Raymond Weil make good quality Swiss watches and have been established in their current form for almost 50 years. In the early years of the company, Weil sold his watches from a stall in Geneva. Nowadays Raymond Weil employ well over 200 people and, as of 2014, sell in excess of 200,000 watches every year.
Our client’s watch is a ladies gold plated quartz model with a date at the 6 o’clock position. On arrival in the workshop it was not functional in terms of timekeeping, though setting the hands and date was possible.
On opening the case back it was immediately apparent there had been water ingress. Droplets of water were still present and parts of the movement showed significant discoloration and damage.
Despite the water ingress, the dial and hands remained in good condition. The best course of action to repair this watch was to fit a replacement movement.
A complete movement replacement involves swapping out the entire movement in a like-for-like exchange. While the movement in this watch is generally serviceable, our client’s existing movement was damaged to such an extent that fitting a replacement was the most appropriate repair.
While the movement was removed from the case we took the opportunity to give the case and bracelet a thorough ultrasonic clean. This involves immersing the case and bracelet in a special cleaning fluid within an ultrasonic cleaning tank. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, the parts are rinsed and dried before the watch is fully reassembled once more.
Now complete and with a new movement fitted, we put the watch on test before release to our client.
Do you have a Raymond Weil watch in need of repair? Get in contact with us to see how we can help. We are able to repair almost any Raymond Weil watch – we offer a comprehensive repair service. We cater to clients all around the UK thanks to our fully insured freepost watch repairs service. We also accept clients through our shops in Lewes and Uckfield, Sussex. As a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award accredited business, you can be confident when dealing with us.
Tag Heuer watches are a regular fixture in our workshop. We see watches from across their full range – both modern and vintage. As we hold a parts account with Tag Heuer we are able to obtain genuine Tag Heuer parts to repair many different faults with these watches.
This particular Tag Heuer watch is a Formula One model with a ceramic and stainless steel case and bracelet. It’s a chronograph model, with a date located between the 4 and 5 o’clock position. It was working on arrival, though the case and bracelet showed a number of scratches to the stainless steel sections.
To restore this watch back to excellent condition we refurbished the case and bracelet, fitted new seals for water resistance, checked and tested the movement, and fitted a new battery before a final pressure test to confirm water resistance.
To refinish the case and bracelet we completely disassemble the watch – removing each case part we can, before progressively refinishing each component. We use our Durston double polishing motor and work our way through different polishing compounds before using Menzerna M5 for the final high polish. Once the refinishing of each part of the case is complete, they are given an ultrasonic clean. Each part is then steam cleaned to ensure everything is spotless before reassembly.
Reassembling the watch is a matter of simply reversing the disassembly, though we fit the new seals as we go.
Testing the movement involves using our Elma Watch-Master quartz testing machine. We are able to compare the readings from a variety of tests to the manufacturers specifications in order to confirm the watch is operating as it should be.
After the work is complete, the results speak for themselves. We pressure tested the watch using our state-of-the-art Sigma pressure testing machine and it is now confirmed as water resistant as per the original rating.
If you have a Tag Heuer in need of repair – do get in touch. We offer a comprehensive range of watch repairs. We cater to clients all around the UK thanks to our fully insured freepost watch repairs service, as well as to walk in clients through our showrooms in Lewes and Uckfield, Sussex. As a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award accredited business, you can be confident when dealing with us. We are also Business Partners of the British Horological Institute – the standard bearers for quality watchmaking and repairs in the UK.
We receive a huge spectrum of watches through our stores in Lewes and Uckfield, as well as through our postal repairs service. The postal service is fully insured and completely free – Using this we accept repairs from all around the UK.
The Omega Railmaster is a fantastic looking watch. This model was originally made for railway staff or anyone working near magnetic fields, as it is highly resistant to magnetism. It’s a manual wind watch, using the Omega calibre 2201 movement. This is a 17 jewel, robust, pocket watch size movement based on the ETA calibre 6498-1.
On arrival in the workshop this watch was working intermittently. Inspection of the movement found it to be running dry – the oils and greases used to keep everything working properly had dried up and were preventing the watch from running as it should be. To correct this we need to fully service the watch and we fit a new mainspring as part of the service.
