Even the highest end luxury watch loses it’s brilliance over time. Timepieces need to be wiped down and serviced regularly. To really make it shine and restore it’s original luster a professional cleaning is highly recommended. Below I’ll share my experience with watch cleaning near me, address some FAQ’s, and talk about what to expect when you get your timepiece cleaned.
Watch Cleaning Near Me – Locator Map
If you are looking for “watch cleaning near me”, the map below has your local options. Use the map controls to fine tune your result set…
Who Provides Watch Cleaning Services Near Me
There are essentially three places to go if you want a professional watch cleaning service. These are a watch repair, jewelry repair, or an authorized service center for your timepiece manufacturer.
A watch repair store and a jeweler are often good options if your watch is no longer under warranty. You can speak to a technician directly and the turnaround time is often 24 to 48 hours. As long as they are only cleaning the watch your warranty doesn’t come into play. If you have a vintage watch ensure you have an understanding of what cleaning techniques and products they will use before they perform any work.
Authorized service center will do a cleaning job as well. This is often your best option if your timepiece is still under warranty. The manufacturers authorized service center will know exactly how to clean the watch properly and what products to use. The downside is that you may not speak to a technician and the work may take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
What does a Professional Watch Cleaning Entail?
Basic Watch Cleaning Service
Watch cleaning and polishing is a commonly requested service. If your watch is waterproof, they will use a high powered, high frequency ultrasonic cleaner. These are specialized jewelry cleaners that submerge your watch in water with a cleaning solution and apply high frequency vibration that vibrates the machine. The water and solution vibrate the watch in a non-abrasive manner which form bubble clusters on the metal. As the bubble vibrate off it remove dirt and grim.
When the ultrasonic cleaning is complete, they apply buffing and polishing to the metal surfaces. This will remove superficial scratches and small nicks.
A basic ultrasonic cleaning and polishing runs about 22 pounds.
Custom Watch Cleaning Service
Some watch enthusiasts want more then an ultrasonic cleaner. Alternatively you may have an antique or vintage watch that you can’t put in one of these machines. For a more advanced custom cleaning they will dismantle the timepiece, inspect it thoroughly, and then decide on the correct cleaning method. At the watch cleaning near me, once they decide on how to do it, they will call you and tell you the cost estimate.
If you decide to move forward with the work, they engage in the designed cleaning process. The goal is to remove all contamination on the case and the band. Each part they disassembled will get soaked individually in cleaning solution. The parts get stirred and rotated carefully in the solution. This removes any dirt and debris. Last they buff and polish the pieces by hand.
Does a Professional Cleaning Make a Difference?
At the watch cleaning near me, I have seen old vintage watches come alive again. Even corrosion and oxidization can be made to look better. If you have a high end luxury watch, bring it in first or share pictures of the condition. They will point to the areas they can fix and possibly provide you a digital mock up of what it will look like when complete.
Will They Perform Repairs When They Clean It?
Cleaning services and repair work are two completely different service offerings. Repairs require your consent and it would be unethical for them to perform any repairs while doing cleaning without authorization from you.
The watch cleaning services near me are also repair places. The do all the basics, but if you are going to do repairs it is a separate quote. Also note, just because they can perform repairs, doesn’t mean you should have it done. A cleaning might not void your warranty, but an unauthorized repair service will for most manufacturers.
Polishing Isn’t Always Recommended…
If you bring your watch in and ask for cleaning and polishing, that’s what they will do. After all you asked for it. In some cases for a vintage or antique watch, you may want to consider holding off on polish.
Some watch collectors love the vintage look. They will tell you that polishing devalues an old timepiece. Cleaning it is of course fine, but removing some of the history is like removing it’s character and the stories it has to tell. There is also the danger that applying the wrong chemical compound to an old watch could damage the metal.
Before requesting polish consider the value.
Will Getting My Watch Cleaned Void My Warranty?
When a pro cleans your watch, most warranties will not be voided. That is providing it is a cleaning and a wipe down. Sticking it in an ultrasonic cleaner could be potentially void it. Also if you have them do any type of disassembly it will void the warranty.
If you aren’t sure and you need to keep your warranty in tact, check your owners documents first. The only way to truly protect the warranty and get the timepiece cleaned is by having an authorized service center do the work. The cost however will not be covered under your warranty.
Can you Clean Your Luxury Watch Yourself?
Doing a basic watch cleaning is certainly something you can perform on your own. You can find or best tips here. The idea is basically just stick to soft clothes and wiping. For a water resistant watch, you can do a bit more and apply a little water or soap. You can also consider purchasing an ultrasonic cleaner for home use (only for water resistant watches).
My recommendation is to perform minor cleaning and wiping on your own. Then once a year, depending on how much you wear it, get a professional cleaning.
Watch Cleaning Near Me Conclusion
Getting you watch cleaned by a professional can bring it back to life. You need to understand though what kind of cleaning they will perform and how it could impact your warranty. If you are requesting polishing make sure you ask about how it may impact the watches value. These are things to consider carefully first, Alternatively you can clean your watch on your own. That is what I have learned from the watch cleaning near me.
