Some Secrets About Watch Service That You Don't Know

There are numerous reasons why you might need to have your watch serviced, ranging from a simple battery change to more extensive repairs. Choosing an experienced watchmaker to service your valuable collection is not an easy task, especially when it is a rare vintage watch that was discontinued decades ago. The delicate parts of a watch can be easily damaged if not handled properly. As a result, extra caution and careful handling are required when putting on and taking off the watch. That is why selecting the right watchmaker is critical; you would rather have your watch in the hands of a professional and well-trained person than a novice.

Unfortunately, the watch repair industry is complicated, so before you choose the right repair service for your watch, please take do some thorough research. This may help you avoid many problems, including money loss and sometimes even your mood.

Repair shops in the downtown area

You should be cautious of any repair shop on a busy street or one that claims to be like "the world's top ten watch repair centers," as most of these are not formal. Just think about it: in the core business district, burdened with high rent and labor costs, as well as various marketing costs, when a client arrives, will he let you just demagnetize a watch and leave? To be honest, this type of shop is better suited to selling watches than repairing them. Most repair shops for general brands will not put their own repair centers in such a location. As a result, it is best to avoid going to this type of shop.

Repair shops at the corners of major shopping malls

When you go to the mall, you will notice some watch shops in the mall's corner. The majority of the watches repaired by the watchmakers in these shops are low-end imitations with a low level of professionalism. As a result, if your watch is expensive, it is not advisable to visit this type of shop.

In fact, watch repair work has specific environmental and sanitation requirements, and there is a wide range of professional watch repair equipment available. The shopping mall's environment is relatively noisy, making it an unsuitable workplace for watchmakers. Furthermore, the shop area of the mall is typically very small, with no room for professional equipment. In general, the level of the watchmakers at this type of shop is not very high.

Repair shops with far too enthusiastic service

If you go to a repair shop and the waiter greets you with "Welcome" as soon as you walk in the door and then bows at ninety degrees, you should be cautious. Typically, shops with this kind of service attitude are in high-consumption areas. You can't get out without spending a few thousand dollars once you've entered. To put it bluntly, the repair shop is a watch hospital. "Welcome" is completely inappropriate in this situation. Which regular hospital have you seen that said "Welcome" to you as you walked in? If you come across such a repair shop, just turn around and leave.

Repair shops that disassemble the watch as soon as it arrives, and dare to repair any watch

Watch repair follows a strict procedure. Even if the watch you send is smashed beyond recognition, it will not be dismantled the moment it appears. This is the industry standard. When a watch is delivered to a repair center, the first step is to demagnetize it, followed by filling up the watch's strings and testing it with a meter. The watchmaker will then make a simple judgment on the watch's problem. The watchmaker is not a god; it is impossible to determine the problem with this watch at a glance. Furthermore, new movements emerge every year, and watchmakers must continue to educate themselves. If they didn't ask any questions and simply opened the back cover of the watch at first, then this shop is completely bad.

Repair shops that claim to "complete the repair quickly"

Watch maintenance is not the same as developing photos, and there is no such thing as instant availability. During the maintenance process, the watch requires some oil, and if the oil is not well placed, the watch oil will splash out during operation. If it gets on other parts, it will affect the watch's time accuracy. However, this type of situation cannot be seen in a short period of time, so after the watch is repaired, it must be observed for three to five days.

At the same time, after the dial and hands have been installed, another test is required. The travel time will be impacted if the dial and hands are not installed well. In addition, before the movement is placed in the case, the case must be tested for water resistance. All of these tests will take at least a week. As a result, if a repair shop tells you that your watch can be picked up immediately, it means that there is nothing wrong with the watch and you can go right away.

Repair shops for fake brands

Many watch brands’ customer service centers have relocated. However, once these big brands' customer service centers leave, a fake repair shop will quickly take over, and even the phone number will remain the same. When you call, the phone must be connected. If you ask him if this is the official customer service, he will say unequivocally yes. Even many old customers who are unaware of the truth will be duped because the watch is only serviced once every three to five years, and most people will not notice the changes. Many people believe it is just a re-decoration, but it has already changed. This one is even more unpredictable than the previous five.

Repair shops advertised on search engines

As we live in a world full of information, many people will search the Internet before repairing their watches. However, you should not put too much faith in search engine results because they are paid for, and the more popular the keywords, the higher the cost. Regular maintenance manufacturers do not have the funds to pay for such a high promotion fee; only merchants looking to make huge profits can afford to do so.

Several major luxury groups now own common watch brands, including Swatch, Richemont, Kering, LVMH, and others. These large companies typically have a unified customer service center, such as Swatch's Neuchâtel watch service center, which does not typically set up a customer service center in the name of a single brand. There must be something wrong if you find Vacheron Constantin customer service center, Breguet customer service center, and so on in a search engine. Of course, independent brands such as Patek Philippe, Rolex, Breitling, Audemars Piguet, and others are not included.

Conclusion

I hope that the seven points summarized above will assist you in avoiding some pitfalls when repairing or maintaining watches. Remember, if your beloved watch requires repair or maintenance, you must do your homework ahead of time, and you should never send the watch to these places just for convenience.

Of course, there are many good repair shops around, but for novices who lack discernment, going to the official customer service is the most reliable option. If you’re able to send the watch to the official after-sales service, then it is the first choice; if you cannot send it, then you better find a watch repair shop that is well-known in your local or domestic area.