More than 38,000 watch models can be seamlessly and securely serviced
WatchCheck Brings Tech Innovation and Transparency to Luxury Watch Servicing
More than 38,000 watch models can be seamlessly and securely serviced
For mechanical watch owners, acquiring a luxury wristwatch is more than an investment in an aesthetically pleasing accessory, but a commitment to act as a steward for the timepiece until it’s time to pass along to the next generation. Part of that devotion is caring for its premium materiality and technical complexity through servicing. And watch owners know that this can be a point of friction and fear—sending your coveted item away for an unknown amount of time with little communication throughout the process. Some brands even penalize owners for following up on the status of their timepiece. Layering a tech-forward infrastructure into this process, WatchCheck aims to change the way we care for our watches.
Founded by Linden Lazarus and Will Haering, WatchCheck succeeds three-fold. First, the user-friendly platform guides customers through their intuitive process. A watch owner searches for the brand and model of their watch (from the more than 38,000 options) and then selects from a menu of fixed-rate services—which range from case refinishing at $200 to the full service of grand complications at $2,800. WatchCheck then delivers discreet, secure shipping supplies to the customer’s home; it’s as easy as boxing up and scheduling a pick-up. Further, each package is protected by complimentary insurance up to $150,000. Second, from this point forward, WatchCheck communicates clearly on the status of the watch—from the moment it is received at the Dayton, Ohio-based Stoll & Company service center to the various steps it goes through on its road to repair. This part of this process is also insured, up to $1,000,000.
Underscoring this customer service is the technical mastery of the watch repair experts at Stoll & Company. This allows WatchCheck to offer the highest level of Swiss-trained maintenance expertise applicable to vintage and contemporary watches. In fact, more than 3.5 million watches have already been serviced by their partner. WatchCheck safely opens this door to even more people through the convenience of pioneering technology.
“My entire professional care has been spent in the watch space,” Lazarus shares with COOL HUNTING. “I was constantly approached by customers, clients and collectors, who had this egregious problem. Servicing watches is a critical piece of the lifecycle of the product. You get this wonderful white-glove experience when you buy a watch in a boutique, with champagne. Part of the pitch for watches as a collectible is that they’re lifetime objects. They’re something you can keep. But for that cycle to be complete, you need to service the watch and we felt that there was this blank space when you took part in that. Our premise for starting this business was that we felt collectors needed—and deserved—this white-glove service, as well.” After years of research and customer feedback, Lazarus and Haering have developed a suite of advancements that are already correcting this.