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Looking for Ontario watchmaker recommendation plus a bonus tale of woe

  1. R3D9 Mar 19, 2018

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    There have been a few threads here and there over the years asking for help with finding a watchmaker in the Toronto and surrounding area, but I figured I’d create a new post in the hopes that our Ontario-based members could chime in with their current recommendations.

    I’m aware of @Archer and Shane Ede, however both are very busy and unable to take on new work these days.

    Here’s a “fun” backstory to explain my current need for help...

    I took a newly acquired watch of mine in to a local-ish watchmaker that a few members recommended in a previous thread, but the experience did not go well and he ended up doing some damage to my case.

    Some will have seen my post about receiving a new-to-me watch with a fused springbar. Rather than try and remove it myself, I decided to take what I thought was the conservative approach and bring it to a professional to have it removed.

    The watchmaker I visited indicated he’d need about a half hour and asked me to leave it with him.

    When I returned the bracelet was removed (and packed up in a plastic baggie). M

    I left ecstatic and all appeared fine until I returned home and took a closer look.

    The endlink of the bracelet, upon closer inspection, was stretched... see here a before photo:

    CB9951F6-F42F-4986-B738-FF619C0602D7.jpeg

    See here the after:

    DAD65F75-DE50-4B87-A629-58532596B52B.jpeg

    Instead of using a watchmakers’ saw or ultrasonic bath, the watchmaker had instead (I have to assume) used some sort of tool to pry open the endlink and slip the bracelet off before removing the springbar.

    Note that I had explicitly told him the bracelet, while slightly too small for me, was important to me and I didn’t want it damaged in the event I decided to sell the watch on.

    The worst part of all this, which you may have noticed already in the “after” photo above, was that during the operation he must have slipped and damaged the caseback and underside of the case itself. ::censored::

    Here’s what I’m talking about:

    640BE3E0-589A-4FAA-8BAE-DAF7CDF29701.jpeg

    B2DAA1B8-35C3-4CAF-AF2F-F238EDF20246.jpeg

    He did not mention any of this to me at the time that I picked up the watch. I am certain that the stretch to the endlink and damage to the case were caused by him because I took photos of the watch (including the “before” photo above) to share with a few friends after deciding to take the watch to a professional.

    I asked him (out of curiosity) when I picked it up if he’d used a thin jeweller’s saw to remove the springbar and he said yes, but his back was turned to me at the time and he was distracted, so perhaps he wasn’t really listening to my question.

    Compounding my problems, I now suspect that he did not replace the gasket in the watch before giving it back to me... he let me take a few photos of the movement before closing the case and there’s no gasket to be seen in those photos:

    49DB60B9-DCC2-48FB-AA9B-04A799D62501.jpeg

    As he was closing the watch back up he indicated he wouldn’t tighten it too much... inexperienced boob that I am, I thought to myself: “that was an odd thing to say”, but figured he knew what he was doing.

    I now assume it’s because he closed it without placing a new gasket inside.

    It was one of those experiences where I keep going back over it, again and again, and asking myself: “why I didn’t ask that”, or “why didn’t I say this”??? :thumbsdown:

    I don’t think it’s appropriate to share his name here as this was one interaction and he’s closed until tomorrow anyways, so I haven’t even had the opportunity to discuss what I found with him.

    That said, regardless of what he has to say, I’m not keen on returning to him for remedy.

    What I’m hoping is that someone can point me in the direction of a solid watchmaker in the GTA / Southern Ontario region who can help me get the watch back to wearable condition and hopefully fix the bracelet as well.

    It’s a Longines UltraChron with a cal 6651 inside, in case that changes your recommendation.

    The experience with the watch - from fused springbar, to too-short bracelet, to the stuff described above has kind of ruined the watch for me a little... I will likely move it along once it’s fixed and hopefully the new owner can enjoy a perfectly ready-to-wear watch and I can forget the whole experience. ::facepalm1::
     
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  2. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 19, 2018

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    Last photo shows the gasket - it is mounted on the case back...

    But it goes without saying that the hack work on the case and bracelet is absolutely unacceptable. ::facepalm2::
     
  3. R3D9 Mar 19, 2018

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    Ah, I see it now!!! Thanks Al! that’s at least one bit of positive news.

    How best can I confirm that the damage to the caseback and case hasn’t effected the seal? Would a pressure test be the answer?

    If I’m going to sell the watch on, I want to first be 100% sure that the damage is only aesthetic and not going to cause future problems.
     
  4. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 19, 2018

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    A pressure test will tell you if it seals. If it doesn't, then someone would have to determine if it's the damage seen or some other reason why it failed the test (for example worn crown seal).

    Cheers, Al
     
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  5. R3D9 Mar 19, 2018

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    Bumping this in case anyone home now from work hasn’t seen it yet. Still looking for watchmaker recommendations - will travel :thumbsup:
     
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  6. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Mar 19, 2018

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    Try Ingo at European Time on Bronte Road in Oakville. He’s done a lot of good work for me.
     
