Hello everyone I was just wondering if anybody knows of a good fair priced service center for vintage zenith in New Jersey. I’ve been looking around to buy my first one. I just wanna know how much I might be looking at to get some of these pieces serviced if I were to purchase one.

 

I think the best option is to find a good independent watchmaker you can trust. For me, the biggest thing is trusting whoever I choose because I don't really have a way to verify what work was done and to what level it was carried out. Then the compromise is trust and craftsmanship vs cost. If you choose a super well respected and trustworthy watchmaker you're going to pay for it. For a "lesser" piece you may want a guy who is a "decent" watchmaker that does good work but probably not at the level of the top-tier expensive guys.

I recently gave a local NJ discount watchmaker a shot on my Zenith and I'm very suspect of what was actually done. I'm not even sure it was serviced. Maybe he put a few drops of oil in it? He said he changed the mainspring. I knew he wouldn't be closely inspecting and replacing worn parts. I really just wanted a clean and oil. But I just don't have any confidence in it. So now I'll have to look to get it serviced elsewhere anyway. I think no matter what piece you get you're going to be paying at least a few hundred dollars for a simple watch.

Do a search on this website and you'll find a lot of discussions with suggestions for watchmakers. You kind of have to look at them yourself and decide who you think you can trust and get some quotes. I know Hamilton Jewelers in Princeton is more top end and you will pay a lot there. When I started going through this exercise Chronotek in Sounderton, PA was one I saved. If you're open to shipping the watch you have a lot more options.

Sorry this got so long.

 

A month ago I would have told you to go see my local watchmaker, that is until he quoted me almost $500 for a simple Seachero service. Now I'll probably use 3 mail away guys ... Chronotek comes highly recommended as does Mecha Horology, both in PA. Also, Paul's Watch Repair is a possibility if you don't mind the shipping to California.

 

Ill try them everyone i spoke to around me doesnt touch zenith, they said to send it in to zenith who would cost a fortune

 

I have no problem paying for a good service jsut not crazy. i saw a post of someone sending his watch two zenith and they charged 1800. the watch was work 3-400. i just want it to get service and cleaned up so it last longer.

 

That’s strange. Nothing particularly crazy about a Zenith movement that I’m aware of. An El Primero will cost more to service but you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding an independent. Just get some quotes and ship it out.

Edit: Get a quote from Hamilton Jewelers too. They're expensive but not outrageous in my experience. Depending of course on how many parts need to be replaced that will kill you no matter who you choose.

 

Ya this is a vintage 1960s one manual window so i cant see it being that hard. My modern zentith is like 650 to service.

 

This isn’t entirely true. Yes, an El Primero movement will be more expensive to service but finding an independent can be quite challenging. I wouldn't trust just any independent to service it as there is a level of complexity to it. The independent will also need to have a supply of/or access to Zenith/Rolex parts or have a good network in which they can source parts. That can prove challenging since many independents lost their Rolex parts accounts. My watch maker loved servicing El Primero movements and used to do them but like many others, lost his Rolex parts account and had been using his remaining/dwindling supply to do what work he could do and he’s no longer accepting El Primero movements. Last year when I asked if he would service my 3019PHC El Primero, he explained the above info to me and stated he no longer had enough parts, access to parts, or wanted to spend his time networking for parts, which I can’t blame him. I privately reached out to a few members on here and got some leads but ultimately hit dead ends as- some weren’t taking in new clients and one said he was being picky on how he was using his remaining parts supply and wasn’t accepting El Primero movements. I ultimately called LAWW and iirc, it was $1,600 just for the base service work and explicitly said that did not cover parts or any additional work. Are there independents that can service El Primero movements? Absolutely, but it may prove quite challenging finding them.

 

@Scarecrow Boat Thanks for that. Indeed I was neglecting and ignorant of parts availability so thanks for bringing me up to speed. Do you know if Zenith makes parts available for any movements? If not, that explains watchmakers deferring to them. Your watchmaker is just the type of person that comes to mind. But like you said, he certainly has the skills just not the parts. I sent him my C-case because of you.

 

I am unsure and to avoid saying the wrong information, I differ that to members and watchmakers with more knowledge and experience. I did my best to quickly look it up, and I came across this thread, which shares roughly the same experiences I had- the biggest challenge will be sourcing parts
https://omegaforums.net/threads/independent-el-primero-service-recommendations.124874/
Ah! That's awesome! I'm going to send you a PM as to not derail this thread.

 

Thanks, I wasn't expecting you to have all the answers! I think I muddied the waters by bringing up the El Primero. I meant it as an example of something more complex and expensive to service but not so obscure that a competent independent couldn't handle it. I was not considering the parts availability situation which I now see is a problem. Then it gets even more cloudy with Rolex in the mix because of their past use of the El Primero movement and apparently still producing parts for Zenith EP movements. It sounds like if independents could get parts from Zenith that they would be doing so. So perhaps Zenith does not supply parts at all or they just don't produce vintage compatible EP components?

To leave the El Primero aside, I'm now curious what Zenith parts availability is like for independent watchmakers for other various movements. Whether they can source them from the wild easily enough or if Zenith provides parts to independents. The 2562PC in my watch wasn't produced for very long so I may have some problems ahead of me. I'll have to add all of this to my ever growing research list...

 

I just bought a vintage piece and the few I called said they do not service vintage zenith because they can not get parts and told me they didn’t know anyone around. They can service new models but same thing couldn’t get parts.

 

How far are you from nyc? If you want to venture in, PM me for a reasonably priced recommendation.

 

I could always mail it in I travel to Perth amboy a lot for my job

 

Or you could also message @timoss as they have information they are willing to share… But if traveling to Perth is the easier option, than

 

I sent him a message and sorry I meant I could mail it to nyc the closest I go is Perth amboy lol

 

My watchmaker out of Pennsylvania, who does all of my omega said he can do vintage Zenith I’m waiting to find out how he is with getting parts.

 

Lol! That’s what I get for being geographically challenged... and associating Perth as only being in Australia.

 

So an update my watch maker said he can service it for an overhaul 80-100 bucks. But same thing parts are hard to get he said hopefully it doesn’t need parts. My movement is 2542

 

No lol Perth amboy New Jersey.