O/T Watch repairs

To mark my recent official retirement, I've decided to present myself with a watch, as is customary for such events. I have a nice little relatively inexpensive Gucci watch that was the first thing I bought myself in the early 90s when I went to work in Sweden, a move which kick-started and largely defined my subsequent career, so it feels appropriate that I get that restored for the occasion. It needs a new battery and strap, the ongoing cost of which was why it fell into disrepair in the first place, but also as it's now over 30 years old I reckon it could do with a service and the glass ("crystal?") has picked up a few scratches over the years so it would be nice to get that replaced too.

I suspect that all that will cost more than the watch is worth, and certainly more than it cost, but as well as the history of when I bought it as described above, my folks were visiting me in Stockholm at the time, so it has significant sentimental value. I'm in Northants, not Barnsley, but can anyone recommend a bricks-and-mortar company or postal-based service that carry out such work? Thanks.

 

Recently needed to look at watches and jewellery dealers so did a bit of research. So looking at your area CPY watch repairs comes up..good reviews so maybe worth a Google search..good luck mate

 

Thanks @Skinner - I see they're fairly local but also have a free pick-up service in Northants, then a £20 return postage fee which sounds very reasonable. There's a place here in Rushden but something about it didn't seem right and CPY look like a much more professional setup. As you say, their reviews are outstanding. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Always use Timpsons myself!

 

Would you consider doing it yourself? It’s not as scary as you might think and it might be a nice little retirement project. Unless you need it to be fully waterproof (was it ever?) then everything should be very doable.

 

Most fashion houses who do watches are not watch makers. There are exceptions like Cartier, Bulgari, but they are expensive. As a watch collector I would generally advise if you want a decent quartz watch you need to pay more than a fashion watch. Personally I would advocate buying an automatic (mechanical). You can get a decent automatic with an ETA or Sellita movement for less than £1k , you can get a Seiko automatic for £300. They reckon if you have a decent mechanical watch and have it serviced every 5 years it should be good for 150 or more. Not so with a quartz. I had quartz Omega that packed up completely after 30 years. The advantage that quartz have is accuracy. A £200 Quartz is as accurate as a £12,000 Rolex. So at the end of the day it depends on what you want from a watch.

 

It's a nice idea, but I have essential tremor, so my attempting watch repairs would be for comedy value only.

 

Absolutely, @George Kerr, I wouldn't buy such a thing today, but as I say, this one has significant sentimental value so it's really for that reason that I'm looking to get it restored rather than buy a new one. I'm not really bothered about watches - I'm quite happy with using my Mi Band fitness tracker day-to-day - I just thought this would be a nice thing to get back up and running. I think it only cost me about £250 in 1993.

 

If I were to watch repairs it would have to be something exciting, like repairing a Saturn 5 or Concorde. Or possibly a cable car in the alps. There used to be a shop in Dodworth where you could watch batteries fitted, but it's closed now.

 

As I commented above, you'd probably enjoying watching me repair watches. My so-called friends had a hoot watching me try to wire RJ45s.

 

I got a Breitling when my son was born, 1999, and a better Breitling for my 40th, 2005.
As I'm coming up to a landmark birthday I contacted Breitling for a service for both ........... my word ............. dearer then the original cost, near enough!!

 

The first watch I ever bought was a Sekonda.I bought for my mam from Butterfields when I was 15 out of my first wage packet.

 

Quoted £710 at Meadowhall for a service for mine a couple of weeks back, with a 13 week turnaround time!

 

Some people are DIY mad.

 

I collect and trade watches and am a member of the BHI. A new glass, strap and battery would most likely be less than replacing a used Gucci like for like at a decent independent watch repairer. Your watch of that vintage would most likely be something like a 3000M for which I'd get £200 to £250 with new crystal, battery and strap. Gucci are not really fashion watches. That is a term for stuff like Armani, hillfigger korrs etc which have cheap Chinese movements and just licensed names. Gucci watches are swiss and have swiss movements. Most likely at your age an ETA very similar to a contemporary longines with more recent ones using predominantly Ronda movements. I wouldn't advise trying to get the back off unless you know what you are doing. It is very easy to scratch the back and worse, succeed but damage the coil which trashes the module. If I'm doing a crystal swap I always order a couple as I can still crack them pressing them back in. The people in Northampton cpy look more than capable of giving your watch a new lease of life. The guy with the breitling, contact time repairs limited in Oldham. Brian who runs it trained as a watchmaker at breitling in Switzerland. He'll be around half what breitling will quote. He's serviced my breitlings to a high standard. He won't answer the phone while he's at his bench.

 

See my reply to thread

 

See my reply to this thread

 

That's all very reassuring, @Darfield138. Thanks to you and everybody who has taken the time to reply. I've emailed CPY and will report back how I get on.

 

Interesting to know, I’ve always had to have mine sent off to Breitling (think it was Birmingham but could be mistaken). Out of interest if Brian was to do the work does it have an impact on resale value?

 

How are watches valued?I've got a 44 year old Citizen watch.After having it serviced quite a few years ago the Jeweller ( Keith Warner) said one day it will be quite valuable,not in my lifetime but in my sons time.