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Making replacement bezels/inserts, "bakelite"/acrylic & aluminium- Tissot PR516

panchoskywalker
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@mcgyver

How do you paint the acrylic inserts? Just by adding white paint with an oiler? How's the process? White/lume/black?
 
mcgyver
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Yes, basically! Ad paint with oiler(or equivalent) let dry, clean edges, seal (if necessary) and finally paint the backside black. It helps using paints with different solvents so they do not mix! 馃槈
 
panchoskywalker
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That's smart!

Which paint did you use? Watercolor for white and acrylic for black? How do you clean the edges of the white paint? By scraping?
Edited:
 
A
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Hello, I have a Tissot PR516 with a Bakelite ring that is broke, can I order from you a new one? Here is a photo of the whack.
Kind regards
 
S
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mcgyver mcgyver
Made a new batch! 馃榾
3cb.jpg_l.jpg

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Glue needs to cure and then a quick clean up and they are ready for service!
Mcgyver you have a PM. Thanks!
 
Seabass23
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A small percentage of home hobbyists fall into a special category where skill and ingenuity align at the highest level. I am just in awe.
 
Mattallard
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I bought one of @mcgyver PR516 bezels to restore my Dad's "James Bond" watch. Absolutely thrilled with how it looks and wear it proudly!

376266395_10167876956490510_3978943842577209030_n.jpg
 
T
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mcgyver mcgyver
The engraved bezel lacked some contrast in certain angles => stripped them and then reanodized and colored again.

Engraving this time deeper and the fonts a bit thinner - engarving filled with chrome paint for better contrast - I think its much better!

db2fc6a0-8f06-4ab9-8b40-d25cf003d299-jpeg.2262602
Send you pm @mcgyver
 
A
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Hello McGyver,

here is Andi from Germany. I have a Tissot PR-516 Roger Moore with a bakalit bezel which is broken.
Ref.44622
Can I order one?...btw. your work is fantastic!!!!!

I hope to hear from you
Greetings from Germany
 
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B
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Hello!

Bit late to the party here but, I've been looking for a replacement for my PR516. My uncle passed away around 5 years ago and my aunt gave this watch to me. I've been trying to restore it and find a replacement bezel but had no luck.

Are you still making these?
 
Dbltap
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This is fantastic. I think a 12 hour bezel swap would be ideal considering most people don鈥檛 dive.
 
Hiebaum
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Hello mcgyver,
This is Rene from Austria. I stumbled across your amazing repro bezels while searching for replacement for my 46622-2x.
Is it possible to order one? Mine has the bakelite Version with the Insert. The bakelite outer ring is still there but very brittle. The insert is missing.
Would be great to hear from you, best regards and greetings from Austria.
20240812_113347.jpg
 
mcgyver
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I have had request for making a bezel/insert for the PR516 chronographs with tachy/pulsations scale before - but I never had an original at hand to se how it was made. @TrboDieselPwrd kindly sent me a case with a worn bezel/insert to disect!

PR516Chrono5.webp

I have allways taught it was a rather thick acrylic insert, but it turns out to be 0.5mm and held in place by a piece of black plastic that is press fitted to the case.

I took measurements and produced a new "bezel" from fresh POM plastic.

The insert was made from 0.5mm acrylic sheet. Numbers/scale are made with a special method of painting and etching (muuuuuuuuuch experimentation to get it to work) and finally the backside is painted white.

PR516Chrono4.webp


The insert is then glued to the bezel and gets a final polish - done.

PR516Chrono2.webp PR516Chrono3.webp

​

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TrboDieselPwrd
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Incredible work @mcgyver! That bezel looks fantastic and you certainly didn't waste any time!
mcgyver mcgyver
I have allways taught it was a rather thick acrylic insert, but it turns out to be 0.5mm and held in place by a piece of black plastic that is press fitted to the case.
I took measurements and produced a new "bezel" from fresh POM plastic.
The insert was made from 0.5mm acrylic sheet.

​

Very interesting! I also thought it was a thick acrylic part. On another heavily polished (including the bezel 鈽癸笍) example, it seems like the bezel is quite a bit thicker than what you found. The way it's polished down it seems like it's 1.5-2.0mm thick. Maybe the polishing blended all the layers together.
mcgyver mcgyver
Numbers/scale are made with a special method of painting and etching (muuuuuuuuuch experimentation to get it to work) and finally the backside is painted white.
I can't emphasize how crucial this part must have been. These numerals are smaller and finer than those of a Moonwatch for example as the PR516 is only 36mm diameter. So glad this turned out so well and I am happy that I was able to "help" 馃榿
 
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