Category: Watch Case Studies

We are able to offer a comprehensive repairs service for Tag Heuer watches. Our workshop is a Tag Heuer Authorised Workshop – this means 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.

This Tag Heuer is one of the Aquaracer range – these were introduced in 2004 and their roots stem from the Heuer Dive watches of the 1980s. This particular model is fairly recent – dating from 2016 and it had never been serviced since purchase.

On our initial inspection the watch appeared to be in decent aesthetic condition, though it was no longer working. The hand setting worked ok, as did the date change.

On opening the case back the fault stopping the watch from working presented itself – a screw had worked its way out of the train wheel bridge and wedged itself under the balance wheel. This can happen if screws aren’t tightened to the correct torque, or a shock may cause them to come loose. After removing the screw the watch started working, though it still needed a service to restore it back to excellent working order.

The movement this Aquaracer uses is the Tag Heuer Calibre 5 – this version is based on the Sellita SW200-1 movement. As part of the service we replaced the mainspring, ratchet wheel and both reversers.

As a Tag Heuer Authorised Workshop, we are able to order the required parts to complete this repair direct from the manufacturer. While they were not required in this instance, we are able to obtain case parts too, such as bezels, crowns, glasses, pushers and seals. Only authorised workshops can order these parts for Tag Heuer watches.

After a full service this Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 5 watch tests to within chronometer standard on our Witschi Watch Expert 4 timing machine! After closing the case back for the final time we pressure test the watch to its original rating of 300m before testing timekeeping performance using our Elma Cyclomotion automatic watch winder over a number of days. After final quality control it’s ready to collect. Another lovely watch restored back to excellent working order.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

The refinishing of watch cases and bracelets is a skill set in its own right, separate from that of watchmaking. There are certain makes and models of watch we see for refinishing more than others – notable examples being the Rolex Datejust, Submariner and the Omega Seamaster. With each watch we need to use different skills, polishing wheels, mops and compounds to restore the finish back to a good standard.

When refinishing and restoring the aesthetic condition of a watch case and bracelet it is important to balance the level of wear and scratching, with the originality of the piece and value of the item. One must be realistic as to the level of finish it is possible to achieve.

We have the skills needed to refinish a range of different metals and style of watch case and bracelet. We also have the experience to advise when it’s best not to polish, or when to do so but only lightly. It can be a fine line, but unnecessary, ill-advised or poor-quality polishing can negatively impact on the value of a watch and be detrimental to the overall appearance.

This watch is a modern ladies Omega Constellation with a bicolour case and bracelet. The bracelet shows considerable scratching, though we should be able to improve on this quite significantly.

The first step was to remove the movement from the case. Once the movement is removed we can disassemble the case and bracelet. Everything is taken apart and we disassemble the bracelet down to its individual components, separating out the gold bars from the steel links by removing the pins and tubes.

The refinishing process involves refinishing each component using our Durston double polishing motor. For the gold bars we use a special mop with a compound designed to give a stunning bright finish. To restore the brushed finish of the steel links we remove any major marks by hand before using a specialist graining wheel. Each link also has a slight high polished bevelled edge. We carefully polish this section taking care not to round the edge.

Once the refinishing is complete, a final ultrasonic clean is given. All the pins and tubes are also cleaned, this ensures everything is absolutely spotless. Once all components are dry we can begin the reassembly process, putting together the bracelet and refitting the movement into the case. We can then test for water resistance. Once fully reassembled, the results are truly stunning – a vast improvement and our client is sure to be delighted.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

We offer a full range of repairs in our fully equipped watch workshop – from part jobs like battery replacement through to full servicing of the vast majority of brands including Omega, Tag Heuer, Breitling and Rolex.

This job was an involved one – working on a Tag Heuer Lewis Hamilton Carrera Chronograph which arrived to us in poor condition. Our client wanted it restored and refurbished back to an excellent standard.

On arrival the entire case and bracelet were heavily marked and scuffed. In particular the fixed bezel was in poor condition. The crown was damaged and in need of replacement, plus the movement (a Tag Heuer calibre 16, based on an ETA 7750) was in desperate need of a service.

We are an authorised service centre for Tag Heuer, so we are able to order the required parts to complete this repair. We ordered a new bezel, crown, pushers and seals – these were all fitted as part of the job. Only authorised service centres can order these parts for Tag Heuer watches. We’ve been assessed by Tag Heuer so you can be confident we have the skills and correct brand specific tooling to repair your watch.

Alongside ordering in these parts, we refinished the watch case and bracelet. To do this we use a variety of different wheels and polishing compounds to achieve the desired finish. The bracelet on this watch has a brushed and high polish finish, so we mask off the bracelet in sections to create this effect.

