REPAIR & SERVICE
Patek Philippe Calatrava, Iconic Watch
Gray & Sons Jewelers, located in Miami Beach, Florida is an independent watch service center, repairing Patek Philippe Calatrava, Iconic Watch watches since 1980.
Calatrava has been Patek Philippe’s flagship timepiece since its introduction.
Patek Philippe Repair Services
A forever classic.
It’s simple and elegant design adds to a very easy-to-read dial.
A watch inspired by the Bauhaus design movement of the early 19 Century.
Gray and Sons Jewelers has a very strong reputation in regards to repairing and restoring antique, vintage, and complicated watches. For this reason, many watch collectors trust Gray and Sons Jewelers with their loved and sometimes unique watches.
In this case, it was not only the high value of the watch but the condition in which it was brought to us. With severe water damage that rusted the case, bezel and movement. With extensive dial damage and of course in need of a solution that would not be higher than the cost of replacing the watch.
The owner of this watch wanted to find a reputable service center that would handle this repair, cost less than the manufacturer would charge, and especially, be able to finish this repair in an acceptable time frame.
He researched on the internet and after reviewing comments, videos, and our repair blog showing so many repairs on Patek Philippe, Omega, Richard Mille, Ulysse Nardin, Breguet, GP and, much more, decided to call and talk with the people he was going to trust his severely damaged watch. It was a very candid conversation in regards to how we would proceed, steps to be taken to repair the watch, parts to be used, cost, our past experience with water-damaged timepieces, and warranty on the work to be done. He wanted to have clear expectations of what he was going to get in return. He felt that he was leaving his watch in good hands and decided to move forward with the repair.
Before Repair
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The Service of the Patek Philippe Calatrava begins as follows:
Our Swiss-trained watchmakers and jewelers took the job with great passion as they usually do in this very interesting opportunity. We looked at the watch and shared our opinions and better ways to proceed with the repair, trying to salvage as many parts as possible; we drafted a clear repair plan.
Due to the extensive water damage and rust in the whole movement and dial, our first step was to disassemble the movement as much as possible without damaging the rusted solid parts so we could better see what parts were to be used and which parts were needed.
We placed all the parts in a special cleaner for 24 hours to remove as much rust as we could and in that way be able to keep on disassembling the movement to its bare components.
Before repair
Before repair
At the same time after looking at the condition of the dial, we spoke to the customer and recommended replacing the dial for a new one, which would involve a high expense, and gave him the option to refinish the dial, which would cost a fraction of the cost of an original dial.
After Gray and Sons' repair
After Gray and Sons' repair
The customer decided to go forward with the restoration / refinishing of the dial, keeping the same color and design he had before.
Before repair
After Gray and Sons' repair
Our dial refinishing team got involved on the job right away while the watchmakers were servicing the movement and our jewelers were polishing the case. We had three independent teams working jointly and efficiently at the same time with the clear goal to have it finished as soon as possible.
Once the rust on the movement was completely removed and it was disassembled down to its bare components, parts were put through a multiple-stage cleaning process that uses three different solutions to wash away all broken parts, any minimal leftover rust, dirt, and old dried lubricants accumulated through the years.
We will look at all the parts one by one, making sure that they are usable and comply to Patek Philippe’s manufacturer standards, then reassemble the watch piece by piece, wheel by wheel, screw by screw, as we apply four different synthetic oils to lubricate the movement and get the watch running perfectly again.
One of our six Swiss-trained master watchmakers will look into the assembled movement and will replace gaskets to assure water resistance. Working on these complicated Swiss movements is not an easy task, it requires patience, timing, experience, special tools, and teamwork to make this complete overhaul possible and happen correctly as planned.
Our watchmakers are specialists in Swiss manufactured simple or complicated movements, no job is too large or too small, from battery replacement to complete service and overhaul, and we can do them all. They have trained for years getting to know all the parts, analyze the problem to find the best solution, and how to better correct and prevent malfunctions and regulate the accuracy of timekeeping. So, while the watch case is being polished and the dial being refinished, the master watchmaker in charge will observe the movement at work.
We, at Gray & Sons, only do this the old-fashioned way of the antique watchmakers, time-consuming, maybe, but we will make sure that the watch will keep time as it was designed to. Once the movement is put together again we will start to work on the regulation, timekeeping accuracy, power reserve, and synchronization of all the parts involved in this magnificent movement to be able to keep time.
