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Who Is Doing Your Rolex Watch Repair? | Dallas Texas

Updated on June 10, 2011

Rolex Watch Repair - Be a Savvy Consumer

by OrangeCast

When something of high value breaks down, or is need of maintenance, most people do one of two things: fix it themselves or take it back where they bought it. However, we have learned through experience that in the case of watches, and especially high end watches like Rolex, neither of these options is typically an optimum choice.

The first place that most people consider taking their Rolex watch for repair is to the dealer who sold it to them. This may be the most intuitive choice, but it is rarely the most efficient one. One of our clients here in Dallas, where OrangeCast is located, is a watchmaker who works on Rolexes and other high end watches. He provided us with some helpful information that we want to pass along to the HubPages community, especially anyone who has a watch that needs repair now or that will in the future.

What most people fail to realize is that retail watch stores are set up primarily for marketing and selling watches, not repairing them. For this reason, most watch stores do not have expert watchmakers onsite. Thus, Rolex repairs are outsourced and typically shipped out in batches. The transit time and the time to actually perform the maintenance, plus lag time in communication if parts need to be ordered, leads to turnaround times that can last up to a month. Not to mention, the Rolex store will usually charge a fee for the Rolex repair that includes a markup on top of what the watchmaker who performed the service charged.

Ironically, the maintenance is often outsourced to the same watchmaker that a savvy consumer would go to directly for their Rolex watch repair. This savvy consumer makes a more efficient choice that eliminates the middleman; and with it, avoids extra time and extra cost for their Rolex repair. Not only does this cut down on the turnaround time, but also the individual in need of the repair will have direct access to the watchmaker repairing their valuable timepiece.

“I cannot tell you how many times I have had a customer come in asking for a quote on maintenance or cleaning a Rolex who tells me they’d had it repaired before at the store they bought it from,” explained Hutch Kantzabedian, the expert watchmaker at Diamond and Watch Traders here in Dallas, Texas. “I see the watch and realize it’s the same watch I’d worked on a year or two before, after it had been sent to me by the store. I feel bad for the customer because I know they paid more and waited longer than if they had just come to me directly.

“I love working on watches, and it is my expertise,” Kantzabedian continued. “I will gladly accept business from the retails stores, but I feel bad for the consumers who choose this route. I prefer to work directly with the owner of the Rolex or any other watch, and I know that it saves them time and money.”

A few people may choose to do their own Rolex watch repair. However, repairing a Rolex watch differs from other types of repairs due to the extraordinary intricacy required; and this goes for any watch, not just Rolexes. Watch parts are small and can be delicate. Bending a single part 1/100th of an inch can sometimes lead to irreparable damage.

Furthermore, while an informed person may think that they can repair a battery or clean a band on their own, any process that requires disassembling a watch is risky. The disassembly is not usually problem, but reassembling a watch without damaging parts and getting it to work properly can be an arduous and painstaking process that requires significant skill and knowledge.

For these reasons and many more, like the high cost of proper equipment, self-repair of Rolex watches is usually not an option the vast majority of people can consider. Some people are connoisseurs of horology (the science of making timepieces...get your mind out of the gutter!) and work on their watches as a hobby. Many people do, in fact, have expertise in this area without being a professional; however, even these individuals are advised to proceed with caution if they are not 100% confident in their abilities. If you are a person who insists on performing your own watch repair, the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute is a great resource.

“I think it’s great when people take up watchmaking as a hobby because it is a beautiful craft.” said Kantzabedian. “You do have to be careful though. A pretty good percentage of my business comes from people who tried to repair their watch themselves, and ended up causing more damage to it than was originally there.”

As the old saying goes, ‘there are many ways to skin a cat.’ And there are certainly a variety of options to choose from when it comes to repairing a watch. However, there is clearly one option that is more effective and efficient than any other: taking it directly to a reputable and experienced watchmaker. This will ensure that the watch is repaired and cleaned correctly by an expert; and, it will save time and money in the process.

Look at all those pieces!  Our official advice is to let an expert handle your watch repair.  If you insist on doing it yourself, just make sure you have a magnifying glass (and really tiny tools!).
Look at all those pieces! Our official advice is to let an expert handle your watch repair. If you insist on doing it yourself, just make sure you have a magnifying glass (and really tiny tools!).
working

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