Quote:
Originally Posted by The Familia
I guess I don't have any truly high end watches lol. I consider my Movado "higher quality" because it was around $800......peanuts in the watch world I know. My other "higher end" watches are a Gucci and a Bulova (which is automatic). Those ones are all working, but the Movado and Gucci are battery powered and would require replacement at some point.
The ones I need a battery for are two Armani watches, two Guess watches, and a Maseratti watch I bought in Italy. I have no problem changing the battery on those ones as they are not that expensive (Maseratti was around 250 Euros but sentimental as I haven't seen it in Canada before). The wildcard is a Wittenhauer watch I received as a gift for my confirmation. I have replaced the battery in it before but through a jeweler. Not sure I can do it on my own.
|
One thing to consider in the watch world is to only buy things based on what the brand is known for making. Armani for suits, Gucci for shoes, Maserati for cars, etc.
They aren't actually watchmakers and usually their brand is licensed to someone else to put their logo on after. Fossil actually makes Armani and Guess watches from what I know and just license the fashion brand names. This is what is called a Fashion Watch. Movado for example has licenses for Hugo Boss, Coach, Lacoste, Ferrari, etc. which are really just fashion brands and have nothing to do with watches. Movado will produce watches and stick those logos on them and then charge a premium. If it is a quartz watch, you are actually paying for the fashion company's logo rather than the quality or value of the watch itself.
None of these are particularly high end or hold residual value aside from personal sentimentality (which can be irreplaceable sometimes) so I wouldn't have any concerns about just getting a caseback tool to pry off the caseback. Are any of them screw down casebacks? Like twist-off? You can tell since they will have notches all around the circumference of the case back. In that case there are cheap tools to twist them off and many watchmakers even use something similar to a stress ball to twist off the case back.
if you still want a shop to do it, I'm not sure about the NW but in downtown there is Alberta Time and Kong's. I know the Bay at Market Mall still has a watch service center stuck in the back but it would probably be better to go to a mom and pop.