We have just completed the major restoration of a 1950’s Italian railway
pocket watch. My goodness, what a mess! The watch arrived with a number
of broken parts and yes, it took us weeks to source them. However the
watch is not only cosmetically restored but is now in perfect working
order. Clearly, while we are proud of our skills, the restoration was
only possible because somebody seventy years ago made an effort to stock
spare parts, keep them for years, and make them available to restorers.
A broken watch without spare parts is a useless piece of junk.
A broken watch without spare parts is a useless piece of junk.
Today, a long awaited delivery of spare parts for NH Mark 1 arrived from
Switzerland and we are excited. At this stage we really have no idea
which components for our watch will wear before the others and which
ones could potentially break during disassembly. So we stocked up on
almost every part that could possibly be required in decades to come. In
addition to spare parts we also stock complete mechanisms. For example,
if the Mark 1 is a complete write off, seriously damaged by being run
over by a car or severely water damaged, we will be able to fix it!
The majority of these parts will not be required for decades, and some will never be installed at all. But this investment in our brand is absolutely essential. Tens of thousands of dollars invested now are not wasted. This is simply the price we have to pay so that the Mark 1 will remain repairable in the next century. This is the kind of commitment that only a watchmaker would pledge.
Your Mark 1 is not a startup or crowd funded project. We are not here to grab your cash and run away.
Of course if you decide to invest in any other watch, that will be your call. However, before you part with your hard earned cash, ask the brand the most important question: What is your long term commitment in relation to spare parts and servicing? Would you be able to repair this watch in fifty or a hundred years from now? Then listen carefully.
The majority of these parts will not be required for decades, and some will never be installed at all. But this investment in our brand is absolutely essential. Tens of thousands of dollars invested now are not wasted. This is simply the price we have to pay so that the Mark 1 will remain repairable in the next century. This is the kind of commitment that only a watchmaker would pledge.
Your Mark 1 is not a startup or crowd funded project. We are not here to grab your cash and run away.
Of course if you decide to invest in any other watch, that will be your call. However, before you part with your hard earned cash, ask the brand the most important question: What is your long term commitment in relation to spare parts and servicing? Would you be able to repair this watch in fifty or a hundred years from now? Then listen carefully.
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