Watch Repair Invoice and Intake Template
A watch repair invoice should start from a signed intake ticket recording condition, serial, and any missing parts, then carry a diagnostic fee, the service or overhaul line, parts sourced with lead time noted, water-resistance testing, and a stated warranty — plus an unclaimed-item policy with a date. ShowTheReceipts saves each service tier as a reusable line and takes a deposit before parts are ordered.
Intake ticket — before anything else
- Brand, model, serial / case number, movement type
- Photographed condition, all sides, before opening
- Parts present: bracelet, crown, crystal, box, papers
- Reported fault, in the customer’s words
- Customer signature and contact
- Unclaimed-item date
Every watch arrives with damage somebody else caused. The intake photo is what keeps it theirs.
Invoice lines
- Diagnostic fee — credited if the repair proceeds
- Service tier — clean and lubricate, or full overhaul
- Parts — sourced, with lead time noted
- Crystal, crown, gasket, bracelet work — separate lines
- Water resistance testing — only if actually performed
- Battery / quartz service — its own tier
- Deposit applied — taken before parts ordered
Service tiers, priced apart
| Tier | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Battery and seal | Quartz, gasket replaced, tested |
| Service | Clean, lubricate, regulate |
| Full overhaul | Full disassembly, parts, refinish |
Never quote an overhaul price before the case is open. What’s inside decides the job.
Deposit before parts
Vintage and brand-specific parts are slow, expensive, and often non-returnable. Take a deposit covering the part before ordering it — a customer who changes their mind shouldn’t leave you holding a movement part for one calibre.
What not to do
- Don’t open a case without a signed, photographed intake ticket
- Don’t quote an overhaul sight-unseen
- Don’t certify water resistance you didn’t test
- Don’t take in work without an unclaimed-item date
Frequently asked questions
Should a watch repairer charge a diagnostic fee?
Yes — commonly $35–$95, credited toward the repair if the customer proceeds. Opening a case, assessing movement condition, and quoting is real bench time, and a free diagnostic attracts people shopping five quotes on a watch they'll never repair.
What has to be on the intake ticket?
Brand, model, serial or case number, movement type, photographed condition, whether the bracelet, crown, and crystal are present, and the customer's signature. Watches arrive with existing damage and leave with the repairer blamed for it — the intake photo is the only defence that works.
Should a repair be warrantied?
Warranty your own work — commonly 12 months on a service or overhaul, covering the movement work performed only. Exclude water resistance unless you tested and certified it, exclude customer-caused damage, and put both exclusions on the invoice.
What do I do with watches nobody collects?
State an unclaimed-item policy on the intake ticket and the invoice — commonly 90 days from notification, after which storage fees apply and the item may be disposed of per your state's abandoned-property rules. Without it, your safe fills with other people's watches you can't legally sell.