Latest Review
It probably goes without saying that here at Worn & Wound we think watch collecting is a rewarding hobby that if approached in the right way can bring you a lot of happiness over the course of many years. And unlike, say, tennis, there’s very little risk of injury. And unlike a pursuit like car collecting, you won’t need to buy a separate parcel of real estate to store your collection, unless you happen to be John Mayer (allegedly). And in our opinion it’s an easy hobby to recommend because you can get deep into it without spending a fortune, and we also happen to know there’s a great community of like-minded enthusiasts out there who can provide support, advice, and general expertise along the way. But it’s not all sunshine and daisies. Oh no, not at all. Eventually, the time will come when you need to send a watch in for service, and this is the point where enthusiasts are either made or perhaps run away from watches, never to return.
OK, I’m exaggerating somewhat. But the watch servicing process is something that binds all of us together in a way that only shared trauma can. Nobody likes to service a watch. It’s expensive, anxiety inducing, and frequently the process is less than transparent. It can also take what seems like forever to get a watch back once it’s been sent out. Plus, to state the obvious, you have to go without your watch for some indefinite period – the greatest indignity of them all! We love these things as much as one can love “things,” and we don’t relish the idea of them being MIA from their watchbox.
WatchCheck is a new venture from Linden Lazarus and his business partner Will Haering. If Linden’s name sounds familiar, you’ve likely stumbled across Oliver and Clarke, his retail operation focused on blue chip vintage pieces. WatchCheck was born out of a realization that most of us have at one point or another: getting a watch serviced is no fun at all. The idea behind the WatchCheck service is to provide the same type of “white glove” experience you’re likely to get if you buy a new watch from a retailer that pulls out all the stops. That might mean a champagne toast at the AD, but when it comes to service, it simply means leaving you, the owner of the watch, with as little to actually do as possible.
Here’s how it works: a WatchCheck customer can search the website for their specific reference that is in need of service. Once the system drills down into the correct reference, a menu of services is offered with flat rates for each. A full overhaul of a Tudor Black Bay, for example, is listed at $775, and includes adjustment and replacement of parts, movement regulation, water resistance and pressure testing, cleaning and oiling of internal components, and so forth. WatchCheck also offers a separate case restoration service (priced at $265 for my Black Bay example) that promises expert reconditioning and refinishing of the case and bracelet.
While ordering service online isn’t a new concept, WatchCheck seems to be making a real effort to get the small details right. Once a service is ordered, all of the required shipping materials are sent directly to the customer. The box that the watch is returned in comes pre-labeled with the necessary packing materials inside, and WatchCheck even provides tape to seal everything up. Insurance, of course, is included on all shipments to and from the service center.
WatchCheck has partnered with Stoll & Co. for all of their servicing needs. The Dayon, OH based service center employs over 40 certified watchmakers and, according to WatchCheck, has serviced over 3.5 million watches since being established in 1982. WatchCheck also provides their customers with updates and insight into the progress of their service, which is a real change from the norm, which can involve shipping a watch into the void, not knowing exactly who has it, where it is, or what’s being done to it.
I’ll be transparent here and admit that I haven’t personally used WatchCheck to service a watch, so I can’t speak to how well this all works. But I have spoken to Will and Linden about the project and I was impressed with how well they’ve thought this through. They know, for example, that the flat rate pricing will mean that some services will be provided at a lower rate than they otherwise would be, and vice versa, but they seem committed to making everything about ordering service as clear as possible, which a complex menu of service items would simply not allow.
It also strikes me that providing a web based and somewhat automated framework for WatchCheck is another example of how the watch industry writ large has been slow to adapt to the internet for what now amounts to decades. I find myself asking why brands haven’t figured out that something similar to the WatchCheck process would actually be easier than calling an authorized dealer, packaging a watch yourself for shipment, driving to drop off a package that you’ve had to buy insurance for yourself, and on and on. It’s helpful to remember here that it wasn’t that long ago that most Swiss watch brands barely had websites, let alone e-commerce, so it’s not surprising that a new company has come along attempting to solve a problem other industries have largely figured out.
More information about WatchCheck can be found at their website, here.
