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HOW THE WATCHMAKER REPAIRS YOUR WATCH
If convenient, we have provided a repair form for you to print out and fill in the needed information. Click here for the web page version. If this does not print well for you, please try the Microsoft word 6.0 doc file, or the Acrobat pdf file.
After you have decided to send your watch to The Watchmaker for a free estimate of its repair costs, you should package it in a shipping container of suitable size. Please do NOT send watch in its original gift box as our shop cannot guarantee the return of the shipping container. Be sure to cushion the watch with bubble pack and enclose a cover letter with your name, address, etc. and a brief description of the repairs you wish done. Most important, please declare a reasonable replacement value for the watch so that our shop insurance can cover it while it is in our possession. Your watch is fully insured and secure while it is in our possession here at the shop.
To send your watch to us, we recommend either UPS, which you can ship by visiting your local UPS Store (formerly Mailboxes, Etc.) or US Mail, registered and insured. If you choose to send it via the post office, you will need to package the item making sure to seal all openings on the box. When you ship something registered, it must be signed for by every party that handles the package from pick-up to delivery. It is very secure, and the most economical way to send a high value package. We accept parcels from all carriers, so please use whomever you feel the most comfortable.
As soon as your watch arrives at the Watchmaker via insured carrier, the package is opened and the watch inside is assigned a numbered job envelope with all pertinent information about the owner and the watch made out in triplicate. The watch then goes to a watchmaker who carefully examines the watch to determine its service requirements. A detailed cost estimate is then made and forwarded to the owner of the watch for approval. If the owner does not approve of the estimate, the watch is immediately returned to the owner via the insured carrier of his or her choice (UPS or USPS) upon payment of a postage and insurance charge ($10-$15).
If the repair is approved, the job is begun by completely taking the watch apart, screw by screw, wheel by wheel, and spring by spring. Every part is examined for damage and wear. Parts that cannot be repaired are replaced with factory originals. The watch is then reassembled and lubricated as it is assembled. Most mechanical watches use a least five different lubricants for various parts of the mechanism. After the watch is assembled it is tested for several days for operating efficiency. It is also brought to time and adjusted for position and isochronism if required. The watch case is cleaned and polished, the crystal replaced if needed, and the winding button changed as required. The watch is then placed in the case and test run for several more days to assure us that it is ready for return to the owner.
Water resistant cases are further tested by subjecting the cases to various pressures and vacuums to be certain that the case neither leaks in water or leaks out air. If the watch is found to leak, we pressurize the case to locate the source of the leak as you would a leaky inner tube from a bicycle tire. All high quality water resistant watches are resealed before they leave this shop.
If a quartz or a tuning fork watch is serviced, the circuitry is subjected to several tests using the latest equipment available from the Swiss watch industry. The mechanism of these electronic watches is taken completely apart and assembled with the same care as with mechanical watches.
Finally, the timepiece is ready for shipping. Upon receipt of payment for the service and shipping, it is then returned to the owner via insured carrier. All parts and labor furnished by The Watchmaker are guaranteed for one year from the time the repair is completed. The guarantee does not cover parts we did not furnish, collision or water damage, or repairs done by someone other than The Watchmaker.
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