Watch Case Studies - Postal Watch Repair Service

CWC Vintage Chronograph Service and Repair

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Stephen Irvine

Restoring a Vintage CWC Chronograph

Our fully equipped on-site watch workshop offers a full range of repairs – from smaller jobs like battery changes and glass replacements to full servicing of the vast majority of brands including Omega, Tag Heuer, Longines, Breitling, and Rolex, as well as vintage watch repairs. In this instance, we are working on what at first appears to be a military-issued CWC watch. CWC has a very interesting history supplying watches to MOD specifications for military personnel. However, this model was never actually issued – we can tell by the presence of the date display at 3 o’clock, demonstrating the version and authenticity of the vintage watch. Otherwise, it is almost identical to the non-date watches issued to RAF personnel.

“A watch’s history tells a story, but expert restoration ensures it continues ticking for generations to come.”

It’s a good quality mechanical watch, with the aforementioned date display and a 30-minute chronograph. The movement powering this vintage watch is the Valjoux 7765. These movements were manufactured between 1983-1998 and are very similar to the ubiquitous 7750 chronograph.

Repairing Water Damage and Replacing Components

On arrival with us, it was in very poor condition. There was significant water ingress, a missing pusher, and the chronograph seconds hands were completely bent and distorted. It needed a significant amount of work to get it back to excellent working order. Most old watches can be restored by expert watchmakers; learn more about our vintage watch repair service.

The water ingress had mostly affected parts involved in setting the hands and winding the watch – these include the ratchet wheel, crown wheel, clutch wheel, and winding pinion. These all needed to be replaced, along with various other components. It only takes a small amount of water damage to render a watch component unfit for purpose, so it is very important to avoid using a watch around water if it is not water-resistant. If you have a water-resistant model, you must avoid pressing pushers/adjusting the time when in water and ensure it is checked regularly to confirm it is still appropriately sealed.

“Even a small amount of water damage can render a watch component unfit for purpose—regular servicing is essential.”

Cleaning, Reassembly, and Final Testing

Once we have the movement fully disassembled and checked, the movement is cleaned – going through a manual cleaning process before a cycle in our Elma Solvex RM automatic cleaning machine. Once parts are completely clean and dried, we can commence reassembly of the movement. During reassembly, we followed our typical servicing procedure using the manufacturer’s technical guidelines in terms of oil and grease usage, as well as the use of other treatments such as epilame.

Alongside the work to the movement, we need to replace the missing pusher. We are able to source an original CWC pusher for this model, and this is fitted using a Horia 2015 tool – a very adaptable piece of kit, perfect for jobs like fitting pushers and tubes. The case is given a thorough ultrasonic clean before we can reunite all elements of the watch.

“Every serviced watch undergoes rigorous testing to guarantee accuracy, power reserve, and flawless chronograph functionality.”

With all works completed, we now test this excellent CWC chronograph to ensure good timekeeping within tolerance, appropriate power reserve, and the correct functioning of the chronograph. Once testing is complete, it is released ready for collection by our client. If you’re interested in the process of restoring vintage watches, or you have any questions about servicing your watch, contact us using our Ask the Watchmaker form.

Expert Vintage Watch Restoration at W.E. Clark & Son

At W.E. Clark & Son, our specialist watchmakers provide expert servicing, precision restoration and refurbishment for vintage watches and luxury timepieces. Recently, we fully restored a vintage CWC chronograph suffering from water damage, missing components, and mechanical wear. Using original parts and industry-leading techniques, we carefully repaired the movement, replaced worn elements, and conducted thorough testing to ensure accuracy and longevity.

If your timepiece needs servicing or restoration, contact us today or visit us in store to discuss how our expert team can bring your watch back to its best.

Need Your Vintage Watch Serviced or Repaired?

Take advantage of our Royal Mail Special Delivery FREEPOST service for a secure and hassle-free experience. Your watch is fully insured for up to £20,000 throughout its entire journey, from the moment it leaves your hands until it’s safely returned to you. Trust our expert watchmakers to restore your timepiece with precision and care.

Book your vintage watch service today!

Omega Speedmaster Chronograph Servicing

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Stephen Irvine

From our fully equipped watch workshop In Lewes we offer a full range of repairs – from smaller jobs like battery changes and glass replacements through to full watch servicing of a wide range of brands including Omega, Tag Heuer, Longines, Breitling and Rolex.

