Vintage watch repair

[DC3]

It all started when I wore three piece suits and French cuff shirts. Most wrist watches are too bulky for cuffed shirts and I think pocket watches and their chains have more style. I still wear three piece suits and cuffed shirts from time to time but more often I wear western or motorcycle leather vests. I have a number of pocket watches and am looking to get an older railroad style. I also have my Grandfathers Gruen wrist watch which needs the mainspring fixed.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

I have a watchmaker near my office who specialises in antique pocket watches. He charges AUS$270 for a basic service - which involves pulling the thing apart, oiling, etc.

At that cost, I don't service them often, but they come back keeping perfect time.

 

[anon`]

I have my watches serviced when they cease to function properly. To date, that's only happened twice. Once because the stem broke, and once because I dropped a watch and shattered the crystal (whoops!).

There's an excellent gentleman here in Portland that does fabulous work at a very fair price. I take my watches to him and have been forbidden to share his name about by the folks that introduced me to him

 

[Talbot]

I have my watches serviced when they cease to function properly. To date, that's only happened twice. Once because the stem broke, and once because I dropped a watch and shattered the crystal (whoops!).

There's an excellent gentleman here in Portland that does fabulous work at a very fair price. I take my watches to him and have been forbidden to share his name about by the folks that introduced me to him

Funny, my watch guy is a bit the same. I asked him if he'd mind if I referred other people to him. He said no, he had all the work he needed. Tight knit community. Try finding a god redial service[huh]

 

[Talbot]

Franken watch or fixer upper

I have a milestone birthday coming up and my ever loving has decided to buy me a nice timepiece to add to my vintage collection.

I'm leaning towards an early Omega Constellation, Seamaster or Universal Polerouter/Polarouter

The name franken watch applies to timepices that are thrown together to appear to be something they are not, ie wrong movements for the case, or wrong dial for the case etc.

Its a bit hard to tell from pics only on oBoy, one alternative would be to buy a rough fixer upper, so you know all the work has been done to your specification. Alternatively you could try a dealer.

I have a trusted watch repairer. He also does work for many dealers.

What is the consensus here - fixer upper, or take your chances?

 

[High Pockets]

I'd love to help you out and point you in the right direction, but there are too many "variables" in each of your options my friend.

I buy old pocket watches and restore them, and I used to have a friend, (Rolex guy), who sometimes did the same with wristwatches.

The only advice I can give you is that 5% of the time you get burned, another 5% of the time you find a "steal",.....the remaining 90% of the time you end up buying something that isn't quite worth the purchase price but your satisfied anyhow, take your time, don't get in too big a hurry and make a visit to you trusted watch repairman and spend some time discussing it with him,...heck; he might know of a few watches you hadn't considered and might be able to point you in the right direction.

Best of luck to you.

 

[skyvue]

I was thinking I read here in the Lounge of someone who did good, affordable work and accepted mail orders. Does that ring a bell with anyone? I have two watches that need some attention, and I've not been happy with the people I've used in NYC.

 

[High Pockets]

I have a watchmaker near my office who specialises in antique pocket watches. He charges AUS$270 for a basic service - which involves pulling the thing apart, oiling, etc.

At that cost, I don't service them often, but they come back keeping perfect time.

Holy smokes!!! I need to go back to work! I thought about listing a few of the Elgins I've gone over in the "classifieds" for the price of a cheap old hat, however having been out of the loupe, (shameless I know), for a while,..... I'll be re-considering.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Holy smokes!!! I need to go back to work! I thought about listing a few of the Elgins I've gone over in the "classifieds" for the price of a cheap old hat, however having been out of the loupe, (shameless I know), for a while,..... I'll be re-considering.

Yep HP - anything to do with vintage or antique seems to be much more expensive in Australia. I guess it's a niche market with very little competition and most components having to be sourced and imported from overseas.

As my pocket watches tend to be American (Elgin, Waltham) I'm thinking of finding a repairer over there to send them to. I doubt it would be any more expensive in spite of the postage costs.

 

[Talbot]

Seems the cost to service is also directly proportional to the amount of cache' in the name.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Seems the cost to service is also directly proportional to the amount of cache' in the name.

Maybe I need to tell 'em that the only name that matters is mine - and there 'aint much cache, or more importantly ,cash, in it!

 

[Valhson]

Watch repair recommendation for the DC metro area (LONG)

I have many watches, but by far my most prized two pieces are the Cuervo Y Sobrinos dating from 1938 and 1951 that were handed down to me. The 1938 piece is an entirely hand made movement and worth something other than family heritage. The 1951 has a lower end mechanical Swiss movement, and has a strange tacky to it. It is actually a lever that stops the balance wheel from spinning. It is rather interesting but other than the cool copper tone and porcelain dial holds little monetary value. I do know for a fact that both came from the original store in Havana as there are pictures somewhere floating around the family to prove it. Either way enough background on the watches.