During a full service we completely disassemble the movement and run it through our specialist watch movement cleaning machine. We also run the case through a separate ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning, the movement is carefully reassembled and oiled, before being adjusted and tested.
Movements based on the ETA calibre 6498 are always a pleasure to work on. These movements are well designed, robust and have good size jewels. It’s always much nicer to work on watch which has been well made!
Once the watch is fully reassembled we do a final multi-positional test using our timegrapher machine, before it goes “on test” for a number of days. This way we can confirm the timekeeping is within acceptable tolerances for the movement calibre. We also pressure test to 150m – the original rating of water resistance for this model.
Do you have an Omega Railmaster in need of repair? From vintage to modern pieces, we are able to help. Thanks to our fully insured, freepost watch repairs service we are able to accept watches from all around the UK. We also accept repairs through our two stores in Lewes and Uckfield, Sussex. Our business is long established and we are Business Partners of the British Horological Institute, as well as holders of a coveted Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. You can be confident when dealing with us.
The watch restoration process has many different elements. From the repair of the intricate mechanism to case repairs and polishing, each area is its own specialisation. Dial restoration is one such area. We work with one of the leading watch dial restorers in the UK to restore a huge range of different watch dials – both modern and vintage – back to excellent condition.
When is watch dial restoration required?
Watch 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 will damage the dial too. Water can affect the dial lacquer, damage the lume and even the dial furniture (such as the batons used to indicate the hour).
How to restore a watch dial
To restore a watch dial, it is first photographed before it is stripped down and cleaned. The dial is matched up with a corresponding dial in an extensive library of watch dial plates. If an exact match is not available, it may be a very similar plate will still be acceptable. In most cases we are able to match the original watch dial typeface exactly – again, all thanks to a huge library and wealth of knowledge from our master watchmaker. We strive to restore the dial back to its original state and that includes every detail as close as we can get.
Once the dial is fully matched up, work on the surface of the dial itself begins. This is needed to remove any damage such as scratches or pitting. If the dial is very worn we may not be able to get rid of every imperfection, though we always achieve the best result we can without compromising the integrity of the watch dial.
Now it’s time for some colour – specifically the background colour. This is applied by our dial restorer who can even apply specialist finishes such as sunburst and graining, depending on the dial in question. After this is done, we add the text. We look for high levels of clarity, and to match the original as closely as possible.
The hour markers – the batons or indexes – are also restored. Many different types of hour markers exist, all of which require different cleaning and restoration methods. If your dial has luminous markers, these are applied sympathetically, and in keeping with the dial in question.
How to get my watch dial restored
When restoring a watch we strive to achieve as close to the original finish as possible, but there may still be slight differences. We of course discuss these with clients before the work is conducted, to make sure you are happy with the results. As experienced watchmakers we can also advise you if dial restoration is even 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 a vintage collectable watch.
Do you have a watch in need of dial restoration? Get in contact with us today to see how we can help. We offer a comprehensive range of watch repairs and accept repairs through our shops in Lewes and Uckfield, Sussex. Thanks to our fully insured, freepost repairs service we also serve clients based all around the UK. We are Business Partners of the British Horological Institute and holders of a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award – testament to our core principle of providing an excellent service for our clients.
One of the most common jobs in the world of watch repair is replacing the battery. It’s important to have your watch battery replaced by someone who knows what they’re doing for a numerous reasons – Many of which we’ve covered in previous blog posts. But what exactly do we do during a battery change? This blog post will aim to tell you just that.
The first thing we do with any watch we receive is to take photos of it, before thoroughly checking the watch over. We check the condition of the case and strap/bracelet for any damage/functionality, before then checking the functionality of the watch. We check if the watch is working, can the hands can be set, if the date can be changed and so on. These checks are important as they help with diagnosing faults which may have slipped the attention of our client. For example a chronograph watch may be sent in for a simple battery change, but we find the chronograph doesn’t work.