Disassembly and Servicing of the Omega Speedmaster Movement

For this job, we are working on an Omega Speedmaster, similar to the Omega Speedmaster Triple Calendar Chronograph that we serviced a while back. We often see Speedmasters in the workshop – a testament to the enduring popularity of these watches. This model is an automatic chronograph with date. The three sub-dials indicate seconds, plus chronograph minutes and hours. The centre second hand is for the chronograph seconds.

“The Omega Speedmaster is a testament to enduring craftsmanship and reliability, with many owners trusting its chronograph functionality year after year. Despite wear over time, the movement remains a classic in the world of automatic chronographs.”

It arrived in well-worn condition and had not been to a watchmaker in many years, so this means worn-out parts are highly likely, especially those involved in the automatic winding mechanism. Despite the lack of previous maintenance, our British Horological Institute-qualified watchmaker brings extensive experience in repairing vintage watches.

First, we disassemble the movement. This Omega Speedmaster uses an Omega calibre 1164, which is an Omega customised version of the ETA calibre 7750. These are good, solid chronograph movements and the 7750, in different variations, has been used in quality automatic chronograph watches for many decades.

As anticipated, wear is found in the automatic mechanism – both the rotor bearing and the reversing wheel need replacing. Most oils and greases are dried up, though everything else appears in good order besides the mainspring which we replace as standard.

Once fully disassembled the movement is cleaned – first going through a manual cleaning process before a cycle in our Elma Solvex RM automatic cleaning machine. When parts are completely clean and dried, we can commence reassembly. We follow the manufacturer’s technical guidelines for the correct usage and placement of oil and grease, as well as the use of other treatments such as epilame.

As part of the service we fit the replacement parts – a new mainspring, reversing wheel and rotor bearing. We always endeavour to fit a new mainspring as part of a service, though it’s especially important when dealing with a watch like this. The mainspring is housed inside a barrel which is buried in the very depths of the movement underneath all of the chronograph mechanism, so replacing it is not straightforward without the watch being fully stripped down.

“Replacing the mainspring is not a simple task—its position deep within the movement, under all the chronograph mechanisms, requires careful disassembly. This meticulous attention to detail is essential to ensuring the Speedmaster continues to perform at its best.”

Alongside the movement servicing we give the case and bracelet a light polish, clean and fit replacement seals as appropriate before conducting a pressure test to confirm water resistance. We can now reunite all elements of the watch. With the movement refitted and everything checked on the timing machine, we can close the case back before a final pressure test.

Final Testing and Reassembly: Restoring the Omega Speedmaster to Perfection

With the works completed we now test the watch using an Elma Cyclomotion watch winding machine, as well as testing in static positions and for the correct functioning of all features including the chronograph and quick change of the date. After the testing period is complete this superb Omega Speedmaster Chronograph can be reunited with our client. If you’re interested in the turnaround time for watch servicing, have a look at our article “How Long Does A Full Watch Service Take” to learn more about the factors that can affect the timeline and how we ensure a thorough, efficient process for every watch we service.

Summary

At W.E. Watch Repairs in Lewes, we provide comprehensive watch servicing, from basic repairs to full movement overhauls. In this case, we serviced an Omega Speedmaster, addressing wear in the automatic winding mechanism and replacing critical components like the rotor bearing and mainspring. The movement was carefully cleaned, reassembled, and tested to ensure optimal performance. Our team follows precise technical guidelines to restore watches to their original functionality.

Looking to Have Your Omega Speedmaster Serviced?

At W.E. Watch Repairs, we specialise in servicing both modern and vintage timepieces. Whether your Omega Speedmaster needs a full service, precision tuning, or expert repairs, our skilled watchmakers are here to help.

Take advantage of our Royal Mail Special Delivery FREEPOST service—your watch is fully insured for up to £20,000 throughout its journey, ensuring peace of mind from the moment it leaves your hands until it is safely returned.

Book your vintage watch for a service today and trust us to restore it to peak performance!

Omega Bicolour Constellation Servicing and Repair

Posted on January 26, 2025 by Stephen Irvine

The Omega Constellation is an iconic luxury timepiece. It’s a very popular watch, so, unsurprisingly, we see many of these in our workshop, as well as many Omega Speedmaster watches. Launched in 1952, it became one of Omega’s flagship collections, recognised for its distinctive pie-pan style dials, which later evolved into a range of other dial designs. The Constellation is best known for the “claws”, found at 3 and 9 o’clock, a feature introduced in the 1980s and found in both stainless steel and gold depending on the exact model.

