Recommendations for watch repair in Houston?

August 15, 2009 11:25 AM

Recommendations for quality watch repair in Houston?

Can anyone recommend a good watch repair store in Houston? A pin on the clasp of my Omega Seamaster has broken only 14 months after the whole clasp was replaced due to the same issue.

I took the watch back to the store in the Galleria where it was replaced last year, but they want to charge me for an entirely new clasp (again), due to the pin having stops on both ends (like a capital I). Last year it cost $150, this year it's quoted as $250. The warranty on the repair last year was only 12 months. Given that the original pin and clasp lasted 10 years, I'm feeling somewhat short changed. They're unwilling to budge on trying to get Omega to rectify the situation as a goodwill gesture and faced with their attitude, I'm certainly not going to give them my business again.

posted by arcticseal to shopping (4 comments total)

I'm sure you can go straight to Omega, and forget about the dolts at the mall. Here is a list of Omega Customer Service Centers.
posted by reverend cuttle at 11:47 AM on August 15

I've had good service from The Little Watch Shop, but I've never brought them anything as complicated as that sounds.
posted by runtina at 2:41 PM on August 15

on another note, I'd need to see pictures, but if the damaged pin you mention is a standard springbar, as is found in most mid-range watch bracelets, the part costs about $0.15 and is not proprietary Omega technology. In any case, I'd get a second opinion.
posted by reverend cuttle at 3:17 PM on August 15

As a follow up, it's amazing what persistence will do. I ended up explaining my situation to the store manager (it helped that I was friendly and polite but in a store full of people who could hear me) and they replaced the clasp for free.

Thanks to everyone who answered, I marked runtina as best answer because a colleague also recommended The Little Watch Shop and I was going to try them next if the store hadn't cooperated.
posted by arcticseal at 3:10 PM on September 15