Bestfix Watch FIRSTS

"Why should I send my watch to your company when there are so many other internet repair sites that claim to offer the same type of service as BestFix Watch?" 

There is a reason they look and act like us . . .

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.  However, imitation could spell DISASTER for your watch! 

Perhaps you should ask yourself, "Do I want to send my watch to the LEADER in on-line watch repair?

Mark Cuban, billionaire Internet entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is famous for saying, "There are three types of business entreprenuers: INNOVATORS, IMITATORS and IDIOTS." 

Who do YOU want repairing your valuable watch?

BestFix Watch is proud to be THE FIRST on-line watch repair company to offer our customers the following:

FIRST to offer an unheard of 3-year limited warranty on complete service work performed on modern, mechanical Breitling & Omega watches, and complete service plus performed on Seiko Kinetic watches!  You will NOT find ANYONE offering a three-year repair warranty.

FIRST to receive accreditation from the Watchmaker Consumer Protection Alliance, verifying that its business model meets or exceeds rigorous criteria for business legitimacy.

FIRST to post PROOF of our Witschi/Swiss diagnostic equipment's calibration certificate, insuring the accuracy of our testing!

FIRST to post proof of our facility's clean room air-qaulity certificate, demonstrating an enviroment that can exceed industry MERV 16 standards for CLEAN ROOMs - where your repaired watch undergoes critcal re-assembly, lubrication and final controls such as timing and pressure testing.  At BestFix we utilize an award-winning SWISS purification system, made in Switzerland by IQAir - the same supplier of air purification systems to Swiss watch manufacturers.



FIRST to become a McAfee SECURE website.

FIRST to earn and display the BBB on-line reliability seal.

FIRST to become BBB accredited.

FIRST to become listed with the Jeweler's Board of Trade.

FIRST to become a member of the Jeweler's Security Alliance.

FIRST to become secure-server hosted.

FIRST to offer our customers rapid, on-line estimates.

FIRST to host a secure service cart for repair payment.

FIRST to provide a toll-free number answered only by a watchmaker and not a receptionist.

FIRST to accept American Express and Paypal as on-line forms of secure payment.

FIRST to post all of the terms of our limited warranty.

FIRST to offer links to on-line manufacturer owner's manuals.

FIRST to offer a secure website dedicated exclusively to customer's watch repair questions.

FIRST to offer three levels of Seiko Kinetic Service.

FIRST to post proof on our shop's insurance policy.

FIRST to post proof of our site's internet copyright.

FIRST to post proof of our watchmaker's current, professional continuing education certificates.

FIRST to post pictures of every aspect of the watch repair process and our equipment.

FIRST to offer our customers proof of the pressure testing and water resistance of your watch.

FIRST to offer real, former customers contact information so you can actually reference-check the quality of our work.

FIRST to alert our customers to the exclusive use of our casemark inside your watch, which can aid in the recovery of your watch if it is lost or stolen.

FIRST to provide a dedicated warranty assistance program for customers who need post-repair work on their watch.

FIRST to post detailed explanations of the wear patterns inside an automatic, mechanical watch, so you are less likely to be ripped off by an inferior repair of your valued time piece.

FIRST to earn TRUSTe accreditation insuring your PRIVACY when you purchase service from us!

No other internet-based watch repair company can make these claims.  BfW LEADS.  The rest merely follow.

With so many FIRSTS, shouldn't you make BestFix Watch the FIRST place you send your watch for service? 

Why TRUST Bestfix? 

The biggest reason to trust us is now our official service center accreditation by the Watchmaker Consumer Protection Alliance.

If you are shopping for a place to repair or service your watch, consider utilizing this list of ten (10) indicators of business legitimacy. 

