1675 bezel

[rusi]

Hi,

Did the GMTs (1675) have three different color bezels during their porduction times like the GMT II have now -- Black, Red/Blue , Black/Maroon.
Pl. guide.

[mike]

The 1675 was orginally equipped with the Red/blue bezel insert. Circa 1970 or so the all black was introduced as an option.
Those two color combinations were also offer for the 16750. Inserts from these two models are interchangeable.
The Red/Black insert was not introduced untill the GMT II.

[Lol-x]

That's right on Mike, but I feel my 1675 has been a little deprived without having the red & black bezel option, so this is what its got now:

[roadcarver]

Do you pop your bezel ring everytime you change the bezel insert? I guess the bezel insert is friction fitted?

[Lol-x]

The bezel ring ("the bezel") has to be removed from the watch for the insert to be changed.
Ideally, one should have a bezel for each insert. This means that one does not have to remove and instal bezel inserts into bezels whenever a change has been made.
Getting the insert into the bezel can be tricky. A local watch maker destroyed an insert of mine recently, because he used excessive finger force pressure to get the bezel insert to fit into the bezel ring.
What I ended up doing was lightly filing the edge of the insert until it was able to very precisely snap into the bezel. It took me about 1 hour of trial and file until it was a perfect 'snap' in fit, but it was worth it.
Now I will just change entire bezel with insert when I wish to change between one or other colour bezels.

[rusi]

Thanks guys, help appreciated.