts (and strictly for me, four attempts) it does not go on, I send it to Simon. I have also had a bezel come off, then after I have cleaned everything, it will not re fit. Off to Simon.
The key, for me, is knowing my limits, and understanding the downside. I no longer need to take any risks removing or refitting bezels, as I am in the same country as a watchmaker. So I now stick to my specials or removing incorrect bezels.
If it is not easy, I stop, and call in the expert.
In the above picture is the press I use. It is important to find the right size die, or you will be pushing on the crystal, not the bezel. You will see I have marked it so that this idiot does not use the wrong one, or the wrong way round.
It has never ceases to amaze me how I can mess up what I thought was an easy, straightforward operation. So I try to minimize the risks, by either sticking to low value parts or giving it to someone else.
I have never seen how I can use the four bladed bezel tool without causing damage. (I am sure a reflection on me, not the tool).
All the watches pictured above are specials, and so the downside in playing around is minimal.
A fine DO90 bezel does not warrant the risk of me removing it or fitting it.
