Guide to Watch Repair and Restoration
Repairing, servicing and restoring a watch is necessary to keep your timepieces running well and keeping proper time. We recommend having your watch serviced every 5-10 years or as necessary. Our services range from a simple adjustment, the replacement of a quartz watch battery, the replacement of a worn watchband, crystals and polishing of your special timepiece to the complete overhaul of the movement.
Our professionally trained staff can give you complete information if you come in to meet with us, but here is a quick guide.
Watch Band Replacement Cost
Watches have either metal bracelets made from stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, bronze, silver, gold, platinum or a strap bracelet made from leather, fabric, exotic skins like lizard or rubber.
If you decide to replace watch straps, you can replace them with a similar one from the same brand, or choose something different from our collections that also fits your particular model and taste. Watch strap replacement costs vary based on the material. We can provide you with a standard leather strap starting from $25, or the branded strap to match your model which typically ranges between $250-$500.
Replacement bracelets are often more expensive and can range from $150 for a stainless-steel bracelet to upwards of $1,000 (dependent on the brand of watch). Gold bracelets or other materials will be considerably more depending on the brand and whether they are readily available or need to be specially made.
Watch Battery Replacement Cost
Battery and quartz movements stop working properly when the battery begins to die, and either it stops completely or the second hand on the watch works erratically, or the watches time is off. The price of a watch battery replacement ranges from $20 to $200 to reseal and pressure test a water-resistant timepiece.
Polishing a stainless steel or gold bracelets and the watch cases involve an additional charge; the base price for refinishing is $250. New watches’ battery lifespan can be 2-5 years, but as time goes along the battery life of the replacement batteries will lessen as the movement becomes older.
Watch Overhaul Cost: Mechanical Movement Repair or Replacement
The repair of a mechanical watch is an incredibly intricate process which involves taking apart the entire movement (the mechanism/engine inside of the watch), washing all parts, replacing worn parts, oiling the movement, calibrating the time, and resealing the caseback and crown. It takes many hours and brings the watch back to life, especially if the overhaul includes refinishing of the exterior of the watch.
A watch overhaul from Lux Bond & Green comes with a warranty for 1 to 2 years (depending on brand) to ensure the timepiece continues running well with normal usage. The price for a watch repair will range depending on the movement’s complexity. You can expect to pay a minimum of $325, but that cost can easily go up to $1,000 or more for a Patek Philippe or vintage watch.
Watch Crystal Replacement Cost
Watches have crystals made from synthetic and laboratory grown white (clear) sapphire as well as older or less expensive watches using plastic, acrylic crystals, mineral glass. Watch crystal replacement is recommended when the material is chipped, cracked, or badly scratched, sometimes occurring after an impact which could affect its functionality.
Crystal watch replacement can range from $70 to $200 or more for a replacement sapphire crystal from a fine Swiss manufacturer. If your crystal is cracked almost all manufacturers (including us) will only supply/install a new crystal if you agree to a complete overhaul of the movement so that the warranty can be offered.
Cracked crystals mean microscopic sapphire chips have migrated over & into the entirety of the movement. This will damage and/or destroy the movement 100% of the time because sapphire is the hardest material used in watches.
Connecticut and Massachusetts trusted Watch Repair
Lux Bond & Green is proud to be a trusted watch repair and restoration service destination for 125 years. We have been run by one family with a commitment to quality and value. Our technicians are trained to replace batteries, straps and bracelets in-house, and we can complete other minor fixes as well. Our in-house watchmakers and polishers can completely overhaul most watch brands through our authorized workshop. In addition, we can water seal most brands and more. If your watch needs to go the specific brands service center, our staff can also assist you.
As you have learned, watch repair and restoration prices can truly range based on the watch brand material and condition of the watch. Please call us, text your nearest location, email or visit any of our 5 locations for more information.