Even the most well-designed watches will eventually suffer from the ravages of time and entropy. When this happens it is essential to find a watch repair service that is reputable, especially if your timepiece is rare, expensive, and no longer in production. But how do you choose? What traits should you look for?

Find Out What Watches They Specialize In

Watches come in many varieties, and not everyone specializes in them. Before handing over your timepiece, you need to find out if they work with your particular brand. At the very least, the repair shop should be familiar with the movements that your watch uses. Vintage or antique watches should only be repaired by professionals who specialize in that particular era.

Request Certifications and Supporting Documentation

Qualifications matter a great deal in the watch industry, especially for high end brands. Many industry specialists have spent years earning the certifications needed to restore or repair timepieces, as achieving these credentials requires a combination of knowledge, experience and creativity. So when you contact a shop that claims it can repair watches, verify it by requesting certifications with supporting documentation, and verify this through a third party.

Check and Recheck Reputation and Reviews

Reputation is everything in the watch industry. Anyone can claim to be capable of repairing a watch, but unless they have the reputation to prove it, their claims are meaningless. High end watches cost too much to risk handing over to an amateur or thief, so you’ll need to perform extensive research of prospective repair shops to make sure they have a track record of success. Depending on where you live, it may be necessary to contact a watch expert that lives outside your community, perhaps in another city, state or country.

Stay Away From “Inexpensive” Repairs

Watch repair is not an industry where you want to make decisions based on price. As stated previously, those who are skilled in repairing high end watches have dedicated their lives to the task, and want to be paid accordingly. Stay away from any watch repair service that advertises themselves based on “low prices,” because this usually means their service will be low in quality.

Always Request a Repair Warranty

The absolute best watch repair shops are so confident in the services they provide that they offer their clients a watch repair warranty, which is drafted in writing. Low end repairmen will provide a verbal warranty and will then try to renege on it later. Stay away from shops that don’t offer written warranties or who will not provide a service quote prior to repair.

Inquire About Replacement Components

The replacement components used in a watch will determine its longevity. Ideally, you want original replacement components, as inexpensive substitutes will not suffice. Look for Certified professionals who can source the original parts directly from a manufacturer or know suppliers who can.