If you’ve made an investment in your timepiece and have taken care to purchase quality workmanship, it only makes sense that you would take that same care when choosing to have it repaired. While many jewelry stores may offer watch repair, it pays to do your homework. Here are a few questions you can ask when choosing your next watch repairman.
- Ask any potential repairman if the work will be done on premises, or be sent out. If the answer is sent out, find out where. Tell whomever is assisting you that you’d like to be able to speak to the person who will actually be performing the repairs on your watch. If they’re reluctant to tell you who will be conducting the repairs, or to let you speak with them, be a little more wary. It’s not necessarily a bad sign, but may indicate trouble ahead and in any case you are now more isolated from whatever will be done to your watch, wherever you may be.
- Ask for several references of prior customers, then contact those individuals and ask for their honest review of the services provided by the repairman you’re considering. If the watch is of any real value or importance, you’ll want to find someone whose customers speak with a high level of satisfaction regarding the work that was done.
- Ask about what guarantees are offered for the work that will be done. If you’re told that they cannot guarantee their work or if they seem reluctant to do so, you may want to consider this as a red flag.
- Ask for an estimate and if there is a charge for getting the estimate. A charge for the estimate is not unheard of as any quality estimate will require some time to complete and a thorough examination. It’s also not unreasonable for additional costs to be added to fix problems found later in the repair process. The important thing is to have an idea of what will be fixed and what that will cost.
- Once you have the estimate (or deciding to proceed without one if the watchmaker does not provide them), ask if the problem is a common one and exactly what must be done to correct it. Find out if the parts are in stock or will have to be ordered and make sure that any additional work is cleared by you to avoid unnecessary costs. More than likely if the repairman is a quality craftsman, then any work recommended will be necessary, but at least this way there will be no surprises when the job is completed. Also discuss a timeline for the work being done.
- Watches are one area where the cheapest estimate or repair may not be what you’re seeking. A quality craftsman is hard to find and will charge accordingly. They also have an investment in the parts and tools used to complete the job.
If you’re looking for a jeweler who specializes in quality watch repair, we would love to talk with you to see how we might be able to meet your needs. We are located in Redwood City, CA and have a wide variety of watches available and can repair a broad spectrum of brands and watch types. Let us know how we can serve you.
