The Watch Workshop - any good?

[airbrakes]

I need one of my vintage pocket watches looking at as the lever set mechanism has decided to stick halfway between open and stowed. Googling for reputable looking watch service specialists local to liverpool, the following company came up:
http://www.watchworkshop.co.uk/

They claim to be able to deal with mechanical watches - are they any good? Would they be able to handle a 1912 watch? Also, does anyone know roughly how much an exploratory service would be?

Thanks,

Matt

[littleredrooster]

During the episode when I wrecked the balance-spring of my brand-new Seiko earlier this year (painfully detailed on here), the watch went to The Watch Workshop for a quote for repairs. Despite being less than six-weeks old, they reported that it needed a full service at 95 quid before they could do anything further.

I asked them to return the watch to me ASAP so that I could get it to someone who knew what they were doing...

[Tanguero]

littleredrooster said:

During the episode when I wrecked the balance-spring of my brand-new Seiko earlier this year (painfully detailed on here), the watch went to The Watch Workshop for a quote for repairs. Despite being less than six-weeks old, they reported that it needed a full service at 95 quid before they could do anything further.

I asked them to return the watch to me ASAP so that I could get it to someone who knew what they were doing...

I know nothing of the Watch Workshop in particular, but insisting on doing a full service on a watch where someone has wrecked the hairspring (and done unknown other damage) is perfectly reasonable.

The age of the watch has nothing to do with it, the desire to warranty the work they have done probably has. If they just attend to the hairspring and then the watch fails because of other damage that was done at the same time then they would doubtless be held responsible for a failure that was nothing to do with them.

£95 for completely dismantling, checking, adjusting and reassembling a watch sounds a very fair price to me for the amount of work and expertise involved.

I don't think you can slate them as not knowing what they are doing on the basis that they insisted on servicing a broken watch!

[littleredrooster]

Tanguero said:

I know nothing of the Watch Workshop in particular, but insisting on doing a full service on a watch where someone has wrecked the hairspring (and done unknown other damage) is perfectly reasonable.

The age of the watch has nothing to do with it, the desire to warranty the work they have done probably has. If they just attend to the hairspring and then the watch fails because of other damage that was done at the same time then they would doubtless be held responsible for a failure that was nothing to do with them.

£95 for completely dismantling, checking, adjusting and reassembling a watch sounds a very fair price to me for the amount of work and expertise involved.

I don't think you can slate them as not knowing what they are doing on the basis that they insisted on servicing a broken watch!

The problem had already been diagnosed (by them) as a twisted balance-spring. The initial watch-repairer-person was unable to fix it in the shop but looked up the price for a new assembly and suggested it would be about £15-18 + fitting. In the worst case, I was also told, a complete new 7S36 movement was about £50 + fitting.

It was when it was sent to their workshops (for two months...) that things went badly. I still do not accept - given that they had already given a diagnosis and a couple of alternative estimates - that a full service was the correct starting point.

[Chicane-UK]

I had a pretty old, non-running Waltham pocket watch bought back to life by Duncan @ Genesis Watchmaking. He normally has a fairly lengthy waiting list and would mean mailing it to him, but having sent two watches his way I've been thrilled with the service I've had each time from Duncan.

[GC8]

This will go well with your white jeans and cowboy hat...

With regards to the watch: send it to Stphen Burrage at Ryte Time. Youll find his details Google. Id trust him with anything from a Rolex to a Poljot, so he is more than able to deal with a pocket watch.

He cant stop you from looking like a massive bell-end with it though.

[airbrakes]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I will check them out