Watch fans - a question...

FazTheWookie

Any personal recommendations for companies that service watches like Rolex and Omega? Would rather use a smaller, word-of-mouth outfit than just have the watch posted off to some production-line operation.

danishbacon

http://watchguy.co.uk/ does good work

midlifecrisis

just throw it away and buy a new one

CHRISB50

Where are you based? 

@Neil is the resident forum watch expert.

FazTheWookie

Based in Cumbria, so expect to have to post them away on their holidays. Omega Speedmaster and Rolex Oyster Perpetual. 

Neil

CHRISB50 said:

Where are you based? 

@Neil is the resident forum watch expert.

Can't help I'm afraid.

I use a local chap and he's not taking on any more work as he is retired. 

lewism

I've used WatchGuy for two old Omegas. Really good service, quick turnaround and you can view photos of every stage of your service / repair via a login on his website. Be aware he's an independent and a lot of Swiss makers, including anyone who uses ETA movements, have restricted availability of parts to authorised repairers but he uses equivalent quality parts. Well priced too, I'll be using him again.

markblack

Brendan Hoey - serviced and polished my wife '66 rolex. Very helpful and prompt.

webwatchmaker.com 

lewism

Apologies, thought my first comment had disappeared into the ether so reposted, then this posts hours later - twice. Unlike my watch, my timing is

lewism

Rubbish.

chillidoggy

For me this would depend on whether I wanted to keep the 'full main dealer service history' thing going. I'm going to have my Yactmaster 2 serviced soon, and I've decided I shall be sending it to Rolex, so I get the service paperwork if I want to sell it on. God knows how much they're going to charge, though. The last time I had my Submariner done it cost £460 for the service, but the charges are higher for the more complicated watches.

Rocker

lewism said:

I've used WatchGuy for two old Omegas. Really good service, quick turnaround and you can view photos of every stage of your service / repair via a login on his website. Be aware he's an independent and a lot of Swiss makers, including anyone who uses ETA movements, have restricted availability of parts to authorised repairers but he uses equivalent quality parts. Well priced too, I'll be using him again.

If equivalent parts are used in your Omega watches @lewism, then you cannot sell your Omega as an Omega. Watches are not like guitars, the vast majority of buyers have no way of determining the Omeganess of an Omega. Same story with Rolex or indeed any watch.

lewism

Hi @Rocker you raise an interesting point, but this leads into a discussion about where the Swiss watch industry is pushing things regarding use of OEM parts. I've had a quick Google and can't find references to non-OEM parts = no longer Omega - have you got any links where I can read up on it?  Where does this leave vintage watches with movements that are no longer in production? The manual wind movement in Mslewisms watch is long out of production so presumably as soon as it needs anything more than a service it's worthless. Similarly, there's a metal part in my Speedmaster that is now plastic in the newer movements, where would replacement leave me? Buy an OEM Omega mainspring and you get a Generale Ressorts mainspring in Omega branded packaging, what happens if a repairer just uses the Generale Ressorts part rather than getting it from Omega? Taking this line to its logical conclusion, any Omega (or other Swiss brand) that doesn't come with a full authorised service history can only be considered a replica due to the potential for non-OEM parts. Don't get me wrong, I loathe fakes and I'm gutted that I can't take the risk on buying a 60's Seamaster 300 due to the number of knockoffs, but this looks a little like a move by the Swiss watch companies to remove their old products from competition for sales.

Rocker

Interesting thoughts @lewism. My wife and I left our Rolexes in to an authorised Rolex dealer. Our watches will be stripped down, lubed and reassembled to Rolex standards. And any worn parts will be replaced, presumably with Rolex parts. So the watches will be 100% Rolex and the service record will be kept up to date.

Your point about obsolete mechanisms is a valid one, I admit to not thinking along that line when formulating my comment.

merlin

Duncan at Genesis watchmaking runs an amazing company. I fully recommend him. 

https://www.genesiswatchmaking.co.uk/index.html

Snap

@FazTheWookie

I would send it in to the manufacturer. As has been stated by Rocker, you will get a full job done and it will be guaranteed, worry free. When you look at the skill of the engineers who work on your watch, even though it seems a lot of money, it is good value. After all, a solicitor or accountant will charge you £200 an hour, so 3-400 quid for a service and parts is not too bad.

Its also things like replacement of seals - if the manufacturer does it, then the water resistance or proof is assured (as it was new).

The only alternative is if you can find a local watchmaker, and these days they are becoming increasingly rare. I used one years ago to fix a problem on a Breitling. He charged me £28! However, its a diving watch with a helium escape valve, and none of that will be active now. Not that I dive, so don't matter. Breitling would have charged about 300 but it would have been serviced and regassed, and the seals replaced, so I could safely dive to 1000M again. Seeing as I don't even swim in it, not a problem!

Neil

lewism said:

Hi @Rocker you raise an interesting point, but this leads into a discussion about where the Swiss watch industry is pushing things regarding use of OEM parts. I've had a quick Google and can't find references to non-OEM parts = no longer Omega - have you got any links where I can read up on it?  Where does this leave vintage watches with movements that are no longer in production? The manual wind movement in Mslewisms watch is long out of production so presumably as soon as it needs anything more than a service it's worthless. Similarly, there's a metal part in my Speedmaster that is now plastic in the newer movements, where would replacement leave me? Buy an OEM Omega mainspring and you get a Generale Ressorts mainspring in Omega branded packaging, what happens if a repairer just uses the Generale Ressorts part rather than getting it from Omega? Taking this line to its logical conclusion, any Omega (or other Swiss brand) that doesn't come with a full authorised service history can only be considered a replica due to the potential for non-OEM parts. Don't get me wrong, I loathe fakes and I'm gutted that I can't take the risk on buying a 60's Seamaster 300 due to the number of knockoffs, but this looks a little like a move by the Swiss watch companies to remove their old products from competition for sales.

 The brake in your Speedmaster is still available in metal for the display back models. The more efficient delrin version is for the closed backs, doesn't look so good - see?  
Contrary to popular belief most vintage movements don't usually need replacement parts. Let's face it the gears etc are under such little torque they will last forever.

The main part that may need replacing is the mainspring and Omega will have theirs made by an outside contractor anyway .

No one can tell a pattern part from an OEM Omega part anyway but aside from this there are still plenty of old Omega parts floating around anyway and watchmakers worth their salt will have a stash of this type of stuff.

I've got lots of 60's Omegas that still have all original parts.