Vintage Watch Restoration
A watch that has not run for years, an heirloom out of a drawer, a movement somebody once worked on badly. In a restoration a watch like that goes back to how it was meant to be.
When it is a restoration and not a service
A service is maintenance on a watch that in principle still works: disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, regulation. A restoration starts a step earlier. The watch does not run, or has not run for decades; moisture or rust has got in; parts are missing; or somebody who did not know the movement has worked on it before.
What is needed then differs from watch to watch. That is why it always starts with an assessment: the case open, the movement under the microscope, and only then a quote setting out what will be done and what it costs.
Watch a video below of how a Cartier Vermeil watch is restored here in the workshop:
Parts that no longer exist
For a watch from the fifties or sixties the parts supply has usually dried up. A broken arbor, a worn wheel or a broken spring simply cannot be ordered.
Those parts are made or adapted in the workshop: on the lathe, out of raw material, or by making a part from a donor movement fit. That is exactly why no guide price can be given.
What stays original
Restoring is not the same as making new. A dial with an evenly discoloured layer of lacquer is a dial with a history; having it reprinted takes away what sets a watch apart. Choices like that are not technical questions but questions of taste, and they are made beforehand, not reported afterwards.
The same goes for the case. What polishing is done is a separate decision, and restraint is the starting point.
How long it takes and what it costs
A restoration takes longer than a service, and how much longer depends above all on the parts: waiting for material, or making a part, determines the lead time more than the work at the bench does. You get an indication as soon as the assessment is done, and you can follow the progress online through the customer portal.
For the same reason there is no fixed rate for a restoration. The price indications do give an idea of what the separate parts of the work cost. If you are not sure whether your watch needs a restoration, register it with a few clear photos and you will hear back as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make parts that are no longer available?
Yes, and that is a large part of the restoration work. Arbors, wheels and springs are turned on the lathe, or a part from a donor movement is made to fit. The assessment shows what is needed.
Does the dial need reprinting?
Usually not, and often it is better not to. On many vintage watches an original dial with even discolouring is exactly what sets them apart; reprinting it cleans it up and takes away what made the watch special at the same time. If you would like a restored dial anyway, we discuss that beforehand.
What does a restoration cost?
There is no saying in advance. Naming a figure without having seen the movement would be a shot in the dark, and with a restoration it is the parts that make the difference. After the assessment you get a quote by email; nothing starts until you have agreed to it.
Do you work on vintage watches too?
That is the greater part of the work. With older movements especially, parts are no longer sold and get made or adapted in the workshop.
How long does it take?
It depends on what is needed and on the parts. A service usually takes a few weeks; a restoration that needs parts made takes longer. You get an indication as soon as the assessment is done, and you can follow the status of your repair online.
Can I come in, or do I have to post it?
Either works. Visits are by appointment, so there is time to look at the watch together; posting it is done with an insured watch box that we send to your door.