Remmick's Watch Repairer

About 10 years ago, when graduating from University in Canada, I received a Seiko watch as a gift from my parents. It was beautiful and I wore it almost everyday.

When living in Turkey, one day the clasp opened and my watch slid off my wrist and fell to the ground. The crystal face of the watch broke and somehow water also entered the watch (though I didn´t know this until two days ago).

About 2 years ago, on a trip to Canada, I brought my watch along and took it to a jewelry store to have it fixed. They sent it off to the Seiko dealer in Toronto. Two weeks passed and the watch was returned, still not repaired but with a note that said it would cost $300 to fix. Disappointed, I took my watch back and carried it Turkey, where it remained in a small Jewelry box until 2 days ago.

While organizing my drawers in preparation for another move, I came across my beloved watch. I tucked it into my tracksuit pocket, vowing to search for a watch repairer after completing my morning stroll along the Bosphorus. After asking a few shop owners in the Tarabya area, and showing them my watch as a means of explanation when my Turkish wasn´t sufficient, I was pointed towards the local saatci, or watch repairer.

The small shop was unimpressive and loaded with cheap plastic alarm clocks and more cheap watches. I tried to remain hopeful as I passed the young man my watch and closely watched his changing facial expressions. After examining my watch he looked up, smiled and said he could repair it."How much would it cost?" I asked. "Five for the glass and five for the battery" he replied. A total of 10 million TL - the equivalent of roughly $6 dollars. I was elated.

Still a little skeptical though, I opted to stand in his shop and look on as he tried to repair it. It was fascinating actually to see all that had to be done to make my watch function properly again. The damage was more serious than he or I had initially thought. The saatci paid considerable attention to cleaning the inside of the watch that had incurred water damage and rust and it was obvious that he took great pride in his trade. In the end, the final bill amounted to 13 million....a figure I was completely thrilled to pay and worth every single lira.

I left the shop smiling from ear to ear and thinking I had just walked away with one of the world's greatest bargains. From an initial estimate of $300 dollars in my home country to an actual cost of only 13 million, approximately $9 - I felt like I had won the lottery.

At that moment I was reminded of one of the simple pleasures of living in Turkey. For those who might be in need of a good watch repairer, I can unequivocally suggest the services of this young man. If he could repair my watch, which was in dire condition and now looks and functions as if new, than he is bound to be able to solve your watch problems too.

Bizim Saatçi
Cumhuriyet Mahallesi, Araba Yolu Caddesi, 84 Tarabya Üstü
Tel: (212) 262 83 38 0535 418 52 10

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