Chicago, IL
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Chicago's watch trade has two addresses. Oak Street and the Magnificent Mile hold the authorized retailers and brand boutiques, while Jewelers Row on Wabash Avenue in the Loop is where the bench watchmakers work, many of them in upper-floor suites of the same few buildings. Bring a watch to the Loop for an overhaul and to Oak Street to buy one.
Jewelers Row, Chicago, IL
One-watchmaker shop for mechanical and vintage pieces
Loop, Chicago, IL
Overhauls, vintage restoration and case refinishing
Jewelers Row, Chicago, IL
Vintage watch specialist on Jewelers Row
Loop, Chicago, IL
Certified watchmakers in the Franklin Center lobby
Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL
Mechanical repairs and polishing on Michigan Avenue
Gold Coast, Chicago, IL
Rolex and Patek Philippe retailer on Oak Street
Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL
Standalone Rolex boutique on the Magnificent Mile
Meets, concours & auctions in Chicago.
Winter is when a tired gasket shows itself. Walking from a below-freezing street into a warm office can fog a crystal for a moment, but if the fog stays or comes back, moisture is inside the case, and the watch should see a watchmaker before it rusts anything.
The Loop's watchmakers sit mostly in the upper floors of the Jewelers Row buildings on Wabash, the Mallers Building being the best known, so check the suite number before you go. Ask what they do in-house versus send out, and get the estimate and timeline in writing.
Buy on Oak Street and keep the warranty work there; once the warranty ends, the Loop is where most Chicago owners go for an overhaul.
Most bench watchmakers work in the Loop along Jewelers Row on Wabash Avenue, many in upper-floor suites of buildings like the Mallers Building. Brand boutiques and authorized retailers are on Oak Street and the Magnificent Mile.
A brief fog that clears quickly can just be temperature change. Fog that lingers or keeps coming back means moisture is inside the case, and the watch should be opened, dried and resealed by a watchmaker soon.