Servicing the movement involved completely stripping down the Calibre 16 automatic chronograph movement. These are good quality movements with a considerable number of parts. Everything is checked and cleaned by hand, before being put through our watch movement cleaning machine. Reassembly and oiling can then take place. We use a variety of different lubricants and oils based on the part and function. We adhere to the manufacturers specification for this, as given on the movement data sheet.

Once the movement is serviced, we can begin complete reassembly. We reunite the movement, dial and hands with the newly refurbished case. We can then pressure test the complete watch for water resistance before it goes on test prior to collection by our client. A job well done – the watch looks fantastic after this intervention.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

One of the most requested jobs in our workshop is the refinishing of watch cases and bracelets. Watch polishing is a skill set in its own right, separate from those needed to effectively service and repair the watch mechanism.

While we as watchmakers are of course concerned with neat oiling and the movement being set up to optimal efficiency, this isn’t as obvious to most clients, besides being aware of if the watch is keeping time or not. The aesthetic condition of the case and bracelet however is most certainly noticeable, with marks and scratches very apparent. It’s inevitable scratches occur if a watch is worn regularly, and while some like to keep the “used” look, others like their watches to be polished.

We have the skills needed to refinish a range of different metals and style of watch case and bracelet. We also have the experience to advise when it’s best not to polish, or when to do so but only lightly. It can be a fine line, but unnecessary, ill-advised or poor-quality polishing can negatively impact on the value of a watch.

In this instance we have a ladies Omega Constellation for polishing. For this particular watch we needed to restore a high polish finish, and it’s absolutely an appropriate candidate for polishing.

The first step was to remove the movement from the case. Once the movement is removed we can disassemble the case as necessary. Once the movement is removed and we’ve stripped the watch down to an appropriate level, we can give the case and bracelet an ultrasonic clean.

It’s important to note any major marks can be dealt with prior to polishing – we want to polish for as little time as possible but with maximum effect. In this instance the case and bracelet were scuffed up all over, but there wasn’t anything particularly major which needed dealing with beforehand.

The refinishing process involves stages of polishing using our Durston double polishing motor. Between each stage we ultrasonically clean the case and bracelet to avoid contaminating polishing mops with different compounds. For the final high polish finish we use Menzerna M5 compound – this has always given us excellent results.

Once the refinishing is complete, a final ultrasonic clean is given. Each part is then steam cleaned to ensure everything is spotless before drying.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

A brand we occasionally see in the workshop is Dunhill. These watches are always excellent quality and this clients watch is no exception.

This watch is one of Dunhill’s Centenerary models – released in 1993 to mark the 100 year anniversary of the Dunhill brand. It’s a beautiful watch with an art deco style dial, stainless steel rectangular case and a quality Swiss mechanical movement. This watch arrived working but not keeping time. The case was rather scratched too, so a full service of the movement as well as a case and refinish was in order.

The movement powering this watch is an ETA calibre 2660. This is a hand-wound mechanical movement with 17 jewels, running at 28,800 beats per hour. It’s a 7¾ ligne movement, so a smaller sized watch movement.

The watch is completely stripped down before the movement parts are thoroughly cleaned. We clean parts both by hand and then using a specialist watch movement cleaning machine – this way we can be certain everything is in good order and as clean as we can possibly make it.

After cleaning, rebuilding and oiling of the mechanism can begin. We use a number of different oils and greases in different parts of the mechanism. We follow the manufacturers guidance for this, including the use of epilame treatment on a number of parts to prevent the spread of oils. We fit a new mainspring as part of the service to ensure the source of power is in as good a shape as possible.

To refinish the case it is disassembled and given a thorough ultrasonic clean before we commence the refinishing process. To do this we use our variable speed polishing machine in combination with various different polishing mops and compounds. After a final ultrasonic clean we can reassemble the watch.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Some pocket watches are far more than mere instruments of timekeeping. These mechanical marvels encapsulate history, craftsmanship, and nostalgia. Our meticulous process of disassembly, cleaning, and delicate repair, is often most challenging but also rewarding when we work on unusual vintage pieces, or those in particularly poor condition. This IWC Jump Hour pocket watch is certainly something we don’t see every day. The time is displayed in a digital style – with hours and minutes represented by numbers rather than hands pointing to numbers on the dial. This is a “Jump Hour” watch – meaning there isn’t a continuously moving hour indicator, the number jumps over to the next hour when the minutes change from “59” to “00”.

This watch was produced between 1885-1895, so it is over 130 years old. A similar steel-cased example with the same movement can be found in the British Museum’s collection. They describe the movement in remarkable detail, but to summarise: it is of excellent quality. Features include a club-toothed lever escapement, bi-metallic thermo-compensating balance and pin-set positive keyless works.

On arrival, this watch was in poor condition, with the bezel completely loose, a missing glass, and damage to the enamel dial. It needed careful restoration to get it back to excellent working order.

