I've been moonlighting as a "watch repair guy" these past few months, which basically means I've been breaking things and calling it "fixing." It was a total hit or miss--mostly miss. Then I got a new watch and realized what I actually needed wasn't more YouTube tutorials... it was professional help. Enter: Time Essentials! The second I walked in, I was greeted with kindness and service so good I half expected them to offer me snacks too. John (pretty sure he's the owner, but I'm also convinced he might secretly be a time wizard) went above and beyond fixing three of my watches. Prices? Totally fair. Speed? He fixed them in under 10 minutes--faster than it takes me to find the "skip ad" button on YouTube. Safe to say, I'll definitely be coming back. If your watch is broken, don't waste months pretending you're a horologist like I did. Just go to Time Essentials. HIGHLY recommend! read more

Time Essentials - Watch Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

The guy is very good at his job and he is very knowledgeable and very reasonable with his pricing I would highly recommend this spot!!!! I love to support stores that are great at what they do! This store is worth visiting!! read more

Quick and honest service, very affordable as well. Brought in 2 watches for new batteries and one was unfortunately beyond repair. The gentleman who helped me be advised it was not worth the cost to repair due to its aged mechanics and hard to find parts. Will be coming back for any clock needs. read more

I needed batteries for all my watches that I have had for years but was too lazy and was afraid of taking them to somewhere, where they would look at the brand of my watch and give me a ridiculous price. That has happened at the mall and I just walked away. My friend told me about Time Essentials and how honest and trustworthy they are. I called John and he told me how much each battery would cost for my Chopard diamond watch, my other diamond watch and a Rolex Cellini that is an antique and does need a watch battery. The store was closing in 30 minutes and I was able to rush over. John was so kind and he told me he would be able to replace all the batteries to my watches right away. We waited 10 minutes and he replaced all the batteries and set the time correctly for me and gave me a very fair and HONEST price. John is so talented and very kind and these are truly some of the reasons why his business has such high and amazing ratings. He is such a good person and makes customer service so memorable that you do walk out of his store feeling so good and happy. I am so grateful for Time Essentials and will trust only him to take care of all my timepieces. Thank you, John! read more

Definitely a neighborhood gem! I was very pleased with the customer service, price, and speed! I came by to get new batteries for my watch which cost me $10 out the door. I was in and out of the place in just a few minutes. Solid shop! Will be back to get all my other watches moving. read more

Time essentials is the place to go when you need to get your watch fixed in Pasadena. The service here is good, and the quality is even better. We came in to get a watch sized and a battery replaced and are very happy. Great selection of Seiko and Citizen watches and clocks as well! read more

Quick, friendly service. I got my Nine West Japanese movement watch battery replaced for $10. It took less than 5 minutes. He also did a brief, free appraisal for a couple inherited watches. Would come again the next time my watch dies. There's a private parking lot, pretty easy to find. The person seemed really knowledgeable on watches. read more

I've been using Time Essentials for many years. They're super knowledgeable, professional, and great in helping me with my watch needs. Value is on point and affordable, I will continue using this business because I trust their services. read more

This will be my go-to place whenever I need a battery or repairs for my watch. John took excellent care of my watch when I came in for a battery replacement. He noticed that the previous jeweler had likely not closed it properly, causing a gasket to break. That's what I get for taking it to a mall repair shop. Anytime I see someone who genuinely loves what they do, I know the work will be done right. I appreciated hearing that it's a family business, and John was friendly and happy to fix my watch while I waited. Thank You! read more

