FAQs

When a watch is dropped, this sudden impact may cause an axle of one or more wheels to break. Usually the balance staff breaks, the part that makes the tick-tock noise. All broken part will need to be replaced and a complete maintenance will be recommended.

A watch is a finely tuned mini-machine. Lubricants must be replaced periodically, which is similar to a car’s engine. To maintain optimum performance the recommended period is usually every three to five years. A complete maintenance should correct this.

The watch may have been exposed to moisture while crown was not properly closed or internal gaskets, which protect the watch from moisture, need to be replaced. Back, crystal and crown gasket should be replaced when making complete overhaul. The watch needs to be serviced as soon as possible before moisture makes even more damage to other internal parts. Water resistance of the watch is not a permanent feature. To keep the watch water resistant, it requires regular periodic service to be maintained.

This can indicate that the mainspring has broken, which happens in manual-wind watches. Automatic watches have a clutch which gives you the “feel” when watch is fully wound. The mainspring must be replaced with a complete maintenance.

This could be caused by dropping the watch, which can make the hairspring out of adjustment. Also, the lubricant inside the movement could migrate over time and cause hairspring to stick. Furthermore, the watch may have been exposed to a magnetic field, which can disrupt the watch movement. In any case, the watch should be overhauled.

This issue is characteristic for automatic watches and it can indicate to several problems. In order to get an automatic (self-winding watch) fully wound, the wearer must have a certain amount of physical activity. If the wearer is not sufficiently active, the watch might not build up enough power to run. It could also be that mainspring has become worn out, which can sometimes happen after a few years. This can be fixed by replacing the mainspring with a complete maintenance.

The hands are 12 hours out of position. You can fix this by advancing the time 12 hours.

Over time, a mechanical chronograph will require adjustment which, in most cases, cannot be done by the wearer. When the chronograph hands do not reset to zero position, it is a good indicator that watch could need its periodic maintenance.

The wearer must wind the watch either by manually winding the crown or by wearing it for a sufficient amount of time to wind the mainspring. When worn regularly, the watch should continue to run for approximately 36 hours after removing the watch from the wrist. If the watch is fully wound and still runs slow, this is an indicator that it is due for maintenance. Automatic watches should be serviced approximately every 2 to 5 years depending on the degree of usage or wear.

The first thing to be checked is if the battery needs to be replaced. Most batteries have a life span of around 2 years. Some watches can have extended battery life which can last up to 3 or more years. These watches usually have only hour and minute hands (without second hands or chronograph function). A watchmaker needs to check the battery and the contacts holding the battery.

Some watches have a feature called end-of-life indicator (EOL). This is an indicator that battery voltage is getting low and that it is time to replace it. After installing a new battery, the second hand should advance normally without skipping several seconds at a time.

The battery life will often be reduced significantly with the constant usage of the chronograph function. This is simply due to the fact that more power is required to keep numerous functions working in comparison to basic timekeeping. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep the chronograph function running. As a matter of fact, some watches will stop chronograph functions by default if the function is left running for an extended duration. Therefore, it is recommended to limit chronograph usage to maintain the longest battery life possible.

This problem is not associated with the electronic aspect of the watch, but rather the mechanical aspect of it in regards to issues with the internal gearing. Quartz watches lack the needed power to work through impediments similar to mainspring-wound watches. In this situation, the watch requires service. While there are many factors which can cause this some problem, simply sending it for maintenance will suffice.

This is a typical circuitry problem that often in watches which experience defects. One of the reasons behind this phenomenon can be explained via physics. Typically, any rise in temperature leads to expansion. In this situation, there lies a defect within the electronic circuit of the watch. However, when the watch is not in contact with the person, the temperature equalizes with the room temperature; therefore, the circuit is not undergoing expansion which is why it is functioning properly. In contrast, when the watch is in contact with our body temperature, this will cause the circuit to slightly expand and disconnect the circuit connections; thus, stopping watch function. When experiencing this issue, the watch will need to undergo maintenance as well as have the circuit replaced.

The problem behind this is due to the calendar trip mechanism. This watch needs to be sent in for service.

Based on the majority of Quartz watches having an end-of-life feature (or EOL) today, it is recommended to replace the battery only when it is absolutely necessary. However, water resistant maintenance may be required when opening the case as it possible to compromise the factory seals. The expression “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” stands for watches as well.

Depending on the age of the watch as well as the type/ number of functions (e.g., stop watch chronograph applications, alarms, second hand, etc.) will determine how long the battery last. Normally, digital and analog style watches will last at least a year.

There are several explanations behind these issues. One of which is that the alarm contact spring is not fixed in the ideal position; thus, the watch may require shipping back to the service center. Another possibility may be that the case back is incorrectly placed or there is an issue with the alarm contact plate. Typically, this watch needs to be brought in for service.

This typically happens once a digital watch has been dropped or undergone shock. Normally, a thin segment of glass under the digital display is filled with conductive fluid, but due to the shock, this segment is either damaged which results in air leakage, or contaminated. Depending on the price of the watch, the repair may be expensive; thus, replacing the watch may be a better alternative. Replacing it may be the most economical alternative. More expensive watches must be sent to the service center to be fixed.

In this case, the contacts which connect to the digital display of the watch have been damaged either via shock or corrosion. As a result, this prevents the portions not shown on display from receiving the necessary voltage to power the digital segment. In inexpensive digital watches, repair expenditures may be as much as a replacement watch. Customers that need their watch repaired must bring it to the service center. In contrast, higher-end digital watches can be fixed for a fair price when compared to purchasing a new watch, but similar to inexpensive watches, they must also be brought to the service center.

Push buttons are designed in which their stem is attached to the underside of the watch which allows it to move in and out of a tube inside of the watch when lowered. Inside a watch, a small spring propels the stem out the watch once the button is discharged. As time progresses, dirt and dust may accumulate inside the tube which will result in the corrosion of the spring; thus, making it difficult restore the button to its original form. Chances are the spring will be replaced upon maintenance.

The reason behind this is due to the fact that the analog/digital watches are a combination of two different watches. Therefore, a part of the watch may be inoperative while the other may remain fully functioning. Watches with issues regarding the digital feature will require the service center to repair them.