# movement replacement and COST???



## watch_art (Jan 3, 2009)

I hope this doesn't violate forum rules. If so please delete and accept my apology.

Every now and then people bring me a watch that they say probably needs a battery. When a batt doesn't fix it, I give them the option to change out the movement. I don't have the testers to see what's wrong with those cheap little quartz movements and would rather just replace them anyways. It seems like it would be cheaper for the customer anyway. at least when you figure in time invested in something.

So here's my question. What should it cost to take out the movement, swap the hands and dial, and sometimes the date wheel? I've been charging $30 to do this. It takes a little while, and I figure 30 is really on the cheap side for the time involved (and even a little know-how).

The other day I had a movement out that was losing 10-20 minutes an hour with a new battery. So I looked through my old ladies watches that I've been given and found another one just like it. It didn't have any markings on it except 'push' and 'japan'. really cheap i guessed. so i made sure the 'new' movement would work and it did, and decided 20 was a fair price since the movement was used. it had never had it's original battery changed as far as i could tell b/c there was a little black sticker over the batter and part of the movement dial side. i guessed that's factory?

so is $20 fair? she seemed a little miffed. i still think that's really cheap, but i've never talked to anybody about prices before so i really have no good reference to even quote people prices. 

to clean and oil a watch (wind up, no date or auto)(no regulation, don't have the equipment) I ask $50, and my customers have been just fine with that (it would be more if date wheels or auto, but not by a lot). 

they've also been happy with $10 for batt changes. even though i think that's a rip, i do know that's still cheaper than $15-20 at the mall and local watch shop. but for a $.30 battery, i just can't justify anything more than $10. 

thanks for any comments.


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## AbslomRob (Jun 13, 2009)

You can get brand new quartz modules for under $10 with date. Of course, you can also spend upwards of $200; it all depends. Were you charging $20 for just the module, or for the whole swap?


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

Very fair pricing in my opinion. Frankly compared to any major urban area, those rates would be considered very low.

The tough thing with doing anything with quartz watches is that if the watch came from a big box retailer, the owner probably is thinking, for ~$50 I could have bought an entirely new watch.


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## watch_art (Jan 3, 2009)

20 for the whole swap. the only reason i went ahead and did this was b/c she said her mom gave it to her and it meant a lot to her.

but yeah, she was probably still thinkin that she could have just gone and gotten another one for not much more money.


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## Mike V (Mar 11, 2006)

Go here http://www.newatchworks.com/services/index.php and see what a dial replacement costs. From a work to be done perspective, that is what you are talking about. Plus you changed the battery. Plus you supplied the movement. And she had no shipping back and forth. I'd say a very good price all in all.

Mike V


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## bjohnson (Nov 28, 2006)

*$20 for new quartz movement (including labour) sounds very cheap*

I find problems arise when customers have unrealistic expectations. Most don't realize that in a service industry you're paying for time, not results.

Imagine a doctor agreeing to get paid only if you get well or an accountant agreeing to get paid only if you get enough rebates to cover their fees.

I don't have a good solution. It's often helpful to take the time to explain things to them prior to doing any work, but find that providing realistic expectations often means I'm spending time talking myself out of a job. I don't know if that's better.

I suppose it isn't better financially, but I don't know how well I'd sleep otherwise.

What really freaks me out is when a customer asks you to do work and assumes someone else will pay for it (doesn't apply to watchmaking but happens in the construction industry)


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## watch_art (Jan 3, 2009)

thanks for the comments and the link. very good stuff.
makes me feel better about what i charge.

she still hasn't come to pay me yet (but we're all teachers, she could be just as broke as i am) i'll ask her once and after that i think i'll just drop it. it's not worth 20 bucks to create an unfriendly atmosphere at work.

hopefully she'll come through though.

later!


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