I can't believe that I have not written a review for this business. We have been going here for numerous years, since my husband is a watchaholic. This is without a doubt the place we go to for ALL of our watches. Instead of having our Rolex watches serviced at their authorized retailers, we bring our watches here. He even changed the crown of my Rolex watch for me at much less than it would have cost at an authorized dealer. The service fee at an authorized Rolex dealer starts at about $700. My friend is now addicted to purchasing Invicta watches. My husband and my friend come here almost every other month to have their watches sized. They also come here whenever they need to have their watch batteries changed. While I was there, there was a woman that stated that she had also been coming to Time Essentials for all her watch needs. She was there to purchase a watch for her friend. While I was taking pictures, I noticed that they also sell clocks. The owner is very nice. He is the one that repairs the watches. I admire his honesty. At one time I needed links for my Dad's Rolex watch. He stated that I would be able to get better prices for the links on eBay. He told me exactly what to look for while searching on eBay. He could have easily charged me an arm and a leg, but instead he told me the most cost - effective method of lengthening the watch band. I highly recommend Time Essentials. The owner and his service fees are awesome! read more

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Battery on my watch died and brought it here to bring it back to life. Great customer service, excellent price and in and out in 15 minutes. If you have any watch needs in Pasadena, definitely stop by. read more

I brought my Tag Heuer to get an estimate since it was non operational. The diagnosis was a simple battery replacement. An honest assessment and price to replace the battery and fix the problem. No upselling nor additional services needed. I like his honesty and straight forward approach. I will be happy to do business with this establishment again. read more

John is so cool! Very knowledgeable and reasonably priced. Took my recently purchased Tag Heuer in for clean up-scratch removal, extra link added and battery replacement. 10 star service.. Be back again! read more

I brought in 2 watches for a dial swap and asked to buy some poly watch to clean the crystal. Whoever helped me said it'd be done in 1 day and that they'd polish the crystal and call me when it's done. Never called me to pick it up, so I go to pick it up after a week and nothing had been done. Had to wait for the watch to be worked on. The crystal wasn't polished, and there was dust inside the case. The worker also was condescending, I don't know if it's bc my watches weren't what he's used to or bc I don't "fit in" with the rest of his clientele. You might get a different experience than me, and both my watches work, so 2 stars for that read more

Got a new smart watch and it was too big. Came here to get a few links removed. Was greeted quickly, told them what I needed and they brought my watch to the back. Worked on it a few minutes, brought it back to me, tried it on and it was perfect. $8? No idea what the going rate is but it's a small price for comfort. They seem to know what they're doing. Would definitely be back if I needed anything else. Thanks read more

The service here is always excellent! He is also very friendly and helpful. Your watch or clock is in good hands.

Awesome place. Had a couple watches (Tag and Fossil) that died during Covid as I never used them for almost 2 years and they just sat in drawer. Hoping it's just a battery and nothing mechanical, I found time essentials and decided to stop by today and drop off my watches. John greeted me and helped me out right away and said he will take care of both watches NOW. I thought I would have to drop it off and leave it for a few days or so. So went and got gas at the shell across the street and came right back. It was all done and ready. Replaced the battery on each watch and works great now! I don't know how much this would cost so I assumed maybe around $50 for both watches. Total cost was $25! Awesome bro! All of this took less than 30 minutes (includes the time it took me to get gas and come back). Great place, great cost and great service! read more

Time Essentials - Watch Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

I can't even count the number of times John, the incredibly knowledgeable young owner, has saved my watches. From authenticating EBay purchases to cleaning Cartier or Tiffany to finding new hands for a coach clock.... His prices are very fair. More importantly, if you've bought or inherited a valuable watch, don't trust it to just anyone. You need someone who can not only tear it apart but restore it again with authentic parts. Highly recommended. read more

Walked in for watch battery replacements. Their service was quick. They offered to have my watches ready in under 15 mins. My batteries were replaced with all of them reset. Great service, would recommend! read more

