Horological Services

Horological Services is a watch and clock restoration workshop at 146 W Philadelphia Ave in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. The business is run by Mark and Theresa Heist and concentrates on mechanical timepieces that manufacturers no longer support: vintage chronographs, pocket watches, antique wristwatches, aircraft clocks and high grade clocks. Its best known area of work is vintage Breitling chronograph service, an area in which the shop has built an onsite inventory of period spare parts and the machining capability to make components that can no longer be sourced.

The workshop is not a retail counter. Work arrives by appointment, by shipment and by prior arrangement, and each job begins with an examination and a written estimate rather than a flat rate. That structure reflects the kind of repairs the shop takes on, where the condition of a forty, sixty or hundred year old movement is rarely clear until it is apart.

Background

Mark and Theresa Heist began their careers in manufacturer after sales service, first with Ebel Caribbean from 1990 to 1991 and then with Breitling USA from 1991 to 1994. During that period, requests for work on older, out of production watches kept arriving, and the pair started providing specialized vintage service in 1992. In 1994 they moved to full independence and began operating under the name Horological Services.

Mark C. Heist graduated with honors from WOSTEP in Neuchatel, Switzerland, the Swiss watchmaking training program used as a benchmark across the industry. He holds Certified Watchmaker 21 and Certified Clockmaker credentials from the American Watchmakers Clockmakers Institute, and completed three years of dedicated clockmaking training. He belongs to the Central Watchmakers Guild of Pennsylvania, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and AWCI, and has served as an assessor both for a WOSTEP partnership school and for AWCI certification exams, meaning he has been involved in evaluating other watchmakers against those standards.

Theresa Heist is an honors graduate of West Chester University in Speech and Communication with a business administration focus. She manages scheduling, intake and processing of incoming watches, spare parts ordering and customer communication, which is why most correspondence about estimates and status comes through her.

Vintage Breitling Service

The shop handles a large volume of out of production mechanical Breitling timepieces each year, both manual wind and automatic, with the majority dating from before 1976. The scope includes wrist chronographs, stopwatches, aircraft clocks and Montbrillant limited editions that were sold with older movements installed.

Identification is made from the three or four digit reference number stamped on the case back, and the production date of the specific watch is supplied along with the estimate. Because parts for these references are no longer manufactured, the shop keeps a vintage spare parts inventory on hand and fabricates what it cannot find, frequently working to original equipment manufacturer specifications.

Services

• Complete Service (disassembly, clean, oil, adjust): the movement is fully disassembled, cleaned, lubricated and adjusted back to manufacturer specifications. This is the recommended starting point for older and out of production watches, and labor carries a one year warranty.
• Repair: returning a watch to the best possible mechanical condition through repair or replacement of individual components, including fabrication of damaged or missing parts.
• Restoration: mechanical and cosmetic work together, covering case refinishing and replating, fabrication of case rings, dial re-luming and rust removal.
• Laser welding and case repair: an in-house laser welder handles case work, supported by precision turning, boring, drilling and measuring equipment.
• Vintage chronograph, pocket watch and antique watch service: high grade mechanical timepieces beyond Breitling, including other chronograph brands, pocket watches and antique watches. Customers are asked to call or email before sending anything in.
• High grade and aircraft clock service: Atmos clocks, aircraft clocks and balance wheel movements without a pendulum, including French carriage clocks and small desk clocks, handled by a Certified Clockmaker.

Equipment and Capability

Much of what separates this kind of shop from routine battery and bracelet service is the ability to make a part rather than order one. The Boyertown workshop is set up for precision turning, boring, drilling and measuring, with lathes, drills, a jig borer, microscopes and an optical comparator. The optical comparator in particular allows a worn or broken component to be measured against a magnified projected profile so a replacement can be cut to match. The laser welder is used for repairs to watch cases, where filling, rebuilding or reattaching metal without heat damage to surrounding surfaces matters a great deal on a vintage case.

Estimates, Deposits and Policies

Every estimate follows a thorough examination of the timepiece and is itemized by labor plus parts. Estimates are usually expressed as a range rather than a single figure, because additional findings commonly surface once a movement is disassembled. Estimates are delivered by email.

When an estimate is approved, a deposit equal to half of the lower end of the range is requested before work begins. Credit cards are not accepted. Parts are not sold outright to customers or other shops. If an estimate is declined, an administration and return shipping fee applies. Labor is covered by a one year warranty.

For anyone considering sending in a watch or clock, the practical first step is contact. Calling (610) 367-7337 or writing ahead allows the shop to confirm whether the piece falls within its scope, explain how to pack and ship it safely, and set expectations on turnaround before anything is mailed.

Location and Service Area

The shop sits on West Philadelphia Avenue in Boyertown, in eastern Berks County, within reach of Pottstown, Gilbertsville, Bechtelsville, Barto, Bally and the surrounding boroughs, and a reasonable drive from Reading, Allentown and the northern Montgomery County communities. Because of the narrow specialization, a significant share of the work arrives by mail from collectors and owners well outside the region who are looking for someone who still services these calibers.

Who It Suits

Horological Services is oriented toward owners of mechanical watches and clocks that have aged out of factory support: an inherited chronograph that stopped running, a pocket watch with a broken staff, an Atmos clock that no longer winds itself, a cockpit clock pulled from an aircraft, or a pre 1976 Breitling that needs a full overhaul. The emphasis throughout is on documented condition, correct parts or correctly made parts, and work performed to the standards represented by the WOSTEP and AWCI credentials the shop holds.