The repair workshop Expert Steve Fletcher came before a difficult decision in a recently carried out episode of the popular BBC series and let both the owner of an estimated object and the audience at home and moved.
The horologist, who restored countless watches during his time on the show, was commissioned to bring an alarm clock back to life from the 1950s. However, this restoration came with a unique challenge – one that led to an emotional dilemma.
A sentimental family height
BBCThe clock belonged to Karen The repair workshop In the hope that Steve could restore the estimated watch. The vintage alarm clock was once belonging to her grandfather David Alfonso Butler, a member of the Windrush generation.
David, who worked strenuous in a foundry, relied on the alarm clock to wake him up after long nights hard work. For Karen, the clock was more than just a household item – it recalled the man who had shaped her childhood.
“This was my ticket companion when I grew up,” said Karen.
“It's so much of my childhood, there are so many happy memories.”
David unfortunately died in 2013 at the age of 87, but Karen had captured the clock and his beloved hat to keep his memory alive.
“The fact that I still have his watch is very important,” she said.
A difficult decision
BBCWhen Steve started working on the clock on the clock, it was clear that the watch had seen better days. The years of use had led its mechanisms to wear, so that the camps had to be repaired dusty and urgently.
The expert worked meticulously to bring it back to life, to adapt his teeth and to ensure that it would tick again. But during the process, he came to a knowledge that prompted him to make an unusual decision.
“I made the decision not to paint this little button to switch off the alarm,” said Steve.
“This was the only thing Karen's grandfather David had touched every time he turned off the alarm, and I thought there was a certain connection when it is the same piece that her grandfather actually touched.”
Instead of completely restoring the button, he decided to leave it as it was and made sure that there was a concrete connection between Karen and her grandfather.
A deeply emotional unveiling
BBCWhen Karen returned too The repair workshop To see the finished restoration, it was overwhelmed by emotions.
“These are happy tears,” she said, trying to hold her feelings back when she saw the perfectly functioning watch in front of her.
“Thank you very much. The reason why it means so much to me is that it was so many years my friend and it is such a nice, pleasant tick.”
Karen continued how much the watch grew up for her.
“When I hear the tick of the watch, it sits back to sitting on the bottom of the bed, while Grandad slept after a heavy night shift and knew that things are silent for my Grandad so that my Grandad rests.”
The touching moment left the audience emotionally, and many praised Steve for his sensitivity and thoughtfulness to keep a small but meaningful detail of the history of the watch.
Fans react
BBCAfter the episode, the fans of the show went on social media to share their admiration for Steves' decision.
A viewer wrote: “Steve is the absolute best. Such a thoughtful approach – he really understands how sentimental these objects are. “
Another said: “As he was? That makes The repair workshop So special. It's not just about repairing things, but also about maintaining memories of life. “
A third added: “Karen's reaction brought me. What a nice moment. I love this show! “
The continued success of the repair workshop
BBCThe BBC series is still a fan favorite, with its warm restorations and emotional reunions to one of the most soothing shows on television.
From antique furniture to valued children's toys, the experts for The repair workshop Treat every article with care and make sure that every restoration tells a story.
For Karen, her grandfather's clock is now more than just a functioning watch – it is a bridge to the past, an estimated memory of the man who was once dependent on it.
The repair workshop is broadcast on BBC One on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and can stream on BBC IPlayer.