1. BBB Accreditation &/or Complaints History

2. SSL Hosting, Website Security & Privacy Assurance

3. Modern, Current Watchmaker Education & Training

4. Active Participation in Trade Associations & Clubs

5. Use of Modern, SWISS (expensive) Tools & Equipment

6. Toll-free, Dedicated BUSINESS Phone Number

7. Real, Former Customer Testimonials

8. Valid, LEGAL Business Copyright & Trademarks

9. Verifiable Merchant Accounts & Warranty Information

10. Insurance & Physical Safety Measures


Any business lacking in one or more of the above is a RISK for your watch. 

Do not patronize business which do not meet ALL of these simple, common-sense, business standards. 

1.  Is the company a BBB Accredited Business, AND do they adhere to the stringent BBB Code of Business Practices & Accreditation Standards?

BfW Co, Inc. has THE highest level "A+" rating from the BBB.  The vast majority of watch repair shops are NOT recognized and/or accredited through the BBB.  Some choose not to be, but you have to ask yourself WHY they choose not to be affiliated with a CONSUMER-oriented agency like the BBB.  Membership in the BBB is voluntary, expensive, and business candidates must pass a stringent membership requirement test of legitimacy involving several years of satisfactory service - in the eyes of customers - prior to being admitted, and then maintain this satisfactory rating through appropriate responses to valid customer complaints and concerns. 

Many of the small, internet watch repair sites are nothing more than sole-proprietorships with no official, legal form of business authority.  They may not pay federal, state, local or sales tax.  Here today, gone tomorrow.  If you were one of their customers, where does that leave you and your watch if you need follow-up service? 

BfW is an incorporated business in the State of Texas, and is listed with the Jeweler's Board of Trade, the largest and most credible credit reporting agency for the Jewelry Industry in the world.

The consumer is WARNED to FULLY check out the company's record with the BBB, as some of these "A-rated" companies may have numerous complaints filed against them in a 36 month reporting period (or 'resolved' complaints which do NOT indicate the customer was truly 'satisfied').  More than 2-3 complaints in a three-year period should be a RED FLAG!  Concerned?  You should be.  Click on the 'HELP' icon below for info on who to AVOID sending your watch to:

2.  Is the website "safe" from hackers?  Is every page of the website that involves the transmission of sensitive customer information secure-server hosted (https), utilizing a corporate, high-assurance SSL for the electronic transmission of ANY personal or credit-card information, and is the privacy of your personal information protected?  

A corporate, high-assurance Secure Site License (SSL) for a web site requires that the business be licensed to practice in a particular county (actual physical and verifiable location) and that the company has filed the appropriate legal documents to do business.  This is verified by the SSL issuer.  It takes time, money and legitimacy to do this.  If the web site is not an "https" type, it is NOT a secure site, and any information you send the company is subject to identity theft!  At BfW, both our "Ask the Watchmaker" inquiry form and our shopping cart are independently secure server licensed for your privacy and protection, are certified by McAfee Secure to be "hacker safe," AND are independently audited by TRUSTe for your privacy protection.  Our company has also been audited by an independent, third-party privacy verification service, 'Truste' to insure that your private information is kept PRIVATE. 

The next time you are on the competitor's site and are considering the submission of any personal information, check the URL address window to see if you are on a secure web page, denoted by an "https" prefix.  We bet you will be surprised.  If the business does not have any internet security, OR A PRIVACY POLICY that has been independently certified by a third-party audit, what do you suppose could happen to you personal and/or financial information? 

Feel free to think.

3.  Are the watchmakers educated, experienced, trained &/or certified? 

At BestFix your watch will be repaired by perfectionists with practical experience, highly-specialized education, certification and modern, verified, up-to-date training.  All repairs are performed utilizing only modern, state-of-the-art tools.  We ONLY utilize Swiss parts on Swiss watches.  

You should know that BfW Co., Inc. does not employ, in any capacity, unskilled, foreign labor (legal or otherwise) from either third world or developing countries in any aspect of our business operations.  Only our professional watchmakers, and no one else, are involved in the unpackaging, assessment, diagnosis, repair, quality control testing, and shipping of your watch. 

