I being lurking on this forum for a while and noticed new members come here for information where to repair vintage watches. A good watchmaker is hard to come by this day and it is expensive, it made thinking to what extend members of this forum are willing to repair/maintain vintage watches,and how they learn those skills.
A better question might be to what extent collectors will go to, to service their own watches. And what their success rate might be. Because you may have taken a course in repairing watches, and have received a diploma, it will be many years before the level of capability and breadth of experience will have been attained, before one can hang out his shingle.
Unfortunately/fortunately the only way I can learn is by asking questions .I just can't read a manual and understand how it works.I hope members of this forum have enough patience to deal with me
I have very few vintage watches and I don't wear them often because when they need attention it's going to cost me. I learned long, long ago that nothing good happens when I try to fix anything mechanical.
Depends on the watch. There are a couple of watchmakers I use regularly and often a simple movement service and case clean by a competent watchmaker is all that's required. Occasionally I get a watch sent back with a note saying it's not going to be viable and/or parts are not available. In such cases Omega can often facilitate a repair but you will possibly have to sacrifice on originality and almost certainly on budget. I have a Seamaster 120 that I bought knowing it needed a repair and took a punt. Due to issues a simple service won't suffice so it's gone to STS. The cost will now exceed the finished value of the watch, and if I sell I'll be out of pocket, but I like the overall look of the watch so it's worth it to me.
I have learned some basic skills so as to service my watches and do some repairs. I have spent hours and hours reading, asking questions, watching videos, thinking and, of course, practicing! I remember spending hours and days correcting hairsprings and changing balance staffs. And needless to say I am far from mastering these skills! My personal conclusion would be it is great to service my own watches, and a real pleasure to learn to do (at my level) things that I first think were beyond my reach. But if you start practicing amateur watchmaking in order to service your watch, you have to understand it will be a long consuming time before you can do domething right! Lot of work, lot of frustration, but lot of fun! By the way, when you will have learn the basics, read Archer's and ChrisN watchmaking threads: they are absolutely great! There contain some infos, advices and subtle ideas I have never found elsewhere - and I have read a lot of things!