There comes a time in every watch’s life when we have to decide: should we repair it or just go ahead and replace it? There’s often an argument that you should do whatever is the least expensive, but sometimes our heart speaks to us over our heads; what if the watch is a family heirloom, for example? Or was a gift from someone?
What if, you simply just like the watch you have and don’t want to change it? Read on for some advice from a local independent jeweller as to whether you should repair or replace your watch:
External watch problems
External problems are normally the easiest to diagnose as they are obvious to the untrained eye. These problems include broken straps and cracked faces and can often easily be fixed by a local jewellery shop.
For example, your local jeweller will stock a large range of straps to suit your taste: from leather to gold and silver, and bracelet style to metal links. Similarly, sections of the strap, such as individual links or the clasp, can easily be repaired or replaced to make the watch as good as new. The lugs (the metal attachments connecting the bracelet to the face) can also be rebuilt or replaced, as can worn buttons and stems on the side of the face. If you’ve cracked the glass of your watch, fear not: your local independent jeweller should easily be able to replace the watch casing for you, and waterproof watches can even be resealed to make them water resistant again; you’ll even get a certificate to prove its water resistance depth.
Internal watch problems
A trained local independent jeweller will often be able to diagnose internal watch problems, too. Normally, they can strip the watch down by removing the movement, taking off the hands and dial and turning the power off (either by removing the battery in a quartz watch or letting the mainspring down in a mechanical watch). Then, your local jeweller can examine each part for wear, and can often clean them or replace them with new parts, before reassembling the watch and testing it to make sure it’s working.
Watch batteries
As obvious as it may sound, sometimes all it takes is replacing the battery. Your local jewellery shop will happily help with this, and will stock a variety of watch battery types, taking the utmost care and attention when replacing it. Your watch will be as good as new in no time!
