My interests are mainly in servicing movements. I do not offer polishing, plating, or complex customizations at this time, but you’re welcome to inquire if there’s something you want done.
My focus has been on Rlx clone 31xx and 32xx and ETA 28xx movements. If you have something else that requires service, I’m willing to discuss your needs or to recommend another skilled watchsmith who may assist you. I’m selective about what I work on because I want us both to be satisfied with the result. If I’m not confident about the outcome, then I will refer you to another watchsmith. Please understand that some movements/jobs can be a liability are just not worth the risk.
I do not buy or sell counterfeit products.
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---NOTES ON CLONE MOVEMENTS---
They span the gamut from reliable, well lubricated, and clean, to dirty, under or over lubricated, and unreliable. The men and women manufacturing and assembling these movements are not passionate watchmakers, but poorly paid Chinese laborers. The results of their labor go thousands of miles away and neither they or their bosses are held accountable.
In essence, clone movement factories typically prioritize external aesthetics over properly built internal mechanisms. This allows them to produce movements that might look similar to those in high-end luxury watches but lack the precision and durability associated with Swiss timepieces.
Swiss manufacturers are highly skilled and have teams of inspectors and consistently high quality. Chinese movement and parts manufacturing is often inconsistent and unpredictable. While some clone movements can have a reasonably long life, they are not like their genuine counterparts. Owners must be realistic and keep expectations in check. A $150 retail clone movement may have left the factory at $50 or much less.
Compared to genuine movements which are easy to work on, clones are challenging and difficult because of loose manufacturing accuracy and machining tolerances. This equates to performance that is not as good as genuine movements, but I do what I can to squeeze out as much as they are capable of.
Clone movement doesn't really mean clone. It really means "looks and operates similarly but is not nearly as reliable and accurate".
BEZELS - Bezels can be a gamble when servicing. Often they have hytrel (nylon) gaskets/rings that are used to hold the bezel onto the crystal retaining ring. These rings are to be replaced during normal factory service on Swiss watches because they are usually deformed or destroyed removing the bezel. On Chinese made cases the makers do not offer replacement hytrel rings and the customer is left up to finding something that (hopefully) works. This can result in a bezel that lacks the smoothness and tactile feel it had before it was removed and replaced. Bottom line: There is no guarantee a bezel replacement will be perfect and you should proceed at your own risk with either genuine or aftermarket bezel work of any kind.
BEZEL INSERTS - Mass produced and not made to Swiss standards. They are at risk of cracking during bezel removal, and are not covered by warranty. Any bezel work, whether genuine or aftermarket, is not guaranteed against damage or poor performance. Proceed at your own risk.
CRYSTAL INSTALLS - There are oftentimes dimensional differences between crystal manufacturers who all claim their crystal fits a certain watch. And the same goes with the crystal gasket that seals the crystal onto the case. Gaskets can be ruined during crystal removal and installation, and each one costs money. If everything goes as hoped, you might get a successful install that is water resistant to 10 bar/330 feet. But that's not always the case dealing with crystals, gaskets, retaining rings, and hytrel rings from different manufacturers. There are no guarantees everything will go together perfectly and be watertight.
AMPLITUDE - Clone movements often have low amplitude readings. This is because parts are not machined to the same tolerances and accuracy as Swiss movements. Don't expect a cheap clone movement to have the robust amplitude of a Swiss movement.
POWER RESERVE - Some Swiss movements boast very long power reserves. Once again, expecting similar performance from a Chinese clone movement isn't realistic.
MAINSPRINGS - It should be noted that on VS3235 movements, mainspring barrels cannot be opened and the mainspring cannot be serviced. The manufacturers of this movement will not sell replacement parts so the only option is to obtain a genuine mainspring and barrel.
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LEAD TIMES - Like most watchmakers, lead times can be 2-4 weeks or longer depending on workload. I service watches on a part time basis. Nobody likes to wait, and if you’re impatient I’m not your guy. Nothing good comes quickly.
RLX AND ETA ONLY - I will service Rlx clone movements made by VR and VS. I do not service Asia, SH, or SA movements, although they can be often be replaced with VR or VS. Not sure what you have? Lookup your watch and see what the dealer specifies in the description.
$100 MINIMUM BENCH FEE - It is the customer's responsibility to know which movement is in their watch in order to avoid an expensive $100 minimum bench/inspection fee to discover it's not a movement I repair. If I open the watch and discover it's a movement I don't service or it cannot be repaired, then there is a $100 inspection fee. No exceptions. Please do your homework and know for certain before sending your watch for repair.
Genuine ETA, Sellita, and various ETA clones can be serviced or replaced.
PROCESS - Entire movement is stripped down, washed, inspected, and reassembled and lubricated per manufacturer’s service manuals, and timegrapher regulated to + - 10spd.
