Hi to all from the jolly old UK.
The question is this: Is it possible to heat the bezel of a pocket watch to insert a new crystal?, or is it satisfactory to use adhesive?.
And why is it so difficult to obtain a decent crystal when the abreviations on the internet might just as well be Swahili?......I have a 1936 Waltham Vanguard Premier with a horrible plastic crystal on it.
Thanks to all !!!!

Neither is correct. The bevelled edge crystals were snap fitted,or in other words,made just a tad bigger than the bezel crystal lip ,then carefully pressed in. CLICK HERE: IHC185 member William White does make new crystals for around $13,fitted to your bezel

hi stephen; this posting I copied of williams is not right up to date but will give you an idea, regards,Tom
The convex beveled edge crystals I make for American open face pocket watches are made from either 1.8mm borosilicate or 1.5 & 1.2mm drawn water white glass, 1.8mm being the most popular for 16s RR's. Any diameter between 35 - 50mm is priced at $10.95 ea. + $5.95 S&H for any quantity. Also available are larger convex or flat beveled glasses up to 110mm. Available thickness' are 1.8, 2.0, 2.8, 3.3 & 4.0mm. Prices for these range from between $24.95 - $100.00 depending on size, thickness and application. I will also fabricate verge-fusee high dome glass crystals with or without flat bullseye for $89.00. All types of glass used are very clear and exhibit no edge color. I'm not offering hunting glass at this time but hope to in the future.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you.

William

info@whitescrystals.com

Thanks Tom for your kind advice. I have gone to Daves watch parts for a crystal and hopefuly will not snap the glass when I tease it in!.

Yes I went to his website and lo and behold he has a tool called a bezel warmer, though I and the many watchmakers whose stock I bought just press installed them with finger pressure. But there is such a tool,and we can learn something new every day LOL

A CMW (my late former watchmaker) told me that the classic method is a simple friction fit, if you have to use glue to hold it in, you need the next size larger crystal. So that's how I fit them in my watches.

A few years ago, I bought a large crystal cabinet with thousands of crystals that have met my needs so far, but I'm running low on the key sizes for 16S open face watches. When I run out I'll be availing myself of Mr. White's excellent services.

My VTF Crystal Cabinet

Such a beautiful sight I have never seen, Ed. Candy to the eyes of a collector who doesn't have a cabinet like this!!
Mike

I bought a walnut ten drawer in 1973 from my friend Joe Schmidt of Rodney Ontario, A watchmaker/jeweller and Canada Southern Railway timekeeper.1000s of crystals and used them for years, used up what there were of RR sizes and still have nearly every other size. Then many years later saw an identical cabinet of crystals on eBay in East Liverpool Ohio. I emailed about the difficulty of shipping and he asked where I lived,I told him Aylmer Ontario , and he said ,meet me 1/2 way,50 miles west of Buffalo and we have a deal. Went there ,did the deal, and he had brought three other boxes of watch material including one with about 50 salemans sample cases 16s many of them Hamilton Thought I was in watch parts heaven!!! Thanks sailor {Therman Riggs}, you were ,and I hope still are, a great guy!!! (eBay name thermanr,one of the great gentlemen, and a retired USN sailor)

you can see the top of cabinet 2 under cabinet 1

That's a nice cabinet Tom, with the real black walnut drawers. My cabinet is only poplar, stained to look like walnut.

I got my cabinet, with 4 drawers and about 3500 crystals delivered by UPS with only about a dozen broken crystals. It was packed in a larger cardboard carton with crumpled newspaper packing. Amazing!

My black walnut is in my watchmaker's bench (see picture).

My Bench

now that puts my old oak beater to shame LOL
are you on Skype?

Hi ! I noticed the VTF crystal cabinets ! Very nice! I have a 10 drawer style, like Mr Parsons, and need one of the drawer pull knobs exactly like he has in his picture - If any one out there has one - I would be happy to pay your price plus shipping for it!
* I also have several thousand crystals in my collection that I am willing to share, and if anyone is looking for a crystal, please feel free to contact me and I will look for it in my inventory.

It is with the deepest regret that I tell you that Therman Riggs wife emailed to tell me he had passed away, the loss of a great gentleman!!!!her email to me follows-

dear tom,
I am very very sorry to tell you that Therman passed away august 10. I am still not able to talk about it but his left lung was full of blood and clots,they to him to surgery drained the ------------------ deleted-graphic ------- and it was working okay. They kept him heavily sedated and on the ventilater but his right lung collapsed completly causing the left lung to collapse causing him to have a massive heart attack and his passing. He talked many times about meeting you again to go for that lunch we owed you. Our sons and I are coping with our loss but it is very,very hard to do. I wasn't ready for him to leave me. Take care of yourself. Thermans' wife Ethelle Riggs