Alex & Co Jewelers Watchworks

My fiancé and I could not be more pleased with our experience with Watchworks and the crew there.
We had a ring custom designed and built onsite. Our designer/​creator/​ring builder Carter Dye knocked it out of the park.
From the moment my fiancée and I walked in until the moment I placed the ring on her finger, we felt like our concerns and input were really heard and implemented. The ring itself is absolutely beautiful and one of a kind. We will absolutely be going back… Watchworks is now our personal jeweler.
There wasn’t a second of stress during the steps of proposing because I knew I was in good hands when it came to the ring and there wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to say «Nah…» after seeing what Carter built. He was patient and accessible throughout the whole process and his professionalism and skill are unmatched. An artist in every sense.
The whole creating and buying experience at Watchworks was beyond pleasant and I couldn’t recommend them any higher.

A good friend recommended Alex & Co Jewelers as they have a vast collection of new and pre-​owned timepieces. So I gave it a look. I initially called the shop and had a really great conversation with Sam Robb, he is very patient and very knowledgeable. We spoke about the watches he had in stock and he invited me down to take a look and I had just a wonderful experience. Sam spent a ton of time with me and was not in the least put off that after 90 minutes I walked out empty handed. Not because I did not find the right piece, I found too many right pieces and wanted some time to mull my purchase. I went back a week later and again worked with Robb and picked a wonderful Rolex DSSD.
I was hesitant to purchase a pre-​owned Rolex (or any watch for that matter) due to the concerns of counterfeits. That being said, my friend has purchased several watches from Alex that were not only stunning, but 100% authentic and reasonably price. My new timepiece is stunning and I could not be happier! I cannot recommend Alex & Co Jewelers enough. The patience, the knowledge and the fact that they have stood the test of time in PDX is a testament in itself to the quality of the products and the quality of the people working there.

Alex and his team are really the best at what they do. Serviced my Rolex about 13 months ago. Price was market for a complete overhaul on my 7 year old DateJust — but fast like 10 days to get it back. Rolex came back good as new. This month, the DateJust developed a noticeable issue with the movement (a sound within the movement) I called Alex and he said bring it in. Told me the issue was simple — lubrication… With not even opening the case, and said I should have the watch back by Friday. Unreal — on what planet does one get a Rolex Service that quick? Not only that, I called him and asked if he could polish the band and case? No issues, said he was sorry that the movement needed more attention after such a short period of time, said he would make it look new for $ 75. Today it did… Looking like I just bought in 2005.
My next watch will come from Alex and Co. New or used!

Incredibly grateful to have found this place. Years ago I went in to AWW in between meetings. Struck up a conversation about watches. Ended up listening to he and his staff explain the nuances & history of each time piece. It changed my perception completely of watches and brought a deep appreciation for the movements. Over a period of months, Alex guided me through the process of choosing a timepiece. He then spent weeks sourcing a watch that met my criteria. Long story short, I was able to bring my wearable investment back to him years later and, just as he had predicted, the value had increased and he sourced a buyer within a few weeks. An extremely rare balance of both financial and timepiece expertise. Bottom line — I’ve come to meet some very intelligent men and women in Portland. Those that wear intelligent timepieces consistently go to one place — Alex.

I’ve been taking several watches here for years — for batteries replaced in ten minutes, while I wait (that other shops insisted had to be done in the factory = 6 weeks of waiting), for new crystals, and cleaning. Always done quickly and well. In addition I bring them odds and ends of jewelry — for new clasps, a few more links, and other small repairs. Most of the time they do it while I wait. The people here are smart and nice to work with — and the prices seem very reasonable. It doesn’t hurt that they have beautiful watches and other old and new goodies to look at while you wait. Oh, and if you’re interested in something they will patiently serve you — whether or not you’re going to buy.

My wife and I happened to walk past Alex & CO. and I was very happy that we did.
Not only were they all friendly, but they actually took time to shoot the sh*t with us about personal things, and recommended a few places to go to while we were in Portland.
Alex and I spoke and he was nice enough to show me a few rare Rolex watches that he either had in his personal collection or were repairing them for resale… which made me really jealous!
But none the less, they were all very professional and friendly.

I needed to have the battery replaced in my DKNY watch. Came here on the recommendation of a Nordstroms sales lady. It took less than 5 minutes, and only cost me $ 15 and I was back in business! Bonus: the younger gentleman who fixed my watch was super handsome!

Was very helpful and friendly with finding the right jewelry piece for a gift. Ended up leaving to look at other stores, and came back because the service here was outstanding and product was great. Will definitely come back in the future!

I would give them zero stars if I could. We stopped in to look at wedding bands. We were first ignored and then when we were finally helped we were given only negative feedback on the rings we were interested in. Did being a gay couple have anything to do with this? Maybe not but it certainly felt like it. Won’t be back!

I was in Portland for business and I stumbled upon Alex’s while I was out for lunch at the food trucks.
I saw that Alex’s was a Shinola dealer, and I’d been eyeballing a 47 mm Runwell Chrono with black face and silver steel bracelet for a long time.
Sam helped me, and although they didn’t have the watch I was looking for, Sam patiently waited on me and let me try on a variety of other Shinola models and sizes. I left my name and number with Sam and asked him to contact me if they ever got my watch in stock.
Several weeks later, I received a voicemail from Sam telling me that they had my watch on their floor room.
A few days later, I returned to Portland on business and went to Alex’s as soon as my meetings were over. Sam wasn’t there, but Alex helped me and sold me the watch. He stayed after hours to size the watch and otherwise make sure that all of my questions were answered.
Sale was great from start to finish, from Sam to Alex. I really appreciated that Sam continued to track my request and see to it that they got what I wanted. And I am impressed that Sam and Alex both told me that they will replace the battery for the life of the watch, free of charge, on top of their standard 2-​year warranty.
Alex’s warranty and customer service make them stand out in a crowded industry.
I will update these comments if/​when I need to seek after-​sale service or warranty help.

Legit. Alex, his wife Maureen, and his associates are all class acts. When many jewelers and watch companies are salesy and have questionable ethics, Watchworks provides the highest level of customer service and honesty. Honestly, I wouldn’t go anywhere else to purchase a timepiece.
My family and I have purchased many items here, and each time we’ve been treated well… whether it’s getting a watch strap replaced, or purchasing a high end timepiece. Alex is relationship oriented — I know this because I, too, am in the sales industry. He sees the bigger picture. He doesn’t pressure me into buying an item I might not like or doesn’t fit my needs. He’d rather me come back another time and find the right item down the road, even if it’s a less expensive piece.
Their approach makes me feel comfortable… and when we’re talking high-​ticket items, I want to feel comfortable when I fork my money over! I want to know the person on the other side of the counter is a good human being. And Alex and his wife most certainly are.
Plus, it’s fun to hear Alex share his watch knowledge. He knows a ton and he’s happy to share it with the world. Going to Watchworks, even just to look, is an opportunity to nerd out a little bit on the world of analog timepieces.
Overall, they have a large selection of new items from brands such as Breitling, Bell & Ross, Omega, and Longines. They also carry previously owned Rolexes. Often times, if you tell Alex what you’re looking for — say, a vintage 1960 Rolex Submariner, he’ll look out for you and call when he sees one come in the shop. They also have a nice selection of pearls, jewelry, engagement rings, and vintage jewelry and watches.
I really don’t think any other store in Portland offers such a pleasant experience.
Parking is easy — across the street there’s a Smart Park.

I just needed a new battery in my watch, so I did a google search and ended up here. I received a friendly greeting and my battery was replaced in about 7 minutes. While I was waiting I looked around the store and was shocked to see watches at $ 15,000 and up. I was so impressed with how I was treated for just bringing in my little Bulova watch.

This spring I went into Watchworks to replace the battery on my Movado watch. After a few months a haze developed on the face. Later the haze tuned into water drops. The watch never got wet. For this issue I sent the watch directly to Movado. I told Movado about replacing the battery with Watchworks and they said this watch required vacuum sealing after it is opened up. The watch was not sealed when the battery was replaced. Being a watch specific shop, I expected their staff to be more knowledgeable. The repair is $ 360 for 2 parts. Thanks but no thanks Watchworks for the $ 10 dollar battery.

I just returned from Watchworks and a purchase of a Bell & Ross BR 01. I had the pleasure of dealing with Alex who was fantastic and very helpful. Whilst we discussed the B&R, Alex kindly took the opportunity to have my Breitling Navimeter polished (it had a few scratches from wear and tear).
Alex was an absolute pleasure to deal with, informed, helpful and very knowledgeable. I even discussed watch winders and their use and Alex was quick to provide his thoughts on the item.
I certainly learnt a bit about a number of things during my brief chat with Alex. We did a great deal on the B&R and I was and am extremely excited with the purchase.
I could not have picked a better place to purchase my new watch, and will definitely be back when I am ready to buy the next watch. Any of my friends who are in the market for a new watch or servicing of their existing watch will be directed to Alex and the team at Watchworks.
If you need a watch, or need good honest advice you need to speak with Alex and his team. They are fantastic!
Thanks for your help Alex, really appreciate it.

Watches… and more… My visit has nothing to do with watches as I was looking for an engagement ring. They have a small but adequate supply of diamonds and rings with both new and estate options. Kelly Hunter patiently educated me on their diamond and ring selection. After visiting several other jewelry stores I returned to Alex because of their service and was very happy with my ring choice.

I was in Portland for a few days, and my watch stopped. I rely on my watch, & I wanted it fixed promptly. I looked up where I could get it checked, & probably a battery installed. Being near downtown, that search led me here.
Here’s a place with a million dollars + worth of inventory, and all I needed was a battery. Nevertheless, I was met and treated with the utmost service and respect.
The staff is courteous and professional, and the merchandise quality is impressive.
Traditional, elegant, old school. A classic store, the kind that we need to have around.

This is really the only place to go in Portland for mechanical watch knowledge. Jewelry stores and online sell but do not know.
The world of watches, if not your mobile phone, as of today, are divided in three.
Smart watches, small mobile computers from the Apples and Samsungs of the world. Some are synchronized with the most accurate satellite time sources. They are on the rise.
Electronic watches which depend on small watch batteries for their operation. They are inexpensive to moderately priced. Very accurate. 99% or more of the watches in the world.
Mechanical watches are the old school option. Driven by springs, they tick. Most are «automatic» — wound by their motion on the body. They are not synchronized with satellite and atomic time sources. They are not accurate, but they are a statement.
Although Alex can replace watch batteries and repair some electronic watches, their specialty is mechanical watches. There are many, many lines, and Alex sells new, and some used of many of the lines. They do repair and maintenance of mechanical watches.
The mechanical watch making world is almost exclusively based in Switzerland. The heart of the watch is the movement, all the springs, weights, gears, the body and the screws holding it in alignment. We are talking tweezers and magnifying glasses for the parts.
The case, back, hands, crown, face and band are built around the movement.
It takes some intense engineering to design, manufacture precise parts, assemble and calibrate the movement. So although there are a few hundred mechanical watch brands, there are a much smaller number of companies making the movements for all those brands.
Rolex, which Alex loves, makes their own movements. Quality and durable. Rolex is not a visual design leader, they are the IBM or Ford. But hey, you never will be fired for buying a Rolex!
Surprisingly, Swatch is one of the largest makers of mechanical movements, complementing their electronic watches. Their mechanical movement division is ETA. ETA movements go by numbers. They have been the supplier of those movements to competitors for years, and that may change.
So ETA movements are built into many to most brand mechanical watches.
I am a fan of the the Oris brand of watches. They use ETA movements, they are pretty and they are moderately priced. Alex sells them and I have bought them here!
So when you are looking at at a mechanical watch, a good question to ask is who made the movement. Then the next question is how long will parts or the complete drop in movement be available. I would do your own research for the second question independent of watch dealers.
In watches, there are the technical and bold chronometers and diver watches, and then there are the more formal dress watches. You have to decide for yourself on that. And by the way, men and women can own each!
Also keep in mind that new watches decline in value once they leave the store. The vintage value kicks in a good 20 years down the road. So buy and hold. How it should be!
Alex Watchworks is a great source for measured knowledge, a great source for new watches, a great source for maintained used watches, a great servicer and maintainer of mechanical watches, and they can even change your batteries!

What a great experience with this store during a busy Memorial Day weekend! I came here immediately after visiting another local jewelry store down the street because they didn’t have what I was looking for.
While here, I purchased a high-​end watch. I was extremely happy with the attention that I received before, during, and following the purchase. The salesman took over one hour to have a personal conversation with me and two friends while showing me this and other watches, and I even met the store owner. They provided me with an appraisal and after the purchase, took even more time to introduce me to the characteristics and features of the watch.
Highly recommended.

Spent $ 350 having my Oris Artelier mechanical watch serviced here as Watchworks was the only authorized dealer in town and had been recommended by a friend. After a fairly lackluster explanation of why the «comprehensive» service did not come with any kind of guarantee, I decided to proceed as the watch was beginning to lose a minute or two per day.
The watch was returned to me a couple of weeks later; nice and shiny after a fresh polish. Two months later the watch stopped working entirely, and as previously mentioned no guarantee was provided. The next decision was whether to put the watch in a drawer or spend more money in hopes of an eventual repair. Decided to send it to The Watchmaker in Massachusetts, which is the official Oris USA service center. Their initial evaluation determined that several screws were missing from the caseback and the movement! Astonishing for a watch that was serviced and then worn for only two months. Needless to say, I will not be returning to Alex & Co.

LEVEL: BOSS!
the crown on my nixon chronology watch had fallen off so i took it into nordstorms. they said ~$ 100 to repair and will take up to 10weeks since they have to ship it back to nixon — uhhhh hail no.
brought it in to watch works, within 15 min he had put it back together for $ 15. — uhhh hail yes.