Servicing & aftercare
Looked after long after the sale.
A mechanical watch is a machine, and machines need looking after. Oils dry, gaskets harden, and a watch that has run beautifully for eight years can start losing a minute a day without much warning. Aftercare is what keeps a purchase from us running the way it did on the day you took it home.
We do not run a full service department ourselves. Timing, regulation, pressure testing, bracelet sizing and strap fitting happen on our own bench; anything that needs the movement out of the case goes to the independent watchmakers we already trust with our stock. You deal with us throughout, and every job is quoted before it starts.
The service is open to watches bought elsewhere too. If you have a piece you would like assessed before deciding whether it needs work, bring it in and we will put it on the timegrapher while you wait.
- Assessment
- Free for watches bought from us
- Bench work
- Sizing, regulation, pressure test - usually while you wait
- Full service
- Quoted before work starts
- Turnaround
- Bench: same day. Full service: several weeks
Worth a conversation if
- Your watch is gaining or losing more than it used to, or stopping overnight.
- It has not been serviced in five years or more and you swim or shower in it.
- You need a bracelet sized, a link added, or a strap fitted properly.
- You bought from us and want it checked over before a trip or a sale.
- You want an honest opinion on whether it needs a service at all.
How it works
4 steps, in order
Nothing moves to the next step until you have said yes to the last one.
Assessment
The watch goes on the timegrapher and under the loupe. Rate, amplitude, beat error and any visible wear are noted, and you get a plain-language summary of what we found.
Quote
What the work is, who will do it, how long it will take and what it will cost, in writing. Nothing starts until you have agreed it.
The work
Bench jobs are done here. Full services go to our watchmakers with a job sheet, and we track it while it is away.
Return and record
The watch comes back checked against the original readings, with the paperwork that lets the next owner see what was done and when.
What you get
Why people use us for this rather than doing it alone
Quoted first, always
You will never be told a watch needed more than you agreed to after the fact.
The same people who do our stock
We do not send customer watches anywhere we would not send our own.
Paperwork that adds value
A documented service is part of a watch’s history. We make sure yours is written down properly.
Honest about what is needed
If it is running to spec and holding pressure, we will tell you to leave it alone.
Questions
Asked about servicing & aftercare
How often should a mechanical watch be serviced?
Most makers suggest somewhere between five and ten years, and modern movements sit towards the longer end. The honest answer is: when it needs it. A timegrapher reading tells us far more than the calendar does, and the assessment is quick.
Will a service affect the value of a vintage watch?
A properly documented mechanical service will not, and often helps. What harms value is cosmetic work - polishing a case, replacing a dial or hands - and we do not do that to a vintage piece without a very clear instruction from you.
Do you service watches I did not buy from you?
Yes. The assessment is chargeable for watches from elsewhere, and the charge comes off the bill if you go ahead with the work.
Is the watch insured while it is away for service?
Yes, under our cover, from the moment it is received until it is back in your hands - including while it is with our watchmakers.
More general questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Book an assessment
Tell us the watch, what it is doing, and when it was last serviced if you know.
Often combined with
Put it on the bench
A timegrapher reading takes minutes and tells us whether your watch needs anything at all.