FACE-LIFTS

REJUVENATING AN HEIRLOOM WATCH BRINGS NEW LIFE TO AN OLD TREASURE

Patek Philippe’s long-lived ad slogan, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation,” epitomizes the heirloom culture of fi ne watches.

In reality, most heirloom watches are higher in sentimental value than monetary value. But you may still want to give that vintage piece a new lease on life and bring it up to snuff to wear again. A number of dealers and brands can service your watch—inside and out—to get it wrist-ready for a new generation.

First and foremost, you need to attend to the watch’s beating heart— the movement. Since mechanical watches rely on lubricants to operate smoothly, and those oils dry up and gunk up over time, you should start with a movement servicing to ensure you don’t do any damage to the mechanism when starting it up again. This entails a complete disassembly of the watch and a thorough cleaning and refurbishment of the movement since old oil, dust, and humidity has been sitting inside the case for years or even decades.

Whether old or recent, any mechanical watch needs to be maintained to keep it in peak operating condition, much like you need to change the oil in a car every so often. Depending on how much the watch is worn, a general movement servicing is recommended every three to seven years.

This spring Cartier revisited its Tank collection with a range of new models including the Tank Must SolarBeat powered by an innovative solar-powered movement. In tribute to the iconic design—the 1917 brainchild of Louis Cartier, grandson of the maison’s founder—Cartier invited previous Tank owners to bring their watches in for complimentary servicing. A basic service typically runs about $385, so it’s Cartier’s way of saying thank you to owners of one of its signature models. The jeweler will also consult with you on replacing a damaged dial, crystal, or strap for an additional fee.

Such services are off ered not only through authorized dealers but also at independent watch specialists, such as Boston’s European Watch Co., which buys, sells, and trades vintage watches. The small shop on the city’s upscale Newbury Street keeps a master watchmaker on staff ready to tend to an old watch’s needs.

While he typically does a routine movement disassembly and servicing, more extensive repairs can get quite pricey and diffi cult, especially when it comes to sourcing custom replacement movement parts or even hands. You can even have the case repolished to make it look like new, but that’s not generally recommended. In fact, it would be a very costly mistake to take a vintage Rolex, for example, and replace the dial or polish the case, since the original condition is highly prized among collectors.

One of the easiest and most aff ordable ways to resurrect a vintage watch is by fi tting it with a new strap or bracelet. A new strap color or material, such as trendy NATO fabric, can really update an old timekeeper with a minimal investment and without altering the watch itself.

“Generally, it’s best to keep vintage watches in original aesthetic condition,” says Joshua Ganjei, co-owner of European Watch Co. “Sometimes doing nothing and just keeping it an heirloom is the best idea.”

Opposite page: European Watch Co. in Boston has a master watchmaker on sta ready to tend to older watches. This spring Cartier unveiled the Solar-Powered Tank Must SolarBeat, shown above.