Does anyone know about fine watch repair?

[sprio]

Never did watches, but did restore/repair antique clocks for a living. Learned by going the apprentice route. No matter which way you go, even as a hobbyist, if you're taking in pieces of value from a customer, make sure you have adequate insurance - just in case! I incorporated and had insurance that covered the value of customer objects in the workshop and/or in transit. Something to consider in today's litigious society.

[matthewb0051]

This might be a good line of work. I just got the invoice from Tag for my son's 'vintage' dive watch. Nearly $400 for service (read: disassembly, ultrasonic clean, and reassembly), battery, a couple of seals/gaskets, and crystal.

Beats going through dozens of cheaper watches over a lifetime though. My FIL did exactly that and has spent well more than if he had just bought a decent watch and had it serviced at regular intervals.

[berettafan]

Friggin rabbit hole cost me an afternoon of production. Now looking at Orient brand automatics (not to build, just to own). Cheap but neat looking.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by sprio

Never did watches, but did restore/repair antique clocks for a living. Learned by going the apprentice route. No matter which way you go, even as a hobbyist, if you're taking in pieces of value from a customer, make sure you have adequate insurance - just in case! I incorporated and had insurance that covered the value of customer objects in the workshop and/or in transit. Something to consider in today's litigious society.

Good point, maybe instead of servicing customer’s watches, you could buy cheap (but quality and valuable when working) broken watches off of eBay and restore them to resell?

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Friggin rabbit hole cost me an afternoon of production. Now looking at Orient brand automatics (not to build, just to own). Cheap but neat looking.

Very nice watches. I've gone deep down the 'Micro-Brand' rabbit hole the last few years. Many of these companies are just one guy with an idea. Lots of 70s inspired designs. Basically, I see them as hotrodded Seikos. The Seiko Meca-Quartz is my favorite chronograph movement for these. For automatics, the Seiko NH-35 is common.

https://calibercorner.com/what-is-a-meca-quartz-movement/ (LOTS of info on movement repair, etc. at this link also).

While I love 70s watches, I usually wind up selling them for a big profit. The reality is they're fragile and the fit & finish is substandard compared to today's micro-brands. A few to check out: Straton, Yema, Cadola, Roue, Spinnaker, Dan Henry, Belmoto, Omologato, Autodromo, Helgray, Jack Mason. There's 100s of brands.

[rwest]

I was just watching the latest episode of Wristwatch Revival and he mentioned the online courses he took to learn.

https://www.watchfix.com/

[HardDrive]

Very nice watches for the money. I picked up this Bambino open heart a few years ago.

[creaturecat]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

This might be a good line of work. I just got the invoice from Tag for my son's 'vintage' dive watch. Nearly $400 for service (read: disassembly, ultrasonic clean, and reassembly), battery, a couple of seals/gaskets, and crystal.

Beats going through dozens of cheaper watches over a lifetime though. My FIL did exactly that and has spent well more than if he had just bought a decent watch and had it serviced at regular intervals.

they want 800 bucks here. no thanks. .... reaches for 45 year old trouble-free auto Seiko.

[otto_kretschmer]

I'm thinking the same thing. Get some books and watch the videos on youtube and get a couple cheap Chinese watches to learn on. I wouldn't bother with a school. Just go for it.

Marschall has already been mentioned at Wristwatchrevival

I follow him and this guy

https://www.youtube.com/@NekkidWatchmaker

both are fun to watch

[berettafan]

well i googled the seiko meca quartz and this came up-
https://en.yema.com/products/yema-rallygraf-meca-quartz-reverse-panda-ymhf1580-aa?variant=42524824928456

O M G. Friggin cool ass looking watch.

[stealthn]

Did you ever get into it?

Wristwatch Revival on YT started a company to put together toolkits for people wanting to get into it. Very smart!

https://sutcliffehansen.com/

[p911dad]

A friend had a jewelry store (now retired) and watch service station for a few brands, owned over a lifetime. His workshop had some unique tools I was unfamiliar (with some vises, tiny lathes and benches for watch repair. Going back to the original post, I would say repairing or adjusting automatic watches takes experience and education over a long time.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Did you ever get into it?

Wristwatch Revival on YT started a company to put together toolkits for people wanting to get into it. Very smart!

https://sutcliffe*&^*&^Y*hansen.com/

Norton complained about the above web site - I don't have a clue why -

Dangerous Web Page Blocked
You attempted to access
https://sutcli#$@#$ffehansen.com/
This is a known dangerous webpage. It is highly recommended that you do NOT visit this page.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Wasn't it WDfifteen that had the "watch" dog where he covered a dog figurine with watch parts?

Yes, Salvador Dogi, our watch dog.



Let me know if you need any parts!

[Pazuzu]

I've gotten a few older mechanical watches running again, mostly by brute force and general mechanical know how. I do NOT go as far as removing bridges, etc.
Lots of "broken" watches from the 70s and 80s are simply stuck, or have a broken stem or something, and LOTS of them can be rebuilt with new parts. I got my MILs old 80s Tag aquaracer watch going again, I could have completely rebuilt it with new parts (movement, face, hands, stem, crown, etc) but with just new hands (the lume had disintegrated), a new stem and some deep cleaning in an out, and it works perfectly and looks 95% brand new.

There's a app called "Watch Accuracy Meter", it uses your phone's microphone to listen to the watch beats and can tell you how far off it is, it's at least surprisingly precise if not accurate.

Also, watches can get magnetized and run like crap, don't use your normal precision screwdrivers and such, they can magnetize the movement. I use a gause meter app to tell how magnetized a movement is.

Watches that run FAST are getting clogged with gunk, the movement can't travel smoothly through the full range of motion, so the balance wheel swings only partially, meaning it swings faster, and the watch runs fast.

Watches that run SLOW are magnetized, the coil spring is sticking to itself and not imparting enough momentum, so the balance wheel takes long slow swings and the watch runs slowly.

[targa911S]

I collect pocket watches. I'm 73. My eyes suck. Watch repair is not for the faint of heart. LOTS of little tiny pieces. If its not running and I can't get it to work I just add it to my collection as non running.. It's very expensive to get vintage watches repaired. Just my $.02. Ooh and yer gonna need a lot of special tools.

[pwd72s]

This reminds me...Paul (Seahawk) had sent a WWII military watch off to be repaired...now wondering how that went.