The 2nd Best Watch Repair Place in Chicago

October 5, 2021 10:22 AM

My longtime master craftsman watch repairman has passed away. (Chris, of Chris Watch Repair). He was the guy jewelry shops sent their repairs to, then charged you a markup. I need to get a mechanical watch repaired. Have you used someone who wasn’t Chris to get a good repair at a fair price?
posted by hwyengr to Shopping (6 answers total)

I went to Viraj in Evanston for a few things, but nothing super complex. (replaced antique ladies mechanical watch movement with quartz, swapped a case back to a display case back, band re-sizing, battery replacement for a Soviet doctor's watch). I'm not sure what level repair you need.
posted by Comrade_robot at 11:09 AM on October 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I used to go to Franko at 29 E Madison, 12th floor. I had his card pinned to my cube wall and the whole office went there.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 12:29 PM on October 5, 2021

Response by poster: I forgot to add the other complication (get it?!?), that I’m only in the Loop for 1 day a week and otherwise live downstate, so it has to be close to downtown and round trippable over lunch.

Franko looks great.
posted by hwyengr at 2:07 PM on October 5, 2021

My friend is a Chris who repairs watches: The Time Guy.
posted by jepler at 3:04 PM on October 5, 2021

Many years ago I was in an adjacent biz and found the Swiss Service Center in LaGrange (western suburb) to be reliable and professional. Their prices were reasonable, you can drop off in person, but don't expect them to remember you as they repair dozens of watches everyday, and have most of the gear to repair most issues.
posted by zenon at 6:50 PM on October 5, 2021

Franko might be cash only - it's been a number of years since I've been there.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 7:18 AM on October 7, 2021