'Bodgit-Korner'

This page is where we illustrate the work of the 'Bodge-It-Kidz'.
These are the 'guys' (and even 'gals') who are a friend of a friend of a mate met in a pub.
The 'Bodge-It-Kidz' are the folks who spend their nights and weekends tinkering with odd bits of mechanical 'stuff', ..or who are 'a bit crafty' and 'good with their hands', ..who enjoy a good tinker with the odd clock or two; ....and invariably they are the ones who know better than all the skilled and qualified professionals and can therefore "..save you Loads of Money".
We've all met them, but we don't all let them get their hands on our clocks, ... or (heaven forbid) anything else of any value such as the Omega and Rolex watches on view here.

You have probably met one or two before, many are actually well-meaning hobbyists that allow their enthusiasm to carry them into areas beyond their abilities and knowledge;... but there are the others who take great delight, whether it be at work; in the pub; or at the sports park; in telling anyone within earshot how it is that all professionally based fees are just an excuse to rip-off the public. They even have the brass-neck and arrogance to 'bodge' the repair and then, before you can even begin to think that it might have been them who has done so, inform you that "it's the best that can be done Mate coz some cowboy's been messing about with it before you gave it to me"(or some other twaddle to cover up their incompetence)

Well, we believe the pictures here speak volumes about the truth of the matter.
So .. enjoy ... and please heed the warning. If you don't want to incur hefty bills in having to 'undo' the Bodgers work, or see hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds stripped off the value of your possessions, then please always pay for the attentions of a professional horologist. As the old TV-ad used to say "... you know it makes sense!"

As an alternative to seeing how the 'Bodge-It-Kidz' do things you might like to take a look at our 'What We Do' page.

Clocks:

Watches:

other

Here's one then to get us started, ... this was not one of 'ours' and was sent to us at some time. We can't actually remember where this one came from ... so if you recognise it do let us know. Especially if it is your own handiwork and you want to take the credit for this masterful Bodge!

This is a typical 19th century 30 hours longcase clock movement.
Just what was wrong with the movement initially is a mystery, probably just 'old-age' and needed a touch of T.L.C. (...'Tender Loving Care'...). But, as you can see, after the Bodger got their hands on it it had degenerated into a 'Basket Case'.
Note the artful use of the woodscrew (because he/she didn't even have the basic equipment to fit a proper machined item). Also of special notice should be the prolific use of a centre punch to stretch (i.e force) the brass to close up around the worn pivot holes (rather than remake the hole using professional bushing methods).
The massive blobs of lead solder, which are attempting to join two bits of metal together, are also truly awe-inspiring, (or should that be gob-smacking?) This bodge probably took him/her two or three attempts and may even have taken longer than the 45 minutes or so it would have taken to remake the strike arm component properly.

Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return

Return to Index

Many people aspire to own a genuine Rolex.
One of the most desirable of the classic Rolex watches is the Oyster Perpetual Air-King Model. Even more desirable is the Oyster Perpetual Air-King-Date model.
It is one of the world's best watches, rugged and reliable, their movements are a joy to work on, and are beautifully engineered.
Rolex may appear to be overpriced to some, but there's no escaping that if you own a Rolex you own a superior timepiece; and if you are fortunate to own an Air-King-Date you have a watch which, with regular servicing, will outlive you and your future generations.

So why, you might ask, would someone who had fulfilled their dream, then allow theirs to be treated in such a way that it leaves it rusty and on the point of terminal failure?

We purchased this at auction where we heard it's story from the original owner who had attended the sale almost as a way of saying 'goodbye' to his once proudly owned possession.
The owner sent it to auction simply because he could not afford the service charge to correct all the problems that had occured since he had let it be 'cleaned' by his 'mate from the the pub'.
As hard as it may seem to be believed, this hapless owner had trusted his 'mate' when he had told him that "... you don't need to pay to have it cleaned at a watchmakers, I'll do that for you at home."

