Repair and maintenance of mechanical watches
What is a mechanical watch?
A mechanical watch works without a battery and is powered by a mainspring in a barrel. By manually winding the watch, you store energy that drives the hands via a delicate mechanism. This type of movement is the purest form of watchmaking and is often found in vintage and classic watches.
Self-winding mechanical watches require more care than modern timepieces. They run less precisely than quartz or automatic watches, but that's precisely part of their charm. Every tick is the result of mechanical precision.
Why do mechanical watches stop?
The most common cause is wear and tear . Many older mechanical timepieces were still built with brass bearings instead of rubies, which after decades causes play and friction. Also, outdated or dried-out oil plays a major role. When a watch isn't worn for a long time, the oil loses its lubricating effect.
Dust, dirt, or moisture can also cause damage. Older mechanical watches are often less well-sealed than modern models. Finally, we regularly see broken or tired springs , meaning the watch can no longer store energy.
What does a mechanical watch repair entail?
At Juwelier Van de Heyning, every repair begins with a thorough diagnosis. The watch movement is completely disassembled, down to the last cog. All components are cleaned individually in a professional watch cleaning machine with multiple cleaning stages.
After cleaning, the movement is rebuilt, with the correct oil applied to the correct contact points. Worn or damaged parts are replaced, often with carefully selected components from compatible vintage movements when original spare parts are no longer available. The watch is, in effect, completely restored.
The watch case and metal strap also receive attention: polishing if desired, ultrasonic cleaning, and checking and lubricating the seals for dust and water resistance.
Finally, the watch is calibrated on our timing machine. Depending on its condition and age, we strive for the most stable running time possible, typically around ±5 seconds per day , which is a very good result for a mechanical movement.
Repair of mechanical watches in the Turnhout region
All repairs are carried out in our own workshop in Oud-Turnhout by certified watchmakers with experience working with both modern and vintage mechanical movements from virtually every brand. In most cases, your watch will not be shipped, ensuring faster service and immediate follow-up.
Customers from Turnhout, Vosselaar, Kasterlee, Geel, Ravels, Baarle-Hertog, Retie, and Arendonk have been coming to us for years for reliable watch repairs that respect the original character of the timepiece.
