# Torn out rubber bezel



## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

Hello all of you diver fans

Those who got the SAR second hand and have the rubber ring full of scuffs and dings , how do you manage to change it ?
I can not send it to Muhle glashutte for changing a piece of rubber ..this will cost me triple the price of the rubber ring itself

I asked Muhle about the price for the rubber bezel and that was 60 euros ..but how to remove and reinstall 8

Any solution?


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## ichdien (Jun 2, 2020)

Reading your subject header, I expected to see a real mess. What I see, though, is a bezel with a few minor scratches. If it were me, these wouldn't bother me in the least, but if they bother you, I'd first check directly with Muhle to see if they have helpful suggestions.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

ichdien said:


> Reading your subject header, I expected to see a real mess. What I see, though, is a bezel with a few minor scratches. If it were me, these wouldn't bother me in the least, but if they bother you, I'd first check directly with Muhle to see if they have helpful suggestions.



I emailed Muhle and they told me to send the watch for them in germany for bezel change , which is a silly decision 

I just wanna know how to pop off the rubber ring ..


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

You might ask WUS member „amr ashraf“ here on WUS or Hesham Elhalawany on Instagram - German Wrist Watches (Group). Both seem to have the same issue.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

StufflerMike said:


> You might ask WUS member „amr ashraf“ here on WUS or Hesham Elhalawany on Instagram - German Wrist Watches (Group). Both seem to have the same issue.


Ok i will ask them . Hope they see my post
But where is your additional information since you replied my post ? 
I have seen you before very active in most of the posts 
So i am waiting to hear a valuable solution from you.. ..


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## Beenflik (Jul 26, 2021)

Just get out an xacto and sacrifice it for forum knowledge


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## colgex (Dec 12, 2013)

ichdien said:


> Reading your subject header, I expected to see a real mess. What I see, though, is a bezel with a few minor scratches. If it were me, these wouldn't bother me in the least, but if they bother you, I'd first check directly with Muhle to see if they have helpful suggestions.


Same, I thought OP would have a chunk of the bezel missing


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

colgex said:


> Same, I thought OP would have a chunk of the bezel missing


I can't live with the rubber ring full of dings and scuffs like that
It all related to personal preference


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## seadial (Jan 14, 2010)

Buy the rubber bezel ring and see what its cross section looks like. It could be that with the original removed by slicing that the replacement simply stretches over the metal upper bezel and snaps back into place. However if it has a flange that sits in a machined recess that may not be possible, in which case replacement requires dismantling.


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

I would make a brass or stainless replacement. I've seen similar like this that had a base of stainless with the rubber molded around it. It should be a simple press on bezel.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

dirtvictim said:


> I would make a brass or stainless replacement. I've seen similar like this that had a base of stainless with the rubber molded around it. It should be a simple press on bezel.


Have you seen before a muhle SAR with a brass or stainless steel replacement ? 

I just wanna see how does it look ..


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

dirtvictim said:


> I would make a brass or stainless replacement. I've seen similar like this that had a base of stainless with the rubber molded around it. It should be a simple press on bezel.


I just wanna be sure that the rubber is assembled by a press fit and doesn't need disassembly for the crystal and the thin metal bezel to mount it ..


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Tech21 said:


> Ok i will ask them . Hope they see my post
> But where is your additional information since you replied my post ?
> I have seen you before very active in most of the posts
> So i am waiting to hear a valuable solution from you.. ..


What „additional information are you talking about ? Are you referring to my post on the German Watches Forum where I answered a question of member amr ashraf ?


> You posted a review in 2017 and I added some info. Why do you ask ?<


 If so, are you amr ashraf, are you running two accounts ?

Anyway, *the *solution you are looking for is to send your SAR to Mühle.


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## Gallowglass (Sep 16, 2020)

That’s what the rubber bezel is for and I think it looks pretty good, TBH. I wouldn’t do anything until their was chunks out of it.


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

Tech21 said:


> Have you seen before a muhle SAR with a brass or stainless steel replacement ?
> 
> I just wanna see how does it look ..


No but I would figure it out. I'm crafty. Just a guess but I'd think the bezel assembly presses on from the front which includes the metal crystal surround similar to many other I have worked on. That may support the crystal or may not but it's of no matter a new metal bezel could be made to fit.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

dirtvictim said:


> No but I would figure it out. I'm crafty. Just a guess but I'd think the bezel assembly presses on from the front which includes the metal crystal surround similar to many other I have worked on. That may support the crystal or may not but it's of no matter a new metal bezel could be made to fit.