Assuming all is well, we can proceed. The first thing to do is to remove the strap. These are usually held on by spring bars, though straps can be screwed in place, or be attached to the case via rivets. Once this is done, If the watch is dirty, we use a brush to remove as much of the dirt as possible. We encourage our clients to try and keep their watches clean – dirt can cause problems with seals and get underneath the crown (and/or chronograph pushers if you have a chronograph watch). This ends up causing parts to fail and can lead to additional work being needed. Dirt is removed prior to opening the case back, as it’d be problematic to allow dirt to enter the case. Quartz watches need spotlessly clean movements to function correctly. It only takes one small particle of dirt in the wrong place to stop the watch completely.
Next we can remove the case back. Watch case backs come in all different shapes and sizes. The most common types of fitting are snap on case backs – where the back is press-fitted onto the case. There are screw-on case backs, where the case back is threaded and screws onto the case. A case back may also be held in place by tiny screws. It’s important to have the correct tools and knowledge to remove the case back, otherwise it’s highly likely the case back will be damaged during removal.
We can now see the movement itself. There are literally thousands of different types of quartz movement, and the battery removal procedure will be slightly different for each one, though some general rules remain the same. Fingers shouldn’t be anywhere near the watch movement (again, cleanliness). The battery is removed using plastic (or equivalent coated) tweezers. Depending on the type and condition of the movement, we may now use our quartz movement testing machine to test the watch to ensure the movement is working within the manufacturer’s specifications. This is a specialist piece of equipment – another reason why taking your watch to a specialist watchmaker is important – we provide a comprehensive service. It’s also important the battery being fitted is the correct type! This may sound silly, but you’d be amazed how often we find an incorrect battery fitted to a watch. An incorrect battery, or one of the correct size but from a sub-standard manufacturer, won’t last for as long as it should and may drain quicker or in extreme examples leak.
We use quality Swiss Made watch batteries and fit the correct type for the movement. These are carefully fitted using plastic tweezers. With the case back off we can inspect the back seal in case this needs replacing too. After the battery is carefully fitted, the movement is given a final inspection before the case back can go on. Alignment is important – there may be a cut out for the stem to work properly, or text may need to be up the right way. In some situations we need to use a press to fit stubborn snap-on case backs. Threaded case backs are removed and refitted using a specialist sturdy bench case back remover.
With the back fitted we can refit the watch strap. If the spring bars holding the strap in place are worn, these are replaced. Finally we can set the time and date. Job done!
The above procedure is a very simplistic outline and we tailor our work around the watch in question. Bear in mind, we haven’t even discussed procedures around water resistant models or unusual watches, like the Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso, or one-piece case watches, where the glass needs to be removed during a battery change. You can rest assured we follow industry standard best practices and aim to provide one of the most comprehensive watch repair services in the UK, with trained watchmakers and specialist brand tooling suitable for brands like Omega, Breitling and Tag Heuer in our fully equipped workshop.
Do you have a watch in need of a new battery? We are able to repair almost any watch and we offer a comprehensive watch repair service. We cater to clients all around the UK thanks to our fully insured freepost watch repairs service. As Business Partners of the British Horological Institute and a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award accredited business, you can be confident when dealing with us. Contact us today and see how we can help.
A recent job we had in the workshop involved restoring this beautiful ladies Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 2 Tone watch. This watch needed a lot of work – the watch was not functional on arrival in the workshop. On top of this, the bracelet was stretched and worn. This absolutely needed attention in order for the watch to be secure when on the wrist.
To tackle such a job we split the work into stages – the restoration and refinishing of the case and bracelet, and the servicing and repair of the intricate mechanism.
To restore such a worn bracelet takes a significant amount of time. Each link of the jubilee bracelet needed to be carefully broken down into it’s individual components, and the steel pins holding the links together are replaced. These pins were in places almost worn through. As part of the bracelet restoration process we carefully refinish the case and bracelet back to a good standard – using a selection of different polishing mops and compounds to achieve the correct finish for this watch.
Inspection of the movement found it to most certainly be in need of a thorough service. Pivots which should be clean and nicely oiled were running dry, with residue of old oils and greases broken down and further interfering with the smooth running of the mechanism. The rotor axle – the pivot point for the rotor (the oscillating weight which winds the watch as it is worn) – was worn out, so this needed replacing, as did the mainspring.
