# How To Remove A Cyclops



## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

I am getting a watch with a cyclops on it, and am not keen on it. Was wondering how to get it off? Anyone have any hints?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

The way I did it was:

Get a soldering iron, switch it on and when hot hold the tip to the top of the cyclops, this will soften and melt the glue , have a sharp knife ready and after 30 seconds put pressure via the blade on the edge of the cyclops where it meets the crystal and see if it will push off sideways, don't pry it, it it doesn't work heat for longer and push harder.....

I accept no responsibility if you fek it up


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks Jase. May put it on hold with my Marcello then


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

A couple I have heard of,

one is simply to knock it off and the other was to use a solvent to dissolve the glue.

B.


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Suppose nobody has a internet site they know of that does a step by step?


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Ventura said:


> Suppose nobody has a internet site they know of that does a step by step?


I have seen the odd person on some Rolex sites that have done it so they might be worth a look around.


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Cheers mate. I have a Marcello Tridente inbound with the cyclops. I don't like cyclops on large watches, but I am worried about spoiling the watch


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Ventura said:


> but I am worried about spoiling the watch


So would I be as well :lol:


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## JustWatchMe (Jul 15, 2008)

Man, I thought the cyclopses were somehow machined into a single piece of crystal!

These things are just stuck on? Even on a Rolex?


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2008)

jasonm said:


> The way I did it was:
> 
> Get a soldering iron, switch it on and when hot hold the tip to the top of the cyclops, this will soften and melt the glue , have a sharp knife ready and after 30 seconds put pressure via the blade on the edge of the cyclops where it meets the crystal and see if it will push off sideways, don't pry it, it it doesn't work heat for longer and push harder.....
> 
> I accept no responsibility if you fek it up


That be the disclaimer


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## squareleg (Mar 6, 2008)

JustWatchMe said:


> Man, I thought the cyclopses were somehow machined into a single piece of crystal!
> 
> These things are just stuck on? Even on a Rolex?


Couldn't you just replace the crystal? Might be easier... I mean, in the long run. I liked Jason's idea - especially the disclaimer! :lol:


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Send it to me, i'll sort it


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## squareleg (Mar 6, 2008)

Had another idea...










...but, to quote Jason, I accept no responsibility if you fek it up!


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## jbw (May 6, 2008)

I went with the Heavy handed aproach...I was Shitting myself! I got a block of wood

on a table with the wood up against my waist...Put the watch up to the wood and placed

a strip of masking tape on one side of the cyclops..Then the easy bit! Got a chisel up against the

cyclops and gave it a good hit with the Hammer.I had read somewhere you have to really go for it

or you end up breaking bits off.I have to say it's one of the easiest things i have done...When i finally

opened my eyes to look at the watch it was gone , A quick clean with some polish and that was it.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Great pics :thumbup: The watch looks a bit, dunno really, austere maybe, could do with a cyclops IMO


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

What!

No disclaimer?


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

That looks like my old Robert watch :lol:

Anyway I dunno whether I have the guts with the Tridente... Maybe whenever I get it serviced I will ask...

Thanks for the replies guys.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

MarkF said:


> could do with a cyclops IMO


Definately. Looks a bit spartan at the moment.

:lol:


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Ventura said:


> That looks like my old Robert watch :lol:
> 
> Anyway I dunno whether I have the guts with the Tridente... Maybe whenever I get it serviced I will ask...
> 
> Thanks for the replies guys.


Send the watch to me Hari - I removed the crystal on an old Rolie Submariner clone using some acetone (we have propanone at work but nail varnish remover is also an acetone) & a razor blade to persuade the cyclops to part company with the crystal - which was unmarked afterwards  I'm not saying it'll work with the Tridente but it should be worth a try.

Send me a pm if you're interested


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## jbw (May 6, 2008)

Heads up lads...Looks like the owners of 5513/14060 and Sea Dwellers might have watches that look

a bit Austere and Spartan!! :lol:


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

I'd just get a new glass put on it Hari (perhaps Roy could help?)

That way when you flip it you can offer the original glass with it 

People are also more likely to buy it off you if you do decide to sell it in the future, if it's not completely fu**ed following being hit with a hammer & chisel :lol:

Dave


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## jbw (May 6, 2008)

if it's not completely fu**ed following being hit with a hammer & chisel :lol:

Look at the pictures....Whats Fu**ed About it?????


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

jbw said:


> if it's not completely fu**ed following being hit with a hammer & chisel :lol:
> 
> Look at the pictures....Whats Fu**ed About it?????


It was a joke :blink:


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Hitting it with a hammer & chisel could easily have gone wrong.

Replacement crystal is the best be me thinks if you cant live with a cyclops.


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## jbw (May 6, 2008)

Hitting it with a hammer & chisel could easily have gone wrong.

I totally agree with you there Minkle , I have removed cyclops using various other methods that have been

posted , Acetone and Razor blade etc...I remember years ago on MWR when the SAR came out, most people wanted

the watch without a cyclops and most spent money on a new crystal until someone did it the chisel way...Everyone said they must be mad! Until more and more people did it and it worked without damage.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

I like cyclops but if I didn't I probably wouldn't buy a watch with one, would save a lot of hassle.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

"Hit it with a hammer and chisel"

I love it here, me....