Evaluating the Omega Constellation’s Wear and Performance

On arrival, our client’s watch was working, though the timekeeping was poor. There was plenty of general wear including scuffs and scratches all over the case and bracelet.

Inspection of the movement revealed the usual dried oils and greases, as is common when a watch requires a service. This Omega Constellation is powered by the Omega calibre 1120 movement – an automatic mechanical watch movement of excellent quality. This is a modified version of the ETA 2892A2 – a movement produced by ETA, one of the top watch movement manufacturers. The modifications are designed to improve performance, with 23 jewels and a three-arm Glucydur balance amongst the modifications made to the base movement.

“Precision is at the heart of every Omega timepiece. Our expert repairs restore both function and beauty, returning your watch to its original brilliance.”

Signs of Previous Repairs and Component Wear

This particular movement has clearly needed watch repair in its history, as we can see signs of previous disassembly, notably where the incorrect screwdriver size has been used, so the edge of the screwdriver ends up touching and marking the plate. This does not cause a functional issue, but nevertheless, it is undesirable and should obviously be avoided. We also note the train wheel bridge has been replaced at some point, and the reversing wheel is almost completely worn through.

Servicing and Restoring the Movement and Case

To repair the watch it is fully disassembled and each part inspected, with defective components replaced. The disassembled movement is run through our specialist watch movement cleaning machine, while the case and bracelet are cleaned in a separate ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning, the movement is carefully reassembled and oiled with the replacement parts fitted.

Once cased up we fine-tune the timekeeping to make sure the watch is as accurate as it can be. As this model is chronometer rated it is very accurate – when new it went through a series of strict tests to ensure excellent timekeeping accuracy. We always endeavour to get timekeeping as accurate as we can and various factors can affect this, including the calibre of the movement, age and condition of the watch.

All that’s left is to thoroughly test this excellent Omega Constellation watch before it is ready to return to our client.

Summary

At W.E. Clark Watch Repairs, we specialise in restoring luxury timepieces like the iconic Omega Constellation. This particular model, powered by the high-quality Omega calibre 1120 movement, arrived in our workshop with poor timekeeping, visible wear, and signs of previous repairs. Our meticulous process involved a full disassembly, deep cleaning using specialist equipment, and the replacement of worn components. Once reassembled, we fine-tuned the movement to ensure exceptional accuracy. As trusted experts in horology, we take pride in delivering precision restoration, maintaining the integrity and performance of every watch we service.

Looking to Have Your Omega Constellation Serviced?

At W.E. Clark Watch Repairs, we specialise in restoring modern and vintage timepieces. Whether your Omega watch needs servicing, precision tuning, or expert repairs, our master watchmakers are here to help.

Take advantage of our Royal Mail Special Delivery FREEPOST service—your watch is fully insured for up to £20,000 throughout its entire journey, from the moment it leaves your hands to when it is safely returned.

Book your Omega watch in today and experience expert care you can trust!

Rolex Yacht-Master repair and Restoration

Posted on June 18, 2024 by David Clark

Rolex is a name synonymous with quality, so it is perhaps unsurprising we see many Rolex watches in our workshop – Maintaining a quality item makes absolute sense. These may be more recent or vintage models, and vary from daily wear watches through to those worn only on special occasions.

This watch is a ladies Rolex Yacht-Master, sadly it arrived having suffered from water ingress. In previous blog posts such as this one here we discuss how water can affect a watch movement. Depending on the severity of the water ingress and how long it has been left in the watch, damage may range from relatively minor through to very serious indeed.

This Yacht-Master was at the absolute serious end of the spectrum. Water had entered the watch through the crown and there was very little left undamaged. All movement components showed water damaged to varying levels. On top of this the dial was in a sorry state.

To restore this watch back to excellent working order we would need to replace the vast majority of movement components, complete a full service, change all seals and to restore the dial.

Through our extensive network of suppliers we were able to source everything we needed to repair the Rolex calibre 2235 movement. The only parts it was possible to save were some of the plates and bridges, which we were able to clean up following extensive hand and machine cleaning. With all the new components we can service the movement – cleaning everything in our Elma Solvex watch movement cleaning machine before reassembling and oiling as per the manufacturers specifications and best practices.

