Specialty Services
All The Extras
We offer a range of specialty services, from tool restoration to complicated watches, as well as documentation, collection photography, and appraisals. As always, watch repair for our customers comes first, so there is a waiting list for this.
Staking Sets
Like New Again
Other than a set of quality screwdrivers, there is no more valuable tool to a watchmaker than a good staking set. The stumps and stakes on your worn K & D, Moseley, or Marshall set can all be cleaned and polished out, with the tips trued up and demagnetized.
The anvil plate can be refaced and the knurling cleaned, the upper sleeve can be re-centered, and the cams aligned and oiled.
Replacement stakes and stumps may also be available.
Pricing varies by set
Watchmaker's Lathes
Renewing Your Lathe
Countless operations can be performed on a watchmaker's lathe, and while there are many attachments for specific functions, the basic model will always consist of just a motor, a headstock on a bed, and a tool rest. Your lathe can be made new again by truing the pulley, polishing the spindles, tightening and lubricating the cone bushings, and clearing the oil journals. If you need a base one can be made from 8/4 English walnut to dampen vibration, including a floating motor mount to keep the belt and pulleys aligned.
The Motor - Before
Small reversible 1/4HP motors with footswitches make lathes much easier to use, unless you prefer tired legs from a treadle.
The Motor - After
Your worn motor can be renewed with spindle maintenance, new brushes, matte pebble paint, and new brass hardware.
Pricing varies by lathe and associated equipment
Powder Coating
A Different Look
Powder coating is an excellent substitute for lost chrome on a variety of tooling, like staking anvils, motors, and lathe beds.
The machined surfaces of the item are taped for protection before stripping it in the bead blasting cabinet, since this glass media is less abrasive than sand blasting, and then primed and coated in matte black.
Pricing varies by item
Repeaters
Waltham was the only American company to make repeating watches, which chimed the hours and minutes on command. All other designs were European, so finding parts is difficult. Other complications could be added, such as a split timer or chronograph, and even calendars and moon phase.
Repeater work starting at $995
Wind-Indicators
Having a fuel gauge is a handy thing, and that is just what the 4th hand on a wind-indicator displays - how much run time is left on an unspooling mainspring. Only a few companies made high-grade indicators, so finding parts is often difficult.
Wind-indicator work starting at $195
Chronographs
Chronographs are pocket watches with a center sweep hand that counts off the seconds, providing a method for timing an event. The higher-grade models were designed with flyback mechanisms for the seconds hand, resetting them to zero.
Chronograph work starting at $195
Unique Watches
Prototypical pieces are always challenging because they are unique by definition, with no other examples to reference and usually there are no replacement or spare parts to be found. But when you get it all back together again it's quite a thrill.
Rates on individual processes apply
Documentation
Intact variants of rare or exceptional watches are usually worth more at auction, so it's helpful to have visual proof of all of the matching serial numbers. We can document all of the marked parts of your watch and send you the JPEG files for safekeeping.
Documenting starting at $35
Step By Step
Some collectors take such an interest in their pieces and their internal workings that they like to have photos of each major component during the reassembly phase of the watch.
Photography starting at $35
Collection Backups
We offer studio-quality photography for one piece or an entire collection. Photo backups are valuable for a variety of reasons, like insurance purposes or just for simple viewing enjoyment.
Photography starting at $35
Join The Crowd
Sign up for the newsletter, which showcases exceptional variants, restoration projects, historical trivia, holiday sales and more.