Jump to content

Quick shout-out for advice on mailing your watch in for inspection?

jordachex

By jordachex
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

jordachex New Member

jordachex

Posted
Posted

So I have an IWC Schaffausen 1913 gold pocket watch that sets, winds, and runs accurately...though not on an expected 24hr cycle. This could be due to being kept in storage for many years and not regularly wound or used. Or it could be due to a broken part. The hope is that the watch can be corrected with a full service cleaning, oiling, and adjustment...for a reasonable price.
So apparently, at no initial cost to me,  IWC in New York will take a look at it and give me a price on cleaning...or repair, depending on what they find. I have not called IWC yet. I live on the west coast, so perhaps Fedex delivery and $3000 insurance? I have not mailed a watch for inspection before. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
noirrac1j Distinguished Member

noirrac1j

Posted
Posted

IWC  in New York is offering "at no cost" to give you an estimate? Does that include return shipping with insurance if you decline the service quote? If the watch sets, winds and runs, then there aren't likely to be any broken parts--there may be worn parts however. Setting aside the precautions needed for mailing a vintage gold pocket watch across the U.S. I would not do it for the following reasons:

1) Once IWC has the watch, the will quote you for a vintage restoration, not a standard overhaul. Looking at their prices list  for wristwatches (its downloadable), I see that the least expensive is $490 for mechanical movement without complications, and goes all the way up tp $2,490. I would imagine that they will charge you a premium price for the restoration of a 105 year old pocket watch. Your guess is as good as mine on this one!

2) I would get clarification on what the procedures are for declining an overhaul. I don't think they can provide you with an estimate without doing some preliminary disassembly, and it seems unlikely to me that this will NOT incur a cost if you then say "no thanks" to moving forward with service after the quote--and they WILL charge you for sending it back.

J

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jordachex New Member

jordachex

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Timely advice. You know I just read a blog on another site...the guy sent his pocket watch to IWC working. It came back not working. Now it's about he said / they said and postal insurance for him.

I have one possible alternative. This place I could drive to if necessary WITH the watch in hand and wait.page_banner_pwr13_thin.jpg.de6e210a0caddd43f93bbfba65a2cee6.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, jordachex said:

Vinn3

I have not sent the watch in yet, that's why the post before I do....did you have a bad experience in the past?

   My mistake,  sorry.     carry on.     p.s.   i have had mistakes mailing out repair jobs both before and after the INTERNET.  vin

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

Posted
Posted

How long dose it run on full wind?

Dose it keep stopping at a particulare point? 

Is runing time face up and down different ? How much?

Such data can provide clues for a technical assessment. 

Possible weak mainspring , worn out or damaged staff is about all to be presumed in addition to a regulare service. As for risks of shipping etc your nvestigation is as good as any master watch repairman's.

Regard

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
noirrac1j Distinguished Member

noirrac1j

Posted
Posted

Renaissance watch repair seems like a reasonably priced place for you to send your watch. They have experience servicing vintage pocket watches and a clear policy on estimate and return shipping if you decline service.  Make sure you email them before shipping the watch and follow their instructions! 

P.S. I would suggest you not wind the watch until it has been properly serviced.

J

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • watchfellow
      Setting power reserve on LeCoultre Futurematic

      By watchfellow · Posted

      Thanks everyone for the replies. It seems setting the hand is a bit of a guessing game, and I thought there would be a very specific way to do it. Since the reserve indicator hand moves clockwise as the spring is wound, I tried setting it right at the start of the black side. But setting it there doesn't really make sense, because by the time the spring is halfway wound, the hand is only at the end of the red side... In my head halfway wound shouldn't mean the hand is still "in the red."
    • Chief
      Intro

      By Chief · Posted

      Lovely part of the country! I spend most of my days driving along the A64 for work in and around York. I'll be sure to drop plenty of questions soon! I've actually got a couple of watches on the way that I'm pretty sure I'll need some help with! They look pretty beat up from the pics but I love a challenge and an excuse to buy more tools 🤣
    • oldhippy
      Help - London Elliott Mantle Clock Night Silence

      By oldhippy · Posted

      I have two of these in my home. You need to remove the movement from the case, take off the hands and remove the dial and take a few good photos of the front plate so I can see what the problem is. The round nut unscrews and the hands pull off pull them off from the center and not the tips as you could break them. 
    • Neverenoughwatches
      What is this tool !

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      I asked the question of one of the sellers. Its for removing the pins and making the holes in motorbike drive belts. God knows why they were both in two seperate joblots of watchmaking tool, thats bizarre. I haven't posted your setting lever steel yet mike, been busy with my mum past few days and had a locked myself in at home lazy watch repair day today 🙂 but I'm out tomorrow so i will get it off to you then. 
    • MapleWood
      Help - London Elliott Mantle Clock Night Silence

      By MapleWood · Posted

      Hi everyone, I tried looking for answers on this online but came up with nothing, so I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable people might be able to help. I have an Elliot clock that has been in my family for at least 4 generations. I recently enherited it, and I'm trying to get it to run properly again, as it's been neglected a bit.  Here,s the problem. These clocks have a silencer mechanism, which is supposed to stop it from chiming between 11PM and 7AM but for some reason mine is silent between 1AM and 9AM. I have tried figuring out how to adjust it but have not managed. Does anyone have any idea on how to correct this? Please find attached some pictures of the clock. Thank you!
×
×
  • Create New...