For Rolex owners in Gloucestershire, specialist servicing can be carried out right in the heart of Cheltenham.
Martin & Co is Gloucestershire's only Rolex Authorised Service Centre, with a specialist workshop inside its Promenade store where Rolex-trained watchmakers service and maintain timepieces to the brand's exacting standards.
One of those experts is Stuart Mason, who has spent five years at the watchmaker's bench after more than a decade working with Rolex on the retail side of Martin & Co.
SoGlos caught up with him to find out what it takes to become a Rolex watchmaker – and what really happens when a watch arrives for a service.
What does it mean that Martin & Co is a Rolex Authorised Service Centre?
The main thing is peace of mind. Our watchmakers are trained by Rolex, and our workshop and equipment meet the standards it sets for its service centres.
For the customer, it means knowing their watch is being cared for to those standards. Following a complete service, we also provide a two-year international service guarantee.
We can help with smaller jobs, such as bracelet link adjustments, right through to a complete service.
How did you become a Rolex watchmaker?
My first job in the 1990s was with a small independent jeweller. My grandfather had an antiques shop, so I'd grown up around pocket watches, jewellery and other interesting pieces.
I worked in different roles in the jewellery industry before moving back near my family in Gloucestershire. Martin & Co was actually the only jeweller I applied to because the family values, brands and longevity of the business appealed to me.
I spent around a decade on the sales side at Martin & Co, learning about Rolex watches and movements, before an opportunity came up to test my aptitude for watchmaking.
I completed a 1,800-hour, full-time course at the British School of Watchmaking near Manchester, followed by further training and accreditation with Rolex. I've now been servicing Rolex watches for five years.
What skills do you need to work on a Rolex?
Aptitude is probably the main thing. You need strong motor skills, but also the patience to follow very precise processes and stick with something when it isn't going right.
I like the order of watchmaking. If you do things in the right sequence, you'll get the result you want, then it's about honing those skills to a really high standard of cleanliness and precision.
Sometimes we're working in microns. Fractions of a millimetre can make a big difference.
How often should a Rolex be serviced?
It depends on the model and how the watch is used, but approximately every 10 years is the recommendation for modern watches.
When you think about it, that watch can be working all day, every day, 24 hours a day for 10 years before it needs intervention. They're some of the most efficient machines we make.
I'd also tell owners to pay attention to how their watch feels. Has it developed a sound or rattle? Does it suddenly feel stiffer to wind? Those can be signs that something needs looking at.
People can always bring a watch into Martin & Co and we can inspect it, even if it turns out that nothing needs doing.
What actually happens during a Rolex service?
Each service is aimed at returning somebody's watch to the best possible condition, while taking into account what they want for their watch.
We focus on three key things: the watch needs to be precise, waterproof and autonomous, which means keeping the correct time and having an automatic winding system that's working efficiently.
We start with an inspection. Once the customer gives us the go-ahead, the case, dial, hands and movement are fully disassembled.
We'll inspect the movement, replace worn parts where needed, then service, lubricate and regulate it. If the customer opts for polishing, we'll refinish the watch sympathetically to as high a standard as its condition allows.
Then we fully test it for nearly a week before it's ready to be collected. We carry out most complete services within 15 working days.
What's the most challenging Rolex you've worked on?
I've worked my way up to a level that allows me to work on the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
It's a chronograph watch, so as well as telling the time it has a stopwatch function, adding another layer of mechanics. There are a lot of tolerances involved and you need real attention to detail.
I'd say Daytonas are among the most challenging watches from a watchmaker's point of view, so it's particularly satisfying to be able to work on them.
The most expensive Rolex I've personally worked on had a retail value of around £50,000. It was a solid white-gold watch, so there's a lot of responsibility to get that right.
What's interesting is that the work and quality that goes into a Rolex at the more accessible end of the range isn't compromised compared with a much more expensive piece. The movements can be very similar – that quality runs through the watches.
Who brings Rolex watches into Martin & Co?
All sorts of people. We see customers who were gifted a Rolex, people who aspired to own one and saved for it, people who inherited one and people who own several.
We regularly see Rolex watches that are 60 or 70 years old coming in to be maintained, so these can be watches that stay with somebody for a lifetime or are passed down through families.
I own a Rolex myself and, like plenty of our customers, I had to save long and hard for it. It was a proud day when I was finally able to put it on my wrist.
How can Rolex owners book a service at Martin & Co?
Customers can book an appointment through our website or by phone, but they're also very welcome to drop into the Cheltenham store.
Some things can be looked at straight away, while others may need a more detailed inspection and the watch might need to be left with us so that we can provide an estimate.
Visit martin-and-co.com/rolex/servicing for more information about Rolex servicing at Martin & Co or to book an appointment.
In partnership with Martin & Co | martin-and-co.com.
