Suggestions for service/repair on cheap watches
Discussion
Hi all,
Due to lockdown boredom I’ve bought a few cheapo manual watches off eBay. Most have been as described but a few have some issues. Running fast/slow or intermittently.
I’ve phoned a few places to get an idea on fixing costs and seem to get, although reasonable for the work I imagine is involved, prices that far exceed the value of the watches.
Are there any places that service cheap watches? I don’t fancy shelling out £50 and upwards for a watch that cost me a tenner off the bay that doesn’t have any sentimental value.
Contemplating sticking them back up for sale as spares or repairs.
Thoughts?
Due to lockdown boredom I’ve bought a few cheapo manual watches off eBay. Most have been as described but a few have some issues. Running fast/slow or intermittently.
I’ve phoned a few places to get an idea on fixing costs and seem to get, although reasonable for the work I imagine is involved, prices that far exceed the value of the watches.
Are there any places that service cheap watches? I don’t fancy shelling out £50 and upwards for a watch that cost me a tenner off the bay that doesn’t have any sentimental value.
Contemplating sticking them back up for sale as spares or repairs.
Thoughts?
Only 2 ways of doing this without spending too much money:
Find someone who "tinkers" with watches as a hobby
Watch some videos, buy some tools, and have a go yourself
I wouldn't recommend this approach for watches that are worth more than a few quid, but with the right tools, good eyesight and steady hands, simple manual-wind watches aren't that complicated to work on - just small and fiddly.
Find someone who "tinkers" with watches as a hobby
Watch some videos, buy some tools, and have a go yourself
I wouldn't recommend this approach for watches that are worth more than a few quid, but with the right tools, good eyesight and steady hands, simple manual-wind watches aren't that complicated to work on - just small and fiddly.
I agree with Clockworks.
Either find someone who just enjoys tinkering for beer money and has all the tools, or buy the tools yourself and have a go. Those are your only two options really.
Be prepared to break the watch if you thinker yourself. Ask me how I know
I have a watchmakers toolkit which cost about £30 and consists of a fair bit of stuff, but it's all Chinese junk tools really, but I use it a lot for changing straps, removing/adding bracelet links etc and I enjoy doing that. It's much easier when you have the tools.
Thankfully the watch I broke while tinkering to set the timekeeping was only worth £40 or £50 hence why I was fiddling with it. Wouldn't ever open up something myself that was valuable. I leave that to the professionals.
I find servicing and repair from independent people to be about £80 per watch, plus any parts if something is broken, which I think is pretty good given the skill and tools required.
Either find someone who just enjoys tinkering for beer money and has all the tools, or buy the tools yourself and have a go. Those are your only two options really.
Be prepared to break the watch if you thinker yourself. Ask me how I know
I have a watchmakers toolkit which cost about £30 and consists of a fair bit of stuff, but it's all Chinese junk tools really, but I use it a lot for changing straps, removing/adding bracelet links etc and I enjoy doing that. It's much easier when you have the tools.Thankfully the watch I broke while tinkering to set the timekeeping was only worth £40 or £50 hence why I was fiddling with it. Wouldn't ever open up something myself that was valuable. I leave that to the professionals.
I find servicing and repair from independent people to be about £80 per watch, plus any parts if something is broken, which I think is pretty good given the skill and tools required.
Your only real option (unless as previously stated, you find a willing watch buff) is to attempt to fix them yourself.
I've been into watches (mostly Seikos) for years and only recently started dabbling in fixing them because, like you, I have accumulated a pile of non working ones that I picked up for not a lot of cash because I liked how they looked and thought I might get them going one day.
Seikos have great online resources, pretty much every model has a technical manual you can find that shows exploded diagrams (of varying clarity), so if you get one or two Seikos to start you off, you have a fighting chance.
If you do go this route, as well as a basic toolkit of watchmaking tools, I'd say it is an absolute necessity to get a stereo microscope with 10x magnification - and you don't need to spend a fortune on one, I picked up a vintage 1970's brown Swift one for £25. The things you can see with a scope are amazing, especially when you think a movement or bracelet looks clean, it reveals a whole new world (yuk!)
As well as a scope, an expensive pair of tweezers (Dumont are the best, and mostly anything else is a waste of money) are a necessity, otherwise everything you try to pick up will end up pinging and nestling in your carpet. I paid £20 for Dumont 3C 95% antimagnetic ones. Also try not to use your expensive tweezers for anything other than picking or placing delicate parts (as I have done) as you will ruin the precision tips - I need to buy another pair now for this reason.
Since I started a few months back, I've repaired probably 3 or 4, identified faults with another 3 or 4, and broken/lost bits/left cogs in the cleaning basket where they rusted/had various other mishaps on probably another 5 or 6 watches.
It will be mostly frustrating at first, but when you do get to fix your first one, it will be incredibly satisfying.
Also check out some online resources like myretrowatches.com as there are loads of information and helpful videos out there. It can become addictive after a while.
I've been into watches (mostly Seikos) for years and only recently started dabbling in fixing them because, like you, I have accumulated a pile of non working ones that I picked up for not a lot of cash because I liked how they looked and thought I might get them going one day.
Seikos have great online resources, pretty much every model has a technical manual you can find that shows exploded diagrams (of varying clarity), so if you get one or two Seikos to start you off, you have a fighting chance.
If you do go this route, as well as a basic toolkit of watchmaking tools, I'd say it is an absolute necessity to get a stereo microscope with 10x magnification - and you don't need to spend a fortune on one, I picked up a vintage 1970's brown Swift one for £25. The things you can see with a scope are amazing, especially when you think a movement or bracelet looks clean, it reveals a whole new world (yuk!)
As well as a scope, an expensive pair of tweezers (Dumont are the best, and mostly anything else is a waste of money) are a necessity, otherwise everything you try to pick up will end up pinging and nestling in your carpet. I paid £20 for Dumont 3C 95% antimagnetic ones. Also try not to use your expensive tweezers for anything other than picking or placing delicate parts (as I have done) as you will ruin the precision tips - I need to buy another pair now for this reason.
Since I started a few months back, I've repaired probably 3 or 4, identified faults with another 3 or 4, and broken/lost bits/left cogs in the cleaning basket where they rusted/had various other mishaps on probably another 5 or 6 watches.
It will be mostly frustrating at first, but when you do get to fix your first one, it will be incredibly satisfying.
Also check out some online resources like myretrowatches.com as there are loads of information and helpful videos out there. It can become addictive after a while.
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