FREQUENTLY  ASKED  QUESTIONS
HOW WILL TARIFFS AFFECT CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE USA?
The recent tariffs imposed by the USA on other countries will have no effect on product prices or shipping charges for customers OUTSIDE of the USA. Any reciprocal tariffs other countries have imposed on products from the USA will have no effect either, since our products are shipped directly from China and Hong Kong.


HOW WILL TARIFFS AFFECT CUSTOMERS INSIDE THE USA?
According to an executive order released April 10, small parcels valued at less than US$800.00 that are sent through international postal channels will incur a duty rate of 120% or a flat fee of US$100.00 (whichever is greater) beginning May 2. These fees will be paid by the shipper. On June 2, the flat fee per package will increase to US$200.00.
Regrettably, orders received from customers in the USA on or after April 21 will include a shipping charge of US$115.00 to cover the shipping and tariff costs. This rate will increase to US$215.00 on
May 21. If tariff rates change, we'll make adjustments to our shipping charges accordingly. Our hope is that agreements on more reasonable tariff rates will be reached soon, allowing us to eliminate the extra shipping charges and once again offer customers in the USA quality watches at an unbeatable value. 


WHY ARE YOUR WATCHES NEVER IN STOCK / SO HARD TO BUY?
Over the years, online reviews and word of mouth have generated more awareness of our small brand and created more demand. This is a good thing, but it also created challenges. During our first-come-first-serve sales, we began experiencing repeated web site and shopping cart issues related to heavy site traffic, and stock was often selling out in a matter of minutes, leaving lots of customers frustrated and upset. After considering customer feedback about the sale process, we implemented a waiting list procedure to improve the buying process. However, depending on the length of the waiting list, the wait for a watch can still be long. 
  

WHY NOT JUST MAKE MORE?
This is a question/suggestion we often hear. However, just making more is not a perfect solution. Although our manufacturing partners can certainly produce larger quantities, the watches still have to be inspected, pressure tested, packed and shipped by us, one watch at a time. If we were to sell 1,000 watches at once, the time required to pack and ship the orders would create an entirely different set of issues. For the time being, we'll continue producing and selling watches in smaller batches, which allows us to maintain the level of quality and service that has made HELM Watches one of the best values available on the watch market today.  


SO HOW DO I GET ONE?              
Join the waiting list for the watch you're interested in (the signup form is at the bottom of each watch page). If you know you'll want more than one watch, you can join the list more than once. When we eventually reach your number on the list, we'll contact you by email, and you'll have 48 hours to make your purchase (or ask us to hold your position on the list if you're not quite ready to buy). We also conduct regular "lottery" sales during which we select names at random from the entire waiting list, so even if you're at the bottom of the list, you may have a chance to purchase a watch sooner than expected. 


WHAT'S MY POSITION ON THE WAITING LIST?
You can check your position on the waiting list using the lookup tool at the bottom of each watch page. Just enter the email address you used to join the waiting list and click 'GO'.


I'M ON THE WAITING LIST. WHEN WILL I BE CONTACTED TO BUY A WATCH?
For each watch model, we're currently contacting an average of 3,000 to 5,000 customers each year, spread over 6 or 7 sales during the year. You can roughly estimate your waiting time (in months) by checking your position on the waiting list (see above) and dividing that number by 350. Of course this is only an estimate, and the further above 1,000 you are on the list, the less accurate this estimate will be. The wait time may change if the number of customers we're able to contact increases or decreases, or if we encounter any production delays with a particular production batch.


WHY DOES MY POSITION ON THE WAITING LIST NEVER SEEM TO CHANGE?
As we contact customers during each sale, we remove them from the top of the waiting list and everyone else moves up (which means we're always working from #1 on the list). Over the course of the year, your position on the waiting list should decrease by an average of about 300 each month. These decreases don't occur on a daily basis, but rather once a month or once every couple of months, depending on the sale cadence.


ARE HELM WATCHES AVAILABLE IN RETAIL STORES?
For now, new HELM watches are available exclusively on this website.
Occasionally, some "like-new" watches will be available from Precision Service in Asheville, North Carolina. These watches were purchased new from our website and returned within the 5-day examination period. They've been inspected, repaired if necessary, pressure tested and repackaged in like-new condition.
If HELM watches or accessories ever become available from additional authorized retailers, a list of those retailers will be made available on this website.


DOES MY WATCH INCLUDE A WARRANTY?  IS IT TRANSFERABLE?
Yes, every HELM watch is covered by an international transferable warranty that is effective for one year from the date of purchase (which is indicated on the warranty card included with the original sale of the watch).


WHAT KIND OF ACCURACY CAN I EXPECT FROM MY WATCH?
Mechanical movements (including automatics) are generally accurate to within 1 minute per day, though they  may often gain or lose only a few seconds each day. This daily gain or loss can vary depending on how long they're worn each day and how they're stored when not being worn (face up, face down, crown up, crown down, etc.).


AREN'T QUARTZ WATCHES MORE ACCURATE THAN AUTOMATICS?
Well, yes.  Quartz movements are more accurate than any mechanical movement, so if convenience and accuracy are your top priorities, quartz watches are an excellent choice for grab-and-go timepieces.  Many owners appreciate the accuracy, reliability and low-maintenance that quartz movements offer. Aside from the occasional battery change and seal replacement (to maintain water resistance), quartz watches can go a very, very long time with little or no servicing.


IF QUARTZ IS MORE ACCURATE, WHY CHOOSE MECHANICAL?
There are many possible answers to this question, but no single argument that would necessarily sway a buyer considering their first mechanical watch. If the thought of an intricate, miniaturized, self-powered mechanism ticking away on your wrist holds stronger appeal than absolute accuracy, and you don't mind (or perhaps even enjoy) adjusting the time and date more frequently, an automatic movement might be right for you. 
Many automatic watch owners appreciate the fact that their watch is purely mechanical and requires no battery at all. They take pleasure in the constant motion of the second hand sweeping smoothly around the dial and the feel of the rotor oscillating inside the case.
As Wesley Fenlon has written, some people admire the "beauty and artistry in imperfection" that mechanical watches embody. Others appreciate the "tradition in the history of mechanical watchmaking," while others are attracted to the "fascinating engineering at work in every mechanical watch."
Author William Gibson has described mechanical watches as "brilliantly unnecessary."  Any quartz watch can keep better time, he observes, "but mechanical watches partake of...the Tamagotchi gesture.  They're pointless in a peculiarly needful way; they're comforting precisely because they require tending.  Each one is a miniature world unto itself, a tiny functioning mechanism, a congeries of minute and mysterious moving parts...and consequently these watches are, in a sense, alive. They have heartbeats." 
If that strikes a chord with you, you'll likely appreciate a mechanical watch. If it sounds like romantic nonsense, then quartz is probably the way to go. If you find yourself on the fence, waffling between the two, you'll probably join the ranks of many watch enthusiasts who end up owning and enjoying both.