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Bezel for 1954 Rolex 6581 Oyster Perpetual

LittleWatchShop
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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On 4/17/2025 at 12:46 PM, SwissSeiko said:

As I recall, you have a sherline lathe, so that should be a pretty easy thing for you to make!

It would be fine to try. Maybe start with a larger bezel and cut it down.

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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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My friend says he wants me to proceed with making a bezel. He is not expecting rolex identical. Just a solution that will hold the crystal.

So, now my request for help has changed.

Any guidance on making the bezel would be helpful. I can only guess at the profile.

Material??

AndyGSi Distinguished Member

AndyGSi

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22 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

My friend says he wants me to proceed with making a bezel. He is not expecting rolex identical. Just a solution that will hold the crystal.

So, now my request for help has changed.

Any guidance on making the bezel would be helpful. I can only guess at the profile.

Material??

I'd start with stainless steel tube.

LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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5 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

I'd start with stainless steel tube.

Yes indeed. I have thought about starting with a washer, but that would be unknown metal. @nickelsilver has suggested 316L on another forum. I am going to see what form I can buy...hopefully tubular as you suggest.

LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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25 minutes ago, SwissSeiko said:

yes 316 stainless is what they used on these bezels. Maybe some of THESE would work, otherwise, get a 2" round bar, and turn it to your dimentions

Is there a difference between 316 and 316L. Seems like it, but ??

SwissSeiko WRT Addict

SwissSeiko

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1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

316 steel is not hardenable. It is a high corrosion resistant steel. Usually used for marine purposes. 

Hector is right, my mistake. The only way to harden it is by work hardening. But the bezel doesn't need hardening.

LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I plan to continue this thread until done.

I received the watch today.  My first step was to make measurements.  Here they are.

2025-04-2316_00_28-Window.jpg.3c0b04cfc0e94a7ebf132f4b3a8c62aa.jpg

Here is an image of this model watch retrieved from ebay

 

2025-04-23 15_49_24-Window.jpg

Here is my sketch of the bezel profile that I need to make.  No dimensions yet as I am pondering that.

2025-04-23 15_51_00-Window.jpg

 

Question:

Should the bezel grip the crystal?  The crystal is already gripping a lip of the case.

Here is a prototype I 3d printed just to get a sense of what i am dealing with

20250423_170324.jpg

Edited by LittleWatchShop
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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My drawings are not to scale, BTW.

Here is the FreeCAD illustration of what was printed. It has been very helpful to hold the printed bezel in my hand to get a sense of scale.

2025-04-24 10_11_15-Window.jpg

My plan over the next few days is to get some fender washers. They come in a nearly ideal thickness and and OD that is close to what I want.

I will make a precision arbor to hold the washer in my lathe to turn the outside dimension. 

Still pondering the best strategy for the inside cut.

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      My drawings are not to scale, BTW. Here is the FreeCAD illustration of what was printed. It has been very helpful to hold the printed bezel in my hand to get a sense of scale. My plan over the next few days is to get some fender washers. They come in a nearly ideal thickness and and OD that is close to what I want. I will make a precision arbor to hold the washer in my lathe to turn the outside dimension.  Still pondering the best strategy for the inside cut.
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