Graham Chronofighter Watch Repair & Service in London
Restore your Graham to its original trigger response and chronograph rate at our London workshop — Chronofighter mechanism overhaul, modified Valjoux 7750 calibre attention, pressure recertification and a written 12-month guarantee on every timepiece we sign off.
Graham is the British-heritage Swiss-made brand named after George Graham (1673-1751), the London horologist credited with inventing the chronograph in 1720 and refining the deadbeat escapement that still bears his name. The modern Graham, revived in 1995 by Eric Loth and now based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, builds on that lineage with one of the most recognisable chronograph silhouettes in contemporary watchmaking — the Chronofighter, with its iconic left-side trigger lever guarding the start/stop pusher.
That distinctive trigger mechanism, the oversized 46-50mm cases and the heavily modified Valjoux 7750 chronograph base inside most Graham references all demand a workshop that understands the architecture rather than treats the watch as a standard chronograph. Whether you wear a Chronofighter Vintage with the calibre G1722, a Silverstone RS Racing or a vintage Swordfish from the early 2000s, our London bench services each reference with the protocol it was built to receive — and protects the work with a single 12-month written guarantee.
Beyond Graham, our London workshop also looks after other prestigious timepieces — see our dedicated Cartier repair and restoration and Rolex repair and service pages for brand-specific protocols, or visit our main watch repair page for the full range of brands handled at the bench.
Every Graham service includes the following:
A complete Graham service at Martin Oliva is a full calibre, trigger and case revision — not a cosmetic refresh. Each watch progresses through ten dedicated workshop stages before it is signed off and released back to its owner.
Reference & Calibre Identification
Caseback serial, model number and Graham calibre (G1722, G1727, G1734, G1747 and others) are cross-referenced before any tool touches the watch, so the correct service sheet is applied to the modified Valjoux base in front of us.
Trigger Mechanism Disassembly
The signature Chronofighter left-side trigger lever, return spring and start/stop linkage are removed and inspected as a separate sub-assembly — the part of a Graham service that most general workshops underestimate.
Movement Strip & Component Indexing
Bridges, balance, chronograph bridge, column wheel or coupling clutch and the full gear train are separated and laid into an indexed tray so every component is tracked individually.
Stepped Solvent Cleaning
Components pass through a graduated solvent ladder with separate cycles for the escapement, the chronograph layer and the trigger sub-assembly to prevent any cross-contamination of contact surfaces.
Graham-Spec Re-Oiling
Pivots, jewels, chronograph contact surfaces and the trigger linkage receive the precise grade and volume of oil or grease specified for the calibre, applied under microscope to manufacturer tolerances.
Mainspring & Barrel Renewal
The mainspring is replaced as standard practice on every full service, and the barrel walls and arbor inspected for wear so delivered torque returns to factory specification.
Case, Bezel & PVD Inspection
Steel, titanium and PVD cases are inspected and hand-restored where appropriate; carbon composite Superlight shells are checked for delamination and treated by surface conservation rather than polishing.
Trigger Reassembly & Action Calibration
The trigger lever is refitted with the correct pre-tension and the start/stop linkage adjusted under load — replicating the crisp tactile click that defines the Chronofighter's identity.
Water-Resistance Recertification
The resealed case is verified against the reference's original water-resistance rating — up to 300m for Aqua-Chronofighter Diver references — through dry-air and wet pressure cycles, with results logged in your service file.
Four-Day Chronograph Trial
The serviced watch is observed across five positions over four days while the chronograph is cycled through repeated start, stop and reset actions to confirm rate, amplitude and trigger response under operational load.
Graham Service Prices including VAT
All figures below include VAT and cover the complete ten-stage protocol. "Modern" refers to references in current or recent production; "Vintage" applies to discontinued calibres including early Swordfish and original Silverstone references that require additional bench time or period-correct sourcing.
