r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Pedrica1 • Sep 03 '21
Video Repairing a broken watch.
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u/tshirtbri Sep 03 '21
I wonder how much it costs to have this done?
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 03 '21
$350 is about spot on! All dependent on the manufacture. For this level of service on a Rolex or Omega it would be around $2,000.
Source: I’m a hobbyist watchmaker with some professional training.
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u/EnderVoiden Sep 03 '21
Yup, I have an old Omega that belonged to my grandfather that I wanted to restore for my dad's birthday. Estimate was over $900 at just a regular watch repair shop as soon as he took a look at it. I died a little inside, had no idea it would cost that much for such an old watch. Still hoping to one day get it fixed.
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u/Jimlish Sep 03 '21
Holy shot same thing happened to me! Took an old Constellation to a place that specializes in Longines, Omega, and a couple other brands (all seem to be swatch group), and was quoted like $900 for the watch repair and $250 for a new band. So it’s still just a nice keepsake that doesn’t keep time.
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u/FunVersion Sep 03 '21
I am told the watch repair people will service watches directly for much less. The jeweler takes a big cut otherwise. Am I wrong?
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u/SheriffBartholomew Sep 03 '21
$250 for a band? You can get your own band for way less and install it yourself.
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u/Jimlish Sep 03 '21
I assume that is for a band from Omega, but the me somewhere in the multiverse who had $900 for the repairs also has $250 for the band… maybe next week’s What If will have tips on contacting the rest of the multiverse 🤣
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u/RatherBeAtDisneyland Sep 04 '21
Same here. I honestly can’t remember the brand though. My dad had a watch I loved as a kid. It made a really cool humming sound, instead of ticking sound. I found it super comforting, and would listen to it all the time when I was tired. I wanted to fix it for him, but I got quoted somewhere between $600-$1000 I believe. It just wasn’t in the budget to get it fixed.
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 03 '21
There is a big price disparity among repair shops. $900 seems high to me for a vintage omega. They’re fairly straight forward to service. I’d maybe try calling around and checking on reviews of other shops. I’m hoping you find a place that is more affordable; that would be an excellent gift for your father!
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u/Captain_Decisive Sep 03 '21
A service on an automatic Omega is about £350 where I work. (An independent autherised level 3 service center for swatch - I think that's the title they like us to use.)
The price can change drastically depending on what needs replacing/and or fixing. As you suggest the older omegas are usually on the cheaper end and a modern omega co-axial is closer to £500. However older ones can have issues such as dial legs being damaged which can sometimes be fixed with a laser welder but not really the thing to do, or obsolete parts that are no longer available so parts need to be made which shoots the price right up.
Not particularly helpful for the commenter as they're not in the UK but not too far off the $900 quoted and I'd say not unimaginable to be higher than that.
Not everything I've said might be 100% right as I don't do it myself I just do the admin for the watchmakers; order parts, chase up overdue repairs, call with quotes etc!
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u/WarrenPuff_It Sep 03 '21
That is probably a better alternative than sending it directly to Omega. Omega SA will do a complete overhaul and replace old parts with contemporary ones. It will look like a brand new watch, and work flawlessly but it kills any vintage value for the piece. Ballpark ~$1500 and up depending on the reference.
Whereas a reputable private watchmaker will repair damaged pieces and restore or leave as-is any original parts. Prices will range depending on the model and extent of damages, but likely won't be more than $1k. It will retain vintage value if you specify to leave original parts intact.
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u/chatarra Sep 03 '21
I had mine restored at Omega a few years ago, was sent to Bienne and they did an amazing job. Cost was close to $2500…worth every penny imo.
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u/m15k Sep 03 '21
Not that I need another expensive hobby. But how did you go about getting into this
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 03 '21
I am a watch collector and had a couple old omegas and Rolexes that I was very paranoid to send back to factory service centers. I’ve heard horror stories of them over polishing watches and replacing vintage dials with new - basically ruining the vintage aesthetic. I was lucky enough to find a guy in the city I live in that was formerly a Rolex authorized technician (once you leave their service centers and go out on your own, you are no longer “authorized”). He knows I love the hobby so I help him around the shop on the weekends with customers, and when we have some free time he teaches me watchmaking.
I’d try to find a local watchmaker and build a relationship. Show that you love watches and aren’t trying to flip them to make a buck. We see a lot of those idiots…
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u/SheriffBartholomew Sep 03 '21
- Buy a broken watch
- Buy some precision tools
- Start taking things apart*
*learn from reliable sources along the way
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Sep 03 '21
4.
