Frequently asked questions
Is my enquiry a good fit?
We repair mechanical watches and clocks of various brands and ages. We are also happy to assess what is possible with old or rare timepieces. Whether we can accept a job depends, among other things, on the condition and spare-part supply.
We do not repair watches or clocks with batteries or electronic components, and we do not offer battery changes.
Yes. We carry out partial repairs, such as bracelet shortening and other minor work, on vintage mechanical watches and high-quality mechanical watches. We assess whether the requested work can sensibly be carried out on your watch based on its condition.
We do not trade in spare parts or source individual parts for resale. As part of a repair job, we can obtain and fit the required parts wherever possible. We occasionally sell surplus stock on eBay.
The brand, model, a description of the problem and sharp photographs of the watch are helpful. If known, please also provide the reference number, age and date of the last service. Tell us what work you would like and which parts or signs of wear should be preserved. Please do not open the watch yourself for this purpose.
Costs and commissioning work
Photographs and your description help with an initial assessment. A reliable price, however, depends on the actual condition, the parts required and the work requested. We need to examine the watch or clock for this. Our price list provides an initial guide.
The work required depends on the construction, condition and spare-part needs of the timepiece. Even one with a low market value can need an extensive repair. Whether the work is worthwhile for you therefore also depends on its personal value and how you want to use it in the future.
Quotations start at €50 for wristwatches and €125 for clocks. In special cases, higher costs may be necessary.
If you commission the work directly, we do not prepare a separate quotation. Otherwise, you will usually receive a quotation for the work requested. We begin work after your approval and clarification of any outstanding details.
We take great care when preparing a quotation. Additional findings that change the agreed scope of repair are therefore rare. Nevertheless, some damage may only become visible after partial disassembly or cleaning. In this case, we explain the findings and agree the further work with you.
Work marked as optional is not included in the stated total price. If you want an option, its price is added. Please tell us which optional work you wish to commission.
Timing and updates
This depends on the timepiece, the amount of work, the spare-part supply and our workload. Extensive restorations can take considerably longer than a normal service. We discuss the expected timescale for your job; please mention any particular date requirements when you enquire.
If you have received access to your job from us, you can view its progress there. If you do not have access or have a question about the job, please write to us and include your job number if you already have one.
Please also check your spam folder. Quotations and job updates may arrive in a separate email. If you cannot find the message, please send us a brief note so that we can check whether it was sent and, if necessary, send it again.
Dropping off and shipping
Yes, you can do this without an appointment during our current acceptance hours in Oppenheim. Please note announcements about holiday closures, public holidays and any temporary pause in accepting work.
We can arrange collection from you. For this, we need your address, a telephone number for the courier and your preferred collection day. Once agreed, you will receive the shipping label by email. Please also tell us the watch’s current value so that the appropriate shipping method can be agreed.
Please pack the watch securely in a sturdy parcel. Ideally, its dimensions should be below 30 × 25 × 20 cm and its total weight below 1 kg. Larger or heavier parcels may incur higher shipping costs; please agree these with us before booking. If you do not have suitable packaging, please let us know.
Return shipping is possible by arrangement. As standard, you can choose a delivery day from Monday to Friday. In addition to your own address, the return address can be your employer, friends or family, or a UPS Access Point. Please tell us the desired delivery address and a suitable day so that the parcel can be received. We agree the shipping method and costs with you; the actual delivery then also depends on the carrier.
Repairs and caring for your watch
A partial repair is possible if it makes technical sense and is appropriate to the rest of the watch’s condition. With heavy wear, contamination or further damage, a single intervention cannot reliably solve the problem. We then recommend a complete overhaul. We assess what makes sense for your watch after examination.
In many repair businesses, servicing with minimal effort is common practice. Watches are often only “repaired” far enough to run again and fulfil the statutory minimum warranty period of one year. Our approach to overhauling a movement, however, differs greatly from this usual method. We therefore call our process “precision servicing”.
Precision servicing differs from an ordinary service in several respects. We overhaul the movement to the traditional quality standards of “haute horlogerie” – fine watchmaking – rooted in renowned regions such as Geneva. Our quality standards therefore go well beyond the minimum requirements of the modern watch industry and the standards on the market, which have often fallen.
Our precision services are carried out so that the movement runs reliably for as long as possible. We have established special processes for this, from disassembly to final inspection.
Some features of our precision service include:
- complete epilame treatment of the movement, except for a small number of components,
- intensive preliminary cleaning by hand,
- a specially programmed, intensive cleaning cycle in our state-of-the-art cleaning machine with six baths and ultrasound,
- systematic renewal of the mainspring,
- regulation in six positions,
- the exclusive use of fully synthetic watch oils and greases,
- a detailed final inspection and particularly careful, conscientious execution of every other stage of the work.
This is also why we can offer a warranty against defects of at least two years.
Please tell us before work begins what matters most to you. A technical service does not automatically include cosmetic restoration. We replace dials and hands only at your express request. For technically necessary parts, such as crowns, pushers or crystals, our recommendation depends on condition, function and the agreed preservation objective.
A considerable improvement on the existing condition is often possible. The achievable result depends on the material, previous work and the extent of the damage. In many cases, dents can be built up and the original surfaces and edges restored. Where treatment would remove too much material or fail to produce a convincing result, we discuss the limits with you. A perfect result therefore cannot be promised for every watch.
A service does not automatically turn an old watch into a swimming or diving watch. Its construction, the condition of the sealing surfaces and the test result are decisive. With valuable old watches, we recommend avoiding deliberate contact with water. We discuss the specific suitability of your watch with you.
Not every rate deviation can be corrected by regulation. Apart from regulation, possible causes include insufficient winding, a fault in the automatic winding system or wear. Please describe how the watch is worn and when the fault occurs. Examination of the watch may be necessary for a reliable assessment.
Please contact us briefly and describe what is wrong. We discuss with you whether an examination in person or sending the watch to us makes sense.
The fact that a long-unused watch still runs says little about the condition of its lubrication. It is better to have such a watch checked before wearing it regularly again. An overhaul may be advisable, particularly if its service history is unknown.
Plastic crystals are relatively resistant to breakage, but scratch more easily. Fine scratches can often be polished out using Polywatch for plastic crystals. You can also buy Polywatch from us. Whether polishing makes sense or replacement is necessary depends on the material and condition of the crystal.