Longines Watch Repair & Service in London
Return your Longines to its certified Swiss specification at our London workshop — full in-house calibre overhaul, dial and case attention, pressure recertification and a written 12-month guarantee on every timepiece we sign off.
Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Longines is among the oldest watch manufactures in continuous operation — its winged hourglass logo, registered in 1889, remains one of the longest-unchanged active trademarks on the WIPO register. That long horological history is felt in every Longines reference, from Heritage Avigation reissues that recall the brand's pioneering aviation work to the COSC-certified Record line introduced in 2017. Holding those calibres to the precision Longines built them around depends on disciplined periodic servicing — lubricants degrade, gaskets harden and rate drifts long before the wearer feels the difference.
Whether you own a 1960s Flagship driven by the manufacture calibre 30L or a recent Master Collection Annual Calendar built on the L897.2, our London bench treats every reference with a service protocol matched to its calibre. Each Longines is overhauled, regulated and pressure-certified entirely in-house, with one 12-month written guarantee covering the work.
Beyond Longines, our London workshop also looks after other prestigious houses — see our dedicated IWC repair and service and Hermès repair and service pages for brand-specific protocols handled at the same bench.
Every Longines service includes the following:
A complete Longines service at Martin Oliva is a full calibre 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 markings, serial and calibre number are cross-referenced against the Longines archive before any tool touches the watch so the correct service sheet is applied to the calibre in front of us.
Baseline Bench Capture
Initial timegrapher data, pressure-test values and crown function are logged so that final regulation can be judged against a documented starting point rather than a generic benchmark.
Movement Strip & Component Indexing
Bridges, balance assembly, gear train and mainspring barrel are separated and laid into an indexed tray so each part is tracked individually through cleaning and reassembly.
Graduated Solvent Cleaning
Components pass through a stepped solvent ladder matched to their alloys, with the escapement, balance and barrel internals handled in separate cycles to prevent cross-contamination.
Longines-Spec Re-Oiling
Pivots, jewels and contact surfaces receive the exact 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 a matter of course on every full service and the barrel walls and arbor inspected for wear so delivered torque returns to factory specification.
Case & Bracelet Hand-Refinishing
Steel cases are hand-restored to their original brushed and polished geometry without softening the lugs; gold-capped and PVD finishes are conserved rather than re-plated unless re-finishing is specifically requested.
Dial, Logo & Hand Inspection
The winged hourglass logo, applied indices and blued steel or PVD hands are inspected under magnification; spec-correct replacements are sourced only where original parts cannot be conserved.
Water-Resistance Recertification
The resealed case is verified against the reference's original water-resistance rating using both dry-air and wet pressure cycles, with each value entered into your service file.
Five-Day Chronometer Trial
The serviced movement is observed across five positions over five days, with rate, amplitude and beat error required to settle within chronometer-grade tolerance before final sign-off.
Longines 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, manufacture-era pieces and references that require additional bench time or period-correct sourcing.
All prices include VAT and the 12-month written guarantee. Sapphire crystal replacement, dial or logo renewal, full bracelet refinishing and any additional restoration work are quoted separately following the workshop inspection.
The Service Pathway
Four straightforward stages carry your Longines from the first enquiry to its return on your wrist.
Begin
Send us your reference number with any notes on rate, water-resistance or chronograph behaviour. We respond with an indicative price and arrange insured courier collection or a private appointment.
Review
Your Longines is examined by a senior watchmaker, performance is captured on the timegrapher and a written diagnostic plus quotation is shared with you for approval before any work begins.
Service
Once you sign off, the watch enters our ten-stage protocol in the protected workshop area. Typical turnaround sits between four and six weeks, depending on calibre and parts availability.
Send
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 190 Years of Longines Heritage
Heritage Bench
Our watchmakers have benched the full Longines range — from vintage manufacture calibres including the 13ZN, 30CH and 30L through to today's Swatch Group exclusives such as the L688 column-wheel chronograph, the L791 automatic and the L897.2 annual calendar.
Aviation Calibres
Servicing Heritage Avigation references, Lindbergh Hour Angle reissues and modern Master Collection column-wheel chronographs is regular work at our London bench — the kind of horology Longines built its reputation on.
Secure Couriering
Every Longines 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.
Longines Models We Service
From the latest COSC-certified Record line back to manufacture-era Flagship references, our London bench is equipped to service every Longines family.
Longines Service FAQs
How often should a Longines watch be serviced?
Mechanical Longines references generally benefit from a full service every four to five years, while quartz pieces typically require a battery change and pressure check every two to three years and a full service every six to eight. Daily-worn pieces, watches with chronograph or annual calendar complications, and any reference showing rate drift or moisture under the crystal should be inspected sooner — a brief bench assessment will determine whether work is needed now.
Do you service vintage Longines references with manufacture calibres?
Yes — vintage Longines are some of our most regular workshop arrivals. Our senior bench handles the legendary 13ZN and 30CH column-wheel chronograph calibres, the 30L Flagship automatic, the 12.68Z and a wide range of pre-Swatch Group manufacture movements. Period-correct component sourcing is part of our standard vintage workflow.
Can you maintain the COSC chronometer status of my Longines Record or Spirit?
The COSC certificate is issued by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres at the point of original certification and is tied to that specific calibre at that specific date. Our service restores rate, amplitude and beat error to tolerances equivalent to COSC specification, but a new chronometer certificate can only be issued by COSC itself. If retaining the original certification document matters to you, manufacturer servicing remains the appropriate route.
Do you service Longines quartz and VHP references?
Yes — quartz, perpetual calendar quartz and Conquest VHP (Very High Precision) references arrive at the workshop regularly. We strip and clean the movement, fit a fresh battery or accumulator, renew the gasket set, pressure-test the case and apply the same workshop protocol used for our mechanical service, at the appropriate price tier.
How long does a Longines service take?
A standard quartz or 3-hand mechanical service is typically completed within three to five weeks. Chronograph, GMT and Master Collection complications usually require five to seven weeks, and vintage references with manufacture calibres are quoted on a case-by-case basis once the diagnostic inspection has been signed off.
Can I send my Longines from outside the United Kingdom?
Of course. We routinely receive Longines 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.