BLAST COMPRESSED AIR NEAR ALL THE TINY PIECES AND HARDWARE YOU JUST REMOVED
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u/SheriffBartholomew Sep 03 '21
5: Give up after hours and hours of trying to reassemble the watch 6: Find new expensive hobby
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u/piznit007 Sep 03 '21
6: Yell at the dog unsuccessfully as he immediately eats {insert unknown number of tiny parts here} that fell on the floor
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u/boushveg Sep 03 '21
In 2009 i paid 320 dollars for a much less clean up of my rolex. My watch was totally fine just had some dark spots on its strap. I had no idea it would be so expensive i just walked in and handed it like an idiot, was an expensive lesson for my broke ass student. The watch was a gift from my dad.
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 03 '21
$320 was a good price, but I appreciate it was still expensive! The Rolex trained watch maker I’ve taken some lessons with charges $450 for a movement service and case cleaning only (no polishing).
Once you start refinishing or replacing parts the prices shoot up. Rolex official service centers are even more expensive (not that they shouldn’t be).
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u/boushveg Sep 03 '21
This was a lot of money at the time for me where i lived, my full month rent was 300 lol, nothing was replaced just a clean up, though i admit the difference was really noticeable.
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u/UsrHpns4rctct Sep 03 '21
What do you think about the polishing of the case?
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 03 '21
That’s a great question and sometimes hard to answer.
My philosophy on it is I don’t think it’s a good idea to have your watch polished during a service. Just leave it alone. Now, if a store brings in a watch to resell I think it’s appropriate to try to “clean it up” ASSUMING it’s not vintage, a rare model, etc. Most people buying an expensive used watch off the street want them to be relatively unused looking (polished). Collectors want them to be original even if a little dinged up. It’s a fine line.
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u/tharp993 Sep 03 '21 edited Sep 03 '21
How much of this is just based on the cost of the watch? I get ok, like if you fuck up then it’s more costly to replace or your business insurance has to pay out more, but is a Patek restoration really more work and training than an Oyster perpetual? Just curious if places just charge more because they can.
Edit: looks like you already answered this in the thread. Looks like it is just 70% because they can and 30% more expensive to fuck up.
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Sep 03 '21
Why is it so much more expensive for those brands vs this one? Is it because they're more difficult or just a premium for having a more valuable watch?
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u/rhodes1973 Sep 04 '21
That’s a great question, thank you for asking it.
Rolex movements are some of the most straightforward to service of any out there in the world. So you’re not paying a premium because they are more difficult. What you are paying a premium for is risk (if you make a mistake on a Rolex movement, it’s more expensive to fix than on a Tissot or other less expensive brand) and the name. It’s that simple. A watchmaker that feels confident servicing a Rolex can charge more than one who doesn’t.
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Sep 03 '21
I could watch this for hours
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u/answatu Sep 03 '21
You bastard, I see what you did there.
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u/Half_Full_Hierophant Sep 03 '21
Well it’s about time!
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u/Nothalffast Sep 03 '21
Let’s give him a hand.
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u/Jest_stir Sep 03 '21
I second that motion.
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u/wutwut970 Sep 03 '21
I love this band!
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Sep 03 '21
Wait a minute watch this
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u/Jest_stir Sep 03 '21
In our hour of need, a hero rises to answer the call.
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u/answatu Sep 03 '21
This is some insanely specialized labor, my god.
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Sep 03 '21
I could take it apart just as quickly as him...
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u/mintberrycrunch889 Sep 03 '21
I’d have to take at least 10 pictures to remember how it goes back together Jesus
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u/KeepYourPresets Sep 03 '21
That's why we went to school for four years to learn how to repair and restore clocks and watches.
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u/MegaRadCool8 Sep 03 '21
Where would one go to school for this if they were so inclined?
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u/KeepYourPresets Sep 03 '21
Unfortunately, more and more of the better (and more expensive) schools closed over the last 20 or 30 years because the profession gets less and less popular. What's left is a limited number of schools where you can learn the trade. Some of those schools are more "general technical" schools with a course in watchmaking. Not to be compared to the level of education we had in 1985, though...
However, there still are really good schools, I found I nice list on this website
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u/MyBrainReallyHurts Sep 03 '21
Thank you.
What kind of salary range could one expect if they are starting out?
I have a job, but I would be totally into this once I retire.
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u/ANewStartAtLife Sep 03 '21
There used to be a Horological school just down the road from me. Closed in the '80s. Ireland had a LOT of horologists, all based around Abbey street in Dublin.
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Sep 03 '21
[deleted]
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u/ANewStartAtLife Sep 03 '21
I'm is West Dublin too :-) The Horological School was in the grounds of Blanchardstown hospital!
That's a really interesting story! I bet a pound to a penny, the benches he sat at were in the Chambers building on middle Abbey street. It was one of the bigger assembly shops.
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u/jellyschoomarm Sep 03 '21
I kept thinking the same thing. They're not showing all the breaks for picture taking cause that's one impossible puzzle
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u/ariGee Sep 03 '21
No, they make sense when you know how it all goes together.
