We Don't Just Sell Watches. We Celebrate Stories!

Why, at The Watchmaker, We Only Sell Watches That We Can Stand Behind for a Lifetime

A few days ago , I read Perpetual’s article titled “Watch Service in Greece: What to Consider Before You Buy” with great interest . This is a topic that is rarely discussed as much as it should be, even though it directly affects anyone considering investing in a high-quality mechanical watch.

Most of us, when choosing a watch, focus on the design, the movement, the company’s history, or even its resale value. That makes perfect sense. After all, these are the elements that make us fall in love with a watch.

There is, however, one question that is rarely asked on the day of the purchase:

Will this watch be able to be repaired properly in ten, twenty, or thirty years?

As a watchmaker, I have to admit that this is usually the first thought that crosses my mind when I see a new brand or a new model.

Because the true value of a mechanical watch isn't determined solely by the day you buy it.

It will be determined on the day it needs its first service.

It depends on the day you need to find a replacement part.

The true test comes when the watch is passed on to the next generation and must continue to function just as it did on the very first day.

It is precisely this philosophy that lies at the heart of The-Watchmaker.

Service First, Sales Second

In the watch industry, it is common for companies and stores to start with the product.

In other words, they should choose which watches they want to sell and then figure out how to promote them.

In our workshop, we take the opposite approach.

First, we assess whether we can technically support a watch for decades.

And only then do we decide whether it's worth putting it on our shelves.

In simple terms:

We don't sell watches just because we can. We only sell watches that we can stand behind for a lifetime.

This means access to replacement parts.

That means technical training.

That means manufacturer support.

This means the actual ability to repair the device, rather than simply replacing parts.

That is why the companies we feature on The-Watchmaker were not selected solely because they make remarkable watches.

They were chosen because their products are backed by the necessary technical infrastructure that allows a watchmaker to continue maintaining and repairing them many years later.

We Choose Companies with a History and a Future

History is important. But it isn't enough on its own!

In the watchmaking industry, there are companies with a glorious past but an uncertain future. There are also companies that invest more in marketing than in the actual technical support for their products.

Personally, I'm interested in companies that can demonstrate that they think long-term.

Companies with a distinct design identity.

Companies that don't simply copy other manufacturers' successful designs.

Companies that invest in expertise, product development, and the availability of replacement parts.

Because a mechanical watch should not be designed to be replaced.

It must be designed to be repaired, and that has always been the essence of watchmaking.

The Right to Repair

In recent years, we have witnessed a significant change in the way the watchmaking industry operates.

Major corporations have significantly restricted the supply of replacement parts to independent repair shops.

Access to technical information is becoming more difficult.

In many cases, a watch owner is essentially required to use only a specific service network controlled by the manufacturer itself.

As a professional in this field, I fully understand the need to maintain high quality standards.

At the same time, however, I believe that the customer should have the right to choose the technician they trust.

I believe that a watch purchased legally belongs to its owner and not to its manufacturer.

I believe that repairs should not become a privilege.

It must remain a right.

This debate is known internationally as the “Right to Repair,” and it certainly isn’t limited to watches.

This concerns the consumer's right to maintain and repair their property without being solely dependent on the manufacturer.

And personally, I believe this is one of the most important discussions that will shape the watchmaking industry in the coming years.

Why I Believe in the Independent Watchmaker

The history of watchmaking was shaped by independent artisans long before the major corporations we know today came into existence.

People who dedicated their lives to improving machinery.

People who made tools by hand.

People who took personal responsibility for every watch that left their workshop.

This philosophy continues to inspire me to this day.

Independent watchmaking is based on uncompromising craftsmanship, creative freedom, and the preservation of traditional techniques.

It is based on the belief that quality is not measured by the number of watches that pass through a workbench.

It is measured by the attention devoted to each of them.

Why I Work on My Own

Many customers ask me why I choose to work personally on every watch that comes into the workshop.

The answer is simple.

Because I want to know exactly who touched every part, every screw, and every gear of a mechanism that someone entrusted to me.

I have nothing against training young watchmakers.

On the contrary, I believe it is essential for the future of the profession.

However, I firmly believe that education should take place under the guidance and constant supervision of an experienced teacher.

A complex mechanical watch is not a place for experimentation.

It is a tiny mechanical universe that demands respect, experience, and absolute concentration.

For this reason, every watch that arrives at my workshop passes through my own hands, from the initial diagnosis to the final check of its operation and water resistance.

The Relationship Between a Watchmaker and a Customer

There is something that is often overlooked in today's luxury goods market.

The personal relationship.

In the past, the watchmaker knew his customers.

He knew his watch.

Know its repair history.

It even knew the history of the family that wore it.

Somewhere along the way, that relationship was replaced by procedures, receipt numbers, and automated systems.

At The-Watchmaker, we strive to keep this traditional relationship alive.

Because we believe that a mechanical watch is more than just a product.

It is a personal item that marks important moments in a person's life.

And that is why it deserves to be treated differently.

In the End, It All Comes Down to Trust

When someone buys a watch from our workshop, they aren't just buying a case, a dial, and a movement.

He gains the assurance that the same workshop that advised him before the purchase will still be there for him ten or twenty years from now.

When it needs servicing.

When replacement parts are needed.

When you need a second opinion.

When the watch is passed down to his children or grandchildren.

Perhaps, in the end, this is the biggest difference between a store and a workshop.

The store is selling a watch.

The laboratory takes responsibility for its entire life cycle.

And this is the philosophy that guides every collaboration, every repair, and every watch we choose to showcase in the display cases at The-Watchmaker.

Because at the end of the day, we don't just sell watches.

We support stories that deserve to keep marking the passage of time for many more decades to come.