It would be almost impossible for any large repair facility such as the manufacturer's service center, where you may also send your watch for after-sales or warranty service, to make this claim.  

Why should you be concerned?  70% of the watches we service are the result of improper repair attempts from unethical 'watchmakers' and/or unskilled, low paid, foreign labor working at a mall, jewelry store, over crowded/high volume service center, or 'fix-it-fast' place.  Taking your watch to one of these 'hack havens' could easily result in your 'future' repair cost sky rocketing.   Why risk having it done wrong, when a professional watchmaker's individualized attention can do it right?

J.W. Safranek, MS, CMH

BfW's owner, JOHN W. SAFRANEK, is one of the few watchmakers in the world who possesses both a bachelor's and not one, but two master's degrees.  Mr. Safranek began learning watchmaking the old-fashioned way, through a combination of self-guided training and study, and apprentice training with a retired jeweler and watchmaker.  He also attended the National Horological Institute, earning certificates of course completion as a 'Journeyman Horologist' and 'Certified Master Horologist' (CMH).

Recognizing that further training was necessary to learn updated and current techniques to properly service modern watches, and to keep pace with Industry changes in watchmaking, Mr. Safranek became a member of the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI), and enrolled in continuing-education courses at AWCI's Academy of Watchmaking in Harrison, Ohio.  In 2009 Mr. Safranek successfully completed all the educational preparatory courses offered by the AWCI Academy of Watchmaking in preparation for the Certified Watchmaker 21st Century (CW21) certification examination.

Mr. Safranek keeps current in industry best practices by regularly attending caliber-specific training courses at ETA in Switzerland, and annual bench courses from the Chronometer Club.  His latest refresher training was in December of 2010 at ETA in Switzerland (below).

Each continuing education course below represents a financial commitment of several thousand dollars on the part of our watchmaker to develop and maintain proficiency, and to have his skills routinely scrutinized by industry/professional instructors.  This also helps to insure that your watch is properly and economically repaired.

1. Lathe 1 Micro-mechanical
2. Basic Watch Repair (servicing & adjusting)
3. Precision Timing
4. Basic Quartz & Quartz Chronograph
5. Escapement Oiling & Lubrication in General
6. Modern Mechanical Chronographs (servicing & adjusting) 
7. ETA Products (ETA Cals. 2094, 2894-2, 2896, 2897, 7750 & 7751)
8. Swiss Lever Escapement (Rolex Training on Cal. 1575)
9. Balance Staffing & Timing
10. Modern Automatic Watches

Mr. Safranek has been very professionally active in the US Watchmaking Industry.  He is a former elected member of the AWCI Board of Directors, and a current professional business member of The National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC), an exciting and emerging, premier association for both professional horologists and collectors.  His previous professional work with AWCI included service on four  committees within the Institute - Education Development, Ethics Enforcement, Finance and Strategic Action committees.  In addition to his past attendance at the annual AWCI national conventions and educational symposiums, Mr. Safranek has also authored many professional articles in trade publications (such as this technical watchmaking article which appeared in AWCI's Horological Times entitled 'Servicing Modern Automatic Watches').  Mr. Safranek currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of 'The Communicator,' the official newsletter of The Chronometer Club (a technical publication dedicated to enhancing the level of craftsmanship and elevating quality standards in watchmaking).

Membership alone, apart from the other issues, is NOT enough.  ANYONE can become a "paper" member of these organizations.  Is the watchmaker a dues-paying member?  Call the association they claim to belong to and ask to verify this.  Membership is both a gateway and a catalyst to professional evolution in watchmaking, but only if the individual makes an attempt to become involved in the associations and its various meetings, seminars and trainings. 

