From the bench
The Watch Empire blog
Buying notes, bench notes and how to find us on the second floor of Powerscourt. Written in the shop, not by a marketing desk.
Latest19 August 2026
Visiting the shop in Powerscourt
Second floor of Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin 2. Open Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 18:00. What to bring, how to find the stairs, and when to call first.
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18 August 2026
What happens when we open a watch
Omega asks for a full service every 5 to 8 years. What Tibor looks at on the Powerscourt bench before anyone talks price, and what we will not do here.
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17 August 2026
Trying a vintage watch in Dublin
A 35 mm Cartier Pasha and a 36 mm Omega do not wear the same. Sit with the watch on the second floor of Powerscourt before you buy from a listing today.
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23 December 2018
Vintage watches to try in Dublin
Cartier Pasha, Omega Seamaster, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Rolex Cellini. Models we put on Irish wrists from Powerscourt, not a generic brand list to print.
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9 May 2018
How to pick watch parts in Dublin
A crystal, a gasket, a Rolex oyster link. How to pick a part that fits in Dublin, and why the bench should decide what is actually broken first, not a listing.
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2 February 2018
Why buy a vintage watch to wear
A serviced 1960s Omega from Powerscourt is a Tuesday watch, not a waiting list. Why vintage is often the better daily watch, not an investment lecture.
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12 September 2017
How to care for a vintage watch
A dry cloth takes seconds. Omega asks for a full service every 5 to 8 years and a yearly water-resistance check. What you do at home, and what the bench does.
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14 March 2017
Famous watches we see in Dublin
Newman's Daytona is an auction story. Bond has worn a Seamaster since GoldenEye. On the Powerscourt pad you are more likely to see a Cellini or an Omega.
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14 February 2017
When to service everybody's watch
Everybody's watch is a portable clock. Omega asks for a full service every 5 to 8 years. Fifteen seconds a day is a decent rate on the Powerscourt bench.
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5 October 2016
How to buy vintage watches online
Buy the vendor as much as the watch. Ask for movement photos, budget a 5 to 8 year service, and beware Chrono24 listings that looked perfect on a phone.
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25 August 2016
When to change a watch battery
Do not wait until the cell dies. A leaking battery etches a movement. Same-day changes on the Powerscourt bench when the case back is a standard type.
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15 July 2016
Omega Seamaster 60 Big Crown
Omega launched the Seamaster in 1948 for its centenary. The Seamaster 300 followed in 1957. What collectors call the Big Crown, and how to buy one in Dublin.
Read moreRather ask a watchmaker than read about it?
We are on the second floor of the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin 2, Monday to Saturday. Bring the watch in, or call and we will talk it through.
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Questions about these articles
Notes from the Dublin bench and the trays: how to find the shop, what we do when we open a watch, and how a piece feels on a real wrist. It is not a news wire.
There are no comments. Call 01 679 9107. Battery replacement and strap replacement are the only bench jobs we can take.
Not always. Articles stay up after a piece has sold. Check the shop page or ring us before you travel for a watch you saw in a story.