PARTS - Parts are replaced at customer’s expense. Unlike ETA, parts availability for Rlx clones is limited. We depend on our parts bins or whatever sources we have, and oftentimes it’s easier to replace a movement than to spend hours trying to find a part. There are no parts houses that stock replacement parts for Rlx clone movements. During any parts or movement exchange, old parts are retained and become my property for my parts bin.
NOTE: I assume any parts sent to me for installation are the correct ones. Do your research to be certain you are getting the correct parts for the watch I'm servicing for you. I'm not responsible for any parts that don't fit, don't work, or become damaged. Customer is responsible for any additional labor attempting to install incorrect parts.
PLATED WATCHES - I do not work on gold or white gold plated watches.
MODDED OR CUSTOM BUILT WATCHES - I don't work on modded or custom built watches. Please contact the modder or builder for repairs.
--- PRICE ESTIMATES ---
MINIMUM BENCH FEE - $100
FULL SERVICE ETA BASED MOVEMENTS - $250
FULL SERVICE RLX BASED 4130 MOVEMENTS - $500 + parts + return shipping
FULL SERVICE RLX BASED MOVEMENTS (31xx, 32xx) - $350 + parts + return shipping.
MOVEMENT SWAP - $100 + return shipping. Old movement is retained for my parts bin.
STEM REPLACEMENT - $25
DIAL SWAP - $65
CRYSTAL INSTALLATION - $80
PARTS EXCHANGES - When swapping or upgrading parts, movements, crystals, etc, old parts are retained for my parts bin. A parts bin is how watchmakers stay in business and your old parts are figured into the cost of service.. If you're not ok with this, I need to know in advance of any parts swaps.
DIALS ATTACHED W/GLUE OR STICKY DOTS - There is a $75 surcharge on any dial attached with glue or sticky dots. These dials complicate my work and can cause a lot of lost time. Consequently, I do not offer any service guarantee on any watch with a glued dial.
WATER RESISTANT TESTING - $50 and available only with a movement service. This is a test only and performed after the seals are lubricated. It does not include leak tracing or repair. Those services are additional parts and labor. The cost doesn't guarantee that your watch will pass the test.
I test with a Swiss made Witschi Proofmaster Pro testing instrument that measures case deformation under pressure and provides a printout of the test results. Photos will be included.
NOTE: A watch that passes this test only confirms that it is water resistant here in my workshop at the time the test was made. It is not a guarantee your watch will be water resistant in any way. I assume all risks when I swim with my personal watches and you will be assuming the same risks if you swim with yours. No warranty given or implied.
OTHER SERVICES priced on an individual basis.
SHIPPING - You as the customer assume 100% of the responsibility of shipping and return shipping of your watch for service and warranty work. Once it leaves my hands it’s out of my control and I am not responsible for loss, theft, or damage. Any loss or damage recovery from the carrier is your responsibility. While I have never had a package lost or stolen, don’t assume it can’t happen. Customer pays shipping both ways for all service and for all warranty work. I ship UNINSURED unless you tell me otherwise.
*Prices subject to change without notice.
---GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS---
1.) Prices are estimates until the watch has been examined and tested.
2.) I accept Zelle payments only.
3.) Regulation is normally within +/- 10 spd or the best the movement is capable of.
4.) Date flip target is midnight +/- a few minutes.
5.) Only the finest Swiss oils are used for servicing.
6.) Photos provided as necessary to show the work being done.
7.) I don’t live on social media and do my best to respond to all emails in 24-48 hrs. Email only please so I can keep track of our correspondences.
8.) When shipping your watch your signature is required on the form provided indicating you have read and agree to my Terms and Conditions.
WARRANTY - I will do my very best to perform quality repair on your watch. I will warranty my work for six months. However I cannot guarantee unreliable replica parts that are not made to Swiss standards. Please be realistic. If the fault is a result of my service I will fix it. I cannot not be held responsible if the fault is the result poor manufacturing.
Warranty work covers labor and not replacement parts, and is void if modification or repairs are done by someone else during the warranty period.
Deviations in regulation are not covered by warranty. Clone movements are simply not built to Swiss standards and cannot be held to Swiss standards.
Any evidence of tampering voids the warranty.
Warranty exclusions: abuse, shock, water damage. Bracelets, crystals, crowns, stems, bezels, inserts, balance are not covered by the warranty.
CONCLUSION: Clone movements are a risk that the owner assumes when purchasing. Sometimes they last for years and sometimes they’re DOA. Please understand that this is the risk of ownership. The makers are more concerned with cosmetics than performance. If it looks good, then they consider it mission accomplished.