Worst place to take your watch. John Ho RUINED my gold Rolex. Stole 3 grams of gold from it by grinding away so much material off of the back plate that it's unwearable now. He charged $500 for a full restoration and neglected to tell me that butchering the watch is part of the service. I took the watch to another watch repair place and the guy told me whoever worked on it last bent and dented the parts in there trying to fix it back together, I'm guessing John did that when he was trying to fix the mistakes he made. When I got the watch back, he didn't check to see if it told time correctly, and when we went to court, he admitted to stealing the gold hardware springs that hold the bracelet in the watch dial. He took out the real Rolex hardware and replaced it with cheap parts and then was extremely combative and condescending when I confronted him about it. In court, he lied about everything, fabricated a fake receipt and fake documents. After the case was concluded he never paid what the judge ordered. So after paying him over $500 to fix the damages that HE made to my Rolex, he added $3500 more damages that I have to now find someone else to fix. John is a scam artist crook that deserves to be shut down. I wouldn't even trust him to change a battery. He's a liar and a thief. John is known in the watch community after these past few years of being a crook. AVOID TIME ESSENTIALS LIKE THE PLAGUE. He stopped caring about his customers years ago. Dealing with John has been THE WORST experience I've ever had doing business with anyone. Your karma will catch up to you John. read more

Master of craftsmanship! As a watchmaker he took his time and efforts to make things happen & further more go the lengths to strike for perfection. As a customer I'm very pleased with his work. My watch crown tube was broken, due to the rarity of the original crown tube, he was able to save my original crown and modify it from a screw down to a push down. Very much recommended for those looking for a professional service and best value. read more

Was looking for a good and reasonable place to fix and adjust my watches, so luckily I found this place, Jhon one of the workers there helped me out! He was really knowledgeable and had amazing customer services I'm going to go back again and fix the rest of my watches! Also the watches there in the store are all quality, going back next month to pick up a green face! So yeah good spot, check them out! read more

Time Essentials - Adjusted 3 watches to fit my wrist and new band. - Watch Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

I received a new Seiko solar charged watch that needed to be sized down. A few links were removed within a few minutes; the date was also reset. I've been to Time Essentials in the past to purchase batteries for other clocks and watches that I've had for awhile and have always been very satisfied with the service I received. I paid $10.00 for the service. I recommend this business! read more

John is super knowledgeable about watches and figured out the problem and fixed it quickly. He works on digital watches as well and prices are great. His shop is clean and easy to find, highly recommend the place! read more

Thank you for fixing my watch. I wasn't able to figure out how to set the time and he did it in no time . Yes I will recommend a friend if I had the chance too very happy read more

Time Essentials - I I called them up told them I was having issues setting the time and he fixed it in no time you!!!!! - Watch Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

Very disappointed in their customer service and timeliness. I dropped off a watch and was given a 3-week estimate. I went back more than 2 months later after receiving ZERO calls or updates to check on my watch. The owner simply said he forgot about it and offered zero discount and minimal apologies for the massive delay and inconvenience. On top of a lack of discount for this horrible service, he STILL didn't make my watch a priority. I'm supposed to call back in 1 more week to check on status. I'M NEVER COMING BACK HERE. read more

Very quick accurate service on my beluga watch. Did not overcharge me like all the other watch repairs locally. They carry high end watches. Easy parking. I highly recommend them. I know I will be a loyal customer of theirs. Thank you! read more

This is my first visit to the store to replace a watch battery for a Swiss Army watch. The service was outstanding and very fast and my watch battery was replaced by the skilled, and seasoned watch craftsman, John Ho. The store could easily be overlooked because it is the the last location in the little mall area, but it is very much a hidden gem. The store hours remain fully open during this difficult time that we all share, which is a valiant effort for any small business. The price was very reasonable and fair and much more near the market rate than other businesses that replace and repair watches. The store is immaculate with a large display of beautiful reasonably priced watches and wall clocks as well as small alarm clocks. Highly recommend! read more

