WristWatchReview.com >> Leaving The Nest: Trying TotalWatchRepair.com, An Online Watch Repair Shop

Leaving The Nest: Trying TotalWatchRepair.com, An Online Watch Repair Shop

1 Comment 07 September 2012

It’s hard to trust folks with our prides and joy. Our watches are our little ones, to be loved and protected, and stuffing them into a box and sending them to a stranger is kind of like sending our kids off to a camp where the counselors will take a knife to their innards.

About ten days ago I sent my Omega Seamaster Chrono to TotalWatchRepair.com for a full overhaul. This Reseda, California-based shop has been in business since 1979 and their MO is simple: you request a postage-paid box or send along your watch in a padded box. They check it out and send you an estimate (my Chrono needed $400 worth of work as it was running about 10 minutes slow a week and was pretty ratty to begin with) and then they do the work in 10 to 15 days. They offer a one year guarantee on all repairs.

According to the technicians, they dismantled the movement and cleaned the entire thing and then degreased the parts and case. It was then “properly lubricated with only the highest grade lubricants and oils while reassembling the watch” (which is nice to know). They continued

Tested watch for timing accuracy corrections as per Swiss factory standards. We tested your omega over 24 hours using state-of-the-art equipment to ensure accuracy, water resistance, and proper operation of all functionality.

The problem, obviously, with mail-order repair shops is trust. The obvious options – authorized repair shops in your hometown and actual manufacturers’ repair shops – can often be too expensive but if you’ve spent a few thousand on a watch you probably want someone you can see face-to-face or the actual Swatch Group or Richemont repair folks looking at your baby.

However, for repairs like this one – a teardown, cleaning, and tuning – TotalWatchRepair is really stellar. First, most mom and pop repair shops have a long backlog and big manufacturers are abysmal when it comes to turnaround. Authorized repairs are expensive as heck – probably two hundred or so more than TRW charges.

In the end, it’s simply a matter of trust. This first-hand experience with the company has extremely pleasant and I’m happy my baby is in good hands. While I can’t vouch for more extensive repairs, if you’re looking for a new crystal, a nice tune up, or a general cleaning, these are the guys for you.

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John Biggs

John Biggs - who has written 1033 posts on WristWatchReview.com.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and write about technology, security, gadgets, gear, wristwatches, and the Internet. After spending four years as an IT programmer, I switched gears and became a full-time journalist. My work has appeared in the New York Times, Laptop, PC Upgrade, Surge, Gizmodo, Men's Health, InSync, Linux Journal, Popular Science, Sync, The Stir and I've written a book called Black Hat: Misfits, Criminals, and Scammers in the Internet Age. I also speak and consult. I am currently East Coast Editor of TechCrunch.com and I run the BWL family of blogs, SlushPile.net and WristWatchReview.com. I also record the HourTime Podcast with Ariel Adams. This site is infrequently updated with my musings on technology but for goofy stuff you can visit biggs.cc and for most of my serious content head over to TechCrunch. You can check out my Amazon Author Page here. I'm @johnbiggs on Twitter. You can email me at john@biggs.cc or, if it's urgent, contact me here. Headshot by SharonaPhoto.com.