This week in our workshop we have received a Rado 193.0324.3 for glass (crystal) replacement. This is an all ceramic watch under the Rado "Ceramica" family.

This is a popular model and has the unique feature of bearing the analog and digital time, therefore also sometimes referred to as a Rado Ana-Digi watch.

It is fortunate in this case that damage is mainly external, and there is no passageway for dust/water penetration into the movement. It is always advisable that if any damage has taken place to the casing/glass of a Rado watch this is repair as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the watch.

As a Rado certified service centre we are able to carry out these repairs in our London based workshop. If your watch has a similar problem, please contact us for a quote.

For years, Swatch has been the go-to brand for unique and unconventional timepieces. Here Babla’s Jewellers uncovers the history of Swatch.

Swiss-made watches have always had a reputation for excellence. Up until the 1980s, a Swiss watch was the archetypal timepiece — classic, traditional and painstakingly crafted. They were the prized possessions of many and often passed down through the generations.

However, while Switzerland was busy pouring over their signature timepieces, Asia was hard at work creating quartz watches that were both accurate and, above all, cheap to buy. This had a knock-on effect on the Swiss watchmakers and the industry more widely. Switzerland’s market share was reduced by more than 35%, while 65,000 jobs were lost.

The Swiss watchmaking industry was in turmoil — it had to change in order to survive. That’s when, in the 1980s, Nicholas G. Hayek recognised what was missing — personality. Believing that you shouldn’t have to stop at owning just one watch, he developed the idea of a ‘second watch’.

Unlike the classical timepieces of yonder, the watch was designed to convey a person’s individual style. In short, it was intend to be a talking point that triggered an emotion with both the wearer and onlookers — Swatch was born.

Only the beginning…

The 1.98mm Delirum Tremens was recognised as the thinnest watch in the world at the time. Developed by a group of engineers in Fontainemelon, this incredible feat was achieved by revolutionising the overall design of the watch. The typical three-part design of a bottom plate, case and frame was erad

Whether it’s a gift or a family heirloom, watches can carry a thousand sentiments. As treasured items, we hold them dear to our hearts. Unfortunately, the years aren’t always kind to our timepieces.

From seized buttons to a flat battery, the good news is that many common watch problems can be resolved using our expertise. Take a look at our watch troubleshooting guide to diagnose your problem and discover how our instore or postal repair service can assist you:

“My battery watch has stopped ticking”

There’s nothing more annoying that glancing at your watch only to find that it has stopped. However, rather than let your timepiece linger unused in a drawer, it can usually be easily repaired.

In most cases, your watch will stop when battery replacement is required. The average life of a battery is around two years, although some have an extended life of three or more years. Depending on the type of watch you have, this is usually a straightforward problem to rectify — all you’ll need is a replacement battery along with a pressure test if your watch is water resistant.

Trying to replace the battery yourself can damage the internal mechanism if sufficient care is not taken. To avoid causing unnecessary damage, you should always seek a watch repair specialist to change the battery and ensure the watch is still water resistant.

 “My second hand is skipping”

Another common problem is the second hand skipping several seconds. While this may seem like a major issue to the untrained eye, it is actually your watch telling you that the life of your battery is coming to an end. This is usually a feature of high-end watches with elect

The rumour mill is in full swing, with many tech fans speculating that the new Apple Watch will be with us as early as March 2016. While this remains unconfirmed by the brand itself, it hasn’t stopped us from wondering what the Apple Watch 2 will bring.

Here’s what Babla’s Jewellers would like to see on the new Apple Watch.

More choice of watch faces

The current Apple Watch comes with a small selection of watch faces to choose from. And, while it’s great to have interchangeable cases and watch straps, we want to make our watch even more personal!

We hope the Apple Watch 2 has a greater choice of watch faces, so we can have a different face for every mood, occasion and outfit.

Improved performance

Quicker performance is on the wish list of every tech fan. While there’s no question about the Apple Watch’s usability, sometimes app performance can let the gadget down. Slow, buggy apps need to go, so we’re hoping to see a faster processor in the new watch.

Better battery life

At present, the Apple Watch lasts around a day on a full charge, although this can vary depending on how much you use the gadget. There’s been too many times when we’ve forgotten to charge the watch on an evening, only for it to go flat midway through the following day. An improved battery life would be a big bonus in the new watch.

There’s a watch to suit every personality, although it can be tough to decide between styles. If you’re wondering “which watch should I buy?”, Babla’s Jewellers has made it easy by creating the following guide. Simply choose the statement that best suits you for some watch buying inspiration:

“I like to keep things simple”

Forget fancy features! Rather than over-complicating things, you prefer to keep things classic. When shopping for a new timepiece, look for a simple yet practical watch with the following features:

The ideal choice:

Skagen Titanium Gents Watch

“I love going to the gym”

Whatever your sport, sweat, bumps and scratches caused by working out can take its toll on the performance of your watch. To avoid having to rebuy in the near future, look out for a watch with the following:

The ideal choice:

Automatic watches are a popular choice, as they require minimal maintenance. Unlike their manual counterparts, watches with an automatic movement do not need to be hand wound if they are worn daily. Instead, the watch gathers energy from the movement of the wearer’s wrist.