We work alongside a specialist dial restorer who was able to restore the damaged Yacht-Master dial for us. To do this the dial is completely stripped back to the base metal, before it is re-painted, the text added and the restored indices reapplied. Again, we’ve written a blog post specifically about dial restoration in the past which you can find here.

All we needed to do now was to complete the last few finishing touches – we noticed the bezel click spring needed replacing so that was done while the case was stripped apart for ultrasonic cleaning. We replaced the seals and completed both a wet and dry pressure test to confirm water resistance had been restored.

With all the case work done we just needed to rebuild the watch and double check timekeeping before putting it on test. The end result is very satisfying – taking a watch which was in a truly sorry state and bringing it back to life is always rewarding. Our client was delighted with the outcome and this Rolex Yacht-Master is ready for many more years of reliable service.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Vintage Garrard Watch Service

Posted on June 4, 2024 by David Clark

At our workshop, we frequently handle vintage Garrard watch servicing. The brand is perhaps most famous for being the Crown Jeweller of the UK, in charge of maintaining the British Crown Jewels for over 150 years until 2007. Although they stopped producing watches around 20 years ago, many Garrard timepieces are still out there, needing maintenance and watch repair.

Here at WE Clark Watch Repairs we are always happy to see a Garrard watch on our bench. The quality is excellent, and their vintage watches often have solid gold cases which polish up very nicely indeed.

Sadly Garrard watches often fall victim to unsuspecting owners being told their watches can’t be repaired as Garrard no longer offers this service. As the watches often have gold cases, this sometimes means luxury watches are merely sold for scrap to gold dealers. Do try a specialist watchmaker like us before selling your Garrard watch – we can almost certainly repair it!

On our initial inspection this watch appeared to be in reasonable aesthetic condition, though it was only working intermittently. At the start of teh Garrard watch service a close look at the sub dial second hand, showed it fouling against the dial. Immediate thoughts were this could be a result of the hand being distorted, or perhaps an issue with the fourth wheel extended pivot.

Servicing the Vintage Gold Watch

During disassembly it became apparent the extended pivot was bent and no longer running completely true. In some instances it is possible to straighten these, but as a replacement fourth wheel was available we replaced the damaged part.

The movement powering this watch is a very nicely decorated version of the Unitas 6376 – a 21,600BPH 17 jewel mechanical movement. It’s a pleasure to work on these movements – nice quality and everything was in decent shape besides the damage to the fourth wheel.

As part of the Gararrd watch service we completely strip the movement down – carefully checking and cleaning each component by hand before everything is run through our specialist Elma Solvex watch movement cleaning machine. After cleaning we reassemble the movement, oiling all the necessary areas as per current industry best practices.

On top of the work to the movement, we give the case a polish to restore some shine to the 9ct gold. Once this is polished, ultrasonically cleaned and dried, we can then fit a new plexi glass dome.

With the works to the watch case and movement finished, all that’s left is to rebuild the complete watch before we can put it on test. This Garrard watch is now back to excellent working order and displays some impressive readings on our timegrapher for a watch 40+ years old.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.
Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®
W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Tudor watch dial restoration

Posted on May 10, 2024 by David Clark

We receive watches in need of many different types of repair. Some watches will only need smaller jobs like a new battery or a crown fitting. Others require bigger interventions, or perhaps even multiple repairs. One of the most effective aesthetic repairs we offer is dial restoration. This is often conducted alongside full servicing. While we work on getting the watch movement back to excellent working order, we partner with one of the leading dial restorers in the UK who are capable of restoring watch dials – both modern and vintage – to excellent condition.

Dial restoration may be required if a watch is, for example, water damaged. If water enters a watch it is not only bad news for the mechanism, but it may damage the dial too. Water can affect the dial lacquer, damage the lume and even parts such as the hour indicator batons or numbers.

This Tudor watch dial was damaged all over – the lacquer was completely disintegrating and there was a very noticeable mark from where the hour hand had been dragging on the dial. After specialist restoration it’s back to fantastic condition. Our client was delighted with the outcome.

