Tips on a good but affordable watch repair outfits?

[keysinthecity]

I have a watch (for me personally) I'd like repaired. It's a Tissot but I don't want to entrust it to Timpsons or any of their front businesses on the high street.

 

Previously I've sent it off to Swatch Group but this last time they've quoted more to repair it (without having even seen it) than the watch is worth.

 

It's a Tissot le locle automatic, costing £270 new.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I wasn't sure where to post!

[Mike at Vauxhall]

If you are based in london I've got a good contact.

[petercoulson]

Lee who runs this forum isn't too bad I believe......

[keysinthecity]

If you are based in london I've got a good contact.

 

Could I post it to your contact? Thanks

[grahamparker]

Contact Lee, he runs the forum and offers a great watch repair service.

 

http://www.cobb-lees.com/

 

http://shoerepairer.info/user/8799-lee/

[Lee]

I've already spoken to this member. Swatch who own the brand have kindly stopped WORLD WIDE supply of all parts for any of there brands with final olders already stopped & they are honoring & fulfilling orders only until October this year then thats it.

Unless its new old stock (probably a life line for a few years) that will be it for ALL parts for the likes of Tissot, Omega, Breguet, Harry Winston, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Longines, Rado, Union Glashütte, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton, Calvin Klein etc etc etc.

 

Perhaps most importantly for us as high street repairers ETA movements are also owned by Swatch, these are supplied to all & sundry & fitted in the largest majority of watches out there. As I explained to the member, Parts "could" be an issue. that will quickly turn to "Will be" an issue in the next few years.

 

The Swatch issue has turned the Horological world on its head. I had invested masses into the watch side of my business & have stopped this investment cold until I see what way things pan out & have already started down a new road to compensate. its a head ache.

[Craig Gardner]

The Chinese ones are already available I seen the. In May when I was in the factory that makes all my pocket watches

 

Craig

[Lee]

its not complete movements thats the issue really, its parts for servicing a genuine original, perhaps a crown with a logo, a case back, a bezel, original hands. etc. I recently restored a 1980's Omega. I replaced the hands, crown, a part in the movement & part of the clasp on the strap.. all with genuine parts. Its a collectable watch purists would know genuine from non-genuine, none of the parts I fitted would be in the realms of viable productivity runs for the Chinese.

 

The second a repairer puts Chinese parts in for example the Tissot in this topic, its valueless. Imagine if you'd paid several thousand pounds for a vintage or even new watch. after a couple of years you take it to be serviced. they say yes & repair it, swapping out original parts for their Chinese equivalents, charge you & you walk away happy. a couple of years later you hit hard times & think you'll sell your prized watch as its still worth a few thousand. Only to discover your watch is now worth a nought less than it was when you brought it.

 

Its going to happen. Omegas and all those brands will now have to go direct to Swatch for service & repairs. they are already costly to service direct from Swatch, there's going to be a whole stake of low rent repairs floating in the market within a few years, it will do one of two things, put people off the "true" watch industry & prices will crash as people make a switch to i-watch type things or prices will rocket (as will service costs now swatch are handling them) for good examples.

 

Either way if your solely a watch repairer, your in for a shaky few years whilst the chinese take time to tap into the market.

[hibsjo(SCO)]

http://news.sky.com/story/1540786/swatch-boss-calls-apple-watch-a-toy

interesting statement from Elmar Mock.

carry on!

[Lee]

I think swatch will see a massive dent in profits over the parts move, people will simply throw watches back in a draw rather than sent them to swatch. the parts section of their business must be massive. Its a high risk strategy that will either see them flourish or collapse. Perhaps they have a world wide expansion plan for the high street or internet in place. who knows.

[Lee]

Anyone who services a sufficient amount of ETA based watches to be able to identify a non genuine component hasn't the time to mend shoes, cut keys, engrave trophies.

I have.

[Lee]

thats all fine & dandy, but like it or not when you have a watch where at the moment we can order a genuine part for it, perhaps a circuit for a 1980's Omega quartz, there's no getting away from it, the chinese do not copy every part, only the mainstream parts that fail, these parts will dry up & it will effect the industry.

[Mike at Vauxhall]

recently restored a 1980's Omega. I replaced the hands, crown, a part in the movement & part of the clasp on the strap...

It is very impressive that you are able to do this kind of repair, I'm sure over 95% of the forum would turn down a repair on a 80's omega. ( I know I would). But nearly all parts eventually become obsolete, ( for economic or legal reasons).

 

Sorry to post, I don't normally post on issues that don't directly affect me. I stopped mechanical repairs over three years ago ( shortly after training in them.)

[Lee]

I don't actually see what the argument is here myself. All I originally said was swatch have stopped parts supply and as such parts "could" be an issue. Thats all!