Business & Money | Thursday 28 May, 2015 3:05 pm |

Seddiqi Holding— a family-owned and -managed company with a diversified portfolio of businesses— today officially unveiled Swiss Watch Services, the Middle East’s largest and most comprehensive customer care center for timepieces. With expertise in servicing over 60 watch brands and 200,000 spare parts in stock, the Swiss Watch Services’ staff of 59 professionals, are trained at the highest level of horology care and complications, reducing the need for collectors to send their prized timepieces abroad for service.
The roots of Seddiqi Holdings’ Swiss Watch Services date back to 1964 and a small workshop - with one dedicated technician in Souk Murshed servicing approximately 400 watches per year, to a 580 m2 floor at Capricorn Tower, caring for more than 35,000 individual timepieces annually. Recognized as an official Rolex service center, Swiss Watch Services today services some of the industry’s most unique timepieces, including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Hublot and Chopard to name a few. The facility provides after-sales service to all of the brand partners for Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, as well as a further range of fashion and luxury timepieces.
“The size and expertise of Swiss Watch Services has grown alongside the passion for watch collecting in the Middle East. Recognizing the need for a facility in the region that could provide a global level of service, Seddiqi Holding has invested in our staff, technology, and location to provide the highest standards of trust and technical knowledge, which has been demonstrated through customer care relationships that date back more than 50 years,” said Abdul Hamied Ahmed Seddiqi, Vice Chairman of Seddiqi Holding.
Swiss Watch Services, under the guidance of Rolex, is the only facility of its kind in the wider Middle East, with technicians trained in Switzerland, with the most skilled professionals handling highly advanced, mechanical timepieces, including those with perpetual calendars. Services range from a complete refurbishment, including dismantling, cleaning, parts replacement, waterproofing and reassembly to manufacturers’ standards. Health and safety is a key priority, with the highly secure facility boasting the latest technology in air purification for a sterile working environment.
“What makes Swiss Watch Services so unique is the large volume of brands that we are certified to service in one central location, providing convenience and peace of mind to our growing base of collectors in the region.  Our longstanding relationships with the leading Swiss watch brands such as Rolex, who entrust the after sales of unique timepieces to watchmakers trained in Rolex standards and in using latest procedures, ensures that they are serviced efficiently and professionally, and thus extending the life of these watches for future generations,” said Marco Bernasconi, General Manager of Swiss Watch Services.

To build customer trust, Swiss Watch Services honors its clients’ international warranties as well as those provided by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. Estimates show that having a Swiss timepiece serviced by Swiss Watch Services rather than sending it to the original manufacturer reduces waiting time by up to two months, as well as providing a more cost-effective solution.
With certification in quality from Rolex, Swiss Watch Services has equipment not found elsewhere in the region, including five levels of polishing, a waterproof testing facility, a thermic shock machine, and other equipment to monitor the technical performance of each timepiece.
To further develop the Middle East’s watch sector, and to create employment opportunities and preserve the expertise being developed in the region, Swiss Watch Services is developing an internship and educational platform. This initiative will foster the career path of university and graduate students keen to learn about the craftsmanship and history behind the watch sector, an industry in which Seddiqi Holding has had a growing investment for more than 60 years.