To rectify these issues the entire watch movement is stripped apart, before going through a full cleaning cycle in a specialist watch movement cleaning machine. The movement is then carefully reassembled, with oils and greases used in certain places to ensure optimal performance of the watch for a full service interval.
After all the work was completed, the watch undergoes rigorous testing for timekeeping. It is initially regulated by our watchmaker and checked in multiple positions to ensure it is performing as expected. It then is testing for automatic winding on our Elma Cyclomotion winding machine, as well as for power reserve and performance after 24 hours has elapsed.
This Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date is now back to an excellent standard and ready for many more years of wear.
The brand Mont Blanc are best known for their range of luxury writing instruments. Their most famous model – the Meisterstück (Masterpiece) was introduced in 1924 and the brand soon went from strength to strength. After 1935 a range of leather goods were introduced including wallets and pen cases. We have to wait until 1997 for the first collection of Mont Blanc watches – these continued with the brands aesthetic, though over the years some models have moved away from an exclusively classic look. Top Mont Blanc models include the TimeWalker, Tradition and, as we have on the bench today, the Star.
Our client’s Mont Blanc Star is a quartz watch of good quality. On arrival in the workshop it was not working. Opening the case back revealed the movement – a modified ETA 955.112. These are reliable, solid movements and, in the case of a fault, they can be repaired (rather than simply replaced!).
We tested the watch using our Watch-Master Quartz Analyser. This allows us to diagnose faults with a quartz watch. The fault found was with the circuit. Visual inspection confirms this – there was clear damage to the circuit and battery isolator caused by a battery leak. To repair this watch we need to replace these parts, as well as conduct a thorough service.
Servicing a quartz watch follows similar principles to that of a mechanical service. The movement is completely stripped down and we run the parts through a specialist watch movement cleaning machine. The movement is then rebuilt and oiled as per the manufacturer’s specifications. While a quartz movement has less parts, the wheels are generally speaking much smaller. The nature of a quartz movement means cleanliness is perhaps even more important than with a mechanical service (and it’s of paramount importance in a mechanical service!). For instance – just the smallest piece of debris or lack of oil (or too much oil) will be problematic and likely stop the watch or cause too much power consumption. As part of the service we replaced the damaged circuit and battery isolator. Alongside the work to the movement, the watch case was ultrasonically cleaned.
Now we simply assemble everything. The dial is fitted to the movement, before the hands are fitted. When fitting the hands we use a hand press tool made by Horotec. These tools are a great way to ensure the hands are fitted completely parallel with the dial (and each other), and that the spacing is appropriate and uniform. After these are fitted we fit this back into the case. One last test of the movement to ensure it is operating within the manufacturer’s specifications before the case is sealed.
Finally the complete watch is pressure tested to ensure it passes to the original rating of 30m water resistance using our Sigma SM-8850 pressure testing machine. This is able to test watches rated up to 300m water resistant.
Do you have a Mont Blanc watch in need of repair? Get in contact with us to see how we can help. We are able to repair almost any Mont Blanc watch and we offer a comprehensive watch repairs service. We cater to clients all around the UK thanks to our fully insured, freepost watch repairs service. As a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award accredited business and Business Partners of the British Horological Institute you can be confident when dealing with us.
This watch is a vintage Longines Ultra-Chron model dating from the 1970s. It has a gold plated case, a cross-hair dial and a date at 3 o’clock. The Ultra-Chron is an automatic high-beat watch. This means the watch effectively ticks more per second than many other mechanical watches. The old standard for mechanical watches is to run at 18,000 BPH. This is 2.5Hz, or 5 beats per second. The Ultra-Chron doubles this – running at 36,000BPH – 5Hz or 10 beats per second. This – in theory – makes it easier for the watch to attain an excellent level of timekeeping accuracy. It also makes the second hand run more smoothly if you closely examine it.
There are however disadvantages to high beat movements, The fact the watch is beating so fast means the need for regular servicing is much more important, as parts will wear out considerably quicker. Indeed, there’s still a conversation ongoing about which standard is best, with the four main standards we see being 18,000, 21,600, 28,800 and 36,000 BPH.
