Three passes. Three states of watch.
One clear scope for each.
From a quick regulation to a full archival restoration commission — every service is defined in scope before work begins.
Back to HomeHow Quartzen approaches bench work
Every watch that arrives at Quartzen begins with a conversation and an assessment. The watchmaker looks at the piece under magnification, asks about its history and the owner's intent, and then describes the work that fits. This happens before any service is chosen and before a price is agreed.
The three services below are structured as distinct passes, not as packages with hidden overlaps. Cleaning and Regulation does not include disassembly; Full Bench Service does. Archive Restoration is a commission, not a standard repair, and each one is priced individually after a written survey.
Quality control is built into the timeline rather than added at the end. Full bench services spend fourteen days on a test bench before they are released. All regulation work is measured on a timing machine and the readings are printed. The fourteen-day run is not negotiable — it is how the workshop knows a reassembled movement is stable, not just correct as of the moment it left the bench.
Parts are sourced from established suppliers in Malaysia and Singapore. Where original parts are no longer available for archive work, fabrication or matched alternatives are discussed with the owner before any decision is made.
Cleaning, Regulation & Fresh Gaskets
Ref. QZ-A · 3–5 working days · RM 530
A light bench pass for a watch that is broadly healthy but drifting. The watchmaker cleans the exterior, opens the case, checks the movement under magnification without full disassembly, adjusts the regulator against timing machine readings, renews the caseback and crown gaskets, and re-tests the case where it carries a resistance rating.
Appropriate for a watch serviced within the last few years that has simply wandered off rate. This pass does not include mainspring or jewel replacement — those require a Full Bench Service.
- Exterior cleaning and case wipe-down
- Regulation to within an agreed daily tolerance
- Caseback and crown gaskets renewed
- Case resistance test where rating exists
- Printed before-and-after rate sheet
Process steps
Intake assessment and scope agreement
Exterior cleaning; movement inspection under magnification
Regulator adjustment against timing machine; rate sheet printed
Gasket renewal and case resistance test
Collection with printed rate sheet and service summary
Best suited for
- Watches serviced within the last 4–6 years
- Daily wearers drifting ±20 seconds or more per day
- Pieces where caseback gasket shows visible cracking
Best suited for
- Mechanical watches not serviced in the last 5+ years
- Pieces stopping, stuttering or losing significant time
- Watches with low amplitude or visible mainspring fatigue
Full Bench Service with Parts Renewal
Ref. QZ-B · 5–7 weeks · RM 1,760
The workshop's standard rebuild for mechanical wristwatches. The movement is taken to component level, cleaned across four baths, and every wear surface is examined. The mainspring, gaskets and any pivot or jewel showing measurable wear are renewed.
The calibre is reassembled to the maker's lubrication chart, regulated in six positions, and left on a fourteen-day test before release. The case and bracelet are hand-refinished only if the owner asks — otherwise, surfaces are left exactly as they arrived.
- Full disassembly to component level
- Four-bath cleaning process
- Mainspring and gaskets renewed; worn jewels or pivots replaced as needed
- Six-position regulation and timing report
- Fourteen-day bench test and running log
- Parts list included in service record
Process steps
Intake, assessment and written scope agreement
Full disassembly; wear inspection under magnification
Four-bath cleaning; parts sourcing if needed
Reassembly to lubrication chart; six-position regulation
14-day bench run; test log compiled
Collection with six-position report, parts list and test log
Archive Restoration Commission
Ref. QZ-C · 12–18 weeks · From RM 4,650
A commission-length project for pieces of family or historical interest, where the goal is a working watch that still reads as its own age. Depending on the survey, the route can include dial cleaning by a specialist partner, sympathetic re-luming in a matched tone, hand fabrication of a missing part, case repair without loss of original lines, and a matched period strap.
The workshop writes a proposal, photographs each stage, and asks for written agreement before any surface is touched. The owner may pause the commission at any point. The price is quoted as a single project fee after the survey.
- Written survey and proposal before any work
- Staged photography at each decision point
- Sympathetic re-luming in matched period tone (if agreed)
- Hand fabrication of unavailable parts (if needed)
- Archival record folder on completion
- Matched period strap option
Process steps
Initial consultation; survey and photography of piece as received
Written proposal with scope, estimated cost and timeline
Written agreement signed before any surface is approached
Staged bench work with photography at each major step
Specialist partner work (dial, lume) coordinated and logged
Final regulation, bench test, and archival folder compiled
Best suited for
- Family heirlooms or pieces of personal historical significance
- Watches where parts are no longer catalogued or in supply
- Pieces where original patina and age should be preserved, not corrected
Which service fits your watch?
| Feature | QZ-A Cleaning & Reg. |
QZ-B Full Bench |
QZ-C Archive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full disassembly | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mainspring renewal | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gasket renewal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Timing machine report | ✓ (2-pos) | ✓ (6-pos) | ✓ (6-pos) |
| 14-day bench test | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Staged photography | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Archival record folder | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Part fabrication option | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Price (RM) | 530 | 1,760 | From 4,650 |
Protocols that apply to all services
Watch safety and custody
Intake records are signed by both parties at drop-off. The workshop holds care, custody and control coverage for all pieces in its possession. Each piece is stored separately and labelled throughout the service.
Lubricant and parts standards
Lubricant grades are selected by component type and function, following maker charts where available. Parts are sourced from established suppliers. No non-specified substitutions without owner notification.
Written scope on every job
No watch enters the bench without a signed description of work, agreed cost and expected timeline. Scope changes require notification and fresh agreement. The invoice cannot exceed the agreed scope without consent.
Printed documentation standard
Rate sheets and service records are printed, not emailed. The physical document travels with the watch and can be kept with it indefinitely, useful at any future service or sale.
Turnaround communication
If a timeline is going to slip — due to parts availability or a finding that expands the scope — the owner is contacted before the original deadline. No surprises at collection.
Surface work by consent only
Polishing, case refinishing, crystal replacement — nothing is done to the exterior without a specific request. The default is to return the watch with surfaces exactly as they arrived at the workshop.
Service pricing in Malaysian Ringgit
Cleaning, Regulation & Gaskets
RM 530
3–5 working days
- Exterior clean
- Regulation (no disassembly)
- Gaskets renewed
- Rate sheet printed
Full Bench Service
RM 1,760
5–7 weeks
- Full disassembly
- Four-bath cleaning
- Mainspring & gaskets renewed
- 6-position timing report
- 14-day bench test
Archive Restoration
From RM 4,650
12–18 weeks · Quoted per project
- Written survey & proposal
- All agreed bench work
- Staged photography
- Archival record folder
All prices in Malaysian Ringgit (RM), inclusive of standard parts. Archive commission price quoted after survey. Payment on collection for QZ-A and QZ-B; deposit required for QZ-C on acceptance of proposal.
Not sure which service fits? Ask first.
Describe the watch and what you have noticed and the workshop will advise which pass makes sense before anything is agreed or booked.