WHAT an extraordinary watch repairer you have in Ambleside. Mr Horsman the jeweller is a real gem himself and everyone should know it.

Over two years ago the winder of my Eterna watch was forcibly pulled out and lost. I took it to a repairers in the south and a replacement was fitted. It transpired this part was incorrect and the winder kept coming out and having to be replaced.

On one occasion while I was on holiday in the Lake District the watch stopped. I took it to Mr Horsman, who found the waterproof seal around the glass had been damaged, so allowing moisture to get in and corrode the battery, which in turn had burned through an insulation pad beneath it. At the same time he also discovered that the winder and crown were incorrect, which was why the winder kept dropping out.

Mr Horsman said he would get all the correct parts and send the watch back to me. We both imagined this would take perhaps a month or so. In fact it took 15 months and very many attempts to get the correct seals and winder parts from Eterna in Switzerland. Many parts that were sent were not quite right and did not fit.

Despite causing him a great deal of effort not to mention the understandable but completely unjustified embarrassment he felt, he stayed with the problem and did eventually achieve a successful repair. A few days ago I received in the post a well-repaired watch. I say: ‘Well done, Mr Horsman!’ Before this event I had never met Mr Horsman but I have to take my hat off to him for his tenacity and integrity and his skill as a watch repairer. He charged me only half the price of the jeweller I had taken the watch to previously.

Ambleside is very lucky to have such a jeweller. Whenever I need my watch repairing again, he is my man.

Peter Livesey

Canterbury