ROLEX WATCH REPAIR, OMEGA WATCH REPAIR, BULOVA WATCH REPAIR, GRUEN WATCH REPAIR, & SEIKO WATCH REPAIR ARE A SPECIALTY!
FROM VINTAGE AMERICAN POCKET WATCHES TO THE FINEST SWISS WATCHES OF TODAY, LET ME HANDLE YOUR WATCH REPAIR!
PRICES AND INFORMATION IN EFFECT AUGUST 8, 2010
If your watch has the word "quartz" on the dial, or you have never wound it and it ran, it is probably a battery powered quartz watch.
If it has been over a year since you had a battery put in your watch, and you haven't gotten it wet, or done something really nasty to the watch, it probably has a dead battery.
Battery powered watches have less power in them than wind up watches, and they won't continue to run (and wear themselves out) with dirt in them as a mechanical watch would; they just stop. When your battery powered watch is new, you may get many years from a battery. As the watch ages and the oil gets gummy and the movement gets dirty, you'll get fewer and fewer years from each battery until a new battery won't make it run, then it will need to be cleaned. I can often "unblock" a stuck gear train with my "cyclonic" machine which spins the movement train at high speed using a magnetic field. If that doesn't work then the movement will have to be cleaned or replaced. Sometimes it's cheaper to replace the watch movement than it is to repair or clean and oil the movement. If movement replacement is not needed, the watch can often (but not always) be fixed for $25 or less which the estimate fee would cover (please see below). If your watch has a quartz movement there is a 99% chance it will be covered by the information on this page.
CAN YOU FIX MY WATCH?
In terms of repair to the inside (movement) of a quartz watch, the name on the outside means almost nothing as most (but not all) quartz watches use ETA, Miyota, ISA, Hattori, or Harley movements (plus a few other lesser brands). Most of these movements are readily available from material houses I do business with.
As far as the outside of the watch goes, maybe and maybe not. Many watch companies are using proprietary parts on their cases such as crystals and crowns. These same companies are often refusing to sell the parts to watchmakers in an attempt to force consumers to use THEIR service centers, often at great expense to the consumer. As an example I can't get Breitling crystals. Breitling demands that all watches be sent to them for COMPLETE overhaul (about $400) even if you only need a crystal or another simple part like a crown!.
My approach has been to try to find the part (such as a crystal) at a material house first. If this is not successful I then call the watch company's service center and try to get the part (yes I DO ask nicely!). If I don't succeed in getting the part from them I often have the customer call the service center and request to purchase the part (no one likes an unhappy customer!). If all else fails then perhaps a suitable substitute (in the case of a crystal or crown) can be found.
In any event I WILL have to see the watch to give you an estimate or a yes/no answer on weather or not I can get parts or repair it. NO estimates will be given unless I have the chance to examine the watch.
QUARTZ WATCH REPAIR RATES
Work on quartz watches is charged at the hourly rate of $40 and hour, minimum charge is $40.
Cyclonic cleaning of quartz watches is $10. I have a very good Cyclonic cleaner (the best one you can buy). There is just a small charge for this service. If the watch stops, and it still has good pulse, this cleaning can often return the watch to usable status for some time, possibly even a few years. This charge is a lot cheaper than changing the movement and I recommend trying this before replacing the movement. A new battery and case gasket will also be required with this service.
Quartz movements replaced starting at $100. It is often better (and cheaper) to swap-out your faulty movement for a new one than to try and repair or clean the faulty movement unless the Cyclonic cleaning can return it to service.
OTHER ITEMS YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE DONE WITH YOUR WATCH SERVICE
Why not have your watch's crystal replaced while your watch is in for service?? A new crystal makes a big difference in how your watch will look, makes it a lot easier to see the time too! The prices I charge for crystals are very reasonable. If your wrist watch has a "mineral glass" crystal now it may be able to be fitted with a sapphire crystal which will give you a virtually scratch resistant crystal for a long time to come. Click the link below for crystal prices.
Why not have your watch's crown replaced while your watch is in for service??? If your crown is gold plated, chances are it is worn and the plating is coming off. As with the crystal replacement, crown replacement can make a big difference in how the watch looks.
Crowns replaced starting at $30
IMPORTANT POINTS, PLEASE READ!
Labor rate is $40 per hour.
Many watches, especially old pocket watches, have other problems that cannot be seen until disassembly. Approximately 50% of antique pocket watches I see have broken jewels. Approximately 50% of the antique pocket watches I see have bent balance pivots or flat spots on the balance pivots. Without correcting these things I cannot guarantee the watch to keep good time. If any of these defects are found the customer will be notified before the repairs are carried out.
WATER RESISTANCE OF WATCHES IS NOT GUARANTEED. There are all kinds of legal reasons for this, so your understanding is appreciated!
ANY watch that comes into the shop that requires a water resistance test during service that has a glued in crystal will have the crystal reglued for a $10-$15 charge. This operation is mandatory on any watch that comes in that is to be water tested with a glued in crystal. The reason is that these watches almost always fail the water resistance test, with the result being that the crystal blows out in the tester and I have to dry out the movement and reglue the crystal anyway.
Due to quality and/or parts issues I no longer work on the following brands of watches: Crown, New York Standard, Columbia, Seiko Quartz Chronographs, Omega quartz watches, Franck Muller watches.
I reserve the right to refuse service on any watch. I am sorry for this, but due to the recent amount of hacked and cobbled watches, particularly pocket watches, coming into my shop I have no choice.
I will not under any circumstances work on, nor do I endorse, any replica/fake watches!
Not responsible for accidents, damages, or loss in the mail.
SHIPPING AND ESTIMATES
Please see Pricing Page for shipping and estimate information.
IMPORTANT NOTES
I do not do work on "approval", watches will be held until the bill is settled, or the watch can be sent C.O.D.
You may check the progress of your repair at any time AFTER I have responded with your initial evaluation (it does no good to ask me about the repair status of a watch I haven't even had the chance to look at) by e-mailing me.
If you do contact me about your repair, PLEASE be specific, I can have other watches in the shop and can't remember ever one.
Ohio residents must add 7% sales tax.
Please take the following as a guideline for repair times
Estimates: 2 weeks to 1 month. If you haven't heard from me after 2 months then please e-mail me.
Pocket watch repairs completed: 2-3 months. This will depend on my schedule and parts availability. In the case of some older watches it may take MONTHS to find the parts, not weeks.
PLEASE, allow me time to do the work, I can't estimate/fix every watch that comes in within 4-5 days, it is just not possible, especially during the "busy season".
PAYMENT METHODS
Personal check
Cashiers check
Money order
I do not take any credit card payments. Sorry!
Please make all checks or money orders payable to Scott A. Ekleberry
If you still feel you have any unanswered questions after reading through my website, please feel free to e-mail questions. Thank you!!!
AFFILIATIONS
This site is protected by the copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Violations of copyright laws and international treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws can be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
This page and all content copyright 2001-2010 by It's About Time! Watch Repair