This Bodger had convinced himself (and the gullible owner) that because "everyone knows that Rolex watches are waterproof" then it was perfectly safe and acceptable to wash them clean. (Yes ... really!)
Unfortunately for the gullible owner the Bodger knew enough to realise that he had to unscrew the crown otherwise the washing machine's water wouldn't be able to get inside the case. Sadly though, that was the extent of this buffoon's knowledge.
Yes, he did put it through the wool-setting of the family washing machine.

It had but taken him a minute or so to put it inside a wool sock and consign it to the washing machine. But it then took him weeks in his attempts to get the water to drain back out of the case. It eventually dried out sufficiently (through evaporation) once he placed it atop the central heating boiler.
He apparently also convinced the 'far-too-trusting' owner that such was the reason it took weeks to get your watch back from the 'menders', ...i.e. because they were "drying out" the movement.
The hapless owner stayed loyal to his chum (or, depending upon your point of view, just stayed incredibly stupid) and wore the watch (which apparently still kept reasonable time thanks to the quality of Rolex) for some weeks; ...even following the instruction to "keep the button unscrewed to help the mechanics dry out.."
When it eventually stopped completely the owner consigned it to a drawer, where the rust continued to grow.

Eventually, after it had been allowed to fester in the drawer for some time the owner decided to get a professional estimate for the repair. He simply couldn't afford the now not inconsiderable repair charges, and sent it along to the auction; ...where we bought it in for restoration.
At times, being a Horologist is akin to running a cat and dog home for waifs and strays; ...we end up wanting to save them all, especially the ones that have suffered because of the owners crass stupidity.

We have now embarked upon a mammoth rebuild to restore this classic watch to it's former glory.
This first image shows the rust that had begun to encrust the movement and had already stalled the mainspring barrel between its plates.

Note: it is a testament to the build quality of Rolex that the mainspring had remained undamaged throughout it all. The barrel had remained completely watertight and the spring was still lubricated within the barrel when we opened it up.
This demonstrates the extremely close tolerances that Rolex build to and also explains why they are somewhat more expensive to purchase initially; and why they remain highly prized throughout their extended lifetime of service. It is doubtful whether any other brand of watch would survive this type of treatment and still be capable of being fully restored to it's former glory.
Like most things in life you generally get what you pay for, and with Rolex you are clearly buying quality manufacture.
In this case the owner, having bought a quality item, let his friendship for his 'drinking buddy' and a shortsighted desire to save a few tens of pounds on professional servicing, effectively cost him almost �1000; ...(being the difference between what he had paid for the watch and what it was worth by the time it came to us).

The watch incidentally is presently (July 2006) undergoing a complete restoration, and will be seeking a new home soon. This highly desirable and collectable watch is offered in its fully restored condition at �1350. If you are interested in this one-of-a-kind watch, with a truly unique story to go along with it, then email our sales department by clicking here

Looking to buy a fully-serviced and guaranteed classic Rolex? ... click here

Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return

Return to Index

Here's another from the folks who know better than the professionals.
This is a highly prized and collectable Omega Speedmaster Chronograph. Another of those aspirational watches that many men would like to own.
This own was owned by a member of what we used to call 'North of the Border' in Scotland the "fur coat and nae knickers brigade". (i.e. lots of show but no real foundations). This chap had bought this collectable Omega more for it's 'bling' factor than because he appreciated the quality of the mechanism. He then found that he couldn't afford to maintain it properly. Allegedly he was a member of that group which simply 'knows' that all professional watchmakers are filthy rich (we all wish!) and that they therefore got that way by overcharging (again ... chance would be a fine thing... there's hardly a watchmaker anywhere in the World who charges the BWCMG suggested rates...and that's a fact!).
This fellow then, in an effort to save money by not being (sic) 'ripped-off' by the specialist horologist, took his �1000 watch to one of the stalls at the local market which advertised low-cost watch repairs.
The stallholder 'Bodger' assured him that new seals would be fitted at the same time as the service was carried out.
After he got the watch back the owner couldn't quite understand why the cuffs of his shirts were being coated in this black tar-like substance. Eventually, after a few weeks the pushers for the chrongraph functions started sticking, the timekeeping became erratic, and one of the hands fell off. He decided to take it back to the Market Trader, but (perhaps not so suprisingly) the original Trader wasn't there anymore.
So, having paid once, (albeit for a 'Bodge') he now faced another repair fee which he refused to accept; ...(because he was not just 'tight-a*sed' when it came to money, ...but he had also been issued with his brains from the shallow end of the Gene Pool).

