When most people hear the word “restored”, they imagine an old car rebuilt from several donors — something that runs, but no longer feels original. At Atelier von Feuerbach, restoration means the exact opposite. It is not “repair”; it is the return of precision and form to a level as close as technically possible to the state once intended by the manufacturer.

We do not simply make watches “work” again — we bring them to a state that can be called mechanically perfect. A restored Atelier von Feuerbach timepiece is not a repaired product; it is an engineered rebirth. It did not leave the original factory — it left ours. Yet its geometry, balance, and timing conform — or are brought as close as physically achievable — to the original manufacturer’s design parameters.

Every case, bracelet, bridge, and shaft is re-machined and measured to micrometric precision. Our equipment — including the Bumotec S191neo, a Swiss multi-axis machining system valued at nearly $900,000 — operates at tolerances below 5 microns. For comparison, a human hair measures about 70 microns. This level of accuracy ensures that each surface, bearing, and interface meets or exceeds the geometric fidelity of the original specifications.

Timekeeping precision is treated with the same rigor. Modern movements are regulated to within –2 to +2 seconds per day, with some reaching laboratory-grade +0 stability. Vintage calibers, by contrast, have inherent architectural limits — for them, even +6 seconds per day is considered exceptional by historical standards. We regularly achieve +8 to +10 seconds per day, a level recognized by horological experts as outstanding for mechanisms of that era. We do not chase certifications; we pursue the best performance that each movement can authentically deliver.

If one were to compare the process to automobile restoration, it would not resemble a “garage rebuild” done on the side. It would resemble a scenario where engineers of world-class caliber enter specialized facilities, acquire only the finest components available, restore them with obsessive precision, and reassemble the car almost entirely from the ground up — according to its original design tolerances and technical specifications.

The difference is that our craftsmen are not self-taught enthusiasts. They are engineers with formal education — professionals who have spent decades in design, prototyping, and metrology. The result is a creation whose reliability and performance often equal or even surpass the same model that once rolled fresh from the production line. The same applies to our watches: they are not “restored” in the everyday sense, but re-engineered originals, elevated to their ideal state.

The secret behind this result is simple. We hold the greatest respect for the great manufactures and their heritage — but large watch corporations are, first and foremost, businesses. They operate on billion-dollar scales, where every production minute and component cost must be optimized for profitability and output. Were they to devote the same time and scrutiny to every individual piece as we do, each watch would cost several times more, and production would slow to a fraction of its current capacity.

We are not a corporation. We are an atelier — small, deliberate, and independent. We are not bound by corporate production norms or quarterly metrics. We can afford patience, precision, and the pursuit of perfection for its own sake. Predictable profit is not our highest priority — craftsmanship is. We willingly reduce our margins to allocate more resources to materials, machining, and quality — because for us, excellence is not an expense. It is the only acceptable outcome.

A restored Atelier von Feuerbach timepiece is therefore not a “used watch” reborn. It is a piece of mechanical art re-engineered to its rightful precision, where every surface, second, and sound carries the mark of deliberate perfection. Not a return to the past — but a second life, made flawless.

Let us be direct: a replica is not a “homage”, not a “smart deal.” It is a counterfeit product - a criminal commodity under international law. Purchasing, importing, or reselling such items violates the TRIPS Agreement, the Berne and Paris Conventions, and national criminal codes in virtually every country. You do not need to “sell” it to be liable. Possession alone constitutes participation in counterfeit distribution.

Many believe, wrongly, that buying a replica for personal use is harmless. It is not. Customs authorities, financial platforms, and insurance companies classify counterfeit goods as illegal property. They can be seized, destroyed, and reported. In several jurisdictions, including the EU, UK, and Singapore, a counterfeit watch can cost its owner fines exceeding ten times its value - or criminal prosecution. This is not a theoretical risk; it happens every year.

Atelier von Feuerbach watches are legally restored originals. Every component has a traceable origin - sourced from registered dismantlers, licensed suppliers, or produced in-house under our own engineering standards. We never reproduce protected trademarks, logos, or brand identifiers. Restoration is lawful reconstruction of existing property. Replica production is illegal reproduction of someone else’s intellectual property. The distinction is not “philosophical” - it is legal fact.