It’s important to be considered during a restoration like this. We must balance a number of factors including our client’s wishes, the reality of what’s feasible, and respecting the history and provenance of the watch in question. With this in mind, Works completed include full servicing, repair, and restoration of the movement, a sympathetic polish of the gold case, sourcing and fitting a new glass, and a repair where the enamel dial was broken.

It’s always a privilege to work on pieces like this – The end results really do speak for themselves. Another wonderful piece of history restored back to excellent working order for our delighted client.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

Oris is a renowned Swiss watch company with a rich history spanning over a century. Established in 1904 by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian in Hölstein, Oris began as a manufacturer of pocket watches. Over time, the company transitioned to producing wristwatches and gained recognition for their reliable and accurate timepieces.

In the 1920s, Oris introduced their first in-house movement, marking a significant milestone in their watchmaking expertise. Throughout the following decades, Oris expanded its product range and innovated with various mechanical complications, including alarm functions, chronographs, and world timers.

Today, Oris remains committed to traditional watchmaking craftsmanship while incorporating modern design elements, and continues to be celebrated for its exceptional quality, precision, and dedication to the art of horology. The brand has become more visible in recent years, in part thanks to sponsorship deals with the Williams F1 team and most recently in cricket with the MCC.

The model we have for repair is one of their classics – a Big Crown. As the name would suggest, the big crown indeed has a big crown! This model was designed for aviators and the large crown means the watch can be set while wearing gloves.

On arrival with us the watch is working, albeit poorly. On our timegrapher we can see the amplitude is very low and the timekeeping is erratic. Inspection of the movement shows dried oils and greases, so a full service and new mainspring is in order.

This watch uses an ETA 2824-2 movement – one of the more common good quality Swiss watch movements. This is a 25 jewel automatic movement and Oris customise their version with a bright red rotor which is visible through a clear exhibition case back.

The watch is completely stripped down before the movement parts are thoroughly cleaned. Parts are cleaned twice – both by hand and then using a specialist watch movement cleaning machine. We o this to ensure everything is in good order and as clean as we can possibly make it.

After cleaning, the rebuild and oiling of the mechanism can begin. Different oils and greases are used in different parts of the mechanism. We follow the manufacturers’ guidance for this, including the use of epilame treatment on a number of parts to prevent the spread of oils.

The case and bracelet are given a thorough ultrasonic clean and we can then reassemble the complete watch. After pressure testing for water resistance, this excellent Oris Big Crown is ready to go on our automatic watch testing machine as part of its final testing before release to our client.

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited

A recent job in the workshop involved the refinishing and re-plating of a vintage Sewills watch. We are asked about re-plating watch cases on a fairly regular basis. It’s a job which requires specialist equipment, hazardous chemicals and a good knowledge of the process and pitfalls in order to achieve excellent results.

The first step was to remove the ETA 2824-2 movement from the case. Once the movement is removed we can disassemble the case – so this means removing everything we can, including the glass. This watch has a stainless steel case back, so this does not need plating and it can be refinished/polished in the conventional manner.

Before we can commence plating we need to ensure the case is refinished back to a good standard. Re-plating does not hide any of the existing blemishes, marks and scratches. These all need to be dealt with otherwise the case will look poor after plating is complete. We use a variety of methods to remove the scratches and to ensure we maintain the profile of the case. In some areas we use hand tools and sandpaper, whereas in others we can use a special wheel on our polishing motor.

Once the case has been stripped back to the base metal with the scratches removed, that’s when we are able to polish. For the final high polish finish we use Menzerna M5 compound. This is a personal preference and the case comes up very well. Now we can give the case an ultrasonic and steam clean to remove any traces of polishing compound.

In order to plate the case it must be absolutely free of contaminants. This is crucial to achieve a good result. There are a number of methods to de-grease a case and leave a water break free surface – we opt to use a special preparation compound on the metal in this instance.

Now for the plating itself. There are many methods to plate an item – including tank plating, brush plating and pen plating. All of these methods have their merits and the one to use will depend on the situation. In this instance we use brush plating. To brush plate we connect the watch case to the negatively charged electrode (the cathode) and then use a specialist electroplating brush which is connected as the anode alongside electroplating solution to carefully apply the electroplating. These electroplating solutions can be hazardous, so due care and diligence must be take with protective equipment and ventilation.

After application we thoroughly clean and dry the case before beginning the reassembly process. We refit the case tube, as well as the glass. Once this is done the movement can be re-installed into the case, before the case back is fitted and the watch tested for water resistance. The watch is also checked on our timegrapher to confirm the timekeeping, though in this instance our client wanted just the plating taken care of, so no work was done to the movement itself. Once complete, the results speak for themselves – a huge improvement!

Yours sincerely

David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.

Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®

W.E. Clark & Son Limited