Vintage Watch Repair

[Fading Fast]

Hi. I know I've seen a few places recommended on this forum, but even using the search engine, I couldn't find the right part of the thread again, so I am posting this.

I have several vintage watches and the watch repair guy near me in NYC - an older gentleman from Russia who (1) truly knew how to repair old watches, (2) was honest and (3) charged reasonably prices - retired.

Hence, I am looking for a new place as I have one watch that just stopped running and several that will occasionally need a cleaning / tune up. With a recommendation from this forum, I'd be happy to mail the watch anywhere in the US to someone who is talented, honest and reasonably priced.

Does anyone have any suggestions? If memory serves JamesPower has a lot of knowledge about vintage watches.

Thank you very much, FF

 

[Vornholt]

I have a fairly sizable collection myself, and I generally either use my local watchmaker, or I send them to a gentleman in Clinton, Maryland, named Fred White. He does excellent work and his rates are very, very reasonable. He has no Web site, but his business phone number is 301-868-7264. He most recently serviced and made needed repairs on a vintage Hamilton. He found that it had dropped a case screw into the auto-wind mechanism. It came back to me in beautiful running condition.

 

[ingineer]

FF;
Here is the best
http://www.timepieceshoppe.com/index.html
Joel won't be as inexpensive as the Russian you speak of
Richard

 

[ingineer]

FF;
I have a 917 movement going to this guy:
http://www.paulswatchandclockrepair.com/index.htm
Richard

 

[Fading Fast]

FF;
I have a 917 movement going to this guy:
http://www.paulswatchandclockrepair.com/index.htm
Richard

ingineer, good morning and thank you, but I am a bit confused - are you recommending the first or second place or are both equally good. Sincerely, FF

 

[ingineer]

FadingFast;
Both are good watchmakers however Joel (the first one) has a large number of recommendations
by people who build homage watches with very dear movements.
Sometimes this calls for making parts,lathing wheels, etc.
So if you have something priceless go to him
A CLA (clean lubricate adjust ) on a 10s movement like a Hamilton 917 go to Paul
So I think it depends on the watch.
Get a quote from both.

Richard

 

[Fading Fast]

ingineer - thank you, I will proceed as you suggested - I greatly appreciate your input.

 

[Don Dahlberg]

You can find watchmakers at the American Watchmakers and Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) http://directory.awci.com/

Put in your zip code and select watch repair. If I did not have recommendations, I would ask them if they were certified by AWCI or WOSTEP trained.

I would also recommend that you ask them about your watch, when it was made, what size it is and other questions to see if they are blowing smoke or know about vintage watches. I would also ask them how they overhaul a watch.

You might also want to read this http://elginwatches.org/help/watch_repair.html although the typical prices are a bit low for these days and depend on location.

Don