Can anyone recommend where to start with getting a pocket watch restored?
We have a Waltham AWW pocket watch which according to the sales records and serial number dates back to August/September 1863. My Dad always wanted to get it back into a working condition. It may or may not be worth very much but I would like to look into whether or not it is worth recommissioning.
Any suggestions ?
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Don't know where you are, but in London ...
www.watchrestoration.co.uk/contact-us
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sun 12 May 13 at 03:34
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Thanks to you both for the links.
Your first link Ian I had already seen which was how I dated the watch.
I'll follow up the other links. I know the Waltham company were moved to Switzerland after 1957, the modern stuff is rebadged Chinese movements. It gets a bit sketchy after that as to whether the Swiss company is recognised or not.
I'd rather get it done by someone who knows what they are doing with the older watches.
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We recently had a clock repaired by this bloke. He was excellent. He used to do watches but no more. But I see he recommends a couple of people, and having met him and been in his house I'd trust him.
No good if they're not near you of course, and anyway you'd want to make your own mind up, but it's a possible lead anyway.
www.clocks-uk.com/watch-repairs.html
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There is a professional body - something like the British Horological Society I came across when getting an old station clock repaired. The restorer who told me about it was needless to say a member, explaining why he charged twice as much as another local restorer.
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SHWR (the link above) did my Grandfather's Rolex. When it came back it worked, which it didn't before, and looked great.
It wasn't cheap, but apparently it was good.
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No laughter please! Timpson have a centralised watch workshop and did a Breitling for me very well and a great deal cheaper than the factory price
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This comes into one of my areas of interest.
At the start gmac you wonder if it is worth doing. Financially very likely not but you may wish to from the heirloom perspective.
A Waltham pocket watch from the mid/late 1800s can be bought for around £40-80 on Ebay. An absolute minter in reliable working order should be no more than £120 or so. Of course dealers will often ask loads more and some private sellers do get lucky.
Repair costs for antique clocks and watches have always seemed high to me. I would guess a service/overhaul of your watch would be £150-£250 at many specialists with the right letters over the door. Someone working from home with the skills but not the letters might charge £75-£150 for the same service.
Some of the repairers may justify the high costs with an inflated value on your watch.
I do have respect for watch repairers though as they are so so fiddly to work on.
The larger clocks like Cliff's station clock and grandfather clocks are much easier. Their movements are such a basic mechanical device most people could DIY the job with guidance. Clock repairers will be happy to relieve you of around £300-£400 for a basic clean and service on such types with any restoration on top.
In the early 70s as a teen in the school holidays I was cleaning and servicing grandfather clock movements on something of a workshop production line for £5 a time. Three a day was usual for a full strip and clean with no special tools needed.
So these days the guys looking for £400 a time could make £1000+ a day.
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Pocket watches - No FM2R
