Watch Repair Vancouver – The Dialed In Watchmaker

Tudor Prince Oysterdate (ref 9050/0)

on October 27, 2021October 27, 2021 By howiethehorologist 3 Comments

Victoria watch repair Tudor Prince Oysterdate closeup

Vancouver watch repair Tudor Prince Oysterdate on the bench

Once again I find myself swooning over a watch that for me, just checks all the boxes. This Tudor Prince Oysterdate does just that. It’s the perfect size at 34mm, it’s understated, funky yet classy and has historical and horological significance.

Tudor was first created by Rolex in the 50’s to offer a more working class option for people wanting the brand recognition and style of Rolex but not wanting to fork over too much cash. The cases and bracelets on Rolex and Tudor watches are almost interchangeable as well as the quality of the dials and hands. The big difference is the movements, which on Rolexes, starting from that time, were made in-house, whereas the Tudor watches used ETA and sometimes AS movements. These are great movements that have stood the test of time but the quality is a little more industrial and a little less elegant.

Vancouver watch repair Tudor movement — ETA 2784

The service went well and it was apparent by how dry the movement was, that it had been quite a while since it had seen another watchmakers touch. The movement is an ETA 2784 which is the older cousin to the famous ETA 2824. It is also a high beat movement ticking away at 28,800 bpms. The little differences are in the setting mechanism and the calendar works which have noticeably been upgraded to a more “watchmaker friendly” set-up. The 2824 has fewer little springs to deal with that sometimes find their way into the abyss…

The bracelet is a beautiful folded linked Oyster dating from the late 1960’s. You can read about this interesting history of these bracelets in this nice article from Hodinkee.

Vancouver watch repair worn oyster bracelet — note the worn parts of the bracelet on the left versus the undamaged links on the right

I would’ve loved to have polished the case and bracelet up but I didn’t upon the request from the customer. This one definitely shows its age but I can understand wanting to keep those memories intact. When I was reassembling the bracelet, I realized that I hadn’t recorded the exact size that the bracelet was set. This was an easy problem to solve as the worn out parts of the bracelet were exposed leaving the untouched parts underneath the clasp. This made it easy to determine the original sizing.

Vancouver watch repair Tudor Prince Oysterdate on the wrist

Omega Railmaster CK 2914-1

on September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 By howiethehorologist 1 Comment

Now where to begin with this one? As a watchmaker, there are times when I feel this little tingle of joy when a rare and valuable watch comes across my desk. I also feel grateful to the owners of these treasured objects for entrusting me to give their watches the care that is needed.

This puppy is a family heirloom and checked all the boxes for me. I dream of owning many watches, many that are way out of my budget, and this one is on the top of that pile. Oh the stories they could tell. If you want to learn more about this reference, check out this similar watch that was featured on A Collected Man

omega railmaster movement 284 watch repair vancouver

The watch was no longer winding and the crystal was quite scratched. I opened her up and discovered no evidence that the watch had ever been serviced. Watches of this vintage, usually have service marks scratched on the inside of the case-back. The markings rarely give any real information, sometimes a date, but usually it’s just a signature of sorts. There were no such markings, and the movement was almost brand new, except for the dried out lubricant and dirt that had collected over time. I was confident that once I popped in a new main-spring and serviced the movement, it would work great without the need for any serious repairs or adjustment. I was right, once I cleaned it up and put all the parts in place, It came alive like Encino-man. I cased her up, polished up the crystal, and that was that.

Omega CK1914-1 uncased Watch repair vancouver

A highlight for me was the opportunity I had to make a custom leather strap for it. The owner wanted a fresh vibe and called on my leather crafting skills to add some vintage spirit. We decided the veg-tan with matching brown stitching would be the right fit. I think it turned out pretty nice. Over time, this strap will get that sweet sweet patina.

Sometimes, when I have to give back such a great watch, this song goes through my head.

omega railmaster new leather strap watch repair vancouver

Seiko Prospex Diver

on July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 By howiethehorologist

I love Seiko!

Yes, I’ll admit that when I started in watchmaking I was all like “If it ain’t swiss it ain’t nothing!” I am so glad that I’ve come around and seen the huge contribution to watchmaking that Seiko has given. As well as the very cool style offerings and customization that really puts their customers first, instead of some arbitrary ideal.

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Omega 321 Chronograph

on May 18, 2021June 13, 2021 By howiethehorologist

This has been a really great couple of weeks for me on the bench because I’ve had the pleasure of servicing some classic and beautiful chronographs. Last week was this beauty, and this week was the infamous Omega 321!

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Virtual watchmaking (Video tutorial of an Admiral Pocket watch)

on May 10, 2021June 13, 2021 By howiethehorologist 2 Comments

Watch repair Victoria Admiral pocket watch

So I took on a really great opportunity last month to film a full service of an old Admiral Pocket watch for a client. I’ve been wanting to offer an immersive watch repair experience for people for quite a while so this was a great first step.

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Gallet Excel-O-Graph Chronograph (EP 40-68)

on May 5, 2021June 13, 2021 By howiethehorologist 1 Comment

This beauty came across my bench like a celebrity sighting of Scarlett Johansson. As a watchmaker and a watch lover, it’s hard not to get a little flush when in the presence of such a gorgeous watch. The owner of this watch has such an amazing collection of Gallets (among other awesome brands) that I affectionately call him “The Gallet Guy”.

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The Time Of The Strap

on April 26, 2021June 10, 2021 By howiethehorologist

I’ve always appreciated a good leather strap. It’s that extra part of wearing a watch where we can take some creative licence and express ourselves. So I decided to flex my creative muscles and start making leather straps myself. Leather craft! What a world!!

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1975 Seiko Grand Quartz

on March 19, 2021June 13, 2021 By howiethehorologist

watch repair Victoria seiko 4843A grand quartz

When it comes to servicing quartz movements, the most likely and cheapest route taken is to replace the movement. However, sometimes the parts for watches and movements are so rare and tough to find, that servicing is the only option. As was the case for this gorgeous Seiko Grand Quartz from the mid-seventies, the Seiko 4843A movement was not readily available and the need was there to take it apart and service.

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Rolex Daytona

on February 22, 2021June 14, 2021 By howiethehorologist 2 Comments

These watches always make me a little giddy. Gosh, I could never afford one, but being a watchmaker allows me the opportunity to play with these watches in a more intimate way then most of their owners do.

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Waltham- Early 20th century pocket watch

on February 10, 2021June 22, 2021 By howiethehorologist

watch repair Victoria waltham pocket watch

This guy came across my bench with a mangled hairspring. I also found the impulse jewel to be broken off and missing. So I replaced the spring and fit a new jewel. Fitting the jewel was fun as I needed to shellac the jewel on the impulse plate. Always fun to use my staking set as well. Watching these old guys come back to life is very rewarding. The stories they could tell.