North West Horology

14/09/2025

So this weekend we've been looking at these two vintage Omega's for a client. The first being an Omega Constellation with a cal. 711 automatic movement, and the second being a Seamaster De Ville with a cal. 712 automatic movement. Previously recently serviced by another watchmaker they'd been sent to us for regulation after the owner noticed they were keeping poor time. Imagine our surprise when we opened the up to discover some of the movement jewels looked clean and well oiled, whilst other parts of the movement were covered in some kind of residue and looked like they'd never been cleaned. The Constellation will be serviced with us to get it working well, and the Seamaster will have a regulation of the balance attempted but with no promises on performance. We couldn't even get the timegrapher to get a reading on the Seamaster when we booked it in.

13/09/2025

So, how much difference does a service make to a movement? Here's a good example. Not a particularly old watch, a 2007 Breitling Chrono Cockpit. Came in to us last being serviced a decade ago, the first picture is the timegrapher readings during our booking in process. Losing 36 seconds a day and low amplitude (185 degrees is very low). The second picture is just after a clean, reassembly, and oil, we haven't done any regulation to the balance yet. Such a massive difference in amplitude, 294 degrees is amazing just for a clean and proper oil.

12/09/2025

So we've got this Breitling Chrono Cockpit with a Valjoux 7750 in for a service. Owner also said the date changing wasn't working. Normally the culprit for this is the tiny brass wheel at the bottom. The small lobe that's pointing upwards can get broken off if you change the date between 9pm and 3am on these movements. In this case it actually turned out to not be the issue, a service was all that was needed to fix the issue.

12/09/2025

A decade without a service leads to some interesting case build up... Need to strip the pushers and then it's time for the ultrasonic cleaner.

08/09/2025

Everyone loves a Rolex, but maybe not quite this small. I can feel my hands cramping and my eyes hurting already just thinking about working on this tiny Oyster Perpetual Datejust! 😭 In all seriousness though, are we the only watch repair shop around that will take ladies watches as we seem to suffer through a disproportionate amount of them?

I might do some comparison shots once we open this up to show just how small these things are.

(The first image is next to my daily wear Seiko 5 from 1983 which is small at 37mm)

01/09/2025

I love the drawings in old watch repair books. Just something about them 😍 Always amazes me that these books are still relevant even now almost 100 years after they were published. Even found a note in one of them from a previous owner to the new owner. Struggling to make out the entire note due to the handwriting but this also must be some years after the book was first published due to the mention of "online".

29/08/2025

This stunning little 1927 Baume & Co watch is in desperate need of some love! Maybe not the most valuable watch ever to cross my desk, but it's got a lot of sentimental value for its owner. The list of work this little watch needs is long though:

- New crystal
- The sole remaining fixed lug is loose and needs soldering
- We need to fashion a completely new top lug from silver and solder it in place 😬
- The case back is dented
- The movement needs a service

And that's it... 🥵

29/08/2025

We get asked by a lot of people whether we only service vintage watches. I think today's watches going through the booking in process answer that question pretty well. On the left we have a 1927 Baume & Co silver wristwatch desperately in need of some TLC that has a lot of sentimental value to its owner. And on the right we have a Breitling Chrono Cockpit from 2007 sporting a stunning pale blue dial and an even more stunning Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement 😍

There'll be more updates from both of these watches in the coming weeks as the Valjoux 7750 is truly stunning. And the Baume & Co watch needs a lot of work and will look stunning when it's finished.

Discover North West Horology, your trusted vintage watch repair and servicing provider. Experience precision and care in every repair.

28/08/2025

At North West Horology, we understand that originality matters when it comes to your vintage mechanical watches. Our expertise and dedicated service ensure that your timepieces retain their value and charm. Trust us to preserve their uniqueness! 🌟

Check us out: https://wix.to/e2xBIOj

27/08/2025

Join me as we explore the intricate journey of vintage mechanical precision in watchmaking! 🕰️ Discover how these timeless pieces have evolved over the years. Dive deeper into the world of horology on our website: https://wix.to/cqIpdZR