A WORD OR TWO ON WATCH SERVICING
THIS PAGE IS AIMED PRIMARILY AT NEWCOMERS TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WATCH COLLECTING!.
MECHANICAL WATCHES ARE WONDERFUL ITEMS,BUILT WITH IMMENSE PRECISION.HOWEVER THEY DO REQUIRE REGULAR REGULAR CARE AND ATTENTION TO MAINTAIN THEIR ACCURACY.THE SAME APPLIES TO ALL MECHANICAL ITEMS FROM CARS TO BICYCLES.THE MAIN PROBLEM YOU WILL FIND WITH VINTAGE WATCHES IS THAT THE OIL IN THE PIVOT POINTS TENDS TO SOLIDIFY WITH AGE OR GET STICKY.THIS CAUSES A WATCH TO NOT RUN OR TO RUN FAST.SOMETIMES YOU WILL SEE ON EBAY LISTINGS THAT A WATCH STARTED RUNNING WHEN PLACED ON A WARM WINDOWSILL.SIMPLY THE OIL WARMED UP AND THE WATCH FREED OFF!.
THIS IS WHY VINTAGE WATCHES NEED TO BE SERVICED EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.IF YOU ARE GOING TO COLLECT WATCHES AS A HOBBY ITS WELL WORTH FINDING A FRIENDLY LOCAL WATCH REPAIRER.ASK AROUND FELLOW COLLECTORS OR DEALERS FOR A RECOMMENDATION.A GOOD LOCAL REPAIRER IS WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD!.TAKE SOME TIME TO GET TO KNOW HIM AND BE PAITIENT.GOOD WATCHMEN ARE BUSY CONSTANTLY AND MANY ARE RETIRED AND CONTINUE ON A PART TIME HOBBY BASIS.IN OTHER WORDS DON'T TAKE A DOZEN WATCHES AT ONCE AND EXPECT TO BE GREETED WITH OPEN ARMS AND DON'T EXPECT THEM TO BE READY OVERNIGHT!!
A SIMPLE CLEAN AND SERVICE ON A BASIC TIME ONLY WATCH CAN COST AS LITTLE AS £20 OR SO,A BIT LESS IF YOU ARE LUCKY!.
THE MOVEMENT PICTURED ABOVE ON THE FAR RIGHT IS A GOOD QUALITY RECORD MOVEMENT THAT LIVES IN THE WWW BRITISH MILITARY WATCH TO ITS LEFT,THIS KIND OF MOVEMENT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO SERVICE AND SHOULD NOT COST A FORTUNE!
THE MOVEMENT ON THE LEFT IS A DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH.THIS ONE IS A VALJOUX 7734 MECHANICAL CHRONOGRAPH WITH DATE WHICH LIVES IN THIS CASE IN THE TISSOT NAVIGATOR,THOUGH THE SAME MOVEMENT WAS USED IN MANY VINTAGE CHRONOGRAPHS.THESE ARE MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND CONSEQUENTLY MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN A SERVICE IS REQUIRED.YOU WOULD EXPECT TO PAY CERTAINLY IN EXCESS OF £100 TO SERVICE A MOVEMENT SUCH AS THIS.THAT SAID WATCHES WITH COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS CHRONOGRAPHS OR TRIPLE DATE ETC ARE ALWAYS SOUGHT AFTER BY COLLECTORS AND MAKE GOOD PRICES,SO ITS ALL PRO RATA REALLY!.
HOPEFULLY THAT WAS OF SOME HELP TO NEWCOMERS TO OUR GREAT HOBBY ! | 
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