Watch service - £450 !!!

Eyefor

Well-Known Member
THUD.

Just fallen off my chair.

£450 for a service seems like someone is taking the .....?

Would anyone have any recommendations for where to get a watch serviced please?

Thanks in advance

Iain (off to lie down!).
 
THUD.

Just fallen off my chair.

£450 for a service seems like someone is taking the .....?

Would anyone have any recommendations for where to get a watch serviced please?

Thanks in advance

Iain (off to lie down!).

not a clue Iain

but tell the name of the shop. make of watch so I know what not to buy (should I ever have the money) and what shop to avoid

bob.
 
Uh-oh. This doesn't bode well for me then. I have a gold Longine with a broken glass in for repair and service. It was a 21st birthday present from my parents so it's worth a bit, too. Not looking forward to getting the bill as I just told them to go ahead :eek:
 
About ten years ago i used to buy & sell Rolexes when the market was healthy and i used a genuine Rolex shop for the overhauls which made the watch like brand new again and cost a little under what you have been quoted. To sell a Swiss automatic you need a service history which if you get done elsewhere is worthless.
Horror stories of Rolexes being serviced and coming out with fake internals.
 
Yep ,that sounds about right as RD says.
Woodsmoke you might want to consider going through your household insurance. Dropped my watch on floor , broke glass. The Swiss manufacture changed everything , dial hands it went on. They won't let faulty goods out. I could have got new watch for what they charged the insurance.
 
Just had my quartz watch battery replaced and the watch seal replaced and pressure tested for 52 pound at Debenhams. As RED-DOT says you need an official service record to sell on a Rolex plus if the service is botched it will cost much more. Probably sacrilege but check out this watch on Amazon. You can get 4 of them with change for every "service" of your watch.[h=1]ORIENT deep MAKO Automatic professional Diver watch [/h]I was considering changing the bezel insert on my watch.... now I am talking about just the aluminium numbered ring insert not the whole bezel on my Heuer 1000 dive watch. The official part was available at 120 pounds. The watch cost me 110 pounds in 1986! I laughed and declined the insert! The guy then told me they are available on e bay for 12 pounds.
I guess it depends how much you like watches. I was a professional diver for 20 years and my watch let me down many times ended up using dive computers and Casios. Seal teams like the Casios for a reason.
 
My 1954 omega from my grandfather had been used as a work-watch by my father and was banged up badly. Had Omega restore it, completely clean the face and re-finish the hands, new crystal glass and polish the frame to a perfect finish. Nice new leather strap and all in it was around £650.

My newer Omega seamaster from the early 2000's is about £200 every 4 to 5 years for a new battery, and that's something which I find a bit over the top TBH.
 
I had to buy a new left hand for Mickey on my watch, and the girl in the Disney store wernt much help either. On a seriuos note i found that TAG have been ok to deal with when ive needed to get new batteries etc.
 
If willing to send by courier you should look at McQueens in Ilminster. I don't know what they would charge but you would not find a more knowledgeable or skilled pair of hands anywhere else. I deal with them for service/repairs of Long case clocks as well as the odd watch repair.
[h=1][/h]
  • Tel: 01460 54455

60 Ditton St, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0BW

 
Thanks for the replies.

It is a Swiss (Ebel) auto chrono that I would not want devalued - so I had better pay up and shut up.

I also have a Seiko Professional Divers watch that cost me well over £200 in 1986 (from my first self employed pay day) and that costs me around £100 every 4 / 5 years or so for a new battery and re-seal direct with Seiko UK so I suppose for the skills required to service an auto as opposed to a mere battery change and a bit of silicone to seal the case it ain't so bad.
 
Last edited:
I have to say this rather amazes me. I imagine divers need special equipment but the prices quoted are staggering! I have a Casio which I got because I can light up the face when out at night. It cost me just over £20 about 6 years ago, keeps perfect time and I've had one new battery in it. I suspect some people must have far more disposable money than I do!
 
THUD.

Just fallen off my chair.

£450 for a service seems like someone is taking the .....?

Would anyone have any recommendations for where to get a watch serviced please?

Thanks in advance

Iain (off to lie down!).

I feel your pain, my watch is overdue a service but I just can't justify it. I've even considered selling it for that very reason which would be a shame as I don’t want to.

My local Rolex dealer is a complete arse which makes it even harder to give him my custom. He wanted over £100 (on top of the service cost) just to write a single paragraph insurance valuation the last time I had it done. When you go in the shop they look at you like a piece of dirt. He can barely disguise his disgust that I use webbing or leather straps on my watch.

I took my Grandfather's old army pocket watch in for repair and he said they were ten a penny, not worth even looking at, just get another from a boot fair. Had to bite my tongue that day!
 
You can pay £1,500 for a Hardy salmon rod and buy a digital watch out a filling station for a Fiver. I know which one i could make?
 
I like the look of the standard diving watch with bezel. I was quoted by some watch repair company online about 300 pound for a full service of my Heuer so I started looking around again at what watches are out there... the best bang for my buck as it were. I ended up with the Sako (Japan) Divers watch quartz or automatic and the Casio G shock on the list. All the others are pretty but it seems you pay heavily for marketing and image. As I said I just had the battery and seals done at Debenhams and its working fine... right now. If I was to replace it I would buy a Casio G shock. It does the job and doesnt cost much for a battery. Thats my opinion but watches are a personal statement for some people. The service costs put me off the fancy stuff now. I just keep it simple these days.
 
Back
Top