A bezel insert is a separate piece fitted to a watch’s bezel, the ring that surrounds the crystal. Inserts are mostly found on rotating bezels. The material decides how well the insert stands up to wear: aluminium scratches and dents easily, while ceramic and sapphire resist scratches much better.
What are bezel inserts made of?
Three materials are common: aluminium, ceramic and sapphire crystal. For decades, anodised aluminium was the usual choice for dive watches, and it is still widely used. Because it is soft, it marks more readily than the other two. Ceramic inserts are made of zirconium dioxide fired at high temperature. Ceramic is hard but not tough. In practice, a ceramic insert resists scratches but can still chip. Sapphire resists scratches almost as well as ceramic and has a deep, glass-like look.
Can a bezel insert be replaced?
The insert is a component in its own right. The bezel is the ring around the crystal, and the insert is a separate piece fitted to it. Because of this, a worn or damaged insert can in principle be swapped out without rebuilding the whole bezel. It is also why the two words should not be used as if they meant the same part.
Where it comes from
The first Rolex GMT-Master had an insert made of Bakelite, with luminous radium numerals set into it. About two years later, Rolex replaced it with an aluminium insert. Bakelite and aluminium inserts were fitted to Rolex’s professional models until the company developed its own ceramic insert, Cerachrom. The first Rolex with a ceramic bezel came out in 2005. Rolex’s ceramic insert resists scratches strongly and does not fade with long use or exposure to sunlight.
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