The internal mechanism features a rotor, a small metal weight that is connected to the movement. As the wearer moves, the rotor spins, transferring the energy needed to automatically wind the mainspring which stores the energy.

On the whole, automatic watches are incredibly reliable. However, like other types of watch, problems can start to develop over time. One of the most common issues is the watch running fast. Thankfully, Babla’s Jewellers has the answers — read on to learn why your automatic watch is running fast.

Lubricants have become more liquid

It’s a good idea to have your watched serviced every few years to ensure its longevity. In order to keep the mechanism of your watch operating smoothly and keep rust at bay, the watch repair specialist may apply a small amount of synthetic lubricant.

Over time, this lubricant becomes more liquid, so it may spread to other parts of the watch’s mechanism. If it attaches to the watch’s hairspring, the spring could start to stick. Because this spring controls how quickly the wheels of movement turn, it could have a knock-on effect on how quickly the hands move. As a result, your automatic watch may run too fast.

The watch has been dropped

Dropping the watch could cause damage to the hairspring. If this does happen, the hairspring could be knocked out of place, causing a similar problem as mentioned above. The

As the saying goes, fashion works in cycles — what was popular a few decades ago is now back as a bigger trend than ever before. For example, in 2015, we saw the resurrection of the 1990s, with choker necklaces and even inflatable backpacks making a reappearance.

These revivals can filter through into all aspects of fashion, including watches. With a growing demand for retro and vintage-inspired watches, Babla’s Jewellers has chosen our must-have old-but-new watches for 2016. Read on to find out more…

Casio Retro Watches

It’s hard to believe that a watch that costs so little could become such an icon of watchmaking. The Casio F-91W, however, has taken the world by storm since it was launched in 1991. At the time, Casio was creating ‘information device[s] for the wrist’; increasingly complex wristwear featuring everything from calculators to calendars.

The F-91W boasted a stripped back design and it is this simplicity that has seen the design remain unchanged and ever-popular. To this day, the watch still remain popular with young fashion followers and those requiring a simple, dependable timepiece.

Casio Digital Watch F-91W-1YER

Casio G-SHOCK Watches

Not content with having just one entry on our list, Casio unveiled their range

Rado watches are Swiss luxury timepieces which are a statement of quality combined with fashion. Their uniqueness comes with exquisitely designed cases accompanied by a sapphire or mineral glass to match the rest of the watch.

There may be many reasons why a glass replacement/crystal replacement is required on your Rado watch.

Common reasons

1) The Rado glass has received a shock/knock therefore has cracked
2) Your Rado watch glass has become scratched with use over time

If you watch has a crack is very important to replacement the glass as soon as possible as the crack may lead to water ingress which may further damage the watch. It can sometimes be difficult to determine the difference between a crack and a scratch. Our london based workshop experts would be able to determine this important difference for you.

We have the inhouse expertise and equipment to carry out the replacement with original Rado parts as we are an authorised service centre for Rado watch repairs. The watch is pressure tested subsequent to the glass replacement to ensure the water resistance level is maintained.

The cost would vary based on your particular mod

It is unfortunate when the need arises to replace the glass on your Skagen watch. Most high street shops are unable to undertake this repair and would usually have to outsource this to a third party repairer to carry out this work. We are able to carry this in our london based repairs workshop.

The most common reasons for replacing the glass are:

Common reasons

1) The Skagen glass has broken due to the watch being dropped or receiving a shock
2) The crystal has a crack
3) The Skagen glass has become scratched

Scratches cannot usually be removed from a watch glass therefore a replacement would be necessary. Due to the unique shape and design of Skagen watches, we usually recommend that only an original glass replacement is carried out.

At Babla’s we have an official Skagen parts account therefore are able to obtain and fit original Skagen glass replacements for all Skagen Denmark watches.

The process

1) The watch can be brought into store or sent to us by post
2) The watch would be assessed by our expert watchmakers
3) An estimate would be provided by email
4) If the estimate is accepted the glass replacement would be undertaken
5) The work is carried out by our expert watchmakers
6) The watch is returned securely

Our Expertise

Did Santa bring you the same-old socks and unwanted toiletries? Get what you really want in Babla’s Jewellers’ fantastic watch sale. With up to 60% off brands like DKNY, Diesel and Citizen, our sale watches for men, women and children will not disappoint. Here are our favourite sale picks:

Men's

Bulova Marine Star Chronograph Gents Watch

Need a watch that can keep up with your busy lifestyle? The Bulova Marine Star chronograph gents watch is for you. Water resistant to 100 metres, the case is crafted from Bulova’s Duramic material which is light, durable and heat resistant. Combined with a silicone strap, this practical watch is ideal for any action man.

RRP: £229 Babla’s price: £114.50 — saving 50%

View men’s Bulova watches

Gents Citizen Watch

If you appreciate the timeless and the traditional, you’ll need a watch to match. It’s not often that a watch can be labelled timeless, although this gents Citizen watch certainly fits the bill. Boasting a Citizen Eco-Drive movement, the watch is powered by light, so you’ll never be limited by a battery. Complete with its black face and gold