It has been another busy year here, with the workshop full and plenty of exciting projects keeping me occupied! Although I haven’t had much time to update the blog recently, the bench has certainly been busy. Thank you for your continued support and trust — and as always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to discuss a project or book your watch in.
2024 update
As we stride further into 2024, it’s time for a brief update from the atelier!
I had just opened my new workshop at the time of my last update, and I am thrilled to say the new space delivered everything that I hoped for in 2023. I see the workspace as an essential part in the delivery of high-quality work. That’s why last year I embarked on the task of creating a new workshop, designed by myself specifically for watchmaking. Clean and dust free environment at the bench, with MEV (mechanical extract ventilation) and air quality monitoring, separate rooms, and a generous amount of space for the many machines I acquired through the years, all contribute to an excellent workflow, and ultimately benefit every watch going through the workshop.
Reflecting on the past year, 2023 was another very busy and exciting year at the bench. Allow me to share a glimpse of the many interesting projects I got to work on in recent months:
Once again, the workbench has hosted a diverse array of brands, with vintage watches taking centre stage alongside some of their modern counterparts. There were many of the “workshop favourites” such as vintage Omega, Rolex, CWC, Heuer and O&W watches to name only a few. From routine maintenance to intricate repairs and complex restorations, each project has been executed with the passion and uncompromising commitment to detail that is so important to me.
I am immensely grateful to my loyal clients for entrusting me with their cherished timepieces. As always, I extend my sincere appreciation to each of you for your ongoing support and encouragement.
As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch for any enquiries.
Best wishes
Olivier
2023 Update
As January 2023 is already behind us, I thought I would publish a short update. I would first like to wish all my clients, followers, suppliers and fellow horologists a very happy and healthy new year.
Looking back at the past year it is fair to say that 2022 has been an exciting one. Busy times, and many watches went through my workshop. I always enjoy some variety in the work, and last year certainly delivered that. I included below a couple photos of watches that I serviced in 2022. They are quite typical of my workload. Most brands are represented, predominantly vintage watches, but also some modern watches. Projects range from manual wind to automatic and chronograph watches, and also from mechanical to quality quartz watches.
The end of the year was particularly eventful. In November 2022 I had the honour to receive the BHI prize for best serviced chronograph for 2021. COVID prevented the ceremony from taking place in the previous years, but it was definitely worth the wait! We had a fantastic day at the British Horological Institute in Upton Hall, which I was very thankful to share with friends and family.
I also moved into new premises in December 2022. Having outgrown my previous workshop, I had been on the lookout for the right space to take the business forward for some time. I am delighted to have now moved to the new workshop. The space was designed and built to my own spec, with a clean room for watchmaking, and separate machine room, cleaning and polishing rooms.
More room means more space for machines and equipment, and I am pleased to report that I recently acquired a high precision CNC milling machine.
My CNC programming experience dates back from the early 2000s, so it is nice to get to use my mechanical engineering skills in my horological career. I always thought there are a lot of crossovers between engineering and horology.
This new addition to the workshop is an exciting prospect as I will soon be able to manufacture some watch parts, opening the door to more varied and complex projects.
As always, thank you very much for reading, and do not hesitate to get in touch!
All the best
Olivier
2021 BHI Prize award – Best serviced chronograph watch
I am very proud to see my name again amongst the prize winners in the official journal of the British Horological Institute. I was awarded the ‘Best Serviced Chronograph Watch’ BHI prize for 2021. With a grade of 99% following the two-day practical exam, I could not be happier 
. Your chronograph is in good hands!
. Your chronograph is in good hands!For more regular update you can follow me on Instagram
All the best
Olivier
Ollech & Wajs 2002 Valjoux 7730 – Service
Under the loupe today is a very nice vintage Ollech & Wajs 2002 Valjoux 7730. O&W was created in Switzerland in the late 1950’s, and grew in popularity in the 1960’s, especially with servicemen, sportsman, divers and aviators thanks to a strong reputation for quality and dependable mechanical watches. O&W still operate today, see their website 
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Rolex Oyster Royal 6426 Calibre 1215 – Service
Featured on the blog today is this lovely vintage Rolex Oyster Royal 6426 Calibre 1215. This particular watch was produced in 1955 according to its serial number, and it is powered by the excellent and beautifully finished Rolex Calibre 1215: a manual wind movement, with centre sweep second, Breguet hairspring and shock resistant settings on both balance and escape wheel, a very nice spec for that era.
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CWC 1983 Royal Navy Quartz Divers Watch – Service and restoration
Today under the loupe is this CWC 1983 Royal Navy quartz divers watch, an iconic British military watch. A new incarnation of this watch was released by CWC in recent years, but the watch I am featuring today is the original, as issued in 1983 to a member of the Royal Navy.
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Rolex Calibre 1570 (Oyster Perpetual Date 1500) – Service
This very nice vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date reference 1500 came in for a service. The watch is powered by the excellent Rolex Calibre 1570. It was a highly regarded chronometer rated movement produced by Rolex throughout the mid 60s to mid 70s, and fitted to the Oyster Perpetual, Submariner and Explorer range.
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Seiko SKX NH36 movement upgrade
UPDATE: I have now setup a new website dedicated to Seiko mods – for details please visit http://suwamods.co.uk
The NH36 movement upgrade can be carried out on the SXK007 or SKX009 (7S26-0020) watches as detailed below. It consists of the replacement of the original 7S26 movement with a “modern” Hattori NH36 (or Seiko Calibre 4R36), which has a hack and wind facility.
Bulova Automatic Divers Watch Waterproof 666 feet Calibre 11ALAC – Service
This interesting Bulova automatic divers watch came in for a service. It is a very collectable model, the “M7” on the caseback and movement indicates that it was produced in 1967. It has a lovely bakelite bezel insert and is powered by the 17 jewels Bulova Calibre 11ALAC, self winding movement.
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