Then the watch will be released, the refinished dial will be installed and for the final checks, two specialists, separately, will test the power reserve of the movement manually, will use winding wheels too, and finally will use pressure testing machines to check for leaks on the seals and gaskets recently installed.
The watch is almost ready to be shipped back and as the final step, we will have another associate check everything all over again with new eyes and have these final tests done once more before we give it back to the happy owner.
Every watch is a different story for sure, always with the same ending that our customers are used to at Gray and Sons Jewelers: excellence in the work we do. Of course, this watch was a very special case, it was extremely difficult to repair due to rust and extensive water damage.
Our customers are our extended family and their recommendations are their way of thanking us for a job well done.
Patek Philippe Calatrava, 18K white gold on an alligator strap.
A very sophisticated and timeless dress Watch.
Detailed Description Brand: Patek Philippe.
Model: Calatrava.
Reference: 3590, self-winding automatic timepiece.
Case: 18K white gold, 35 mm diameter.
Bezel: Double hobnail 18k white gold.
Screw-in Crown: No.
Dial: Blue Dial, index baton markers.
Date: No.
Crystal: Scratch-resistant sapphire
Case back: Solid 18k white gold
Movement: Automatic self-winding.
Complications: None.
Water Resistance: 100ft.
Bracelet: Original alligator strap.
Clasp: 18k white gold classic tang buckle.
Manufactured: by Patek Philippe – Geneve, Made in Switzerland
Circa: 1980’s
After Gray and Sons repair
A brief story about Gray & Sons Inspired Jewelers and Watch Experts
For over 40 years, the focus of this family-owned and operated business has been selling meticulously restored & like-new condition Certified Preowned Watches and one-of-a-kind estate jewelry pieces.
We are always acquiring new watches and jewelry pieces , so please check our website frequently or sign up for our free monthly catalog , it will give you a good sense of market values and what is trending in our industry and it's free!!
If you have an item that you are interested in selling, we can help sell your piece too! We have sales specialists that are fluent in Spanish, French, Polish, and Russian. We have six in-house Swiss-trained watchmakers and two jewelers/polishers to handle all your watch repairs and service issues.
TIP of the day: It is good to know that the most common service call we get at the shop is due to winding the watch while wearing it, which causes an extreme bending force in the crown, stem, and automatic mechanism forcing an unnecessary repair completely out of warranty, and a close second to that one is that while winding it out of the wrist, dropping the watch to the floor, which in case of hard floors would be a disaster.
We always recommend winding the watch on top of a desk, bed, or table.
If you have a watch that is not working as it once did, send it to us . You will be amazed at your “as new looking” watch. Our Miami Beach boutique showroom is located across from the world-renowned Bal Harbour Shops. If you are ever in the area please stop by , we would love to meet you and show you our large inventory of watches and jewelry.
Hope this brief intro to our company makes you feel reassured that you are dealing with a reputable, long-standing and honest company. Your watch will be in good hands. We are the #1 Specialist on Rolex, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier, Audemars, Omega, Jaeger LeCoultre, and all High End, Luxury Swiss-made timepieces.
You have a special watch, you care about and love, make sure you take it to a watchmaker that will love the job he does for your very special watch.
Visit Gray and Sons Jewelers, a one-stop source for all your luxury watch and high-end jewelry needs throughout Florida, especially in Miami, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, and Fort Lauderdale. Gray and Sons has an excellent reputation with many customers in New York, Massachusetts, California, Texas, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Chicago.
Don’t hesitate to contact Gray and Sons customer service and have a look at the helpful FAQ on the website www.grayansons.com . If you like what you see on our site, you will love the people that will be taking care of your business.
Sell, Buy, Consign, Repair, we are here to guide you
OUR EXPERIENCE
OVER 150 YEARS OF COMBINED WATCHMAKING AND JEWELRY/CASE AND BRACELET REPAIR EXPERIENCE!
How to Repair Your Watch with Gray & Sons Jewelers
We offer our watch repair services locally in South Florida (Miami, Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), nationally as well as internationally with our Easy Ship Box Option.
Local Repairs
Come visit our showroom and let us evaluate your watch. Our Swiss-trained watchmakers are among the best in the United States and we just happen to be located on Miami Beach. We will provide you an estimate before beginning any work.
National Repairs
To accommodate customers across the United States who complete repairs with us, we devised the Easy Ship Box as the fastest and most convenient way to send sensitive luxury items. This allows you to receive our state of the art services anywhere in the country, so you never compromise on the care your watch rightfully deserves.