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Felix_La_PuBelle
·The gunk peeking out between the crystal and bezel. Dirt or possibly corrosion?
Would this bother you?
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Meme-Dweller
·It's common on the Speedmaster since the bezel is friction fit and the gap ends up being a mini gutter for debris, as opposed to a diver with a bezel that allows water & debris to flow through it. It's unlikely to be corrosion. Easy to remove the bezel, clean, then reinstall.
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·It's common on the Speedmaster since the bezel is friction fit and the gap ends up being a mini gutter for debris, as opposed to a diver with a bezel that allows water & debris to flow through it. It's unlikely to be corrosion. Easy to remove the bezel, clean, then reinstall.
Good to know. In that case can it ever be a positive sign on a vintage speedy? Implying that the watch hasn’t been pulled apart / mucked about with too much if the grease trap is looking relatively untouched?
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Meme-Dweller
·Good to know. In that case can it ever be a positive sign on a vintage speedy? Implying that the watch hasn’t been pulled apart / mucked about with too much if the grease trap is looking relatively untouched?
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·Well, I'd probably look at that nice beige aged tritium handset and hour markers as opposed to possible poop stains in the bezel to determine condition......
Yes indeed. I’ve been learning up on vintage speedys but haven’t focused as much study on bezels so just beginning to crack the codes on bezel / case interplay. The dial and hands are quite nice IMO.
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Davidt
·It’s a reason to look further. Sometimes it’s just gunk, sometimes it’s surface corrosion due to gunk and moisture being trapped between the bezel and case.
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apsm100
··Noob taxpayerIf the case has a lot of gunk on it it's more likely it's dirt and not corrosion.
I would not worry about it.
Dial looks great.
Focus on the right details, it's easy to obsess about small details on these... speaking from experience.
I would not worry about it.
Dial looks great.
Focus on the right details, it's easy to obsess about small details on these... speaking from experience.
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·Focus on the right details, it's easy to obsess about small details on these... speaking from experience.
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apsm100
··Noob taxpayerI have a love/hate relationship with my OCD tendencies. Probably saved my ass in a few important cases, but sometimes I have to remind it to chill. It'll pass.
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pitbos
·I would also offer that you should be careful if you try and separate that insert from the bezel ring. I know some do it on their own, but I always prefer to let my watchmaker do it.
If you're comfortable doing so, share some more photos of that watch...looks nice from those photos you posted.
If you're comfortable doing so, share some more photos of that watch...looks nice from those photos you posted.
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Harbormaster
·It’s definitely called wrist cheese and mine came with extra cheese. It does clean up! 😎
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·I would also offer that you should be careful if you try and separate that insert from the bezel ring. I know some do it on their own, but I always prefer to let my watchmaker do it.
If you're comfortable doing so, share some more photos of that watch...looks nice from those photos you posted.
I haven’t reached the level where I’ll mess with any part of a watch head. I’ll gladly enlist a pro for that. Someday when I have time perhaps I’ll learn to tinker.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerThere's no need to remove the bezel to get most if not all of that out. I use peg wood, but if you have a toothpick that might work also - use a knife to create a thin wedge shape on the end of the wood, stick that between the case and crystal, and then sweep it around the crystal. It will dig the dirt out very effectively in my experience.
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Evitzee
·You can use a Post-It note which has adhesive on one edge, that will often pick up dust, dirt and whatever has decided to fall into the gap.
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dsio
··Ash @ ΩFI'd avoid looking too hard, its easy to become obsessed when you play with high end cameras with macro lenses and loupes, you quickly realise that none of your watches, even the brand new ones stand up to scrutiny at a certain magnification.
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·There's no need to remove the bezel to get most if not all of that out. I use peg wood, but if you have a toothpick that might work also - use a knife to create a thin wedge shape on the end of the wood, stick that between the case and crystal, and then sweep it around the crystal. It will dig the dirt out very effectively in my experience.
My first thought was toothpick. And years of experience digging pocket lint out of an iPhone charging port.
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·I'd avoid looking too hard, its easy to become obsessed when you play with high end cameras with macro lenses and loupes, you quickly realise that none of your watches, even the brand new ones stand up to scrutiny at a certain magnification.
I’m usually not too worried about anything than can be cleaned. But with not knowing as much about vintage Speedys, I’m sometimes wary of those random one-off stories you sometime read about like: “Oh yah in the spring of 1971 they hired this guy Gary who used the wrong ganecktigazoink to fit the bezels and there’s a small batch that made it out that howls at a full moon.” And that kind of stuff.
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Felix_La_PuBelle
·It’s definitely called wrist cheese and mine came with extra cheese. It does clean up! 😎
This definitely scratches the brain itch. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
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mac_omega
·I have photoshopped the brightness and now it looks like this
Most likely it is debris but I am unable to exclude corrosion in the lower right area in the second photo - could be both...
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Davidt
·The fact is, dirt/gunk/debris can lead to corrosion. Anywhere you have a build up of gunk, it can hold moisture which caused corrosion. This is particularly a risk in areas where the gunk can’t escape and ends up sitting there for decades.
In many cases, gunk is just dirt and can be cleaned up nicely, with the metal underneath being fine. But it’s not uncommon, particularly under bezels and between the lugs if endlinks are chock full or dirt, to find surface pitting/corrosion has taken hold under the grime.
The only way to know is to check.
In many cases, gunk is just dirt and can be cleaned up nicely, with the metal underneath being fine. But it’s not uncommon, particularly under bezels and between the lugs if endlinks are chock full or dirt, to find surface pitting/corrosion has taken hold under the grime.
The only way to know is to check.
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