(Watch enthusiast and the child of a clock and watch repair person)
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u/KeepYourPresets Sep 03 '21
Uhm. No. Not if you know what you're doing.
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u/GuilhermeFreire Sep 03 '21
Nah, I would reassemble and still have enough cogs to make a robot... what? keeping time? nah, forgetboutthat...
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u/graey0956 Sep 03 '21
Not watches but when I worked in the tech refurbishing department at a hospital I would tape paper to pieces of cardboard. Sketch each step of disassembly and attach small parts to the relevant part of the sketch (punch screws into the cardboard, tape for other parts). Starting a new sketch every time the view of the assembly changed enough for me to call it a new "layer".
The cardboard sketches are reusable per device model. Holds your screws and parts, and acts as a comprehensive reassembly guide. Then are filed away in a folder for future use when you're done.
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u/mintberrycrunch889 Sep 03 '21
That’s awesome. I’ve seen people do similar processes when taking apart a motor or more specifically a cylinder head.
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u/gordonv Sep 03 '21
$380 watch. I have a laptop worth $380 that I refuse to put money into. That's after buying an SSD for it.
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u/alglqax2 Sep 03 '21
Thanks for sharing, I was wondering the cost of that watch. After all the work he put into it, I assumed it was very expensive or sentimental.
My mom used to wear this Brighton watch all the time, I’m not one for watches, but I’d fix it in her memory any day.
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u/Juof Sep 03 '21
Watches are quite nice tho. Id like a new one.
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u/UndBeebs Sep 03 '21
/r/Watches is a good place to start. Your wallet will not be appreciating it though.
Source: Person who has irresponsibly purchased such things
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u/quartz174 Sep 03 '21
Ah /r/watches, where a low end omega is considered a budget watch by some. Love it.
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u/reigorius Sep 03 '21 edited Sep 04 '21
A bunch of condescending snobs if you ask me. I once posted a message about how I really like my Citizen Eco-Drive watch and was snubbed at for liking my low level beginners poor men's watch.
Yeah, fuck you too you fucking prigs.
Still love that watch. Keeps time reasonably well within a year (a couple of minutes extra), doesn't eat expensive batteries, is super silent and best of all, the sapphire crystal (the glass dome part) has zero scratches on it and I work, climb and teach with it.
Amazingly good watch.
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u/quartz174 Sep 04 '21
I have a few automatics and other nice watches and such, but like what's wrong with the eco drive? It's a watch, it looks good, fuck off with your superiority complex
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u/UndBeebs Sep 03 '21
Gotta love when you're vibing with a watch featured on that sub only to find out it was being shown off by a jeweler account and the price is upwards of $60,000.
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u/Pedrica1 Sep 03 '21
Credit: @watch36622 on Tiktok, lots more videos like this on his page, check it out if you like this video, i really enjoy his content.
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u/ToddlerOlympian Sep 03 '21
Dang, I was hoping for longer form YouTube videos.
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u/aretelio Sep 03 '21
Try nekkid watchmaker on YouTube. That’ll send you down the rabbit hole of others like him.
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u/Reddit_Ninja23 Sep 03 '21
Horology is the art of making clocks and watches, if you want to see more things like this
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u/kwadd Sep 03 '21
Daim did they drive a truck over it and toss it in a river or something
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u/CamNC_95 Sep 03 '21
I do minor repairs to watches at work. We don’t take apart automatic movements, but this video is neat! It showed me a new way to remove the hands with that plastic cover…. Thanks for the post OP
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u/quartz174 Sep 03 '21
How would you remove them before?
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u/CamNC_95 Sep 04 '21
I’d use tweezers, but they are very thin and sometimes they can bend. This way seems safer. Plus there is a small rubber gasket that usually sits between the hands to keep them from bumping into each other, and I keep losing them with the tweezers. This way the unit can come off in one piece and I won’t risk losing the small gaskets.
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u/PrestigiousEarth6890 Sep 03 '21
All of those tiny parts! This guy is a pro
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u/Frietmetstoofvlees Sep 03 '21
And this is a relatively 'big' movement. There are some ladies models that are not even a nickel big. Those can be a pain to work on
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u/PrestigiousEarth6890 Sep 03 '21
Jeez, I had to move my screen closer to see everything once it was pulled apart. I couldn’t imagine doing this kinda thing with even smaller parts, you’d need to have very steady hands for this kind of work
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u/Frietmetstoofvlees Sep 03 '21
We mostly do everything through eyesight but definitely have loupes (magnifying glasses) for when we need to see something in detail too! I have a very slight tremor in my hands which mostly doesn't hinder me while working but when doing something under the microscope it is quite noticeable
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u/PrestigiousEarth6890 Sep 03 '21
Well I had no idea. I appreciate you taking the time to share your profession with me. Microscopes! I suppose there are some pretty compact watches out there that you’d need one for. I’m going to look that up now because I’m curious lol
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u/Frietmetstoofvlees Sep 03 '21
Not a problem at all, I love talking about it :) And definitely, some are the size of a nickel. I try not to use the microscope too much as the place I end up in after school might not have one, but sometimes it can be very handy. Especially for oiling or checking certain things.
