FAQ

I want you to repair/service my watch – what do I have to do?

Please go to our booking page to request a workshop slot for your watch. As demand is higher than our capacity, we can not accept every request, even if we would like to do so. Your request will stay in our booking queue for one month, and if we don’t manage to accept it during that period of time, you will get an automated email telling you that we can’t accept your watch at the moment. Please feel free to try again if that happens.

I am an existing customer – do I get preferential treatment?

Yes, you do. We can see that you have had a watch with us before, and we will try to give you preferential treatment if we can.

What’s the best way to send you my watch?

Please pack your watch carefully – think of someone playing football with the parcel, that will give you an idea of what’s good packaging. Also, best not to include any valuable or original watch boxes etc. as I have to keep track of those in the workshop and send them back, so I prefer if you don’t include anything else but the watch. Think bubble wrap. Don’t use rubber bands on silver watch cases as they stain. Also, it’s best to first wrap the watch in some tissue paper, and then in cling film.

You might also spare a thought for me having to unwrap. So 20 layers of sellotape aren’t that easy to remove, and, as I will have to use a blade, not entirely without danger for your watch 😉

UK

If you ship a watch to me from the UK, first class recorded does the trick nicely. It’s trackable, and I haven’t lost a watch yet.

U.S.A.

Please use USPS Priority Mail International Small Box Flat Rate. When filling in your customs form, please declare the value as $ 20 – this is not a commercial transaction with your watch, I’m sending it back to you. So I’m not telling you to cheat, but if you declare a higher value, I will have to pay 20%VAT + £8 processing charge, which I will have to pass on to you. What you declare on the customs form has nothing to do with the value you can insure.

Please note on the customs form “watch for repair, will be returned to US owner”.

Other countries

Same rules apply – don’t declare a value over USD 20, as the watch will be returned. I’m not buying it from you. Note on the customs form “watch for repair, will be returned to owner”.

Always use parcel tracking.

If you enclose parts with your watch (fallen off crown, etc.), please put them in a little plastic bag, and stick the bag with sellotape to an A4 sheet of paper, on which you state that there is a part attached. I’ve already thrown away a crown, so let’s not let that happen again.

Do you offer a warranty?

Yes, I do. If I service your watch, I give you a one year warranty on my work. This of course won’t apply if you drop your watch and break the balance staff. The warranty is at my discretion, but I’m a generous person and will fix your watch within the year if it wasn’t broken by a shock or water ingress.

How long will it take to fix my watch?

This depends on how much work I have. I try to keep my queue down to 4 weeks or so, and that’s what the booking system is for.

I just want my crystal changed and not a complete service, do you do that?

Yes I do. I don’t force a service on you if you don’t want one. I also repair single-issue problems (such as a broken off crown) without a service if you wish so. My warranty will then only stretch to that particular bit of work carried out. It is often advisable to have your watch fully serviced, but I won’t force your hand in the matter. Especially if you just want a new crystal 😉

Can I supply my own parts?

Of course you can – saves me the work of hunting down the parts.

Do you scratch a service date into the watch back?

No, I don’t. You get an invoice showing you what I did. If you would like your watch back scratched, let me know and I will put a service date in there.

 Should I take the bracelet / strap off?

Not to worry, keep them on. If your strap is in a condition that we can boil stock from it, you might want to remove it just to spare us having to do so 😉

How do you invoice and how can I pay?

Once work is completed, I will send you a PayPal invoice. You can then either pay through PayPal, or transfer the money into my bank account (BACS in the UK, and I supply IBAN and BIC for international customers). It’s probably the most convenient for you to pay using PayPal, and I don’t mind paying the 2.5% for your convenience.

I can also take card payments in person or over the phone.

Can you restore my watch dial?

I personally don’t restore dials, but use David Bill & Sons, or Danafi in Spain. I’m more than happy to take your dial out, send it to them and put it back in. I only charge you what they charge me.

Do you repair watch cases?

No, but I outsource that sort of work. As above, I only charge you what I’ve been charged for the work and I’m happy to organise everything to you and make sure it’s carried out correctly.

Will my 50 year old chronometer work to COSC specifications after a service?

Probably not. With luck, it will, but considering the wear and tear of 50 years of use, it’s not very likely. Your watch will keep good time, but not to COSC specifications. I will try my best to adjust the watch properly, but you can’t expect miracles.

Will my vintage watch still be water resistant?

Most likely, no. There are several ways water can get into a case. The case back, and that’s quite easy to sort out with a new case back gasket, which I normally fit (if I can get hold of one that fits). Trickier is the crystal. Some crystals have gaskets, and you can’t get hold of all of them. The worst culprit is the crown/winding stem. On most crowns, you can’t change the gasket, so with time, they won’t be water resistant any more. Also, the pendant tube surface wears, and you can get grooves in the tube that will also allow water to get in.

In general, vintage watches aren’t waterproof, and they still won’t be when they come back from a service. If this is really important to you, let me know, and I can try my best. But there is cost involved – a new crown for a watch can easily cost £55 for some Omega models.

Is my watch insured whilst it is in your workshop?

We have insurance, but with fairly restrictive terms. For example, if a watch is on the autowinder for testing overnight, it is not covered, as it’s not in the safe. The same if true for work that is on the bench overnight. So it’s best to make sure your own insurance covers your watch whilst it is with us.

Do you have a price list?

Yes, I do, and it’s here.

 

47 thoughts on “FAQ

  1. Hi Christian
    I recently bought a 1970s vintage Rado NCC101.
    It is in extremely good condition for its age, supposedly been kept in a safe for years. Its an automatic and the watch starts when shaken.
    But I am aware there are fakes of these in existence.
    Would you take the watch to inspect for originality, and a full check over for it all working correctly?

