servicing

Why and how often should I have my watch serviced?

A mechanical watch is a very complex machine we take for granted. Every day we take a few seconds glance to see the time without considering that it takes hundreds of pieces all working simultaneously to provide us with this important information making sure we are on time throughout the day. As a result, parts begin to wear, gaskets can perish, oils and lubricants can dry out and that little machine needs some TLC.

As a general rule we recommend that watches are serviced every three to five years to maintain its optimum function.

Time passes by so quickly, how will I know it’s time for a service?

With such busy lives, it is easy to forget how long it’s been since your last service, but your watch will let you know when the time has come. There are some common signs to look out for.

You may find you are correcting the time on your watch more frequently as its timekeeping is not as accurate as it used to be.

You may see condensation or misting under the glass caused by water ingress, if gaskets have surpassed their useful life. Water ingress can cause damage to all metal components, the hands and dial by way of oxidation.

Other factors that can impact the accuracy and function of your watch?

The most common external fault we experience is a sudden change in timekeeping which is erratic caused by the following reasons:

Displacement/damage of parts can be caused by the motions carried out during a game of golf, any racket or impact sport, so we would recommend that you do not wear your mechanical watch during such activities to avoid any unnecessary wear and tear.

Magnetism can cause erratic timekeeping, in some cases even stop the watch. Demagnetising is sometimes sufficient, but there are occasions where the hairspring will also need alteration to restore its function.

Drop or severe knock

It is possible to awkwardly knock or even drop your watch, sometimes without even really noticing, but even if there is no external damage visible, it may be a different story internally, and functional issues are not always immediately apparent.

No matter your requirements, with the right tooling and equipment, genuine replacement parts and ongoing training and inspection from the manufacturers, you can rest assured the service will be carried out to the highest standards and brand specifications by an authorised watch technician in the following way: –

We review the case and examine the general condition of the watch, which is the basis on which we provide our free estimate.
We then remove the bracelet and dismantle all case parts, seals and gaskets for ultrasonic cleaning, refurbishment and replacement where applicable.
The case and its parts are then reassembled with new seals, crowns, and pushers where applicable ready to house the movement on completion of the service along with moisture detection test. All water resistant models are pressure tested.
The dial, hands and movement parts are then fully dismantled and each individual part is inspected for wear or damage.
All worn/damaged parts are repaired or replaced with genuine parts and ultrasonically cleaned.
The movement is then assembled and lubricated in accordance to brand specific standards & specifications.
Movement function(s)/power reserve is checked and regulated where applicable.
The dial and hands are refitted and the movement cased up followed by a final aesthetics check.
Final dry pressure tests are carried out where applicable.
Bracelet/strap checked for wear and refitted using new spring bars with any worn link connectors replaced where applicable.
On completion of the service all functions of the watch are checked for a further 48 to 72hrs to confirm the rate is stable and to ensure they meet the tolerance levels of the manufacturers specification.

In most cases we will complete your watch service within 4 weeks dependant on stock availability of spare parts. On the rare occasions servicing cannot be undertaken in house this timeframe can be much longer, but we always do our best to keep you updated with any unforeseen delays.

All services come with a minimum 12-month guarantee depending on model and a 2-year guarantee on all Swatch Group brands.

For servicing prices for our popular brands please click here. If your brand is not listed, please contact us for more information.