Watch Repairers Rant
So you have an expensive watch. Perhaps a nice top of the line Citizen even. The battery goes and you have to get it replaced. Why do so many people take their precious timepieces to the man on the market? Just to save a few quid. Do you know how many deep scratches and broken glasses I have seen over the years? Its terrible!
If you are reading this - and you care about your watch - do yourself a favour, get the watch to a decent watch repairer. You may think that changing a battery is a simple process, and in some respects it is. But noting will take the place of an experienced watch repairer who will take the time to replace the battery with care and attention and the correct tools.
A good watch will often have an extremely well machined case. The case back will often be very tight fitting. And may even be the screw back type. The well trained watch repairer will have this covered with special jigs and equipment to remove the case back without damage.
Then there will be the case seal. Even if a watch is not water resistant, often it will have a dust seal. A decent watch repairer will inspect this seal and replace it if needed. In the case of a water resistant watch, he/she will also pressure test the watch after the battery is fitted. Removing dust and debris as he/she goes along.
There are many extremely sensitive parts, even for a quartz battery operated watch. The most common damage I see when a customer comes along after being a “market trader” victim is a big nasty gash in the coil. The coil can be 50 meters long and is wrapped up within your quartz watch. The copper wire is extremely thin and you only need to look at it with a bad aptitude - it will break. Be assured - this will cost between £20 and £50 to replace if it is broken.
Other common problems I see is:
- water damage (case not resealed properly)
- Broken battery contacts
- Batteries inserted upside down
- Cheap Chinese batteries used (they leak badly)
- Heads snapped of screws
- Screws tightened to much
- Screws not tight enough
- Case back not snapped on the correct way (so the winder snags the case)
- Broken stems
- Broken glasses
- Deep scratches in the case back
- Broken case back seals
- Broken case lugs (very expensive, sometimes impossible to repair)
All this just to save a few quid. If you usually go down the market to get your battery replaced, think again! It can cost you a lot of money in the long run.
And a word to market traders - why not try to make a relationship with the local watch repairer in your area. If you get a watch where you feel you cannot handle it - don’t bother trying, refer the customer to that watch repairer. You may not make so much money, but this will save you from some pretty upset watch owners.
Rant over.