Like the Rolex above it eventually made it's way to our benches, and we could hardly believe our eyes when we opened the caseback.
The reason for the dirty and 'tarry' shirt cuffs became obvious. No matter how delicately we handled the watch, just touching the case had our hands covered in what looked like a cross between builders 'mastic' and thick 'printers ink'.
The Bodger had removed the original seal from the caseback, and because he knew better than the original manufacturers and thousands of professional horologists, (and because he was another lazy Bodger who didn't know that seals are easily available within the trade) he had proceeded to fill the groove that holds the seal with his patent 'gunge'. It was that which, leaking profusely, was causing the blackened fingers and shirt cuffs.
Our picture shows our Director's hands as he picked up the watch to examine it. It shows the mess that the inky-mastic caused. Unfortunately, it doesn't show how the tar-like substance had penetrated the movement and the pushers; ... it doesn't show that this was actually after the initial 10 minutes of cleaning with cotton-buds and 'Carbon Tetra Chloride' (CTC), ...and no picture can show how it took more than an hour in our ultrasonic cleaner to remove all traces of this 'goo' from the case, plus another 15 hours cleaning the movement. (Watch cases and bracelets normally spend no more than about 7 minutes in the ultrasonic in order to remove even the most stubborn of grime.)

Looking to buy a fully-serviced and guaranteed classic Omega? ... click here

Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return

Return to Index

OTHER

Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return

Return to Index

KlokWurX^tm the UK's premier Watch, Clock and Jewellery Services	'Bodgit-Korner' This page is where we illustrate the work of the 'Bodge-It-Kidz'. These are the 'guys' (and even 'gals') who are a friend of a friend of a mate met in a pub. The 'Bodge-It-Kidz' are the folks who spend their nights and weekends tinkering with odd bits of mechanical 'stuff', ..or who are 'a bit crafty' and 'good with their hands', ..who enjoy a good tinker with the odd clock or two; ....and invariably they are the ones who know better than all the skilled and qualified professionals and can therefore "..save you Loads of Money". We've all met them, but we don't all let them get their hands on our clocks, ... or (heaven forbid) anything else of any value such as the Omega and Rolex watches on view here. You have probably met one or two before, many are actually well-meaning hobbyists that allow their enthusiasm to carry them into areas beyond their abilities and knowledge;... but there are the others who take great delight, whether it be at work; in the pub; or at the sports park; in telling anyone within earshot how it is that all professionally based fees are just an excuse to rip-off the public. They even have the brass-neck and arrogance to 'bodge' the repair and then, before you can even begin to think that it might have been them who has done so, inform you that "it's the best that can be done Mate coz some cowboy's been messing about with it before you gave it to me"(or some other twaddle to cover up their incompetence) Well, we believe the pictures here speak volumes about the truth of the matter. So .. enjoy ... and please heed the warning. If you don't want to incur hefty bills in having to 'undo' the Bodgers work, or see hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds stripped off the value of your possessions, then please always pay for the attentions of a professional horologist. As the old TV-ad used to say "... you know it makes sense!" As an alternative to seeing how the 'Bodge-It-Kidz' do things you might like to take a look at our 'What We Do' page. Clocks: Watches: other Here's one then to get us started, ... this was not one of 'ours' and was sent to us at some time. We can't actually remember where this one came from ... so if you recognise it do let us know. Especially if it is your own handiwork and you want to take the credit for this masterful Bodge! This is a typical 19th century 30 hours longcase clock movement. Just what was wrong with the movement initially is a mystery, probably just 'old-age' and needed a touch of T.L.C. (...'Tender Loving Care'...). But, as you can see, after the Bodger got their hands on it it had degenerated into a 'Basket Case'. Note the artful use of the woodscrew (because he/she didn't even have the basic equipment to fit a proper machined item). Also of special notice should be the prolific use of a centre punch to stretch (i.e force) the brass to close up around the worn pivot holes (rather than remake the hole using professional bushing methods). The massive blobs of lead solder, which are attempting to join two bits of metal together, are also truly awe-inspiring, (or should that be gob-smacking?) This bodge probably took him/her two or three attempts and may even have taken longer than the 45 minutes or so it would have taken to remake the strike arm component properly. Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return Return to Index Many people aspire to own a genuine Rolex. One of the most desirable of the classic Rolex watches is the Oyster Perpetual Air-King Model. Even more desirable is the Oyster Perpetual Air-King-Date model. It is one of the world's best watches, rugged and reliable, their movements are a joy to work on, and are beautifully engineered. Rolex may appear to be overpriced to some, but there's no escaping that if you own a Rolex you own a superior timepiece; and if you are fortunate to own an Air-King-Date you have a watch which, with regular servicing, will outlive you and your future generations. So why, you might ask, would someone who had fulfilled their dream, then allow theirs to be treated in such a way that it leaves it rusty and on the point of terminal failure? We purchased this at auction where we heard it's story from the original owner who had attended the sale almost as a way of saying 'goodbye' to his once proudly owned possession. The owner sent it to auction simply because he could not afford the service charge to correct all the problems that had occured since he had let it be 'cleaned' by his 'mate from the the pub'. As hard as it may seem to be believed, this hapless owner had trusted his 'mate' when he had told him that "... you don't need to pay to have it cleaned at a watchmakers, I'll do that for you at home." This Bodger had convinced himself (and the gullible owner) that because "everyone knows that Rolex watches are waterproof" then it was perfectly safe and acceptable to wash them clean. (Yes ... really!) Unfortunately for the gullible owner the Bodger knew enough to realise that he had to unscrew the crown otherwise the washing machine's water wouldn't be able to get inside the case. Sadly though, that was the extent of this buffoon's knowledge. *Yes, he did put it through the wool-setting of the family washing machine. It had but taken him a minute or so to put it inside a wool sock and consign it to the washing machine. But it then took him weeks in his attempts to get the water to drain back out of the case. It eventually dried out sufficiently (through evaporation)* once he placed it atop the central heating boiler. He apparently also convinced the 'far-too-trusting' owner that such was the reason it took weeks to get your watch back from the 'menders', ...i.e. because they were "drying out" the movement. The hapless owner stayed loyal to his chum (or, depending upon your point of view, just stayed incredibly stupid) and wore the watch (which apparently still kept reasonable time thanks to the quality of Rolex) for some weeks; ...even following the instruction to "keep the button unscrewed to help the mechanics dry out.." When it eventually stopped completely the owner consigned it to a drawer, where the rust continued to grow. Eventually, after it had been allowed to fester in the drawer for some time the owner decided to get a professional estimate for the repair. He simply couldn't afford the now not inconsiderable repair charges, and sent it along to the auction; ...where we bought it in for restoration. At times, being a Horologist is akin to running a cat and dog home for waifs and strays; ...we end up wanting to save them all, especially the ones that have suffered because of the owners crass stupidity. We have now embarked upon a mammoth rebuild to restore this classic watch to it's former glory. This first image shows the rust that had begun to encrust the movement and had already stalled the mainspring barrel between its plates. *Note: it is a testament to the build quality of Rolex that the mainspring had remained undamaged throughout it all. The barrel had remained completely watertight and the spring was still lubricated within the barrel when we opened it up. This demonstrates the extremely close tolerances that Rolex build to and also explains why they are somewhat more expensive to purchase initially; and why they remain highly prized throughout their extended lifetime of service. It is doubtful whether any other brand of watch would survive this type of treatment and still be capable of being fully restored to it's former glory. Like most things in life you generally get what you pay for, and with Rolex you are clearly buying quality manufacture. In this case the owner, having bought a quality item, let his friendship for his 'drinking buddy' and a shortsighted desire to save a few tens of pounds on professional servicing, effectively cost him almost �1000; ...