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

chris l said:


> "Hit it with a hammer and chisel"


pfffffft chisels 

This'll shift it










:thumbsup:


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

pauluspaolo said:


> Send the watch to me Hari - I removed the crystal on an old Rolie Submariner clone using some acetone (we have propanone at work but nail varnish remover is also an acetone) & a razor blade to persuade the cyclops to part company with the crystal - which was unmarked afterwards  I'm not saying it'll work with the Tridente but it should be worth a try.
> 
> Send me a pm if you're interested


Cheers Paul will do if I don't get along with it. It's odd I never thought of these things aswell as white on black date wheel, best clicking bezel etc until I came here. I will receive the watch tomorrow so will see how it goes.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

jbw said:


> Got a chisel up against the cyclops and gave it a good hit with the Hammer.


You took a hammer and chisel to a Robert. Should be a law against that









I like it though


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## Fatbloke (Oct 15, 2007)

has anyone tried this method to remove a cyclops, looks a bit complex but it shows it works


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Fatbloke said:


> has anyone tried this method to remove a cyclops, looks a bit complex but it shows it works


Awww pooo.....I fell for that one!

I actually love that film :lol:


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## SharkBike (Apr 15, 2005)

How to remove a cyclops?

Poke him in the eye.

(i crack myself up)


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## Paul Jones (Oct 29, 2008)

pauluspaolo said:


> I removed the crystal on an old Rolie Submariner clone using some acetone (we have propanone at work but nail varnish remover is also an acetone) & a razor blade to persuade the cyclops to part company with the crystal - which was unmarked afterwards  I'm not saying it'll work with the Tridente but it should be worth a try.
> 
> Send me a pm if you're interested


Just to add a quick note to this old thread. I just acquired an Alpha GMT, nice and shiny but the cyclops was not quite straight. I'm not a fan of cyclopses (is that the plural?) so I thought I'd follow this thread and see if I could remove it. A few dabs with nail varnish remover, waited a minute or so, bit more nail varnish remover, another 30 secs or so. Hard press with a razor blade and it popped of no problem (apart from having to search the carpet for the cyclops). Bit of nail varnish and a rub to take the extra glue off and then a quick polish with Polywatch and now it is nice and shiny without the cyclops.

The only other watch I have with a cyclops is a 1968 Rolex, not sure I'd want to try on that.

Paul


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I presume I`m the only one round here who as actually asked a watchmaker to add a cyclops :huh:

& I`m seriously considering doing it again for another up coming watch purchase :tongue2:


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## Paul Jones (Oct 29, 2008)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> I presume I`m the only one round here who as actually asked a watchmaker to add a cyclops :huh:
> 
> & I`m seriously considering doing it again for another up coming watch purchase :tongue2:


No accounting for taste :tongue2:


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## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> & I`m seriously considering doing it again for another up coming watch purchase :tongue2:


...your a sick man Mach! :fear: :doctor:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Stuart Davies said:


> mach 0.0013137 said:
> 
> 
> > & I`m seriously considering doing it again for another up coming watch purchase :tongue2:
> ...


No, I`m Special


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I'm with Mach, when you get to my age, it's either a cyclops or carry a loupe with you at all times - just to read the date :yes:


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## Markybirch (Apr 24, 2009)

From what i've read on this thread, it all seems a bit harsh :thumbsdown:

If you dont want a cyclops on a watch..............then dont buy the watch. Seems a shame to remove something that came with the watch. Adding something to a watch....then thats a different story..................


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

mel said:


> I'm with Mach, when you get to my age, it's either a cyclops or carry a loupe with you at all times - just to read the date :yes:


Mel, at your age, who gives a tinker's cuss about the date? It can only be bad news anyway! :lol:


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## DMP (Jun 6, 2008)

I had a go at removing the cyclops from my Debaufre Ocean GMT 2 a few months ago :assassin: - initially tried the nail-polish remover route, didn't work, tried the hot soldering iron and sharp knife method :butcher: - that didn't work either. Finally in desperation I took the caveman :taz: route of claw hammer and 1 inch chisel......hmmm, that didn't work either, ********, did it?! (made a nice ole mess of the cyclops though...)









Cue email to Debaufre :telephone: watch currently at watchmaker having new crystal installed (with cyclops) - figure I should just learn to live with it........


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

best way to deal with a cyclops is to wear dateless watches and buy a paper.

am only just coming to accept day windows (dates i suppose i can live with now) cyclops NEVER !


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

desmondus rotundus said:


> best way to deal with a cyclops is to wear dateless watches and buy a paper.
> 
> am only just coming to accept day windows (dates i suppose i can live with now) cyclops NEVER !


I thought that until I bought a GMT II..... so never say never


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

mjolnir said:


> :thumbsup:


Can you use this stuff without removing the watch from your wrist first ? ?  (saves time h34r: )


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## Badger (Jan 5, 2004)

I've done it on a few watches. Use a glass fitting machine to remove the crystal, and get one of those windproof gas lighters - the ones that have a blue jet flame. Heat the cyclops and it will fall off. Clean up any old cement with a razor blade and replace the crystal using a new gasket if needed.

However, there is also a handy kit on the market...










Regards

Dave


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

PhilM said:


> desmondus rotundus said:
> 
> 
> > best way to deal with a cyclops is to wear dateless watches and buy a paper.
> ...


knowing me by next year everything i own will have at least one cyclops on it....


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## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

holy thread digup batman


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