All prices include VAT and the 12-month written guarantee. Sapphire crystal replacement, dial conservation, full case refinishing, trigger spring replacement and any restoration beyond standard service items are quoted separately following the workshop inspection.
The Service Pathway
Four straightforward stages carry your Graham from the first enquiry to its return on your wrist.
Notify
Send us your reference number with any notes on rate, trigger action, chronograph behaviour or water-resistance. We respond with an indicative price and arrange insured collection or a private appointment.
Probe
Your Graham is examined by a senior watchmaker, the trigger and chronograph performance is captured on the bench, and a written diagnostic plus quotation is shared with you for approval before any work begins.
Rebuild
Once you sign off, the watch enters our ten-stage protocol in the protected workshop area. Typical turnaround sits between five and seven weeks for Chronofighter and Silverstone references, given the additional trigger-mechanism work.
Forward
After certification, your watch is packed in protective storage with its service certificate, pressure-test results and 12-month written guarantee, returned via insured courier or collected from the showroom.
Entrusted with the Chronofighter Trigger
Trigger Mastery
The left-side Chronofighter trigger lever is the part of a Graham service that distinguishes a specialist bench from a generalist one — and it is what most general workshops underestimate. Our senior bench services the trigger sub-assembly as standard practice on every Graham chronograph rather than treating it as an extra.
Valjoux 7750 Skill
Almost every Graham chronograph is built on a heavily modified Valjoux 7750 base — the G1722, G1727, G1734, G1747 and their derivatives. Our watchmakers have benched these calibres for years, including the small-second versions and the flyback layouts.
Insured Despatch
Every Graham received at our workshop is registered against its full open-market valuation on intake, photographed at each stage and returned via tracked insured courier or by private appointment.
Graham Models We Service
From the latest Chronofighter Hipster and Silverstone references back through the original 2002 Swordfish, our London bench is equipped to service every Graham family.
Graham Service FAQs
How often should a Graham watch be serviced?
Graham chronographs generally benefit from a full service every four to five years given the additional load placed on the trigger mechanism and the modified Valjoux 7750 chronograph layer. Daily-worn pieces, watches showing trigger drag, sluggish chronograph function or any moisture under the crystal should be inspected sooner; a quick bench check will confirm whether intervention is needed now.
The left-side trigger mechanism on my Chronofighter feels stiff — does it need special attention?
Yes, and it is exactly the kind of issue our workshop sees most often. The trigger lever, return spring and start/stop linkage form a sub-assembly that ages independently of the rest of the chronograph, and a "stiff" trigger almost always means the lubrication beneath the lever has thickened or the return spring has weakened. Our senior bench treats the trigger as a separate service stage on every Graham overhaul.
My Chronofighter chronograph is sluggish — can you fix the chronograph functions?
Yes. Sluggish chronograph hands, drifting return-to-zero or weak reset action on a Graham almost always trace to the modified Valjoux 7750 layer rather than the trigger. We strip the chronograph bridge, clean the coupling clutch and reset hammers, replace worn springs where needed and re-lubricate the contact surfaces to the manufacturer specification.
Can you service Graham's carbon composite Superlight cases?
Yes — though with a different protocol than steel. Carbon composite case shells cannot be hand-polished without compromising the fibre structure, so our approach is conservation rather than refinishing: surface cleaning, inspection for delamination at the lugs and bezel, and replacement of any worn carbon components from authorised channels where required.
How long does a Graham service take?
A standard 3-hand or 1695 dress service is typically completed within four to six weeks. Chronofighter, Silverstone and Swordfish chronograph references usually require six to eight weeks given the additional trigger-mechanism work, and tourbillon and Geo.Graham complications are quoted on a piece-by-piece basis once the diagnostic inspection has been signed off.
Can I send my Graham from outside the United Kingdom?
Of course. We routinely receive Graham watches from clients across the UK, mainland Europe, the Gulf, North America and Asia. Contact us before shipping and we will guide you through insured tracked couriers, declared values, and the documentation required for a round trip to your country of residence.