The exact process for dial restoration does vary from dial to dial, but generally it includes the following:

– The dial is photographed, stripped down and cleaned

– The dial is matched up with a corresponding dial plate (or if an exact match is not available there may be a very similar plate, we can advise on this)

– Surface work on the dial – removing pitting or scratches as best possible

– Background colour is applied, alongside specialist finishes where applicable such as sunburst or grained finishes

– Text is applied, matching the original dial as closely as possible

– The dial furniture (hour markers, date surround, other raised elements) is restored. Luminescent paint is applied where applicable

We always aim to achieve as close to the original finish as possible. That said, there may still be slight differences, though we will of course discuss these with clients before the work is conducted to make sure you are happy with the final results. As experienced watchmakers we can also advise you if dial restoration is in fact appropriate for your watch. It may not be as obvious as you think – some watches may be devalued by dial restoration, especially if the watch in question is collectable. Do get in contact with us if you have a watch in need of dial restoration – we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Tag Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph Repair

Posted on April 5, 2024 by David Clark

Tag Heuer in its modern form was established in 1985, though the Heuer company has existed since 1860. Watches are produced both with quartz and automatic movements in a variety of different models including the Aquaracer, Kirium, Formula 1, Link, 2000 Series and Carrera.

As a Tag Heuer Authorised Workshop we are able to repair almost any Tag Heuer watch. We are able to obtain genuine Tag Heuer parts direct from the manufacturer to repair many different faults with these watches.

This particular Tag Heuer is a vintage quartz chronograph Formula 1 model from the mid-90s. It arrived to us in poor condition, with a missing top chronograph pusher, completely worn bezel and lume missing from the minute hand.

To restore it back to a good standard we first completely stripped the watch down, removing the bezel, pushers, movement, glass and seals. We then gave the case parts a thorough ultrasonic clean to remove years of dirt and debris which had primarily built up underneath the bezel.

Once the re-usable case parts are clean we can begin the restoration work. To remove the broken pusher part we used our Horia 2015 multi-functional tool. This is a fantastic piece of kit and allows us to safely drive out the broken pusher tube. We can the use it again to fit the replacement.

Now we turn our attention to replacing all the seals. With every seal swapped out and the glass and case back refitted, we can temporarily refit the crown and check for water resistance in the pressure testing machine. This way, if anything needs further attention we don’t need to remove the movement, as it hasn’t been refitted yet.

With a pressure test pass, we’re confident everything is in good shape so we can proceed with the rest of the work.

We remove the four central hands and replace the hour and minute hand. Once the hands are refitted we can fit a new battery and case up the movement, before finally fitting the brand new bezel to finish everything off.

The final task is a pressure test before we put this excellent Tag Heuer Formula 1 watch on test for to confirm timekeeping and functionality, prior to collection by our client. It’s now ready for many more years of reliable service.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Famous British Watchmakers – George Daniels

Posted on March 1, 2024 by David Clark

George Daniels (1926-2011) stands as an iconic figure in the realm of horology, leaving an indelible mark on the world of watchmaking. Born in London, Daniels embarked on his journey into the world of timekeeping at the age of 15, commencing an apprenticeship that would shape the course of his illustrious career.

Despite lacking formal education in watchmaking, Daniels exhibited an innate talent and an insatiable curiosity for mechanical devices. His early twenties saw him gain recognition as a skilled and inventive craftsman.

One of his most groundbreaking contributions was the invention of the Co-Axial escapement, a transformative breakthrough that significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of mechanical watches. Initially met with scepticism, Daniels’ invention ultimately revolutionized modern watchmaking, showcasing his prowess in pushing the boundaries of what was achievable in timekeeping mechanisms.

Daniels was not merely a technical innovator but also a passionate advocate for preserving traditional craftsmanship in an era dominated by mass production. Faced with the encroachment of quartz watches, he staunchly defended the art of handmade watchmaking. As documented in the excellent film “The Watchmaker’s Apprentice”, Daniels’ acted as a mentor to Roger Smith who has continued with George Daniels’ work on the Isle of Man. Roger Smith has further developed and refining the co-axial escapement in his own fantastic range of handmade watches.

One of the masterpieces that exemplified Daniels’ technical and artistic brilliance was the Space Traveller watch. This double-dial timepiece featured both mean solar time and sidereal time, along with various astronomical indications, showcasing Daniels’ ability to blend functionality with intricate design.

Daniels’ commitment to craftsmanship extended beyond his own creations; he penned the authoritative book “Watchmaking,” a seminal guide in the field that shared his knowledge and insights with aspiring watchmakers. His teachings became essential resources, ensuring that his legacy would continue to shape the next generation of horologists.

