Vintage Gold/Diamond Watch Repair?

[RunningwithScissors]

(If I'm not posting this question in the right place, please let me know where to move it.)

I have a vintage white gold and diamond melee watch from the 1930's.

Its not very expensive, just a Hamilton, but it is truly old and I get tons of compliments on due to it's hyper Art Deco lines and its blinginess.

It has recently stopped running and I'd like to have it serviced. I called my local family run jewelry shop that I've used in the past for jewelry repairs, resizing, etc. I asked if they do watch repairs. They said yes and asked what brand of watch I had. When I said Hamilton, they laughed hard at me. They said it would be $50 to have their person look at the watch and diagnose it and that was a waste of money for my watch. (They hadn't seen my watch and had no description of it, just the brand.)

How rude. This is the first day their store is open after the pandemic. Why are they laughing at a potential customer? Yes my watch isn't a Rolex or Cartier, but its not your average Hamilton from Sears either.

I have no problem paying $50 for an evaluation and however much more a repair costs.

Where do I send a vintage (non-designer) watch for repairs? Does anyone have any recommendations?

I don't want to be laughed at again. Especially by the type of store the sells diamond that none of us on PS would touch with a 10 foot pole.

Thanks

 

[headlight]

@RunningwithScissors I'm so sorry this happened. It was rude and certainly not what jewelers who will be struggling should be doing. You spend a lot on your jewelry and they never know where their next customer is coming from and they just blew it big time.
My local jeweler with whom I have spent a fortune didn’t return an email from 4/18. That has definitely turned me off.
I would suggest you do some research online as to someone qualified for your special watch.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Hi Headlight

Thanks for your kind words. I'm looking around and have a few leads.

I hope you are enjoying those lovely rings in your avatar. Bling-a-licious!

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

I'm sorry they were so rude! I'd never upset as well.

Unfortunately I have no pointers for the repair, but I'd really like to see the watch!!

Pictures pretty please!!

 

[Bron357]

Grrrrrr.
As a lover and owner of some 50 plus mechanical watches such people make my blood boil.
Does the watch wind - don’t force it?
Can you still adjust the hands?
Give the watch a gentle shake, a few times side to side motion and listen for a tick tick.
It doesn’t cost $50 to open a watch and check the movement.
If it had been me I would have launched!
“This is a precious heirloom watch to me. Your response that it will cost me $50 to take the back off and look at the movement as you smirk to my face is insulting. If you don’t have any real watch service skills you only needed to have said “sorry, we can only change batteries in quartz watches here” and as you have absolutely no customer service skills either I’ll be taking all my business elsewhere,”
And btw, the very most expensive watches made, even today, are ALL mechanical movements.
I’d try a antique jewellery store or even a pawnbroker and ask who they use for repairs or service of their manual wind watches.

 

[cflutist]

@Dancing Fire knows a lot about mechanical watches. Perhaps he has a recommendation.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Wish I can help but I have no idea where to go about repairing a vintage watch.