Is it easy to change out a watch battery? It is easy until something goes wrong, which is what happened to me. So I come to Time Essential now to avoid the headache. Great service, reasonable price. Long story below. I have watches of all sorts, sports and dressy, pocket watch and wrist watches... So I thought the most logical thing is for me to buy a watch too set to change out batteries on my own. Oh, how I regret that decision. Here are reasons why I go to Time Essential now: Waste time. I have one watch with the back that twists off to open. I think I've spent hours trying to do that. Not only have I scratched the watch, I never got it open! I've wasted more time than I can possibly justify. Damaged time movement. I took off the back of another watch to replace the battery. The battery is behind a piece of metal which I moved out of the way... Replaced the battery and the watch doesn't work anymore. Apparently I damaged the movement, which is common. Off to Time Essential I go. Expertise. I have an expensive pocket watch that's a special gift. Who wears a pocket watch these days? I brought it in to ask if it's ok to leave it without battery. The owner looked at it and told me the ways to take care of it. For all the reason above, please it's good to support local business, I simply go to Time Essential for my watch needs. read more

A few weeks ago I brought my seiko 5 to have its insert replaced. John, was very accommodating and was straightforward with the process. The price quote he provided for his services was fair and the quality of the work is phenomenal. He knows his craft really well and he does it quickly. Highly recommend this store and would definitely come back. read more

Time Essentials - Watch Repair Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love this place. I have been here a few times before, and John (the owner) is not only knowledgeable, but honest as well. Last year, I brought in an old WWII Leonidas pocket watch issued to the British Army. It still worked but needed to be updated. I mentioned that I was going to donate it to school's auction and didn't want to spend too much money on repairs. He told me that it would lose ten minutes a day and it wasn't worth spending money to adjust it. This year, I brought him another watch that needed external cleaning and battery replacement. Not only did the watch come back spotless, but he did it in a day when I expected a few days. Overall, I love the personal service, honesty, and expertise. read more

Not only is the staff friendly, quick, and attentive, but they really do provide great value. I went in for a battery replacement, and after a few short minutes, it was free of charge due to a warranty that the watch expert told me about. I was completely surprised. For your watch maintenance needs, you shouldn't go anywhere else. read more

So I recently purchased a vintage mechanical Seiko (est. 1971) from an estate sale. The watch needed major repair and maintenance as its mechanical movement has never been serviced. Also, a pivet jewel and the pallet fork needed to be replaced. John was able to find parts from other Seiko movements and place them into the watch. The total cost for the service and parts was $155. Lastly, it took John about 1.5 weeks to complete the overhaul. Overall, I find John to be courteous and his work to be very good. The watch is now running great and I'm very happy with it! Definitely would go back to Time Essentials for future services and repairs! read more

Great service, the owner was very professional and quick to fix the issue. and super friendly.

Jon, the owner is a nice and pleasant fellow who took great care of my wife's watch, which needed a new battery. He did all as promised and the watch case was cleaned very nicely as an added bonus. I would definitely return again Mike M. - Pasadena read more

Brought my watch in to have a few links removed. The work was completed quickly and professionally. I would use them again.

Time Essentials still has my watch going on two months after promising a 3 week turnaround. Lied several times about specific repairs having been made. I'm going to stand by and see how long it takes for this guy to contact me. read more

Quick and easy service. Battery replacement was $11 for a MK watch with 3 dials and they also added a link for me. Friendly and clean

John helped me out w a few of my watch mods. He did everything in a timely and professional manner. Very knowledgeable and friendly. He quoted me a price and time and even got the work done early. He called me when everything was done and the work was excellent. I will definitely come back for all my watch needs. Very pleasant experience! Thank you John! read more

I highly recommend the place. John is just a great, genuine and knowledgeable guy! Let me tell you my story: I used to live a waling distance from this awesome place, and this is how I got to use their services. I have moved 10 years ago(yes, 10!) to Van Nuys, but I still stop by, when in the area, to get my watches serviced(I have a dozen on them). I have tried other places, but they don't have the touch, knowledge or the fair pricing like Time Essential. Please, give this place a try. You will be satisfied about the quality, customer service and prices. read more