Growing international demand for luxury watch repairs in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

The demand for repair and maintenance of luxury and branded watches has been steadily rising in recent years, with Istanbul emerging as a preferred destination for international clients.

European customers, in particular, are increasingly choosing the city due to comparatively affordable service fees.

Zekai Ataç, a 70-year-old watchmaker who has been in the trade for 55 years, explained that Istanbul’s competitive pricing has made it attractive to foreign clients. He noted that customers from Switzerland, Germany, France, Norway and Finland regularly send their watches for repair, with some clients from Munich bringing in timepieces on a consistent basis.

Ataç highlighted the current repair costs: Automatic luxury watches are serviced for around 19,000 Turkish Liras, while mechanical wall clocks range between 7,500 and 11,000 liras. Chronograph repairs can reach up to $1,000. A simple mechanical Rolex model can be overhauled in Istanbul for 500 Swiss francs, whereas more complex models such as the Rolex Daytona chronograph may cost as much as 2,200 Swiss francs, he noted.

“In the past two to three years, we’ve seen about a 30 percent increase in international clients coming to Istanbul for luxury watch repairs,” Ataç said.

“As our reputation grows, so does our functionality. Many vintage traders bring their watches here for servicing before reselling them abroad. The internet has played a huge role in this. Istanbul has truly become a hub for restoring and reviving luxury timepieces,” he explained.