Many of our competitors' internet watch repair sites post BOGUS 'seals,' such as those from "Top-1000-Watch" marketing search engines, in an effort to gain your confidence.  BEWARE of these sites.  They may reflect marketing traffic to and from the site, buy typically are utilized to 'con' you into trusting them.  All of the 'seals' you can view on our home page are legitimate, 100% evidence of legitimate involvement in internet commerce and watch repair.

5.  Are there photos on the web site of the watchmaker in the actual facility utilizing correct, specialized equipment, parts & tools?

Our website pages have numerous photos, taken in the facility, of the staff working with genuine parts, correct tools and modern equipment.  You should know that some individuals repairing watches are NOT utilizing proper techniques and/or lubricants even when they claim to be.

At BestFix we only utilize the manufacture's required SWISS oils and/or grease.  These synthetic and natural lubricants are expensive, and their application elaborate - with some watch movements requiring no less than four or five different types of lubrication - within a single mechanical movement. 

WE DO NOT USE SOLO LUBE - a final-stage lubricant/rinse solution used by some watchmakers to take the place of proper disassembly and lubrication! 

We follow the correct manufacturer technical guides for disassembly and reassembly.  Some competitors are NOT truly disassembling your watch.  They simply clean your movement without disassembly, and/or spray on a one-shot cleaner/lubricant, then "blow out" the residual with compressed air.  That's right, they are not truly cleaning your watch movement, nor are they hand-applying ANY of the correct lubricant(s).  And they hope you don't ever find out about this "time-and-money-saving" trick of the trade.  ASK them, when you call to inquire, about HOW your watch is being repaired.  

All watches requiring complete service are inspected, pre-cleaned inspected again, totally disassembled, cleaned in the proper sequence of ultrasonic solutions and properly dried.  The watch is then inspected again, reassembled and lubricated, run 24 hours, PRECISION ADJUSTED*, timed/regulated, power-reserve tested, pressure tested, inspected for final control, and finally warrantied.  

Watch case and bracelet parts are ultrasonically and steam cleaned, disassembled, cleaned again, polished and/or refinished (if this service is possible/requested), cleaned again, and then reassembled with the use of new gaskets and/or bracelet/band pins, if necessary.

The above is how a watch is properly serviced.

*Precision Adjustment is the regulation of the watch's timing accuracy with respect to positions of the watch (its orientation with respect to gravity) over variables such as time and temperature.

BestFix uses the correct, factory-recommended movement holders to insure the job is done properly, and the correct tools for installing hands.  If your watch has come back from a competitor, look at the watch hands near the center with a 5X magnifier.  See those tiny scratches near the center?  Those are from the metal tweezers that were used to reinstall your hands!  Most of the watches we receive for work, that have been worked on by others, have scratches on the hand centers.

Sending in your quartz watch for a "tune-up" (translation "battery replacement")?  Watch batteries (AND CAPACITORS) may actually have insufficient voltage, because they are too OLD.  We stopped utilizing one supplier because it was sending us "old stock" batteries, batteries that would run a watch, but would not provide our customers with the best VALUE. In addition, it does no good install a new battery in a watch with a dirty gear train, as the increased friction will quickly sap the battery of its energy, ahead of the quartz watch's true power reserve. 

How do you know the battery being put in your watch is "new?"

The only way to know this is to TEST the battery with appropriate equipment - a normal voltmeter will NOT do this.  The voltage must be measured when the battery is "new," and a test LOAD is applied, to simulate the load that the watch movement will place on the battery.  At BestFix we only utilize batteries with verified 'freshness' dates (not older than one year old from date of production) and Witschi Swiss test equipment designed to tell us if the power cell we are installing in your watch will respond appropriately to a load test.  This same equipment is capable of testing your quartz watch's average and basic consumption, the resistance of the coil(s), the end-of-life operation, and the lower-working-limit.  All of these tests are critical to insuring that a quartz watch is functioning properly.  Our quartz watch testing equipment is current, state-of-the-art SWISS technology, found only in the best-equipped watchmaking service centers.