Time Pieces Repaired

First ever Unilocal!
And sadly such a poor review. I took in a mid-​range Swiss movement automatic watch, nothing too crazy (designer label, but produced by Citizen) because for years the date had been stuck at «23» but the time function worked 100% perfectly and I figured it was time to have the watch back in top form.
I was greeted with a smile and a very kind lady who I’ve seen at this place (I used to come in and browse the antique offerings), who quoted me «around $ 40» for the repair. I was told I would receive a phone call within a few days to let me know, which I never received. 3 weeks later, a couple of visits and phone calls later, the watch was ready. Only I was informed the repair would be $ 100. After debating back and forth I begrudgingly paid the new total and left with my watch. The next day I noticed a smudge on the inside of the face, and then even worse, the watch stopped working altogether! So back to the shop I went…
I was told it would only be a day or two, and I would receive a phone call again. Once again, no call, and when I called the shop, I was forwarded to the shop owner’s sister’s cell, who informed me the shop was closed for the next 2 weeks as the owner was away on vacation.
Frustrating, but what could I do? I was reassured she would call me as soon as she was back in town. 2 weeks passed, no call. As it is not a life or death matter, the watch would slip my mind, sometimes for a week or two, but when I remembered I would call and check. First call, not ready, need more time. Second call, same thing «but I will call you as soon as the watch is ready!»
TWO MORE WEEKS go by, and I happened to be down the block for work, so I popped into the shop. Same sweet smile, same disappointing news. Now not only was the watch NOT repaired. I was told the circuit had «melted» and she had ordered a whole new movement. Except the movement arrived with the date at the ’12 o’clock’ position not the ‘6 o’clock’ that my watch has. So she was waiting on yet another completely new movement. After expressing my frustration that this whole process had taken over 2 months instead of the few days, and already had cost me over double what I was quoted, the shop owner insisted it was a super difficult repair and that she had spent «hours and hours!» on my watch.
I decided I should clarify then and there that I would not be paying for any of this excess repair (just a reminder, the watch kept time PERFECTLY when I brought it in), the shop keeper couldn’t believe I was suggesting I would not be paying for the new movement. When I attempted to explain that the watch had at least kept time perfectly before I brought it in, and that as a result of her repair was no longer functioning, she threw her hands in the air, wrote me a check for the original amount and said she would rather not do the repair and refund me my money.
So. Where am I now? I am back to $ 0 spent, over 2 months of my time wasted. Endless frustration.
AND A BROKEN USELESS WATCH.
The customer service seems lovely, and the shop is charming. But think twice if you are hoping to get your watch or clock back soon/​working/​at all.

Had a really great experience with Grace and her shop this weekend. I took my best friend to find a classic watch and stumbled across Time Pieces Repaired on Unilocal.A few blocks walked and we came into an horological mecca tucked into a 10×10 room.
You have to be buzzed in (don’t bother repeatedly pulling on the door), but once inside you’re greeted with mantle clocks, wall clocks, desk clocks, pocket watches, and a case full of vintage wristwatches.
Grace has a great selection of vintage Omega, Longines, Elgin, and Bulova. I cannot speak to how fair the prices are or are not– I’ve never bought a restored time piece before! What I can speak to is this: While standing in her shop, three of her obvious regulars came in. They all spoke very highly of grace, and all gave her several vintage and rare time pieces to have inspected /​cleaned /​tuned up. Grace was affable, bubbly, and super-​knowledgeable!
My buddy and I bought a vintage Seamaster and an Octo mechanical watch. She swapped bands (at no additional charge) and ensured we were aware of how to care for them before sending us off.
After my own experience and listening to her regulars speak so highly– I’ll happily drive the 4 hours to come visit her shop.
If you’re in NYC, this is definitely worth a look!

The sisters did an amazing job servicing and repairing my 75 year old grandmother clock.

Grace and her sister always do a wonderful job fixing my mechanical watches for a fair price. They were even willing to open and repair a sentimental vintage Girard Perregaux that other shops wouldn’t touch. They’re very sweet and knowledgable.

I have used this place a few times over the past 5 years to service a rolex and a breitling. They were great, proper old school watch experts as opposed to amateurs who just changes straps and batteries — i have no complaints at all and most importantly i trust them.

I took an old Timex in for repairs. It’s what they call a «One Dollar Watch», but my Dad wore it every day and so it has great sentimental value. It had stopped running. That nasty piece of work who runs the place gave me a quote while talking on her cellphone the entire time. $ 100. I walked a couple of blocks to Walter’s Antique Watch Repair at 240 W 10^th. He did a beautiful job for less than half the price– $ 45. Need I say more?

I was short on time, saw the bad reviews for this place, and made the mistake of thinking something as simple as a battery replacement on a cheapie Skagen dress watch was well within the capabilities of any place calling themselves a watch repair place. Needless to say I was wrong. I can see where she bent and pried the backing to get it off. Waterproof capability was compromised, and there is fogging in the watch.
How someone who is in professional watch repair, apparently for years, could so comprehensively screw up the most simple of watch maintenance tasks is staggering. I question how an incompetent service place such as this could continue to survive in an environment as competitive as New York City. The $ 5 place at the mall does a better job.

Let me start by saying, I do not like to write bad reviews, but I would be remiss if I did not write one regarding my experience with this company… This is very possibly the worst company I have ever had the displeasure of doing business with — not only for a watch repair service, but practically any service I have ever used… I would give them negative stars if that were an option, but a «positive one star» is the worst I can register on this system…
I brought in a vintage, antique Omega wrist watch to have a new glass crystal installed as well as to get the top of the case plated… The owner assured me that this would be an easy job… I told her that it was an extremely rare vintage piece and I was concerned that it be handled with care… She assured me that it would be…
A week later, she told me that the watch was ready to be picked up… I paid the $ 80.00 for the repair, but when I received the watch, I noticed the minute hand was bent and the paint was chipping on it and the beautiful Purple-​Blue Omega Logo was now damaged…
Once again, I was assured that this new damage would be corrected and that it would be ready to be picked up in a few days…
When I returned the owner had painted the Omega Symbol a dull grey-​blue color and the watch, that was in perfect condition and operating flawlessly when I brought it in, was now no longer working… The owner said that this was not her fault and that she wanted to charge me $ 100.00 to fix it… Needless to say, I was enraged… not only had she damaged the watch aesthetically, but now she wanted me to pay for a mechanical repair as well… After much arguing we agreed to split the repair at $ 50.00 each… She said that she was «not perfect and that God had made her this way» and that the fact that the minute hand had bent was not her fault… it was the fault of the crystal that she had just put on being too tight… this is the kind of logic I was up against…
Several days later she called me to pick-​up the watch… Although the watch was now working mechanically, she had done further damage to the translucent hour glass piece below the crystal, that had been in perfect shape when I first gave them the watch…
Needless to say, I will never, ever, do business with this company again… Their incompetence is only outweighed by their arrogance… Also, they do not have a working email address, no voice mail and often don’t pick-​up their phone even during their scheduled business hours…
STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY IF YOU VALUE YOUR TIME PIECE… THEY ARE SIMPLY THE WORST!!!

They did a really good job on our family’s heirloom clock from the 60s, though it was not cheap by any standard.

This place is fantastic! I have had them fix watches from the 20’s all the way up to some of my contemporary watches. They always give accurate estimates and time frames. Plus they keep a cool collection of vintage watches for sale. Cannot recommend more.

I can’t give this more stars because all I’ve ever done is look, but it makes for very nice looking (I like clocks). As you can see they have a great selection of all things Tick Tock.