Watch repair - Siem Reap

Is this for real? Any shop selling watches will bend over backwards to get you a new band. Even street market sellers.

    Hi Everyone,Does anyone know of a place in Siem Reap where I can replace the band on a watch?Thanks for any advice you can offer.        -@zeubie

Hi zeubie.

What's the brand of the watch?

   
Hi zeubie.
What's the brand of the watch?
   

    -@Aidan in HCMC

Thanks for your reply.  It is a Movado.  I should have stated that in my original post.

        Hi zeubie. What's the brand of the watch?        -@Aidan in HCMCThanks for your reply.  It is a Movado.  I should have stated that in my original post.        -@zeubie

Nice pieces from Movado. I like them very much. Not one you'd want to bring to any roadside battery changer.

Your Movado doesn't seem to have an authorized repair centre in Cambodia. I took a quick look, here (Link). If you insist on an authorized repair centre, it will require you to ship to a neighbouring country (eg. Singapore, Malaysia, etc). I'm not sure what that would entail in terms of customs-duties-paperwork in/out of both countries, insurance, shipping costs etc etc.  If you're comfortable changing the strap yourself, you might check to see whether Movado would be willing to ship to you.  (Link)

I'm sorry I can't give you any specific location near you, but my experience in the 3 countries where I've had watch work done is that these guys really know their stuff. (Yeah, I know, it's only a strap )

That said any truly professional watch repair facility, especially in a city the size of Siem Reap, will certainly be able to order an original strap from one of their fellow horologists in a nearby country.

I'm a bit of a watch-guy myself.

1961 Benrus, 18kt gold, automatic (sadly, stolen in Thai Nguyen, VN 3 years ago)

1959 Longines, 14kt gold, mechanical (my favourite. sentimental)

2008 Bulova, stainless steel skeleton watch, automatic (my nighttime and carousing watch) (Link, here, recent repair(s), Saigon)

2016 Lorus, digital, 100m waterproof, indestructible el-cheapo (though I've inadvertently made effort to on a few occasions)

There are others, which I left back in Canada.

I've had both the Longines and the Bulova serviced at the same shop in the Saigon link, above. They're listed as an authorized Bulova dealer, but they previously did top-notch work on the Longines. And yeah, I was a little nervous first time I used them.

It would be great to hear back how you fared. Never know when I might be in Cambodia and experience a problem with my ticker.

@zeubie

If you're coming back to VN soon, I'm certain the shop I referenced above in my watch repair link on the VN forum would be able to get you an original strap.

@Aidan in HCMC

Thank you for your replies, I truly appreciate your assistance.  Movado's are very nice watches, I am very fond of mine and have had it for over 25 years.  This watch is going with me to the grave :-)

I was hoping to find an original Movado leather watch band locally as they last about 3 years as opposed to the generic bands that fall apart within a year (I have had many of them do this).  I suspected it might be difficult to find an original band in SR/Cambodia, so I thought I would ask in case someone knew of a reputable watch shop.

I will look around SR and if I am unsuccessful, I will wait until my next trip to VN or Thailand.

Again, thank you for your help.

If you want to get one while in Cambodia, you could check out ubuy online. They will ship to Cambodia but you pay customs/duties as part of the cost. I've used this service before here and in Vietnam. I just checked and they have movado stuff available.

If you're looking to replace the band on your watch in Siem Reap, I'd recommend checking out the Old Market area. There are a few small shops there that offer watch services, including band replacements. The artisans in that area are known for their craftsmanship, so they should be able to help you out with a new band that fits your watch perfectly.

If you want to get a watch repaired in Siem Reap, I have a couple of thoughts. There are some small local shops, but it can be hit or miss. You might want to check out places specializing in higher-end watches if that's what you’ve got. From what I’ve heard, many folks with Panerai or similar watches go to specialists like https://replicarichardmille.io/ . Even though they’re based online, they’ve got great reviews from people who’ve had work done. They offer repairs and seem to know their stuff. If you want something more local, I’d suggest asking around at any fancy hotels, as they might know a good place to send you.