Watch Repair Professional Standards: Ethics, Consumer Rights, Quality Inspection & Timekeeping Accuracy

The watch repair and servicing profession is one of the most technically demanding in all of retail and craftsmanship. It is also one of the most ethically significant — a watchmaker who handles a customer’s timepiece holds their trust in their hands. This guide covers the professional standards, consumer protection regulations, quality laws, and technical inspection requirements that every watch professional and informed buyer should understand.

I. Professional Ethics in Watchmaking

Since the emergence of professional specialisation in society, every trade has developed its own code of professional ethics — the moral baseline for the existence and healthy development of any profession. In traditional society, watchmaking was classified among the highest-skilled trades, a profession distinguished by technical excellence. In today’s rapidly modernising world, the watch repair industry in particular must be a model of professional ethics, earning the trust of consumers — only then can a business grow and endure.

The core principles of professional ethics for watch repair technicians are: enthusiastic service and courteous conduct; honesty, integrity, and a commitment to reputation; mastery of the craft and contribution to a thriving market; guidance to consumers and promotion of the industry.

II. Consumer Protection Regulations: The Three-Guarantee Policy

The Regulations on the Responsibility for Repair, Replacement and Return of Certain Products — commonly known as the Three-Guarantee Policy — establishes the following consumer rights for returns and exchanges:

• 7 Days — Within 7 days of the date of sale, if a performance fault occurs, the consumer may choose to return, exchange, or have the product repaired.
• 15 Days — Within 15 days of the date of sale, if a performance fault occurs, the consumer may choose to exchange or have the product repaired.
• 30 Days — If the repair period exceeds 30 days due to the repairer’s own reasons, the repairer must replace the product with one of the same model and specification at their own cost.
• 90 Days — Within the Three-Guarantee warranty period, if the product cannot be repaired within 90 days from the date of submission because the manufacturer has not supplied spare parts, the repairer must note this in the repair record. The seller may use this as the basis to exchange the product for one of the same model and specification for the consumer, and then pursue compensation from the manufacturer or supplier in accordance with the law or the purchase contract.
• Two Repairs — Within the Three-Guarantee warranty period, if the product has been repaired twice and still cannot be used normally, it must be replaced free of charge with one of the same model and specification. If the consumer does not agree to an exchange and insists on a return, the return is permitted, but a depreciation fee of 0.05% per day must be charged.

III. Labour Law Provisions on Vocational Training

Article 68 of the Labour Law stipulates that employers must establish a vocational training system, extract and use vocational training funds in accordance with national regulations, and conduct planned vocational training for workers based on the actual conditions of the enterprise. Article 69 stipulates that the state determines occupational classifications, formulates vocational skill standards for regulated occupations, implements a vocational qualification certificate system, and that government-approved examination and assessment bodies are responsible for conducting vocational skill assessments of workers.

IV. Quality Law: Product Labelling Requirements

Article 27 of the Quality Law stipulates that product labels or packaging must be truthful and must meet the following requirements: (1) a product quality inspection certificate; (2) a product name, manufacturer name, and manufacturer address indicated in Chinese.

V. Quality Law: Obligations of Sellers

Sellers must establish and implement an incoming goods inspection and acceptance system, verify product quality certificates and other identification marks, and take measures to ensure the quality of products sold.

VI. Performance Faults and Manufacturing Defects

The “performance fault” referred to in the Three-Guarantee Regulations means that a product does not meet safety or hygiene requirements, presents an unreasonable risk of danger to persons or property, does not possess the functional performance that a product should have, or does not meet the quality standards indicated on the product.

For watches as timekeeping instruments, performance faults include: stopping, self-winding failure, calendar malfunction, failure to reach the rated timekeeping accuracy, and timekeeping errors that cannot be corrected through adjustment — all caused by defects in movement components or assembly quality.

For watches, manufacturing defects refer to movement and component specifications that do not meet quality standards or usage requirements, as well as non-functional defects such as uneven dial graduations and asymmetric cases.

VII. Determining Excessive Timekeeping Error

The timekeeping accuracy of a watch is subject to clear national quality standards, which permit a certain range of error. Any watch that meets the regulated timekeeping quality standard is a conforming product.

Before leaving the factory, every watch undergoes strict regulation in accordance with standards — only those that meet the standard are released for sale. However, during transportation, storage, or due to differences in user conditions and usage environment, individual watches may develop excessive fast or slow errors that exceed the permitted range. If, after professional technical adjustment, the timekeeping accuracy can be brought within the permitted range, this does not constitute a performance fault. If the error remains excessive after adjustment and cannot reach the standard, this constitutes a performance fault and must be handled in accordance with the relevant national regulations.

VIII. Watch Inspection Items and Technical Requirements

Watches are high-grade, durable consumer goods. Quality requirements must be clearly specified at the time of ordering. Retailers, upon receiving new stock, must verify quantities and varieties and conduct a thorough inspection of each watch against pre-agreed quality standards. The specific technical requirements are as follows:

1. Appearance Inspection Items and Requirements

1. The crystal must be clean, clear, free of bubbles, water marks, and scratches, and must fit tightly with the case.
2. The caseback must be smooth and scratch-free, with symmetrical chamfering, and must be flat, tight, and undamaged; the pattern must be complete and clear; the sealing gasket must not be exposed.
3. The case must be smooth and scratch-free, flat and tight; the pattern must be complete and clear; the sealing gasket must not be exposed.
4. The clearance between the crown and the case must be 0.1–0.2 mm; a threaded crown must be lockable.
5. When the crown is pulled out, the position must be clearly defined and the movement must not shake.
6. When the crown is rotated, the resistance must feel appropriate.
7. The hour, minute, and seconds hands must be consistent in colour, flat, smooth, and scratch-free; there must be appropriate clearance between hands, between hands and the dial, and between hands and the crystal.
8. When the hour hand points to the exact hour, the deviation of the minute hand must not exceed ±3 minutes.
9. The dial surface must be clean, with uniform colour, clear brand mark and graduations, and uniform spacing.
10. Metal and leather straps must be firmly connected to the case; the strap material, colour, appearance, and dimensions must be free of defects.

Note: Appearance inspection must be conducted under natural light, at a distance of 30 cm from the object being inspected, observed with the naked eye.

2. Timekeeping Accuracy Inspection

1. Mechanical watch — Inspection positions: Crown Up (CH), 6 o’clock Down (6H), 9 o’clock Down (9H). Accuracy: not more than −10/+30 seconds per day.
2. Quartz watch — Position-independent. Accuracy: not more than ±15 seconds per month (i.e., not more than ±0.5 seconds per day).
3. All watches must undergo at least 24 hours of actual running inspection to observe timekeeping accuracy and calendar date-change performance.

3. Water Resistance Test

Water resistance must be tested using a professional water resistance tester in accordance with the water resistance depth marked on the watch. Timekeeping accuracy and water resistance performance are best re-tested in front of the customer when possible.

4. Other Inspection Items

Extended running time, calendar date-change accuracy, quick-set mechanism, and automatic winding function must also undergo appropriate professional inspection.

Buy with Confidence: Quality You Can Inspect

At Aorawa Time, every watch and accessory meets the professional quality standards described above. We invite you to apply these inspection criteria to our collection:

• Men’s 42mm Skeleton Automatic Watch — open dial, genuine automatic movement, every component visible.
• Men’s Full Diamond Octagonal Luxury Watch — precision engineering meets uncompromising luxury.
• Vintage Leather Apple Watch Band — genuine leather craftsmanship, inspected to the same standard.