Watch servicing at Laing Edinburgh
When my dad told me that he had just collected his watch from its service, I looked at him with a blank expression. ‘A service?’ He explained to me the importance of watch servicing and my attention turned to my own timepiece; my stylish Breitling which hadn’t seen the inside of a jewellers for the best part of 10 years. My watch was gradually losing time, an indication that a check was overdue.
I booked a consultation with the service manager, James Morris, at Laing Edinburgh prior to any work being carried out. He explained the complexity of servicing a mechanical watch and what to expect once it has been inspected. James compares a watch mechanism to a small engine with hundreds of tiny parts. Some parts move constantly, some are load bearing and are subject to a huge amount of force. Being constructed from the finest and strongest materials enables the components to withstand such pressures.
He told me seals can deteriorate and dust and moisture can get into the mechanism; moving from environments of different temperature can cause condensation which in turn causes corrosion. Dust and moisture can enter the crown and result in rusty wheels and pivots leading to failure of the watch.
During the service, at Breitling’s specialist service centre, the watch was stripped down and parts were checked, tested and cleaned over a number of days. Components that needed replaced were ordered direct from the manufacturer. The case and bracelet were refurbished before re-assembly and extensive testing.
Once the timepiece was put together, it underwent pressure testing to check seals, hot and cold testing, and wet and dry testing. As these watches are professional devices, they can be water tested to 1,200 metres.
All this work, which includes a complete rebuild of a complex mechanical device, was £415 for what feels (and runs) like a new watch. Delighted with the result, I’ll make sure I don’t miss the next recommended service in three years’ time.
Laing Edinburgh, 72 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 3BX, Tel: 0131 225 4513,
www.laingedinburgh.com
Words: Paul Dickson