---ORDERING PROCESS---
1.) Contact me by the contact form on WatchSmith.US and describe your watch and a description of the problems you’re experiencing.
2.) I will do my best to give you an estimate at that time.
3.) When instructed, send the package to me along with a the signed PDF that I will email you. Do not send me your watch until instructed to do so. No repair will be accepted without the signed PDF
4.) I prefer not to have to sign for deliveries because sometimes I’m not home when they arrive. We’re in a safe, gated community, and there are no problems with theft. Signature deliveries can cause delays so please consider this when shipping. The choice and risk are yours though.
---FAQ---
Q) I’m in a huge hurry. Can you get this done quickly?
A) No. Expect to wait and be patient. If you can’t wait then, I’m not your guy.
Q) Why won't you work on SH31xx or A31xx clone movements?
A) There are bad and better clone movements, and the SH and A varieties are the worst. They are very poorly made, parts are often not interchangeable, can have fake jewels and gears, and are simply not worth the time and effort to service, but can sometimes be replaced with better movements. Occasionally you'll get one that runs reasonably well for a long time. Other times they suffer from poor performance and a short lifespan.
Q) Can I install genuine parts so my Chinese watch will look, feel, and run like a Swiss made watch?
A) That's wishful thinking. Don't expect the bezel action to improve, or the water resistance to be perfect. Don't expect glassy smooth winding action or smoothness when screwing in the crown. Genuine parts will perform as designed when they are used on the watch they were designed for. Sticking them on mismatched Chinese watches usually improves looks, but rarely reproduces the tactile feel and performance of Swiss watches which are machined to extremely high accuracy by highly trained workers using the world's most sophisticated machinery coupled with multi levels of QC inspection teams.
Q) I have a watch that was built by a modder and has some problems I'd like fixed.
A) I'm sorry but trying to fix someone else's mistakes can mean spending a huge amount of time and getting little for it. Please send it back to the person who built it and ask them to fix it.
Q) Do you offer nano coating?
A) No. If nano coating was really beneficial, all of the big Swiss companies would be using it on their watches.
Q) Do you do rotor silencing?
A) There is. no such thing as "rotor silencing" per se. If the rotor is in good mechanical condition and is properly lubricated, it's as quiet as it's going to get. If it's under lubricated, then it can produce sound and/or vibration when as it spins. The solution is to lubricate the rotor according to factory service specs. Adding additional oil or grease in an attempt to silence a rotor is a recipe for disaster. It's a mechanical watch. Parts move and spin. It may not be completely silent. If it's a clone movement, don't expect Swiss performance.
Q) Can I email or message you to "check in" or get an "update" or to see where I am in the queue?
A) You will be notified when your job is on the bench and I have something to report. Every message and email takes away from time I could use working on watches. I appreciate your cooperation and understanding. If your messages are ignored it's because I have nothing to report. I know you're anxious but there are jobs ahead of you that must be completed in order to get to yours.
Q) Can I message you on social media or WhatsApp?
A) All business is conducted by email only so I can keep track of correspondences.
Q) I have OCD and constantly look for defects and want every little imperfection fixed on my Chinese watch. Is this going to be a problem?
A) Yes. I’m a watchsmith, not a magician. You will be better off saving your money for watches made by the Swiss giants.
Q) I see used genuine parts on ebay. Are they good for adding to watch movement?
A) Used parts were removed from a watch for a reason, and that reason is because a watchmaker found them unsuitable and in need of replacement. Listings are often misleading and parts can be in poor condition. The only safe parts are brand new parts in a blister package, and even those can be re-blister packaged used parts. It's a minefield of unscrupulous sellers out there.
Q) I tested my watch with a phone app and it was +3spd yesterday and today it’s -7spd. What’s wrong with it?
A) Probably nothing. Time testing a mechanical watch every day will suck the enjoyment out of ownership. The fluctuations in timekeeping can be a result of a dozen things, including its condition, your activity, positional variations, temperature, or nearby UFOs. The best Swiss movements are certified chronometers, and while they are as solid performing as it gets, even they can change depending on those factors. Don’t expect a clone movement to run like the Swiss giants’ movements. Wear it and enjoy it or buy a quartz watch if you’re expecting chronometer accuracy.
Q) My dial or datewheel is out of alignment. What can be done to fix this?
A) Nothing. Contrary to what you might have read, there are no adjustments for rotating a dial, datewheel, or movement, to bring it into alignment. The only exception might be a DWO (datewheel overlay) used on some ETA movements. This overlay is glued on top of the stock datewheel to position the numbers in the date window of the dial. If it's attached incorrectly, the some or all numbers can be out of alignment. Some modders have removed and reinstalled them, which is a very time consuming operation. I don't offer this modification.
***Not affiliated with Rolex Watch, U.S.A., Inc***