Technically, the difference is just as clear. A replica imitates appearance. Its case geometry, mass distribution, and tolerances are arbitrary. Movements are dropped into housings without calibration or resonance matching. These watches do not meet horological standards - they simply imitate shape. A restored timepiece, on the other hand, is rebuilt according to verified mechanical parameters: material density, balance inertia, acoustic signature, lubrication curves. It does not merely “tick” - it performs as the original was designed to perform.

Counterfeit goods have no legal or financial value. They cannot be sold through legitimate marketplaces, insured, or certified. Once identified, they are destroyed by customs or brand representatives. Restored watches, by contrast, are legitimate assets. Each carries an Atelier von Feuerbach certificate - signed by the head watchmaker and the director - verifiable on our official registry.

Replica sellers often promise “warranty” or “lifetime service.” In reality, these are disposable operations with no traceable identity. They vanish as soon as authorities close in. Atelier von Feuerbach operates transparently, with registered dealers and verifiable aftercare channels. Every restoration is documented and serviceable for years ahead - because it was built to last, not to disappear.

The replica industry funds intellectual property theft, unregulated labor, and money laundering. It exploits low-cost manufacturing under unsafe and illegal conditions. Every counterfeit sold damages legitimate craftsmanship, diminishes public trust, and harms the very art it pretends to celebrate.

You may think it doesn’t matter - that “everyone does it.” But once you cross that line, you move from collector to participant in a criminal chain. And when a counterfeit is traced - whether through shipping data, customs, or online sales - it is the buyer, not the seller, who faces the consequences.

Owning a counterfeit is owning a fraud. Owning a restored timepiece is owning history - lawfully, transparently, and with respect to those who built it first. One imitates prestige; the other preserves legacy. The choice defines not what you wear, but who you are in the story of time.

At Atelier von Feuerbach, our prices often surprise people - not because of compromise, but because of principle.

Our manufacturing is fully integrated, from laser metallurgy to ceramic sintering, allowing us to maintain exceptional quality without unnecessary markups.

While many luxury brands pursue margins of 200–300%, our profit rarely exceeds 10%.

We invest heavily in materials, technology, and craftsmanship - not marketing overhead.

Our mission is simple: create extraordinary watches at honest prices, because we believe excellence should be accessible to true connoisseurs.

We do not sell “original” factory pieces.

Every watch that enters our atelier arrives in a different condition - some with minor scratches, some reduced to nothing but a movement.

We restore each one using advanced materials and engineering methods that often surpass the factory’s own production standards.

The result is not a copy, nor an untouched original - but a reborn masterpiece, authentic in spirit and reborn in precision.

These timepieces may no longer hold “collector” status in the auction sense, but they are built to be lived with and loved for decades.

Many components are fully designed and produced in-house.

Certain parts - such as crystals, gaskets, or micro-mechanical elements - are manufactured by our partner facilities, all of which comply with Atelier von Feuerbach’s strict material and dimensional standards.

Every supplier undergoes inspection and validation to ensure our clients receive only components worthy of our signature.

No, you will not have the manufacturer’s warranty.

Your timepiece bears the Atelier von Feuerbach serial number, as every piece is individually documented and certified by us.

However, unlike most brands, we commit to a complimentary full service every six years, for life.

Unless deliberately damaged, your timepiece will continue operating flawlessly for decades - thanks to internal mechanisms rebuilt with alloys and components that outperform factory-grade standards.

Our philosophy is endurance, not planned obsolescence.

Every watch passes three independent inspection stages across our divisions - mechanical, aesthetic, and endurance validation.

Defects are extraordinarily rare.

But should one occur, we will either replace your timepiece with an equivalent model or repair it at no cost.

We do not abandon our clients; we stand by every piece that leaves our workshop.

Each Atelier von Feuerbach watch is delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity, sealed and serialized.

You will also receive a QR card with a unique access code, allowing you to update your ownership information, request service, or verify provenance directly with our atelier.

This ensures your timepiece remains traceable and protected for its entire lifetime.