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Hi all, my dad just gave me an old watch - a Pierpont with day/date. It doesn't work (he thinks it was overwou d at some point), and clearly has a non original strap. It was won in a poker game by his dad in 1940, and has a bit of a story to it. I think it may have had some value once, but I'd like to get it cleaned and working and a decent strap. I've never been into watches and know nothing about vintage ones. I live near Warwick but am struggling to find a local watch restorer who does more than Rolex or battery replacement....
How do I choose a restorer and does anyone have any recommendations (preferably local to Warwick).
Thanks!!
Not local to you, but ive used Calibre Services in Dundee (they arent local to me either)
You get a secure postal package sent to you, and sent back securely and insured too. Id heartily recommend them as done work for me (and others on this site in the Watches N+1 thread).
https://calibrewatchrepair.com/
Its potentially worth a contact and conversation. Nothing lost by investigating.
There's Butlers in Cheltenham, so not a million miles away. It's one guy, don't expect any kind of decent internet presence or anything as he's the kind of obsessed, eccentric kind that you need to be to be a watch restorer, so you'll have to go the old-fashioned way of ringing or going in. He could definitely do what you need done though, I've used him a few times.
Nice one, thanks both - I'll give them both a call
Chap I took a couple of clocks to informed that you can’t damage a watch or clock by over winding it unless you manage to snap the main spring.
think of a decent sob story & go to the Repair Shop on BBC?
The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham is the place to go. The place I tend to go to is on Vyse St, right opposite the Railway/Tram station and is called - The Jewellery Quarter Ltd. at No. 91. It looks like it's derelict, the owner, Pete Devereaux, tends to shut early, about 2:30 but he's trustworthy (in fact the most important commodity in that sector is trust) and these days most of the shops either hand over watches to a local specialist who comes round once a week, or point you to somebody who'll be interested. If they're shut, there's a place round the corner on Hockley St we've dealt with and been happy with.
I have a 1951 Rolex which had a broken mainspring. They gave a full service, replaced the spring with an excellent non-Rolex one and the price was less than what they paid me for some old bits and bobs of gold that I brought in.
If you go, make a day of it and spend a lot of money at the Little Guitar Shop down the road or at the eye-wateringly great and expensive Wilderness restaurant on Warstone Lane.