Hull-headquartered family jeweller Hugh Rice has secured Rolex accreditation.
The second generation-headed retailer has been recognised for meeting the highest standards set by the prestige watchmaker. It means it can now service precious timepieces at its in-house authorised service centre, which is equipped with the firm’s latest tooling - and is available to view.
To secure the accreditation, Hugh Rice watchmaker Joe Rice completed two years at the British School of Watchmaking, before undertaking another 18 months of training with Rolex to gain the knowledge and expertise required to deliver the highly detailed service.
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“To be awarded this accreditation is a huge honour,” he said. “To know Rolex has recognised the standard of work I’ve achieved, and for them to guarantee my work is a huge motivation to continue to progress and work to the highest possible standards.”
A detailed process, the service starts with a total disassembly of the watch, inspecting each component for functionality and wear. An ultrasonic clean follows, before being reassembled, oiled and regulated to perform “within tolerance”. A final stage involves waterproof testing of the case, before fitting the dial and hands to the movement, fitting the movement to the case, and final quality control and performance tests.
Paul Rice, managing director at Hugh Rice, a business that recently celebrated 50 years, said: “We are hugely proud and excited to be named a Rolex authorised service centre. This means that we can offer our customers an in-house service for their watch that meets the exceptional standards a Rolex watch requires, with customers receiving the same two-year international guarantee as would be achieved at the Rolex headquarters.
“Customers can also benefit from added peace of mind that their timepiece will remain on site for the length of the process."
In a bid to enhance the customer experience and "showcase the dedication and expertise we now have in store", the watchmaking area has been made visible to the public within the St Stephen’s Shopping Centre showroom.
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