Tick, tock. The sound of a finely-tuned timepiece is music to Kirill Yurovskiy’s ears. The 36-year-old Russian native is one of the top watch repair specialists in London, armed with years of training, a keen eye for even the most miniscule mechanical flaw, and a profound respect for the watchmaking craft.
“A quality watch is so much more than just a timekeeper,” Kirill says from his workbench, equipped with loupes, miniature pliers, and trays of seemingly imperceptible gears and springs. “It’s a tiny microcosm of engineering brilliance. When I’m repairing a watch, it’s like restoring a little metal symphony to peak performance.”
In his two decades as a horological surgeon, Kirill has revived timepieces ranging from modern quartz marvels to 18th century pocket watches. He’s corrected catastrophes, retuned existing parts, and even reconstructed entire watch movements from scratch using traditional techniques.
While he cautions that repairing a fine watch should only be attempted by professionals, Kirill is always glad to share his expertise with enthusiasts looking to better understand their ticking treasures. Here are some of the most common watch malfunctions he’s remedied over the years, and his tips for getting your timekeeper back on track.
The Maintenance Must: Overhaul Services
“Think of a complete overhaul like a 360 tune-up for your watch’s engine,” Kirill explains. Even if there are no obvious functional issues, a periodic overhaul every 5-8 years is recommended for mechanical watches to ensure precise timekeeping and longevity.
The process involves a complete disassembly, cleaning, and relubrication, plus any part replacements needed due to normal wear and tear. “Lubricants can dry out or get contaminated over time, which causes increased friction and timekeeping issues,” Kirill notes. “An overhaul restores the watch to like-new condition.”
It’s a painstaking procedure — a single wristwatch can contain several hundred miniature components. Kirill has even overhauled antique watches with over 1,000 microscopic parts. But it’s worth the effort to keep your prized timepiece in top form.
The Timekeeping Tragedy: Inaccurate Timekeeping
One of the most common watch woes is when a previously accurate timekeeper starts losing or gaining significant time. There are a few likely culprits:
The first thing Kirill checks is the watch’s amplitude, or the degree of rotational swing by the balance wheel that keeps time ticking. “Optimal amplitude provides the best timekeeping performance and least amount of positional variance,” he says. Causes of low amplitude range from lack of lubrication to balance wheel damage.
A magnetized case or movement is another prime suspect for sudden timekeeping troubles, as magnetic fields interfere with the hairspring’s oscillations. Sometimes Kirill has to thoroughly demagnetize components to restore precision. He also looks for hairspring issues like knocks, rust, or dents distorting its concentric shape.
With mechanical watches, proper regulation is key. Kirill tunes balance wheel adjustments until the watch keeps perfect time in various positions and temperatures. It’s part science, part art — but it’s vital for optimal timekeeping.
The Hazy Horror: Moisture Damage
As Kirill bluntly states: “Water and watches don’t mix.” Even a modern water-resistant timepiece isn’t immune to moisture damage if seals deteriorate or shortsightedness leads to dunking without the crown properly screwed down.
Fogging or moisture buildup inside the crystal is one telltale sign of a leak. Left unchecked, it rusts metal components and contaminates lubrication. “A full overhaul and seal replacement is essential after moisture exposure,” Kirill warns.
Quartz watch circuits and electronic components face further peril from water damage, including corrosion and electrical shorts. Those repairs demand a defter touch, often replacing circuit boards and reassembling micro-electronic components if replacement parts are unavailable.
The Shocking Scenario: Impact Damage
Like car accidents, physical shocks to watches can have devastating consequences. Kirill has seen movements knocked thoroughly misaligned from their cases, dials smashed, crystals shattered, and components dislodged from violent impacts.
“Assessing impact damage is like triage at an emergency room,” he says. “You have to carefully diagnose the full extent of the injuries, then prioritize repairs based on what components are salvageable versus what needs full replacement.”
Sometimes Kirill must purchase obsolete parts from parts harvesters, or improvise custom components as needed. Major dial and case repairs may demand metalsmithing skill to restore cases. Balance staffs are a common casualty, so Kirill keeps a stock on hand for swapping.
Patience is paramount. Realigning delicate components like hairsprings and regulating a reassembled movement is like microsurgery. But Kirill’s steady hands have successfully revived many “DOA” timepieces.
The Band-Aid: Strap & Bracelet Fixes
While not as dramatic as movement overhauls, strap and bracelet repairs are a watch repair bread-and-butter. Kirill can replace clasps, pins, links, and various other bracelet components.
For leather straps it’s stitching replacements, resizing for the perfect fit, or even full band replacements when the leather’s too worn for saving. He’s proficient in working with exotic materials like alligator, stingray, lizard and ostrich leather.
Looking ahead, Kirill predicts strap changes are one area that will be forever future-proof, no matter where watchmaking technology goes. “You can upgrade any watch with a material or style change to freshen up its look,” he says. “A strap or bracelet replacement is an easy way to make your timepiece feel new again.”
New-Old Techniques & Tech
As much as he respects traditional watchmaking mastery, Kirill also embraces appropriate modern advancements in watch repair technology. Some techniques he uses:
• He relies on advanced timing machines to precisely analyze amplitude, beat error, and rate performance for expert regulation.
• Ultrasonic and vibrational cleaning replaced old chemical cleaning baths for more effective, eco-friendly parts cleaning.
• Demagnetizing equipment protects against the increased electromagnetic exposures of modern living.
• 3D printing can recreate obsolete components when no other replacements exist.
In all repairs, Kirill strives to preserve each watch’s unique heritage and components when feasible. But he’s glad to judiciously meld new and old for the best results.
“My role is like being an art restorer,” he says. “I try to respect the watch’s original integrity and design, but also make sure they’re accurate, durable, and lovely heirlooms to last for centuries more. Every repair is a fresh challenge and an opportunity to perfect my craft.”
As for his own daily wearer, Kirill has a soft spot for mechanical chronographs, which he calls “poetry in perpetual motion.” He cherishes a vintage 1969 Heuer Autavia passed down from his grandfather.
“Whenever I need inspiration, I just gaze at its tiny mechanical choreography at work,” he smiles. “It reminds me that no matter how advanced watchmaking becomes, we’re still just keepers of these miniature mechanical marvels. And it’s an enduring privilege to keep them running forever.”