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How much is a manual watch, cleaning/tuneup? Login/Join 
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I found a neat looking Lucerne pendant watch at a little thrift shop today. Wasn't sure if it worked so lady said I can return it within 2 days. I took it to a jewelry shop & they said it is vintage & wind up & probably just needs a good cleaning. They charge $110. Whew!!! I didn't expect it'd be that much. How much do places around all of you charge? Any options on a cheaper place that I can trust to do a good job?

What do I need to know about care & general upkeep on wind up watches? Do any of you know anything about the Lucerne watches? I've been googling. Thanks for any info.
 
Posts: 537 | Registered: March 14, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
That's just the
Flomax talking
Picture of GaryBF
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I paid that much and more to have a Hamilton 992B railroad watch serviced.
 
Posts: 11875 | Location: St. Louis, Missouri | Registered: February 04, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Shaman
Picture of ScreamingCockatoo
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I have a Lucerne DuFonte mens watch.
It has an ETA 2724 Movement.


The little pendant probably has an ETA in it also.
They are complicated to work on that small.
I've just lightly oiled the balance shaft and a few jewels to make them work before.





He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.
 
Posts: 39716 | Location: Atop the cockatoo tree | Registered: July 27, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go Texans
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That doesn't sound out of line for service/lubrication. Congrats on the new watch. We have a thread going in the "Gallery" and would love to see some pics. Several people contribute to the thread that can give you excellent advice on your watch.
 
Posts: 722 | Location: Texas | Registered: October 30, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My common sense
is tingling
Picture of Kravashera
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That sounds reasonable to me. For comparison, having my father’s 1970s Omega Speedmaster tuned up (which has to be done at an authorized repair shop) was upwards of $500.



“You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once.”
- Robert Heinlein
 
Posts: 988 | Location: Valley of the Sun, AZ | Registered: February 03, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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$500!!! SHEEEZE.
I've just always wanted a pendant watch & this one is very pretty & I love vintage stuff. I paid a whole $8.00 for it. I just have no guarantee that a cleaning/tuneup will fix it. I set it & in 1 hour it was about 15-20 min slow.

I have no idea what an ETA movement really means. Is that a good thing? Am really clueless on this.

I assume the "balance shaft" is the part that I turn to wind it, correct? I get nervous even taking the backs off watches cos the 1st time I ever did, I wasn't using proper tools & I scratched it. I do not have proper, little, tools. So now I just take them somewhere.

How often should a wind up watch have a professional cleaning? With it not being used in a harsh environment? I will plan on getting a longer chain to put it on so I have enough length to see it while hanging around my neck & will hang it under my shirt most the time, so body oils will prob be mostly what it gets exposed to.

I wouldn't have to get it cleaned right away. Could wait til I get my Christmas bonus at work.
 
Posts: 537 | Registered: March 14, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raptorman
Picture of Mars_Attacks
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The balance shaft is the axle goes through the little wheel that does the ticking sound.

Oil in watches gets thick and sticky after many years of work, sooner if the watch just sets up.

ETA is a very big and reputable watch maker in Switzerland, many fine watches use their parts, in fact Rolex used their movements in their Tudor line of fine watches. If it has an ETA movement, it is a VERY good watch. Lucern used ETA movements.

The little watch may not have cost you a lot of money, it may not have a large monetary value, but if it makes you happy to have it, it is worth saving and having it serviced.


____________________________

Eeewwww, don't touch it!
Here, poke at it with this stick.
 
Posts: 34084 | Location: North, GA | Registered: October 09, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Tooky13
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You should definitely give our member, David Truong, a call at Mimi's Jewelry. He'll give you the straight scoop.


We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
Abraham Lincoln
 
Posts: 1307 | Location: Scottsdale, Arizona | Registered: December 07, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Depending on how complicated it is, get a Rolex and the service could be well over 1k. Thankfully it’s only every 5-10 years that needs to be done if worn daily.

$100 to get running sounds like a deal.
 
Posts: 4737 | Location: Florida Panhandle  | Registered: November 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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The price quoted is in line with most shops will charge for a full tear down of the movement, cleaning of the parts, and re-assembly plus oiling to get it running within factory spec.

I'll let you in on a secret if you can find a actual Watch Maker who runs his own shop and does the work himself you can get that bill down to half what was quoted. What happens is to make money half of that 110 goes to the Watch Maker and the other half to the shop owner.

So if you eliminate the middleman the shop you can get a better rate since your dealing with the guy working on the watch direct.

After looking it up the watch in question is not that valuable and unless you really are in love with it and will actually use it I wouldn't fix it. Not to say they are over charging these local watch shops have bills to pay but it's more to fix than it will ever will be worth.

When you have the manufacture fix your watch say like Rolex or Omega for example they have a set price on every repair and it's usually double if not more than the local independent guy as a money making scheme.
 
Posts: 965 | Registered: July 10, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
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If this is a through cleaning by a competent craftsman $110 sounds very reasonable.


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Posts: 9456 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I really do like the watch & have decided to keep it. I will ask around to see if there are any individual watch makers around that are reputable. I dislike seeing old things just being tossed out so I'm going to get it restored. There is an antique place not too far away that can surely head me in the right direction to get it fixed. Thanks for all your help.
 
Posts: 537 | Registered: March 14, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
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As Tooky13 said, above, contact David Truong.

You can trust him 110% to give you honest information.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30546 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Shaman
Picture of ScreamingCockatoo
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Here's a little Dabs and Co I put back to working for a coworker Tuesday.




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/MH6-KUmdAfg





He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.
 
Posts: 39716 | Location: Atop the cockatoo tree | Registered: July 27, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
My Time is Yours
Picture of davetruong
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I lot of time, you need to blow out the debris that is causing the motion to be seized then lube. However it it requires more than that it may not be worth it. I hate to say say this, but if you don't care for the movement you can have them remove and put a cheap quartz movement in.

Can't say much more without pics of the calibre.


God, Family, Country.

 
Posts: 6005 | Location: Orange County, California | Registered: October 09, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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