Who is a good choice to tighten up the hinge of a J.Boss 18s hunter case cover I own? It's just a bit loose, not enough to call out the brigade, but enough for me to be nervous. Anyone come to mind that can be recommended by our group? Thank you! Regards. Mark
Posts: 3837 | Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee, USA | Registered: December 02, 2002
Terry's close... pronounced like "wish-pard" the father and son team of Jean and Peter Wuschpard have an impeccible reputation. They can handle practically any case repair.
Call them at 1-321-631-2202 in Florida.
The quality of their workmanship is unsurpassed.
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Excellent! No email address? I'll give them a call. Thank you!! I have a couple of watches that need a. loose hinges tightened, and b. one needs a lift spring. Regards. Mark
Posts: 3837 | Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee, USA | Registered: December 02, 2002
In case anyone's interested, I was finally quoted a cost of $50 for just a lift spring for an 18s hunter case watch by Peter Wuischpard. This does not include shipping, insurance, or labor. Does this seem in line with the industry standard, or is there anyone else out there that I can compare costs with? I can see this for a heirloom quality watch, but for a daily carry, that seems a bit steep to me. Am I off base here? Thanks in advance for any input! Regards. Mark
Posts: 3837 | Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee, USA | Registered: December 02, 2002
You will not find anything much cheaper.. case repair is done by very few.. Finding and FITTING those lift springs is not easy.. Becker and Heckman from Chicago will charge about the same...
Posts: 638 | Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin USA | Registered: November 22, 2002
About the lift-spring... There are thousands of different sizes and having the correct size and strength of spring is extremely important. I would not be surprised if these are custom made parts of their own manufacture. This very exacting work and frankly I would trust these men with anything I own. Again, I must repeat, they have an impeccible reputation for exceptionally high quality workmanship. Consider... "You get what you pay for" in a situation like this.
I will move this question from "Pocket Watches" to "Watch Repair Questions and Answers" and bring it to the attention of some of the more repair-oriented people. Perhaps someone who has an assortment of springs on hand might be willing to try and make one of theirs work.
Hope this helps,
Lindell
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
I have a couple hundred case springs but I don't even like to do this work on my own watches, it's a pain and you never seem to have the exact spring. I think it's best to pay the pros on this type of repair. Brian C.
Posts: 1857 | Location: Epsom, New Hampshire USA | Registered: December 14, 2002
No Lindell, I never saw the link until you just now pointed it out. Sorry about that. Dang bifocals....
Once again, thanks all who have replied to this. I'll forego the repair, as the case in question is a pretty worn coin silver AWWco. case, and the latch works fine...it's the lift spring that is gone, but I can just open it manually.
I'm well aware that you get what you pay for, but am also well aware that you have to be smart in your decisions as to what to sink funds into. I've learned THAT much in my 50 years of existance. This case does not warrant this type investment. My gold J.Boss 14k 18s, on the other hand......
Regards! Mark
Posts: 3837 | Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee, USA | Registered: December 02, 2002
Mark, Just a question? On your J. Boss, 14K case, are you sure that it is 14K. The term J. Boss is synonomous with gold filled. My guess is that it is a gold filled case.
Tom, from what I've always read about Boss cases (including Lindells recent post), I'd have to agree on the 'filled' point, but it has an assy mark that I've never really researched that closely, but favors one I've seen in the Shugart book as being 14k. Without the watch being in front of me, I'll have to take another look now. Thanks for rekindling my interest! Either way, I'd still get it fixed. (grins) Regards. Mark
Posts: 3837 | Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee, USA | Registered: December 02, 2002
) in Florida do some work once....
Sorry about that. Dang bifocals....