The Watchmaker
To celebrate the accreditation of DMR Manchester’s workshop as a Rolex Authorised Service Centre, Craig Hough sits down with DMR’s in-house watchmaker Duncan Ganley
How did the idea for Manchester’s Rolex Authorised Service Centre come about and what services can customers expect?
DMR Manchester has had a watchmaker for over 17 years with a workshop here in the heart of the city. However, Rolex now expects that the showroom, the workshop and its watchmaker match their own standard so that they are able to issue the official Rolex 2 year service guarantee with every full service. An official Rolex Service Centre must have a fully accredited watchmaker, a complete workshop with everything specified by the brand and finally a fully accredited showroom which must be fitted out to the exemplary standards by which Rolex expect all of their timepieces to be sold. Only when all three parts of the equation are complete can we be rewarded with the Service Centre Plaque and given this Service Centre Status. It’s a real privilege to represent the brand outside of Rolex and be able to carry out any interventions to the same standard as the brand itself, offering DMR clients the same service guarantee.
Where did your passion for watchmaking come from?
Well I have an engineering background and grew up surrounded by Meccano and Lego as I guess many people my age will have! Being able to build something from nothing and see how things work, change things to make them work better and more efficiently. These toys of the 70s and 80s gave me the ability to problem solve and develop a passion for engineering. Watchmaking is simply engineering on a minute scale; it seemed a natural progression as all the skills I had learned in play are now being put in to practice. You do have to be a certain type of person to be a watchmaker and it’s not for everybody. However, if you’re looking for a taxing, interesting, sometimes frustrating, but a very rewarding job, then it could be for you.
How did your career lead you to DMR?
Purely by chance, really. I made the decision to leave Rolex due to personal reasons which brought me back to Manchester. The day after handing in my notice, I was called into the office and asked if I lived near Altrincham as there was a new watchmaking position being made at DMR. I remained at Rolex, had two interviews DMR’s Head Office and was given the position for a job at St Ann’s Square, Manchester where I have worked for the last 17 and a half years!
What should a person look for in a watchmaker to service your watch?
The watchmaker should be accredited and have proof of their accreditation from the watch brands that they are able to service. It’s always good to meet the watchmaker and ask any questions you may have. However, isn’t always possible. In those cases, good Sales Ambassadors are on hand to advise you correctly. Genuine parts should always be fitted, never alternatives! Accredited watchmakers are able to order specific brand parts or materials and have the correct tooling for the work to be undertaken in an up-to-date workshop to meet the required high standards. At DMR, we have a strong partnership with many of the finest brands giving clients the peace of mind that the work we carry out is approved by them.
What is the most common mistake an owner can make when it comes to servicing their watch?
The most common mistake an owner can make when servicing their watch is taking it to somebody who is not accredited or not a service centre for a specific brand, in order to save money. Such jobs don’t have the brand guarantee and many worn parts or damaged parts may not be replaced with genuine parts as they can’t be obtained. A watch service is expensive, so it’s important that it is completed using only the correct branded parts and by a person who can offer a full guarantee as issued by that brand, proving that their work again meets the required standards expected that brand.
How often would you recommend customers service their watch?
Service times vary from brand to brand and with the age of your watch. However, a good rule of thumb is three to five years, depending on the watch having any issues or problems. The latest generation of watches have service intervals of between seven and ten years, which is very impressive, considering your car has to be serviced every year!
What is your favourite watch and/or movement to service and why?
My personal favourite is the Rolex Submariner, an iconic watch created in 1953, 67 years ago! The watch was waterproof to a depth of 100m and was followed by a dated Submariner in 1969. Just ten years later the waterproofness of the Submariner was increased to 300m, well beyond the depth of normal diving. Advances in technology and materials made all this possible and are still as popular today as they originally were.
David M Robinson Manchester, St Ann's Square, Manchester, M2 7JB
e: manchester@davidmrobinson.co.uk
t: 0161 834 0217
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