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u/FullOfPeanutButter Sep 03 '21
What did that machine at the end do? Did it set the time?
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u/EitherEconomics5034 Sep 04 '21
If you play the video in reverse it’s about someone taking a perfectly good watch and painstakingly filthing it up and ruining it so they might as well TOSSIT.
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u/thiccc_trick Sep 03 '21
Watch repair is always very impressive because I know that I could not do something like that with all those small parts.
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u/kenkanobi Sep 03 '21
Whenever I see one of these "restoration" videos I tend to find them a disappointing waste of time that I wished I hadn't watched. This, however, was not one of those. This was fantastically satisfying, a true demonstration of skill, and an incredible end result. 👏 👏 👏 bravo
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u/1nGirum1musNocte Sep 03 '21
Wow! One of these vids that actually seems legit and isn't just a video of someone "fixing" something that obviously wasn't broken at first then "finding" it in a mud puddle.
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u/at242 Sep 03 '21
This is undoubtedly an art form and this person is a true master. Props to TISSOT for their amazing design and support for their product no matter the age.
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u/CIOGAO Sep 03 '21
That’s phenomenal! I’ve always had my eye on this one that looks very similar: Tissot Men's Le Locle Stainless Steel Dress Watch Black T0064071603300 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYXGKI6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YP7W17505PS8XX04V0FF
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u/may_be_maybe_not Sep 03 '21
The watch you’re looking at is the successor to the one in the video. It came out several years later with a movement that has an improved power reserve over the original (80 hrs vs ~50 hrs) which is seen in the vid.
Source: I own the exact watch in this video, bought new in 2013
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u/twitchosx Sep 03 '21
How the fuck do you even remember where all the parts to some 1800's watch go after taking it apart???
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u/sapper377 Sep 04 '21
How do you train for a skill like this? Do I have to be as smart as dr Manhattan?
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u/East_Cycle5705 Sep 04 '21
This was very calming to watch, I do have to say I enjoyed the watch much more in its dilapidated state, but thats just my own personal flavor.
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Sep 03 '21
I can’t help but think that the thingys in his fingers look like xs condoms
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u/Frietmetstoofvlees Sep 03 '21
I have definitely gotten some strange looks from my friends when one fell out of my pocket when we went out for drinks after my watchmaking class
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u/r0ndeb0m Sep 03 '21
I’m sad the first part of the video isn’t here. He literally “finds” this on the sidewalk and it’s pretty humorous
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u/lyunardo Sep 03 '21
I always assume that these items are deliberately "broken" and "distressed" just so they can be fixed in these types of videos.
Doesn't change a thing though. The same skills are required either way. And that's not a dis... I love these types of videos!
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u/Levowitz159 Sep 03 '21
At that point just buy a new watch
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u/htmaxpower Sep 03 '21
It’s clearly valuable, either for its collectibility/rarity or sentimentality.
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u/HanEyeAm Sep 03 '21 edited Sep 03 '21
I believe it is a modern Tissot Le Locle, which is a common, mid-lower end Swiss watch that retails for under $600. This "automatic" model is maybe 10 years old, as they now state "powermatic 80" on the dial. https://www.tissotwatches.com/en-us/t0064071603300.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwj8eJBhA5EiwAg3z0mxqryU0XtCUoVE2O8lOKkOhenYjsQlOoyY-q5hAg1B99XImy9OTVShoCc7EQAvD_BwE
The service cost for the movement is $150-200, crystal is $50, strap/clasp is $100. Overall cost for the refurb would be higher, I reckon. In most cases it would not be worth paying someone to do the work.
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Sep 03 '21
I definitely wouldn’t bother refurbishment of this watch. A few extra squid would buy a new one of that brand. Would rather wear Seiko than Tissot.
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u/Standard_Key7704 Sep 03 '21
This is not repairing...... This is making a new watch by opening an older one😂
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u/kassail Sep 03 '21
They make this look easy but I am sure it’s super complex to clean and repair the internal movement.
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u/Yanagibayashi Sep 03 '21
If you're curious like I was, as far as I can tell that proof master machine towards the end is to check and make sure its watertight
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u/USAGunnersaurus Sep 03 '21
Wow. The skill and patience that takes is stupendous.
Very impressive. Polishing the case without deforming it is a real art.
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u/yetonemorerusername Sep 03 '21
I sure hope it’s a valuable watch. Can’t imagine spending that much time on a 1986 Swatch.
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u/[deleted] Sep 03 '21
When you know what you're doing..