This New Website and App Could Revolutionize Watch Servicing

The days of having to “know a guy” to get your mechanical watch serviced may be over.

a closeup of a man repairing a watch movement from watchcheck

Published November 14, 2024

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Arguably, the biggest downside of collecting mechanical watches is getting them serviced. Unless you “know a guy” who’s local, you typically have to jump through a lot of hoops when your watch is due for a service.

Watchmakers aren’t nearly as common as they used to be, and finding a quality one in your area — especially one who’s qualified or certified to work on your specific brand or movement — may not even be possible. This often leads enthusiasts to trust the advice of strangers on Reddit and other forums who claim to “know a guy.”

a woman repairs a part from a glashutte original mechanical watch movement — Trust me, you don’t want to try this at home.

Then there’s the option of sending your watch to the brand (e.g., Rolex, Omega, etc.) for servicing, but this isn’t always ideal either. For one, it’s the most costly option. It’s also usually the most time-consuming, with servicing often taking many months or even a year. Finally, you run the risk of losing access to the watch’s original parts that are replaced, as some brands do not send them back, harming the resale value of your watch in the process.

But the process could soon become a whole lot easier. There’s a new website and app called WatchCheck that promises to plug the many holes in the current watch-servicing landscape. And if it does everything it claims to do, it could revolutionize the industry.

How Does WatchCheck Work?

The site is set up to be very simple to use. You first search for your watch based on the model name, and if you have trouble finding it, their online concierge service promises to help you figure out what model you have. You then answer a couple of questions related to your watch, select your service, add any information about your watch, such as anything that needs repair, and place your order.

three phones showing the watchcheck app — WatchCheck’s instructions are clear, simple — and entirely online.

WatchCheck will then mail you all the packaging you need to pack up your watch and have it picked up from your home, and they include insurance — up to a million dollars, depending on the watch — throughout the entire process. WatchCheck will then send your watch back to you in 6 – 8 weeks, with their work under warranty for two years.

I played around with the site just to see what the process was like, and it seems pretty simple. I first searched for an Omega Speedmaster Reduced and was asked if my watch was older than 30 years old and if it had a metal bracelet. After answering, I was given two options: A full service for $770, or case restoration for $235. The shipping fee for either option was $75.

I then tried a less complicated watch: a simple Hamilton Intra-Matic. Here, I was asked a third question in addition to the questions about the watch’s age and strap: Is the movement an automatic or a manual-wind? After answering, I again was given the options of a full service or case restoration. This time, the full service was cheaper at $465 since there was no chronograph involved. The case restoration was also cheaper at $200 — I’m guessing because it’s a more affordable brand or because it has less intricate case finishing — while the shipping cost remained the same at $75.

a person opens a watchcheck box to reveal a gold patek philippe aquanaut watch — WatchCheck equips you with everything you need to ship the watch in for repair (Aquanaut not included).

$200 is the cheapest you’ll pay for any service through WatchCheck, with the site saying that service charges max out at $2,800 for a grand complication — though higher estimates may be required for unique and especially complex situations. The site claims its 40-plus watchmakers can service “almost any watch ever made,” and it offers live tracking during every step of the servicing process.

Who’s Doing the Servicing?

Since WatchCheck is a new service, there are naturally some questions about just who is actually handling your watch. But WatchCheck is just the facilitator: the actual servicing is being performed by Stoll & Company, the largest watch servicing center in the U.S.

Stoll & Co. was established in 1982 and is based in Ohio. It claims to have serviced over 3.5 million watches, including the restoration of vintage Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendars. However, although the business has experience in working on practically every brand, it is only certified by a handful, with TAG Heuer being the most recognizable brand on which Stoll is officially certified to perform a service.

a watchmaker at stoll and company — The 40-plus expert watchmakers at Ohio’s Stoll & Company are the ones who will actually be servicing your watch.

That means Stoll, and by extension, WatchCheck, isn’t an officially certified service center for brands like Rolex, Patek, Omega, Cartier and Audemars Piguet — the brands most prominently featured on WatchCheck’s website. That obviously doesn’t mean they can’t service those watches, but if you want servicing that’s backed by those brands, you’re going to have to look elsewhere.

Is WatchCheck Worth It?

Although I haven’t personally used WatchCheck, I probably will in the future, as the pros of the site are pretty clear to me. I like that the process is entirely online, I like that they handle all of the packaging and shipping, I like their warranty, I like their quick turnaround times and their prices seem competitive.

The only downside I can see, really, is the lack of official certification from most of the best-known watch brands. But given the level of experience at Stoll & Co., I would probably be willing to give them a pass on that considering all of the other benefits.

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