(being the difference between what he had paid for the watch and what it was worth by the time it came to us). The watch incidentally is presently (July 2006)* undergoing a complete restoration, and will be seeking a new home soon. This highly desirable and collectable watch is offered in its fully restored condition at �1350. If you are interested in this one-of-a-kind watch, with a truly unique story to go along with it, then email our sales department by clicking here Looking to buy a fully-serviced and guaranteed classic Rolex? ... click here Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return Return to Index Here's another from the folks who know better than the professionals. This is a highly prized and collectable Omega Speedmaster Chronograph. Another of those aspirational watches that many men would like to own. This own was owned by a member of what we used to call 'North of the Border' in Scotland the "fur coat and nae knickers brigade". (i.e. lots of show but no real foundations). This chap had bought this collectable Omega more for it's 'bling' factor than because he appreciated the quality of the mechanism. He then found that he couldn't afford to maintain it properly. Allegedly he was a member of that group which simply 'knows' that all professional watchmakers are filthy rich (we all wish!) and that they therefore got that way by overcharging (again ... chance would be a fine thing... there's hardly a watchmaker anywhere in the World who charges the BWCMG suggested rates...and that's a fact!). This fellow then, in an effort to save money by not being (sic) 'ripped-off' by the specialist horologist, took his �1000 watch to one of the stalls at the local market which advertised low-cost watch repairs. The stallholder 'Bodger' assured him that new seals would be fitted at the same time as the service was carried out. After he got the watch back the owner couldn't quite understand why the cuffs of his shirts were being coated in this black tar-like substance. Eventually, after a few weeks the pushers for the chrongraph functions started sticking, the timekeeping became erratic, and one of the hands fell off. He decided to take it back to the Market Trader, but (perhaps not so suprisingly) the original Trader wasn't there anymore. So, having paid once, (albeit for a 'Bodge') he now faced another repair fee which he refused to accept; ...(because he was not just 'tight-ased' when it came to money, ...but he had also been issued with his brains from the shallow end of the Gene Pool). Like the Rolex above it eventually made it's way to our benches, and we could hardly believe our eyes when we opened the caseback. The reason for the dirty and 'tarry' shirt cuffs became obvious. No matter how delicately we handled the watch, just touching the case had our hands covered in what looked like a cross between builders 'mastic' and thick 'printers ink'. The Bodger had removed the original seal from the caseback, and because he knew better than the original manufacturers and thousands of professional horologists, (and because he was another lazy Bodger who didn't know that seals are easily available within the trade)* he had proceeded to fill the groove that holds the seal with his patent 'gunge'. It was that which, leaking profusely, was causing the blackened fingers and shirt cuffs. Our picture shows our Director's hands as he picked up the watch to examine it. It shows the mess that the inky-mastic caused. Unfortunately, it doesn't show how the tar-like substance had penetrated the movement and the pushers; ... it doesn't show that this was actually after the initial 10 minutes of cleaning with cotton-buds and 'Carbon Tetra Chloride' (CTC), ...and no picture can show how it took more than an hour in our ultrasonic cleaner to remove all traces of this 'goo' from the case, plus another 15 hours cleaning the movement. (Watch cases and bracelets normally spend no more than about 7 minutes in the ultrasonic in order to remove even the most stubborn of grime.) Looking to buy a fully-serviced and guaranteed classic Omega? ... click here Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return Return to Index OTHER Are you in the Trade? Do you have any Bodgit-Korner images that you could share with the wider world? If so, then please email a copy of them to us by clicking here and we will not only display them but also provide a link back to your own website in return Return to Index

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