Marking Time Watch Services

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United States
Altoona, AL
Marking Time Watch Services

Watch service & repair. Located in the greater Birmingham, AL area. I specialize in vintage watches. Watch repair and service in the greater Birmingham, AL area.

11/28/2025

A little before and after for a total watch overhaul. This Benrus Mystery Dial watch was sent in for full restoration. The watch had been exposed to water and the stem and crown were rust welded in place. The stem had to be broken then drilled out, a task which required extraordinary care so that the mainplate of the watch was not damaged beyond use. In addition, the setting lever spring and sliding clutch were damaged, and the owner wanted the dial fully restored. The dial was sent to an expert for this task, but all other work was performed in-house. Happy to send this one back for wear and heirloom appreciation.

10/27/2025

This Bulova A17 navigator's watch was in rough shape when it came in, missing parts inside and with a damaged hairspring to top it off. The parts were replaced, hairspring shape corrected, crystal replaced, old very radioactive Radium paint replaced with aged C3 Superluminova, and a befitting strap added. The timing turned out better than it had any right to. This heirloom is going back to its owner ready to wear and be cherished.

10/13/2025

I often get quite annoyed when the word "patina" gets thrown around as it usually is being used where "damaged" is the more accurate phrase. When I think patina, THIS is what it means. Absolutely beautiful Universal Geneve Monodate running a UG 267G movement. It wasn't running well when it came in, but that was simply due to dirt and a homemade mainspring. Proper cleaning and a fresh proper mainspring and this is one I'm sad to send back out the door.

09/21/2025

This poor Elgin pocket watch had a common problem: a broken balance staff. However, the previous tinkerer who last worked on the balance did an absolute hack job and slathered the roller and balance in shellac when replacing the impulse jewel. This job rapidly escalated. A complete strip down of the balance assembly was required. All shellac removed, the impulse jewel re-secured (cleanly this time), then finally the staff was replaced using a Platax tool. The balance was checked for trueness, then statically poised. The pivots were then given a light polish, then finally everything reassembled, the hairspring reinstalled, and a quick bath in a solvent to clean before returning to the tray of parts.

09/18/2025

A very nice condition A17 made by Bulova with all original lume. We always have to be careful when working on vintage watches as the Radium that can be found in some is still extraordinarily emissive. While it's not hazardous to wear, it is incredibly dangerous to work in and proper precautions are mandatory to protect one's respiratory system from ingesting any of the particles.

06/09/2025

45GS Grand Seiko with a 4520A movement. For vintage watches, you cannot beat the bang-for-buck when considering vintage Seiko. Any Marvel, Lord Marvel, Lord Matic, King Seiko, or Grand Seiko will impress, run as well as many modern luxury watches today, and have a charm and warmth you won't find elsewhere.

03/06/2025

Some time back I had picked up a few step collets for my 8mm Boley watchmaker lathe. The problem was that the threads on them didn't match the rest of my D-bed collets and accessories, so they have sat in the box. We'll, I finally got around to making a new drawbar that is threaded for those step collets, and I have to say that I may have to make yet another drawbar as I really like the look of the brass and steel together over the bakelite handle on the original.

Maybe I'll make one with a copper handle... I haven't decided yet.

02/27/2025

Now included at no additional cost in every watch service is a water resistance test up to 10 BAR (depending on the characteristics of the watch).

02/15/2025

Dial feet. They're those little things that are barely there, barely attached to the dial, which keep the dial secure to the movement, keeping the dial aligned. Sometimes they take an extended holiday and we have to make new ones. This is no easy feat if it's done properly. If anyone tells you they can just stick it back on or explicitly say they will use "dial dots" or any kind of adhesive or glue, RUN!

To be done properly we first identify the size of the post for the foot, then we mark their location and mill out a tiny amount of the back side of the dial to allow a solder we'll for the new foot to rest. Then we carefully flux and measure out a small amount of solder and use a machine with electrical pulses to solder (or weld) the new feet in place. If it's done right, the new foot will be as strong as the original, or stronger, and will have a very small solder print at the base.

Don't settle for good enough, make sure the repair is done correctly the first time!

11/21/2024

Rolex ladie's Datejust with the caliber 2035 (2030 /w a calendar mechanism). Nothing outright wrong with it and just in for a service. This was the watch that I thought was very cool in having jeweled index pins for the balance regulator. The watch has been well-kept over the years and the original brushing is still present on the case. A light buff was done on the polished sides and the satin finish on the clasp touched up. An interesting part in the movement is the magnetically braked sweep seconds pinion. Brass or bronze tweezers are needed to work on the movement because of this, yet the permanent magnet ring on the pinion is still able to be in the movement when the movement is demagnetized without any impact to the pinion braking.

11/17/2024

Many opinions exist across a broad spectrum about Rolex, both as a company and about their watches. One thing that is a universal truth, however, is that their movements are made to last, and to work without fail when exposed to incredibly difficult situations. Here, we see that on the caliber 2035 for this reference 6900 ladies Datejust the regulator pins are not brass, as is common, but instead two individual sapphire jewels. This prevents temperature from causing the material to deflect as well as preventing deflection or distortion from shock. The result is that the regulation of this movement is consistent through situations that would otherwise alter it. When someone says Rolex movements are over-engineered, this is what they mean.

09/07/2024

Working on this Omega with cal. 750 and it's seen some better days. The movement was absolutely filthy; it looked like someone packed wet coffee grounds into the stem tube and keyless works. There was goo and other various semi-liquids throughout the movement. And one of the dial feet were broken. First the area is cleaned and lightly scoured, then very lightly drill a small dimple by hand with a 0.8mm endmill and cut the end of the wire into a V so that the solder forms a structural bond. Then add solder and plenty of flux, and intermittently touch with the energized graphite rod to wet the solder in. It's not as pretty as the original foot, but it holds strongly and doesn't impact the face side of the dial (unless I mess up). As with anything else, the prep work takes all the time.

Address

Altoona, AL
35952

Website

https://www.miller-watch.com/

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