I thought it was just a groove between the middle case and the thin metal bezel around the crystal ,through which the rubber ring is pressed and placed , but i am not sure


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## dirtvictim (Mar 9, 2006)

Tech21 said:


> I thought it was just a groove between the middle case and the thin metal bezel around the crystal ,through which the rubber ring is pressed and placed , but i am not sure


My guess is it's a metal compression ring that traps the rubber but it could be molded into the ring as well. I've had similar on a couple watches that pressed on around the crystal support which is machined directly into the case so the crystal is secured by itself. One such was a Swiss army but don't remember the model. 
In any case this is a project that doesn't necessarily need to go to MG. Perhaps go with carbon fiber, or damascus that would be very cool.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

dirtvictim said:


> My guess is it's a metal compression ring that traps the rubber but it could be molded into the ring as well. I've had similar on a couple watches that pressed on around the crystal support which is machined directly into the case so the crystal is secured by itself. One such was a Swiss army but don't remember the model.
> In any case this is a project that doesn't necessarily need to go to MG. Perhaps go with carbon fiber, or damascus that would be very cool.


Yes carbon fiber would be cool 😎 
Thanks for the advice


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## gunsmoke16610 (Aug 19, 2007)

To the OP something to consider. The use of a rubber coated bezel was purposeful on the SAR. As I understand it the idea was to reduce impact to the sides of the 4 mm sapphire crystal. That’s a benefit worth keeping regardless of the wear and tear which all watches get eventually.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

gunsmoke16610 said:


> To the OP something to consider. The use of a rubber coated bezel was purposeful on the SAR. As I understand it the idea was to reduce impact to the sides of the 4 mm sapphire crystal. That’s a benefit worth keeping regardless of the wear and tear which all watches get eventually.



Yes i understand what you are saying 
But the problem with the rubber is that if you use your watch alot in sea water , the abrasion to the rubber will happen fast , and the rubber looks will be bad after few years of continuous usage...and that what happened to me , more over lots of scuffs...

So i have some concerns with bezel coated by rubber as the longevity of the rubber will not be like steel ...
And if muhle sells the rubber bezel to customer , it will save us from the hassle of sending the watch back to germany for changing a small piece of rubber ..!


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

StufflerMike said:


> What „additional information are you talking about ? Are you referring to my post on the German Watches Forum where I answered a question of member amr ashraf ?
> 
> If so, are you amr ashraf, are you running two accounts ?
> 
> Anyway, *the *solution you are looking for is to send your SAR to Mühle.


What i mean by ( additional information) is to give me a useful answer or solution to my question in my post instead of telling me to go and ask other memebers 

For sure i will not send the watch to germany to change a piece of rubber ..the hassle of sending the watch overseas plus the hassle of customs is much bigger than the cost of the rubber bezel itself ...🙂


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## ichdien (Jun 2, 2020)

Tech21 said:


> Yes i understand what you are saying
> But the problem with the rubber is that if you use your watch alot in sea water , the abrasion to the rubber will happen fast , and the rubber looks will be bad after few years of continuous usage...and that what happened to me , more over lots of scuffs...
> 
> So i have some concerns with bezel coated by rubber as the longevity of the rubber will not be like steel ...
> And if muhle sells the rubber bezel to customer , it will save us from the hassle of sending the watch back to germany for changing a small piece of rubber ..!


Just curious. After using the watch in salt water, do you rinse it with fresh water? I imagine that quickly removing the corrosive element (i.e. salt) would keep the bezel from deteriorating--though, as I said in a previous post, your bezel still seems to be in pretty good shape.


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## Tech21 (Jun 29, 2017)

ichdien said:


> Just curious. After using the watch in salt water, do you rinse it with fresh water? I imagine that quickly removing the corrosive element (i.e. salt) would keep the bezel from deteriorating--though, as I said in a previous post, your bezel still seems to be in pretty good shape.



To be honest , some times i forget to rinse my watch with fresh water after using it in sea water ..

But that happened with most of my watches , not only the SAR ..
but since the SAR has a rubber bezel , so the damage was more rapid ..


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## amr ashraf (Jan 9, 2009)

Tech21 said:


> Yes i understand what you are saying
> But the problem with the rubber is that if you use your watch alot in sea water , the abrasion to the rubber will happen fast , and the rubber looks will be bad after few years of continuous usage...and that what happened to me , more over lots of scuffs...
> 
> So i have some concerns with bezel coated by rubber as the longevity of the rubber will not be like steel ...
> And if muhle sells the rubber bezel to customer , it will save us from the hassle of sending the watch back to germany for changing a small piece of rubber ..!



I have bought recently a new SAR and i was wondering the same about the durability of the rubber bezel and i emailed Muhle and their reply was like that :

(there are two versions of our SAR. For our older models, you have to change the whole top of the case. As you bought your SAR Rescue Timer just some weeks ago, you definitely have a new model and so we just have to change the bezel.)

So it seems that it is an easy process, don't worry mate 😉


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## CMSgt Bo (Feb 12, 2006)

amr ashraf said:


> I have bought recently a new SAR and i was wondering the same about the durability of the rubber bezel and i emailed Muhle and their reply was like that :
> 
> (there are two versions of our SAR. For our older models, you have to change the whole top of the case. As you bought your SAR Rescue Timer just some weeks ago, you definitely have a new model and so we just have to change the bezel.)
> 
> So it seems that it is an easy process, don't worry mate 😉


Enough childish games, this thread is closed and your 4 accounts here are banned.


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