When you buy a new watch, no matter what brand or store you purchase it from there is the understanding that, at some point, it will develop a fault. This is true of even the highest quality brands such as Patek, Rolex, Omega and Tag Heuer (sorry if we didn’t name drop your watch brand there – it doesn’t mean it’s not special!).
Most watches come with a manufacturer’s warranty and some retail jewellers provide an extended warranty for a premium. Now, not to be cynical but from our experience, high quality watch brands with good quality movements and parts should keep your watch going for at least the first few years stretching beyond the timeline of the warranty.
So, the question is, once the warranty has expired, where do you take it for its 1st repair?
PROs & CONs OF USING THE BRAND MANUFACTURER FOR SERVICING
Just like your washing machine, or TV or any retail product really, the 1st instinct of most consumers to take it back from where it was purchased. If not the place of purchase, the second most popular place to send a watch is back to the brand. These folks know what they’re doing right? I mean, they built the watch!
It is true that the brand manufacturers really do know what they’re doing when it comes to servicing and repairing their own watch but be prepared to joing the back of a very long queue. The majority of UK based manufacturer’s service centres have a minimum of 6-8 week wait for repairs. Even a quick battery change can take 4 weeks.
The second issue is the cost. You know that expensive watch on your wrist, well the service price isn’t going to be cheap.
Third problem, if you like to be kept up-to-date with what’s happening to your watch; is it repaired yet? Does it need extra parts? Have they even opened the parcel? Sorry to disappoint but you may not receive any updates unless you take time out to contact them yourself.
Now we’re not trying to be all doom and gloom here. The watch manufacturers do a fantastic job when it comes to actually repairing your Tag Heuer or Omega or Rolex. Even brands such as Seiko, Citizen, Raymond Weil, Tissot and Rado do amazing jobs at repairing your watch. Just as we said earlier in the article, they’re the ones who have been specifically trained to repair your watch.
What about the retail jewellers?
PROs & CONs OF USING THE RETAIL JEWELLERS FOR SERVICING
At Fix My Watch, we love the retail jewellers. They do an excellent job at informing consumers about different features on watches, which movements are the best for your needs and ensuring you get value for money. The question is about their expertise when it comes to repairs. Some larger retailers will have a service department for doing basic repairs such as batteries, but a lot of jewellers simply send your watch to the manufacturers anyway. So is the retail jewellers offer any better than that of the manufacturers?
There are a lot of independent jewellers that have watchmakers on site and are very well equipped in repairing your watch, however make sure the jeweller repairing your watch has the right tools to do so.
We can’t speak to the pricing and turnaround time of your local jeweller as each will hold themselves to different levels of service however always make sure you ask what will happen with your watch.
What are the other options?
The best option, in our not-so-humble opinion is to use a service such as the one offered by FixWyWatch.co.uk
At Fix My Watch we have a team of watchmakers all of whom have been expertly trained. We also have watchmakers specially trained and accredited for brands such as Omega, Tissot, Rado and Longines watchmakers.
Spare parts are all sourced directly from the brand manufacturers and kept on site at our workshop to allow for faster turnaround times. Whether you need your Raymond Weil repaired or Citizen, Seiko or Rotary, we have access to all the major UK brands for genuine parts.
PROs & CONs OF USING FIX MY WATCH FOR SERVICING
The Pros are simple: our turnaround time is second to none. Including all quality control testing we will despatch your watch back to you within 2 weeks of receiving it and even within a few days for battery reseal repairs.
Secondly, we are always shopping around online for the cost of repairs and make sure we stay competitive. If you find a cheaper repair, show us the estimate and we’ll beat it!
Collection and delivery are included free of charge within the repairs. You no longer need to take time out of your day to travel to your local jeweller or post office as we will send a courier round to any UK address and collect.
Want to stay updated? Our processes mean that you get updated every step of the way from when it’s collected to its return back to you. If you want any extra information, our customer service team is always on hand to answer your queries.
The Cons? Well the only one we can think of is that you only just discovered there’s an alternative to the brand and your jeweller.
Get a free quote now online for your repair!
