VIDEO: Oh boy. Andrew vs Felix in watch rebuild battle at the Omega Service Centre. Watchmakers, look away …

Andrew McUtchen

In a battle that’s been brewing since the dawn of Time (and Tide, in 2014), Andrew and Felix finally pick up the tools and take on the challenge of taking apart and then rebuilding a manually wound movement. We lay our scene at the Omega Service Centre in Melbourne, and the occasion is somewhat of a celebration around the announcement that Omega has upgraded its Manufacturer’s Warranty on all watches to a whopping five years — three years longer than the industry’s standard warranty of two years, which is demanded by European law. Unlike most other manufacturers that offer five years warranty on certain models, Omega is offering it on all of them.

To prove the importance of servicing, we thought it was an opportune time to reveal the delicate innards of your watch and the expertise you are employing when you have a trained watchmaker see to its servicing. To make it interesting, we thought it would be fun to play watchmakers for a day, while engaging in a deadly serious (lol) rebuild battle across three criteria: speed, efficiency and accuracy. We asked you in a poll who you thought would win. The results were in favour of Felix to the tune of 70 per cent. How did it all go down? Don some protective goggles, and get ready to appreciate the fine work of trained watchmakers as the two Aussies get set to prove that it sure ain’t easy doing what they do.

With thanks to Omega, and to master watchmaker Nicholas, for allowing us onto the workbenches. What a night.