On inspection of this particular watch, the amplitude of the balance was found to be very poor, This is often a sign a watch is in need of a thorough service. We also noted the date change was not working properly, so this required some attention.
To service the movement it is completely disassembled and pre-cleaned, with each part inspected. The disassembled movement is then run through our specialist watch movement cleaning machine, while the case was cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. After an initial clean everything is checked before it then goes through a final cleaning cycle.
The movement powering this watch is a Longines calibre 461. This is a 17 jewel automatic movement of good quality. Inspection of the date change components found a replacement spring had previously been fitted, and this was too weak to provide the correct, snappy date change required. We were able to source and fit a replacement and this resolved the problem.
After all the movement parts are completely clean, it’s time to begin reassembly and oiling. The movement is rebuilt in stages, with everything checked to ensure it is just as it should be before moving on to the next stage. Once the movement is back together, the dial and hands are then refitted before the watch is cased up.
Do you have a Longines, or in fact any vintage watch in need of repair? Get in contact with us to see how we can help. We are able to repair almost any watch and we offer a comprehensive watch repair service. We cater to clients all around the UK thanks to our fully insured freepost watch repairs service. You can also bring watches in to our showrooms based in Lewes and Uckfield, Sussex. As Business Partners of the British Horological Institute and a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award accredited business, you can be confident when dealing with us.
In the first part of this blog post we covered some of the potential causes of water damage. But what should you do if the worst does happen and water ingress occurs? In this part we’ll look at what to do (and what not to do!) to give your watch the best chance of being successfully repaired.
If you notice water has made its way into your watch, firstly, immediately stop using the watch. That means take the watch off and under no circumstances should you start pressing buttons or attempting to pull the crown out, adjust the hands etc. This could cause more damage to the movement.
It’s very important you get in contact with a reputable watchmaker like us as soon as you possibly can. Depending on the level of exposure and type of water, your watch may need to be urgently booked in for attention.
If you wait a week before contacting a watchmaker, this gives the water a week to do further damage to the sensitive mechanism. If your watch has been exposed to salt water, this is enough time to completely destroy the movement. When you’re dealing with small parts even one drop of freshwater is enough to ruin numerous components in a short period of time.
Once water has entered the watch, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Don’t heat the watch on a radiator or give it a shake/spin. Doing so will only cause further damage. Until you’re able to get to a watchmaker, putting the watch in a bag with some kind of absorbent like silica gel won’t do any harm, but it certainly won’t fully deal with the problem. There is no short cut solution – we’ve seen numerous watches which have been kept in a bag of rice to dry them out, but on opening the back we find the movement swimming in water.
As you can see, water ingress can only be properly dealt with by a professional watchmaker. Water ingress can result in a hefty repair bill even if the watch is promptly disassembled – this is because watch parts need to be in excellent condition to work correctly. We strongly encourage our clients to have their watches regularly serviced (usually every 3-5 years) and to have water resistance tested every year. By doing so your watch is checked and unless there’s user error (eg. The crown is left pulled out, glass damaged etc.) you can be confident in the level of water resistance your watch is able to provide.
In the world of watches you’ll undoubtedly be familiar with the big names like Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer and Breitling. What you may not realise is quite how many micro-brands there are. These smaller watch companies produce watches ranging from super high-end, through to cheaper quartz watches. Each brand has its own respective niche and story to tell.
The watch on the bench today is made by Halios – a relatively new company, with the brand starting in 2009. Halios watches were influenced by conversations with online watch forum members. By talking directly with the target market, the watches were tailored to suit their thoughts and suggestions.
This model is a Seaforth – a great looking, water resistant, automatic watch. It’s powered by an ETA 2824-2 movement. The 2824-2 is a reliable, good quality automatic movement, as found in watches by some of the brands listed above, like Tag Heuer and Breitling.
Initial inspection revealed the watch to be working, albeit poorly based on the readings from our timegrapher testing machine. A full service and replacement mainspring was required.
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.
The case is given a thorough ultrasonic clean and we then reassemble the complete watch. After pressure testing for water resistance, this wonderful Halios Seaforth goes on our automatic watch testing machine as part of its final testing before release to our client.
