TIME ZONE
WATCH AND JEWELRY REPAIR
By Michael Korb
PRE-OWNED WATCHES Second Hand First Choice
The Case for Regular Servicing
MAINTENANCE FOR FINE SWISS WATCHES A watch that runs on batteries can sit in a drawer for a year without consequence. A mechanical Swiss movement can’t. Left unworn and unserviced, oils dry out, gaskets lose their seal, and small components wear against each other without the lubrication they need. The damage happens slowly and often stays invisible until the watch is opened on the bench. That’s the case for regular servicing. A full movement overhaul every 5-10 years depending on the age of the timepiece is recommended, it keeps the gear train running as it was designed to, long before you’d notice anything wrong. Pressure testing can catch a compromised gasket before it lets in moisture, while routine maintenance helps prevent unnecessary wear. Cared for this way, a fine watch doesn’t just keep time. It can hold up under daily wear for decades, which is really what makes it worth wearing in the first place.
COMMON SERVICES INCLUDE: • CLEANING AND OILING • MOVEMENT SERVICING & FULL OVERHAULS • BATTERY REPLACEMENT • CRYSTAL & CROWN REPLACEMENT • WATER-RESISTANCE TESTING & GASKET REPLACEMENT • CASE & BRACELET POLISHING • ACCURACY ADJUSTMENTS
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The savviest collectors know something very few others do: the fastest way to get the watch you actually want is rarely through the front door. If you ask an authorized dealer for a Patek Philippe Nautilus, at best you will leave with your name on a list, a list that often has a wait time of more than five years. And often, you can’t even join the queue unless you’ve already built a real history with the brand first. However, that same beautiful timepiece may be sitting, polished and ready, in that very jeweler’s pre-owned case. This is the very move seasoned collectors have quietly used for years: skip the audition, walk straight to the case where the watch already resides. No list, no waiting, no proving yourself to anyone. A quick point and swipe and it’s on your wrist. It works the same way serious car people shop for the most coveted Ferraris and Porsches — the
smart money has always known that the secondary market isn’t a compromise, it’s where the real inventory is. The pre-owned watch has shed its old stigma entirely. It is not a consolation prize. It’s the savviest route to the exact piece you want, while it’s still the piece you want. And the case for buying it from a real jeweler rather than a stranger online is simple: a reputable dealer with an in-house watchmaker has already done the stressful part. They’ve authenticated the movement, verified the history, and made sure what’s in the case is exactly what it claims to be. That’s the whole value of a trusted name: you get the thrill of the find with none of the guesswork or concern. Buying pre-owned is not a gamble — it’s the smartest move in the store.
Preserving the Precious
KEEPING THE PIECES YOU WEAR EVERY DAY A ring that’s been on someone’s hand for twenty years wears differently than one bought last spring. Prongs loosen. Clasps wear thin. Gold dulls. None of it happens overnight, which is exactly why it tends to go unnoticed until a stone is missing or a chain won’t stay closed. Our repair team handles both ends of that spectrum: the routine upkeep that keeps a piece functioning, and the more involved work that brings damaged or aging jewelry back to what it was. Ring resizing, for example, is more technical than it may look. The band has to be cut, adjusted, and resoldered so the proportions and strength of the original setting hold up. Stone replacement requires similar precision, since a new gem needs to be closely matched to those already in the piece. Regular inspection matters even when nothing seems wrong. A loose prong or thinning clasp is far easier to fix before it fails than after a stone or piece is lost. Our jewelers check for these signs during routine cleanings, catching wear early rather than after the fact.
WHAT WE HANDLE MOST OFTEN: • RING RESIZING • CLASP & CHAIN REPAIR • SOLDERING • STONE REPLACEMENT & PRONG TIGHTENING • RHODIUM PLATING & POLISHING • CLEANING & INSPECTION
44 | LENOX JEWELERS MAGAZINE
45 | LENOX JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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