Unsurprisingly George Daniels has received numerous accolades throughout the years. These include the prestigious Gold Medal from the British Horological Institute, Gold Medal from the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, Gold Medal from the City and Guilds of London Institute, a CBE in 1981 and even a Gold Blue Peter Badge.

In essence, George Daniels’ story is one of innovation, craftsmanship, and an unwavering dedication to the art of watchmaking. His technical brilliance and commitment to preserving tradition have left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and guide watchmakers worldwide. Daniels’ contributions have ensured that the timeless beauty and appreciation of mechanical timepieces will persist for generations to come.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Vintage Roamer Watch Service and Repair

Posted on January 19, 2024 by David Clark

We deal with a huge variety of watches in our workshop, ranging from modern Omega and Rolex through to vintage wrist and pocket watches. Vintage watches often need extra special care and attention, especially if the watch in question has not been regularly serviced over the years.

In this particular instance we received a vintage Roamer watch in for full restoration. We needed to get the watch up and running, restore the dial, supply and fit a new set of hands, fit a new glass, new crown and re-plate the gold-plated case.

While the dial was being restored by our specialist dial restorer, the movement could be serviced. It is completely disassembled and pre-cleaned, with each part inspected. The mainspring was “set” – This is when the mainspring has, in effect, lost much of it’s spring. The upshot being a significant reduction in power. It was also an old carbon steel mainspring – these are more prone to breaking. We were able to source an appropriate modern equivalent mainspring for this calibre of movement. It was clear this movement hadn’t been serviced for some time – most of the oils and greases were completely dried up and needed to be manually scraped off as part of the pre-cleaning process.

Once fully disassembled the movement is run through our specialist watch movement cleaning machine. After cleaning the movement is carefully reassembled and oiled. Once the dial restoration was complete we were able to reunite it with the movement, as well as fit some new hands. These needed a little adjustment to fit the watch correctly, as the holes where the hour and minute hand fit over the hour wheel and cannon pinion respectively were too large. To tighten the hands we use a staking set and the correct type of punch. This slightly tightens the hands enough to ensure a snug fit.

To restore the gold-plated case the old, worn plating first needed to be removed before new plating could be applied. Layers of other metals are used underneath the gold plating to ensure a good molecular bond between the metals. After these have been applied the final gold plating layer can be added. When electro-plating everything has to be immaculately clean and free from grease, as even holding the case with your hands may impart oils which affect the plated layer.

With the now re-plated case we can then fit a new glass ready for the entire watch to be completely reassembled along with a new gold plated crown. Once everything is reunited the watch is back to excellent condition both inside and out. All that’s left is to test this fantastic vintage Roamer watch before it can be returned to our client.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Tag Heuer Monaco Service and Refinishing

Posted on January 12, 2024 by David Clark

As a Tag Heuer Authorised Workshop we have been assessed to meet the standards required for on-site Tag Heuer repairs, covering the full range of interventions up to full servicing and repair. In this instance we’re taking care of a Tag Heuer Monaco watch, with a black dial, sub-dial seconds and a date indicator at 3 o’clock.

This watch was not working on arrival and the case was very scratched and beaten up. Initial inspection of the movement found it in dire need of a service, as the oils and greases designed to keep everything working properly were mostly dried up.

The fault stopping the watch from working turned out to be a broken mainspring – the source of power for the movement. The movement powering this watch is a Tag Heuer Calibre 6, which is based on the ETA calibre 2895-2. To repair this watch we needed to give it a full service and fit a new mainspring. We also replaced the worn reversing wheel, part of the automatic winding mechanism. Alongside the necessary remedial works to the movement, our client requested work to improve the aesthetic condition.

To clean and polish the case it is completely disassembled before we refinish each element using a variable speed polishing machine with a selection of different polishing mops and compounds. We use certain wheels to maintain the flat lines of the case. When polishing it’s often a case of “less is more” as anything which may compromise the original profile of the case is undesirable.

While it was not necessary to order case parts in this instance, As a Tag Heuer Authorised Workshop, we are able to order and additional parts we may have needed to conduct a comprehensive repair of this watch. Parts we are able to obtain include bezels, crowns, glasses, pushers and seals. Only authorised workshops can order these parts for Tag Heuer watches.

After a full service this Tag Heuer Monaco watch is back to excellent working order. The refinishing works to the case have restored the aesthetic condition to an excellent standard too. Another job well done!

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited