CASH ONLY!!!!! I walked in like a fool thinking the watch repair shop would take apple pay, but once I got into the shop, I knew it was old school. Frank R. Suess is the owner--he's a warm, kind older gentleman who takes his time to carefully clean, change, and repair watches. I can tell that he's an expert, and really cares about his craft. He charged me $20 for a new battery change, which only took him 5 minutes to do. I had a watch for 6 years that I barely wore, but brought it here for him to battery change. It's good as new and I'm so happy with it! Definitely would come back. read more

Incredibly trustworthy watch repair. Charming owner and craftsman. Gives honest feedback and repairs all kinds of watches at a reasonable price. read more

Been going to Frank since 1994, that's 30 years of trust. I lived in SF then, moved to Santa Rosa, left the country and now back in Marin. All throughout, my fine timepieces go to him for service, repair, battery changes, adjustments, strap changes. If he decides to close shop, god forbid, I think I'll stop wearing watches. read more

High quality Swiss expertise! Good communication. Reasonable turn around time and prices.

Frank Suess is still terrific at his watch-repair craft/expertise. While his hours now are at a minimum -- Tuesdays & Thursdays, 11:30-2:30 -- it's still possible to bring your watches in. read more

I went there today to replace battery for my watch, tag Heuer . The owner of the shop, I think Frank, is very nice and friendly, helped me with my battery replacement 10 minutes max, ah this place is cash only. I would recommend you to go there read more

I brought a couple watches here for batteries replacements but the man, Frank Suess, could not open the backings (dang cheap Asia knockoffs were sealed with a proxy, but they were gifts so it's cool, lol). Frank did his best to no avail but I was not charged - good enough for me. On another visit I brought an old watch for repair but the parts were no longer made so that trip was shot too. Again, I was not charged for the work done. In the meantime I have this (http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/photo/20lceN9dCWaDNtyM71FfuA/l.jpg) to tide me over, yea. The reasons above are enough for me to return here for work done on watches. Well, also because the man is personable, have a sense of humor and obviously fair. All pluses - highly recommended - for any business, let alone a local business. read more

Downtown Watch Repair - Watch Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

ROCK ON weird little watch repair place inside an office building. You quickly replaced my Tag battery for a reasonable price while I waited. I even forgive you for not being open the week after New Years when I schlepped the 15 blocks to get my new battery. You didn't even try to sell me a new link for my watch that all the expensive places say I need to get replaced...they said it 10 years ago - and "look" it still has not broken. read more

Downtown Watch Repair - Closed until Jan 11 ; ( - Watch Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went in today to get some links from my sea urchin removed, and in doing so I made a friend! Frank was great. He welcomed me with a warm smile, and was extremely knowledgeable in the horological aspect in the realm of timepieces. He ended up finishing the project within minutes, but I ended up staying 15 mins longer to hangout and chat as he is just that cool. read more

Downtown Watch Repair - Watch Repair Near Me - San Francisco, California

I needed new batteries for 2 watches and found Downtown Watch Repair on yelp. Frank told me that it was cash only (no problem; I read the reviews beforehand) and it would be 15 minutes while he changed the batteries. I sat down for 5 minutes and he was done - lightning fast service and my go to place for watch batteries! read more

I came in 30 minutes before closing to get a new battery on my watch and I was out in 5 minutes! Quick and easy replacement for only $15. I was told it would last me at least two years and I'm looking forward to reading the time again! read more

Very professional, friendly and quick! $20 for battery replacement. Took 20 minutes for 3 watches. Thank you! I'll be back!

I took my 1957 Hamilton Watch in for service. I was told the watch wasn't very good and then was qouted a price 3 times as much as what other repair shops charge for a service. No thanks. read more

Frank was an absolute pleasure to work with: I brought three old watches in for batteries but Frank went above and beyond to clean and polish them for less than $50. This is my favorite kind of business to frequent! Frank is knowledgable AND accessible. read more

Frank is extremely knowledgeable, professional and trustworthy. His rates are extremely low for the quality of the work you get. He changes watch batteries faster than anyone! I highly recommend Frank and his work! Don't go anywhere else as you won't receive better service at an incredibly affordable price anywhere else! read more

To own and care for a mechanical watch, especially these days, means you have some understanding of nostalgia. Walking into Frank's office is like hopping on the time machine. And then, there is Frank. You sit by the waiting area, no farther than 10 ft away from him, answer a couple questions from him, never more than necessary, and you walk out with a perfectly serviced watch. read more

Found this hidden gem after I broke the bar springs on my watch. They fixed me up in under 5 minutes for a great price! Would highly recommend and will definitely return should I need his help again! read more

This dude is the best, incredibly reasonable prices and great service. One time he didn't have the exact kind of watch band I was looking for so he referred me to another store upstairs to get it. He will do whatever it takes to deliver the best service. read more

Frank is the finest watch repair-man in the city. I have a 65yr old Swiss watch (a family heirloom at this point) and he went above and beyond in helping get it fixed. He initially suggested talking to couple of other stores in the building since there are experts with the crystal but I could see that no none of them had the passion and commitment he had. He spent so much energy finding the right part (had to return the first one coz it did not fit) and just showed so much love with the timepiece. Frank's service is the best example of what 5 star customer service is!! Almost wanted to hug him after I was done since I felt so happy!! read more

Brought in my Seiko Alpinist to be regulated but sadly, he does not service Japanese mechanical watches and by service I mean working on the movement. He will take care of your Swiss, German etc. watch and throw a battery into a Japanese quartz watch all day long though. I'll jump on the 5 star bandwagon because he was very nice and referred me to a shop on the 11th floor. "Tell them Frank sent you". Too cute! read more

In modern day 2017, not many people are trusting or kind towards others anymore. Our society is very money-oriented and the business to customer relationship has become very minimal. When I watch older movies, I saw business owners becoming friends with and actually caring for their customers. I never believed it actually happened in real life until I came to Frank to get my watch battery replaced. I brought in 2 quartz watches and 1 automatic. I read online that automatics should get serviced once every 3-5 years. Frank checked out the automatic and told me I didn't need it. Repairing an automatic can run in the hundreds. He could have "pretended to service it" and charged me that amount but he didn't. Frank is an exemplary business owner. I cannot say enough great things and it's obvious that many others agree with me as displayed by the full 5-star reviews here on yelp. I will definitely be coming back to Frank for all watch maintenance and repairs. read more

Professional, kind, quick and my visit gave me a flashback to how storekeepers and artisans treated customers...like valued relationships. Don't forget, cash or check only. read more

I don't have a lot to add, just wanted to add my props. Mr. Suess does great work at reasonable prices and is a very nice, accommodating gentleman. He got my Dad's old 1960s Omega back in good working order; and made a good referral to another repair shop for a more complex repair. I totally trust him and am glad that there are businesses like this in San Francisco! read more

This is my favorite watch repair place! I come here to put batteries, change bands. Every time I come here I am happy to see this old guy. He has his own atmosphere. If he doesn't know how to solve problem he will send you upstairs. read more

I took the trip here to get two of my watches repaired, but discovered when I got the door that it's now operating on limited hours, only Tue and Thursday 11:30am-2:00 p.m. I wish this owner would have updated their hours on Yelp. read more

This shop is one of the gems that you find in a big city and want to keep the secret all to yourself because it is so amazing. I've been here twice and twice I've gotten great advice on my watch as well as complimentary assessments and in once case free labor. Not to mention, Frank is the nicest guy you will ever meet and knows more about watched than I know about, well, anything. This reminds me of the type of shop in the small town I grew up in. Five stars is not enough. read more

Went in to get a battery replaced. Husband bought batteries before finding out that we don't have the proper tools at home, so we found this place. Really quick service, Frank is so friendly! We'll be back for future watch battery needs. read more

Cash only. I chose this shop because it was a top hit on my Yelp search and it had 5 stars. I walked in with 3 watches, and asked if he could replace the batteries in all of them and the wrist band on one of them. Immediately he set to work. No drop-off and pickup necessary. In 10-15 minutes all the work was done. While he did his magic I took a look at the catalogs on the coffee table. The watch I admired most as a child sells for $40,000 today! Oh yes. The bill for 3 batteries at $10 each and a decent watch band totaled $58.75. Cash. I guess that's a jeweler thing. read more

Mr. Frank Suess runs a great watch repair shop. After replacing the battery on one of my watches, I asked Mr. Suess for some advice on how to repair a 1975 Heuer GMT (Pre TAG). Frank gave me the name of a Swiss jeweler up the street. I will definitely come here again. The shop is closed 1-2 PM for lunch. read more

I just got back home from a quick and annoying trip to Downtown Watch Repair. I brought in my Timex watch (mechanical, not digital) because there was no movement even with a new battery. I was hoping they could take a look at it and see if it's possible to fix. When I approached the guy at the counter (who i'm assuming must be Frank) with my watch in hand, I explained the situation. His answer was a shrug with a "so what, it's a Timex. Get another one" quite smuggly. He didn't even care to touch my watch when I tried to hand it to him. I looked at him and asked, "really?" he continued saying "it's a timex. They're not made to be repaired. They're made of plastic inside..." And that was that as he essentially sent me on my way at that point, with out even the slightest consideration of looking in to it. Yes, I know my watch is a Timex. Yes, I know my watch cost less than 4 digits when it was new. Yes, i know it's not a hand crafted time piece. Yes it's probably true that there's plastic inside. However, there are definitely better ways of getting your point across to a customer. The truth is although I know my watch isn't worth much money-wise, it has a lot of sentimental worth to me otherwise, so of course I'd like to explore my options in keeping it. But, thanks for understanding that though Mr. Frank R. Suess.......... read more

I have a soft spot for older men with East Coast accents, watches, and anyone who practices a craft that's fading with time. I also have a soft spot on my head, which is probably why I am constantly breaking things. Frank satisfies all three of those soft spots. I brought in my watch and some tiny screws that I had specialty ordered, and Frank took his time to inspect them, make sure they were a proper fit, and transform my precious timepiece from a non-functional/non-wearable floppy mess to what it's supposed to look like. Frank is an amazing one-man show-stepping into his shop is like walking into a bygone era of direct and honest customer service, craftsmanship, and downright cuteness. Before you start showing up late for all of your dates like the White Rabbit, get your watch fixed with SF's best horologist. read more

Read the other reviews and then go here if you need watch work. I've had people tell me my watch needed a full service ($160-180!!) and others that wouldn't touch it because they thought it was too much of a heap. (As Mr. Suess says, it's not exactly a precision instrument, but if it works...) Mr. Suess quickly cracked opened my wrist-hoopty, diagnosed and fixed the problem, and let me go, gratis! The spring was hung up and was easy to correct. Very professional, pleasant and quick. If it's convenient, go here. If it's not, get on BART/MUNI whatever and make it convenient. read more

Had a couple of watches needing batteries & thought I had been to Downtown Watch Repair before but as I was entering the shop, it didn't look familiar but whatever, right? Batteries are batteries & I needed 'em 1 of my watches is on a thick cuff / bracelet thing but the guy couldn't figure out how to gain access to the back to replace the battery so he gave it back & advised me to look for the booklet it came with to see if there were instructions or a number I could call to tell him how to get it off the watch band Then after taking the back off my other watch, he discovered he didn't have the correct battery.....so he wanted to keep it. Well, since the back was already off & I didn't really need the watch immediately, okay, I guess Best part of the visit was right as I walked in & overheard the guy advising another customer to go up to Pacific Watch on the 11th floor for a watch band......well, I thought I'd give them a try for the battery the guy couldn't access & guess what? They got to it just fine & I got 1 of my watches back the same day...happy eavesdropping moment indeed! read more

So this is more like a helpful tip, as i'm sure Frank Suess is an awesome person and provides excellent service at a great value per the raving reviews...please note, I've never actually experienced service from Mr. Suess..but I did try... I've tried to come here on THREE separate occasions as a walk-in. And every single time I come, there's a small post-it note that says for whatever reason Mr Suess is gone until a certain day!! I know, I know...perhaps I should of called, but I'm a bit slighted that I pay for parking each time and try to make it to this place. So in summary, make sure you CALL before you head out here. He seems to be out on his own schedule at certain times. read more

This guy is truly amazing and full of integrity! My watch has been working on its original batteries for three years and since then I had to replace them every three months, which was really annoying and mysterious. Frank was the first person to discover that the batteries are not the problem. He unscrewed my watch, spent 5 minutes doing something, gave it back to me and refused to take any money, claiming that he didn't do anything. Guess what! Now it works like a charm. He derserves to be paid more than all previous places that charged me for new batteries etc. read more

Frank treated my situation with respect and dignity despite coming in with a rather uninteresting and inexpensive timepiece. He is professional and courteous. My father's old Seiko had broken its crown and was no longer functioning. Frank diagnosed the watch and in a few days had cleaned it out of corrosion, saving the movement, replaced the stem and crown and replaced the battery. He even respected my wishes to not polish out the scratches on the crystal. My father, who is no longer with us, left those there via his many repairs on the family cars and home and in doing yard work. They are his fingerprint left for me on the watch. Frank wanted to polish out the scratches, but let me prevail upon him to leave my father's marks there. For that alone, I am grateful. For restoring even this pedestrian watch to perfect working order, he has my business as long as I live in the area! read more

My Dad recently gave me a watch that he has had for nearly 40 years. It's one of those self-winding kinds. I took it to Grandmaster Frank Seuss to take out several links so that it would fit on my wrist. He also managed to set the date correctly (it was tricky since it's old and lacks a manual). Amazingly he took care of this in about 20 minutes and for a very reasonable fee. Dad and I are both really happy he was able to keep its legacy ticking. Thank you Frank! PS: His office is located on the 3rd floor - Suite 304. read more

I always get good service here. Excellent place to get a battery replaced, Frank will get it done fast and cheap. Bring cash.

What a find! Every couple years my watch, which is going on 11 years old, needs a new battery. In the past this has taken me to a variety of department stores and jewelers who are inevitably annoyed to see me, keep my watch for several days and charge $30 or more. No more. Thanks to yelpers, I found Downtown Watch Repair on this go round. The owner could not have been nicer. He tried to replace my battery on the spot (which looks like it's been the case for other reviewers), but my watertight seal was broken/stuck, so he needed to let it sit with some oil overnight. Next business day I get a call and my watch is ready with a new battery and seal. Good to go for $20 ($10 for battery, $10 for seal). read more

(Copied from my review of Geneva Watch Repair.) For once I'll spare you the swear words and name calling and get straight to the facts: My watch (worth $250) stopped winding properly so I brought it to Geneva Watch Repair. The guy at the counter had no clue what was wrong. He asked me to leave the watch with them so they could take it apart, inspect and give me a quote. Hours later, they called with the quote: $135 for an "overhaul." I declined. Drove back to pick up my watch and asked them specifically what was wrong with it. "Just needs some lubrication, maintenance." Uh huh. Right. I took the elevator to Downtown Watch Repair, a few floors below. Nice dude who talks like Christopher Walken greets me. Takes my watch, inspects it for 5 minutes and realizes the main spring is broken. He doesn't have the part, but said it would cost $75 to fix if he could find it. He suggested I haggle with the watch seller to get it covered by warranty, and if that didn't work out, bring it back to him to fix. Pretty decent guy in my book. Summary: Geneva Watch Repair had no idea what was wrong with my watch and quoted me an exorbitant $135 anyway. Downtown Watch Repair diagnosed the problem in minutes and quoted me at almost half the price. Stay away from Geneva: a legitimate, honest watch repairman is just a few floors below. read more