Some time ago I was looking for a good watch repair guy/gal in the DC metro area. As I live in Northern VA I was directed to a nice gentleman in Vienna and brought my Longines to him. Everything went smooth as can be. Great service, great price and at only a month I couldn't complain about the time it took. Fast forward to this last January. I brought in the Cuervos as one was starting to make a nasty grinding sound and the other just needed to be cleaned. I was promptly told that neither watch was worth having fixed or cleaned. I asked if they would do it anyhow and was told they would not and it is not worth my time or money (second half came from the kid at the counter and not the watch maker himself)

So a little distraught I decided to look around some more. As I did, I was surprised to find another watch maker/repair guy only a mile down the same road. So I drove over there the first chance I got. The nice gentleman there looked at me funny when I told him what I had and what I was hoping for. He immediately opened the watches to look and see. Then told me he would look into it and to give him a week for the estimate. I agreed and left. Instead of a week the following day I received an email stating what would have to be done, that parts would actually have to be made as they weren't available for obvious reasons and that to fix both watches it would be about one month in time.

I couldn’t believe my ears. Of course I took him up on it and gladly stopped by the store that afternoon. As he took the watches, Mr. Aleve stopped and chatted with me about how he became a watchmaker, his history and certifications and what he loved about the entire profession. It was a great hour and a half just shooting the breeze. I was comfortable with leaving him my watches from reviews I found online but after talking with him I felt like they were in the hands of the greatest doctor I could ask for.

Two days after dropping off the watches I left for a month to China. Fast forward to the 2nd of March. I arrive back to the US to find an email and voice message politely telling he was sorry he missed getting through to me but to stop in as soon as I can as the watches were complete. When I went in later that week, Mr. Aleve explained to me he had to completely make a new oscillator axle along with a new main spring and fixed a couple issues with the balance wheel. That was, one watch. He then handed me the other watch and explained what the real history of it was, how it was made and was not a farmed out piece like so many of that time period were starting to be from this watch house. I was completely surprised by the look of the movements when he was showing me what he had done. Cleaned and fresh look to them as if the metal was just formed the day before. I couldn’t ask for better service. They were back to life and I have been so happy to be able to wear them on occasion again.

I promise I will include some pictures of the watches soon. I just don’t currently have any. Also, I am sorry this is so long.

To sum it up. I highly recommend Mr. Aleve of GCA La Percision in Vienna VA if you have old or new watches that are in need of service. His website isn’t the greatest, however he comes highly recommended. His prices are respectable, he comes with more than the normal handful of industry certifications, his turn around is great but above all, his expertise and professional ability are beyond compare. If you aren’t sure about where to leave your new or vintage watch, stop in and chat with him for a bit. I will be surprised you have issues.

Not affiliated with Mr. Aleve other than a very satisfied customer.



Andy

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

Watch Repair

Hello all I have my grandmothers old gold watch, sadly a few years ago I scratched the glass, and then a few months back it stopped working. I enquired at a local jewellers how does watch repairs, but he only does modern watches and this one is about 70 years old.

Can anyone recommend anywhere, I am in Yorkshire, and would prefer not to have to post my watch to anyone.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I am sorry to hear about you watch. I used to have a pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather that was damaged when I was in 3rd grade. It is now lost. We moved houses ten years ago & I am fearful that it was lost in the move. I did a quick search on google.co.uk & found several repair shops near Yorkshire. Here is the link:

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&sour...IzQTg5bT8DwAAAKoEBU_QzHNJ&fp=ac007db151890001

Good luck to you.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

Thank you. Anybody have experience of any.

 

[bumphrey hogart]

I haven't spoken to my chap recently but he was trained by Rolex and now works from home just doing top end vintage watches for the public,because he doesn't have a shop or any overheads you just pay for his labour and the parts,any shops you take it to just send the watch to chaps like this and then put their own mark up on it,(which can sometimes be astronomical).Let me give him a ring,(he was quite ill last time I spoke to him),and if he's still working.which I hope he is,(finding guys like this is near impossible,I don't know why),I'll post his details,you'll have to send the watch to him but this is normal,then he will give you a quote and you take it from there.cheers B

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

I haven't spoken to my chap recently but he was trained by Rolex and now works from home just doing top end vintage watches for the public,because he doesn't have a shop or any overheads you just pay for his labour and the parts,any shops you take it to just send the watch to chaps like this and then put their own mark up on it,(which can sometimes be astronomical).Let me give him a ring,(he was quite ill last time I spoke to him),and if he's still working.which I hope he is,(finding guys like this is near impossible,I don't know why),I'll post his details,you'll have to send the watch to him but this is normal,then he will give you a quote and you take it from there.cheers B

That would be great, I am happier sending to someone who comes with a recommendation, rather than just someone I have found on the internet.

 

[Dave E]

Steve Burrage at RyteTime (http://www.rytetimewatchrepairs.co.uk/) is very good. He has a lot of recommendations in the watch collecting community in the UK, and I've used him myself as well. His prices are good, too.

 

[HHISIII]

Though it's an art where credentials behind one's name commonly mean very little, there is one credential that carries weight. WOSTEP school graduates are generally very skilled and incredibly well trained in all aspects of watch/clock care, new and vintage.

I've got a local guy who does good work, but I'm thinking you don't want to post the watch overseas...

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

Steve Burrage at RyteTime (http://www.rytetimewatchrepairs.co.uk/) is very good. He has a lot of recommendations in the watch collecting community in the UK, and I've used him myself as well. His prices are good, too.

Thanks for that, I'll have a look