Those of you who are quibbling about typos ON someone's homepage should instead have spent some time simply examining their website more thoroughly. Under the heading of Trade Accounts you would have seen the following:
"Universal is the repair center for 14 of the top jewelry chains worldwide. In addition, Universal is the service and restoration center for over 3,000 independent and guild stores and watchmakers Worldwide.
We are proud members of AGS, IJO, RJO and CBG providing repair service for many of their retail members at special discount.
In addition, Universal is the support service center for other factory and non-factory service centers, especially when they might not be able to complete a job that is deemed to complicated or labor intensive."
I'm not related to these people in any way aside from being a customer. As I noted earlier, the watches I had repaired were rare and they were the only ones who had the expertize to do the job. I was referred to them by several other watch repairmen who know their trade very well. I was ready to ship my watches overseas until I was referred to these people who just happened to be 15 miles from my home.
Their repair area is similar to a lab environment and when you take a piece in for repair, don't expect to see it back for awhile as they are booked for weeks to months depending on how much restoration is needed. How many other places do you know can replicate the original crystal when an original isn't available?
Our country has many watchmakers that are very well versed in their trade, but like any other profession there are those that simply stand a lot taller than the rest. This shop is one that does rise higher than most. Coming from a family of jewelers (I'm not one by trade) I can attest that there are those who think they are jewlers and then there are those who are REAL craftsmen in their trade. When dealing with tradesmen it's always a good idea to check them out first before you hand over the job to them. It's the same as taking your jewelry in for repair say Costco vs. Tiffany. Who would you think would have the better craftsman?
