Need Your Wisdom on Watch Repair Experience

I have a guy to do the in depth work and another to do stuff like sizing a PITA pin and collar bracelet.

Most trained, experienced, watchmakers are expensive and will probably charge a "bench charge" even to diagnose a problem. But you get what you pay for.

If I were to get a quote from someone for 150 USD for a full service on an Omega, I'd run away fast.

I just started working with my local watchmaker in upstate Ny. learning how to do a casual service and oiling isn’t too bad, but the tools can get expensive

Thanks for sharing that! I see there's no compromising on quality for you. How do you decide when to go for the experienced (and pricier) guy versus the more affordable options? Does it depend on the watch or simply on the work to be done? Would be interesting to know your approach for different cases!

Fascinating! Giving collectors the opportunity to service their watches themselves could really enrich the hobby. Probably a niche for geeks like us, but I like the approach. Thank you for sharing the poll!

That's awesome you're getting hands-on experience! Is it the love of the craft driving you more than the cost savings?

Oh, for sure. I don’t know if I’ll try to turn it into a career, but either way it’s fun to do.

The engineer in me and my love for mechanical things has led me to explore maintenance at a hobby level. So far, lucky to find inexpensive movements via eBay. I’ve spent more on tools than specimens so far.

I’m at a point where I’ve learned how to work with tools under high magnification. I’ve serviced a movement to the point of disassembly, cleaning, some oiling as reassembled. Don’t have mainspring tools. Haven’t tried to remove jewels in a balance yet. So my service has gotten an antique running again but wouldn’t be as in depth as a paying customer would expect.

I can’t really justify next level of tools to fix the handful of practice specimens I have. If I buy those tools then I’d feel obligated to use them but that’s a positive feedback loop…gets out of control in a hurry.

But I do recognize the skills watchmaking requires and why they can charge a premium for it.

@ayadai

Argh, the Idee in general is great but there are a couple flaws in my opinion.

This comes from someone who occasionally works on their own watches for fun and my ultimate conclusion on this topic is: Only service movements that you wouldn’t be either totally heartbroken or bankrupt if you fucked up. Because that is a very real possibility.

2. Time

If you are in a position to buy luxury timepieces you probably work hard and don’t have time to sacrifice an entire weekend and dedicate it to a watch project.

3. Cost

Tools are not cheap. Not at all.

Even if you don’t go all Bergeon but rather Amazon or even Ali, a toolkit to effectively Service a watch will set you back 800$.

And for that money you could buy replacement movements for your cheap stuff and get your more elaborate watches serviced properly.

I really don’t think it’s a bad Idea in general just not one you’ll be able to turn into a business.

I really hate to be that guy but 🤓:

Attainable for aspirations/dreams/skills/goals etc.

Obtainable for objects such as watches.

Teddy Baldasarre gets it wrong every time too.

Sorry it just came over me.

But you are probably right about how great of an advancement for our shared hobby it would be if more people worked on their own watches.

The thought of working on my watches gives me an anxiety attack. Way over my pay grade. I have had success dropping them off for service at the boutiques

I want to learn how to service my watches. That being said I would not work on my more premium pieces.

Once I'm actually, fully, completely done with doing stuff for work, i.e.- I finally am too slow to run'n'gun with the young-uns, I plan to jump in with both feet.

Anyhoo, once that day comes I fully intend to use some of my POST 9-11 Bill to help find some serious schooling. Here in the US there is actually a company that works with vets to teach them all the ins and outs, culminating in a hand finished watch capstone.

They will also apparently help graduates find apprenticeships, etc.

Maybe even eventually do some of my own stuff, like Weiss/Vortic. But that's a big maybe, cuz at that point priority will hopefully be #allthegrandkids 😊👌🏻!

Unfortunately the more expensive the watch the more expensive the service. I have 1 Rolex who’s service cost more the most of my other watches.

You do get what you pay for at some point for sure… there was a watchmaker on the internet I used many years ago, whose main claim to fame was offering the cheapest Rolex service cost….I sent him my Sinn 856 UTC thinking “if he can service a Rolex, and ETA movement should be came”… we’ll, the cost was minimal, watch ran fine, but the case back was marred….the next time I went to a very well-known place in New York. Communication was good in the sense they updated you on the different phases of service which was nice, but cost was…sobering to say the least. Next I found a watchmaker very close to home (I’m in the Atlanta area). Very well regarded in terms of quality work, but I heard communication was non-existent and he would not contact the owner if he replaced a part that would exceed the original estimate…pretty much “my way of the highway.” Also an utter rip-off to remove a bracelet link ($25!!!). Suffice to say I didn’t use him. Honestly, what I look for is communication. If they are willing to take pictures of the movement and walk you through the service process, then it’s worth a shot, assuming they’re familiar with the movement they’re working on

Took my Longines Cal280 to two different jewelers, the first one said he serviced the watch but kept running about 30 seconds fast per day and charged me $120, the second one said there was nothing wrong with the watch, charged me $50 and lost the movement to case clamps and screws.

Got so angry at this that now I service my own watches. The Longines Cal280, I got it down to 12 seconds.