Expert servicing for mechanical timepieces, custom Seiko modifications, and replica-friendly bench work most watchmakers refuse — every movement regulated on the timegrapher, every job photographed and documented.
Request a Quote View ServicesI do this because I love it — pricing covers Swiss materials and the next tool for the bench, not a storefront. Every estimate is confirmed after inspection, and you approve any parts before work begins.
Most watchmakers refuse to touch replica and homage watches. I don't. A rep with a well-serviced movement running Swiss oils is a different watch — quieter, more accurate, and built to last years instead of months.
Ship your watch in and I'll open it up and find out what's actually going on. If it's just something loose or out of place, the fix is included in the eval. If parts are broken, you get a documented, photographed diagnosis and a quote before anything else happens. Rep movements are inexpensive — worst case, a complete movement replacement runs around $200 (super clones aside), but it rarely gets that far.
Factories ship reps with cheap oils — over-applied, sometimes with machine debris still in the gear train. A full service means every single part comes out, gets cleaned ultrasonically in L&R solutions, and goes back together with Swiss Moebius lubricants applied jewel by jewel. The movement runs quieter, keeps better time, and won't need attention for around 7 years. Others charge $400+ for the same work.
The only things keeping your movement dry are the gaskets and their lubrication. I remove the movement first (so a leak can't damage it), service the seals on the case back, crown, and crown tube — replacing any that are hardened, punctured, or the wrong size — then pressure-test the sealed case to 6 bar (60 m). Honest expectations: this is splash and maybe pool-level protection, never diving.
Yes — it's a specialty. Most watchmakers refuse them; I treat them like any other mechanical watch. Mail it in, pay $50 for the evaluation plus shipping, and you'll get a photographed diagnosis. If it's just something loose, the fix is included in the eval fee.
A full service is a complete teardown — every single part comes out of the watch. Parts are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath with professional L&R cleaning solutions, then the movement is reassembled with Swiss Moebius oils and greases applied to specific jewels, pivots, and gears. Finished with demagnetization and multi-position regulation on the timegrapher.
$250 for time-only movements, $300 for chronographs, $300 for premium calibers (Rolex 3135 / 3235, cal. 324 / 330 class). These oils last about 7 years before the next service is due. Comparable work elsewhere runs $400+.
The Lite Service ($125, return shipping included) is a tune-up and reseal without opening up the movement itself: full inspection of the movement, case, and bracelet, debris removal, rotor sound attenuation, fresh grease on the caseback gasket and threads and on the crown stem, threads, and stem seal, demagnetization, timegrapher monitoring with regulation if required, and a final hand cleaning. It's the right call for a watch that runs well and just needs to be dialed in and protected.
The Full Service ($250 / $300) is a complete teardown — every part out, ultrasonic cleaning, and fresh Moebius lubrication throughout. That's what fixes worn oils, debris in the gear train, and underlying accuracy problems for the next ~7 years.
More than it looks like. The case comes open, the movement comes out, the hands are pulled with proper levers (and the dial released, if it's being swapped), then everything is refitted, aligned, and checked — including date-change alignment — before the movement goes back in and the caseback closes on a freshly greased gasket. 3-hand $75 · day-date $90 · chronograph $115 — and since it's one teardown either way, swapping the dial and hands together costs the same as either alone. Chronographs cost more because the hands are smaller, tighter, and less forgiving.
It's optional, and I'll tell you honestly if yours can wait. But factories — especially rep factories — use cheap oils, over-oil the movements, and sometimes leave machine debris in the gear train. A proper service noticeably quiets the movement, improves timekeeping, and protects it for years. If your watch is running slow, I can regulate it for $50, but without finding the underlying cause it can be a losing battle — a teardown finds the real problem.
Lubrication and seals are the only two things keeping your movement dry. Rubber gaskets harden and get brittle over time — if a seal is broken, punctured, hardened, or the wrong size, water gets in.
For $50, I remove the movement first (so if the case leaks under test, there's nothing inside to ruin), then remove, lubricate, and re-seat the gaskets on the case back, crown, and crown tube — replacing any that are past saving — and pressure-test the sealed case to 6 bar (60 m) to confirm the seals hold.
No — and anyone who promises otherwise is overselling. Even a watch that passes at 6 bar is not meant for swimming or diving; think rain and hand-washing, maybe a pool at best. And if the case itself leaks due to a manufacturing defect, there's no fix that wouldn't cost more than the watch. The seal service keeps an honest watch honest — it doesn't turn it into a diver.
Parts are always quoted separately and you approve them before any work continues. Every step is recorded, so you'll see exactly what's broken. Rep movement parts are generally inexpensive — a complete movement replacement worst-case runs around $200 (super clones can be more), but most problems turn out to be far smaller.
Rotor silencing is a quick job — remove the rotor, lubricate it properly, and reinstall. $30. If I spot obvious debris while I'm in there through the case back, I'll clean what's visible; a true cleaning of the whole movement is what the full service is for.
You mail the watch to me in Gainesville, Virginia and cover shipping both ways — I recommend insured, tracked shipping. Once I've received it, you'll get the evaluation results with photos before anything is done. Nationwide mail-in service; international by arrangement.
Submit your watch details and requested service. You'll receive a preliminary cost breakdown and insured shipping instructions within 48 hours.
Your timepiece undergoes a full bench inspection under magnification and on the timegrapher. Work begins only after you approve the itemized findings — with photos of anything broken.
Disassembly, ultrasonic cleaning in L&R solutions, Moebius lubrication to spec, and reassembly — recorded at each stage so you can see exactly what was done.
Multi-position regulation, power-reserve observation, and pressure testing where applicable, before your watch is securely packed and shipped back.
Every inquiry is answered personally. Describe your piece and what you'd like done — photos help, and you can attach them when the email opens.