  2. Do you service Hublot big bang 41mm?
    It has the eta type movement I believe, running fine without issues, can I have a quote please?

  3. Hi Christian
    hello from Guam, I work at a dive shop here, and I also do minor service on Seiko and Citizen Dive watches for some of our customers
    I am looking for information on the case back o ring for a Tag Heuer WD1411-G-20 Ladies Aquaracer that one of our military customers brought in for a battery change. I thought finding the size specs on the O-ring should be a snap. Wrong! I spent at least 5 hours looking without finding anything about watch o-ring sizes which seem odd. I do not want to open the case if I do not have the correct O-ring. ordering one is not a option because this person is transferring to another remote location in less than 2 weeks.

    I hope you can save the day:-)
    V/R
    Chris

  4. Hi! Just a general question I wonder if you could answer as I can’t find it after trawling the internet! What diameter pins are used on a midsize SM Pro 300 with 1502/824 bracelet?
    I need to buy a new removal tool and it comes with a Ø0.80mm pin fitting. Just want to be sure that is not too big?
    Greatly appreciated.

  5. I have my late father’s Universal Geneve Compax chronograph. The face is unsigned however the movement is 386 and the case number is 717761 reference 7572 which by my research dates from 1938-1941.
    Although it does wind up and tell the correct time, the second hand doesn’t move, but the second counter small dial does. the button above the winder depresses, but the one below is ceased, so the does not work.
    Is this something you feel you could restore to working condition?
    Thanks

    • Hi Cathy,

      We can fix that if we can get hold of the parts we need – but we will only know once we know what’s broken. If you want us to have a look, please fill in the booking form on our website.

  6. Hello, do you service travel clocks (a small Jaeger 8 days from early sixties and Movado Ermeto simple one, probably earlier date…)? Thanks, Aleks

  7. Do you service Chinese Seagull watches?
    e.g. ST19 movement in the Seagull 1963 Mechanical Hand Wind Chronograph.

  8. My Rolex GMT Master 1675 (from around late 1960’s) has a very worn Oyster bracelet with some stretching. Do you “re-pin” bracelets? Would you say it would affect the value of the watch if a re-pin was done as I intend to wear the watch on a regular basis?

  9. Dear Christian
    I noticed in the thread above you don’t do battery powered watches, therefore can you recommend the tool to use to change the battery from my Patek Phillipe 24 stainless steel watch? Any advice appreciated.
    Kindest regards
    Jenny

  10. I have two beautiful Omega watches : a recent co axial aqua terra day/date and a omega dynamic automatic. I am a sculptor and i wear them ALL the time. Heres my question: do i need to take off the watch to chop wood or hammer metal? What do you think? Cheers. Mike

  11. I am an existing customer – do I get preferential treatment?

    Yes, you do. We can see that you have had a watch with us before, and we will try to give you preferential treatment if we can.

    This worries me. Surely as all customers new and old are paying the same they should get the same service?

  12. I have a JLC Memovox ref 141.8.97 c 2000 the dial inner disc is discoloured the watch works perfectly, after service can you reseal it to be water proof
    please let me know
    Thank you

      • Christian

        I managed to get a booking to sort out couple of watches.

        Received a message saying “ I have the booking but you are awaiting me to send them to you” from your website.
        Thought that you would be contacting me with details where to send the watches.

        Have I misread something?

        Kind regards

        M Shah

  13. Hi Christian,
    Can you service and repair if needed Enicar Sherpa watches?
    Can you also provide a new glass andwhat wouldthe glass cost?

    Regards

    Kim

  14. Hi.
    I would just like to thank you for your most informative blogs on watches. It’s just a pleasure to read your stuff if you have an interest in watches. Thanks.
    Kim
    (Denmark)

  15. Hi WatchGuy,
    I have a Junghans Max Bill original (from the sixties) but unfortunatelly it has a very dirty dial. I do not want to re-dial it. Do you clean dials? I have look up the David Bill’ s page and they only do dial restorations. I can send you a picture.
    regards

  16. Hi, I have an Ebel that was my grandfather’s.It has Date (round the outside) Day Month (through windows in the face) and phases of the moon.

    The last time I had it serviced was late 70’s and they couldn’t fix the moon phase and they took the second hand off.

    Do you think you could service, repair and replace the second hand?

    Many thanks – fascinating blog!
    Jonathan

  17. Hi, Im considering buying a seagull, (I even read up your test of it so Im well aware of some of its quiet likerly short commings). However my main concern is service, do you guys do service on watches like that or do that fall under replica?

  18. hi
    i have a Seiko professional diver 300m, probably 1968/1969 year
    it is a 6159-7001
    stem is broke, and needs service
    can you repair it ?
    best regards

    • Yes. In the meantime, get the replacement stem off eBay – saves us getting it. Check our booking page from time to time for new repair slots.

  19. Dear Christian,

    I have an Omega Constellation Automatic Chonometer dating c. 2006, which has been running slow by over a minute per day. It was serviced in c. 2007. At Omega’s store the watch was demagnetised (the problem did not disappear) and I was also advised to service it.

    Please would you let me know the cost of servicing such watch. Also the bracelet needs polishing. I understand you do not service bracelets but will you be able to oursource it to someone who does?

    Many thanks,

    Dmitry

    • Hi Dimitry,

      Bracelet polishing (which we outsource) costs around £50. Please have a look at the price list for the cost of the service.

      Best regards,

      Christian

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