  7. R3D9 Mar 22, 2018

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    A quick update. Thanks to everyone for their recommendations.

    I ended up being fit in by Shane Ede and stopped by his place today.

    The great news is that he checked out the case and confirmed that the damage is aesthetic-only and the caseback is still fitting properly and the gasket is doing its job.

    He helped to fix the bracelet as well so that the endlink is no longer loose.

    As a bonus, he was also able to look over the movement and confirmed its running strong, so life is all good and not imminently in need of a service :)

    Awesome guy to deal with and a compete gentleman.

    Thanks again, all!
     
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  8. ulackfocus Mar 22, 2018

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    Man, the first watchmaker ruined an Ultra-Chron caseback! :eek: ::rant: Do that kind of hack job on a Rolex, not a Longines! ::censored::
     
  9. oddboy Zero to Grail+2998 In Six Months Mar 22, 2018

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    Shane is awesome. I understand he used to do work for Mr. Maddox. Quite the shop he has too, huh?
     
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  10. R3D9 Mar 22, 2018

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    His shop is exactly as I’d expected it to be after the few conversations I’ve had with him over the phone in the past. ;)

    Humble, down-to-earth guy with zero-BS in his personality.

    Really pleased I was able to finally connect with him and relieved I can put the whole episode behind me. :thumbsup:
     
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  11. R3D9 Mar 22, 2018

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    I’m happy to provide his address via PM if you want to tell him what’s what face-to-face. :p

    I was really bummed out after making the discovery when I got home... I still haven’t connected back with him to have it out with him... I figure, what’s the point?
     
  12. gemstar Mar 22, 2018

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    Shane is great! He is so honest and down to earth. If you are close to Toronto it is worth the drive.
     
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  13. WhatYourWatchSay Mar 23, 2018

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    I've been going to Shane since I fist heard abut him in the late 90s and I'm always happy with his work. One of the few people who will do a sympathetic servicing on vintage military pieces and understands what that means.

    As for the butcher who worked that damage on your Longines, name him and shame him.
     
  14. Baz9614 Mar 23, 2018

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  15. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 23, 2018

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    You can say that again...
     
  16. R3D9 Mar 23, 2018

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    What is the standard etiquette here on the Forum when it comes to naming someone in a situation like this?

    I don’t love the idea of publicly naming someone who screwed something up if it’s a one-off... like I wrote above, everyone makes mistakes and has a bad day now and again.

    I’ve disclosed the name to anyone who reached out via PM but last night another member reached out and shared a similar (and frankly, much worse) experience with the same individual.

    I don’t like screwing around with someone’s livelihood on a public forum, but I also feel obligated to make sure members are fully informed and to provide some balance to the couple of threads where this individual was recommended by others.

    Im honestly looking for opinions here.

    It’s funny... I have a day job where I’m in constant conflict with others all day long - contentious negotiations are a key part of the job description and I have no issues calling people on their BS and exploiting their weakness to achieve the result we’re after.

    Yet in my personal life I try to avoid conflict at almost any cost... I sometimes think I take the “turn the other cheek” concept to an unreasonable level. I simply don’t enjoy entering into stressful dialog in my personal life.

    Now, push me past a point and all those work-skills come pouring out and I’ll gladly destroy someone. That might be part of the problem. I’m either on or off when it comes to conflict.

    As I mentioned above, I haven't bothered reaching out to the watchmaker to confront him on the damage... I know I should, but I also know how the conversation would likely go and life is too short to stress out about something as silly as a damaged caseback. It’s fixed now, I can sell the watch to someone and move on with my life.

    Anyways, I’m rambling on... more importantly curious to know what is appropriate in terms of naming the individual in question?
     
  17. khmt2 Mar 23, 2018

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    Glad to hear that the damage was only cosmetic!

    As for naming and shaming, I feel that the watchmaker should be given the chance to make good. If he failed to do so, then by all means please let us know his identity so that other users can avoid!
     
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  18. WhatYourWatchSay Mar 23, 2018

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    Thinking about it I think you handled this well and communication via PM is the better option, my outburst notwithstanding.
     
  19. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 23, 2018

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    Personally I would want to know if someone wasn't happy with my work. This is a pretty egregious example of carelessness, and it's hard to imagine that he didn't know what happened, but generally speaking I think giving him feedback is valuable. If nothing else, it lets him know that you know what he did, and maybe it will in some way lesson the chances of it happening to someone else down the road. The next watch he makes a mistake on might not come out as good as this one did.

    I wouldn't get emotional about it, just state the facts.

    I don't know if there is a standard etiquette, but the last thread that called someone out was deleted. I think what makes this so difficult in general is that most watch collectors can't judge the quality of work done in any sort of detailed manner. If the watch runs and keeps decent time (many people have very wide tolerances for this, in particular on vintage watches) then they assume it was done well, when that may not be the case at all.

    Difficult to say, but I would not out him publicly without talking to him about the damage first. If he fails to communicate then that's a different story I suppose, but it depends on the situation.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  20. kilofinal Mar 23, 2018

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    Shane is fantastic. Honest and a true professional.
     
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