I think this should certainly be considered! In most cases it won't be too bitter a pill to swallow, but - in some cases it can cost more to service a watch than servicing your car.
Most normal people would consider the servicing/running costs of a new car before purchase, and while often not as much for most watches, here is a prime example;

Cost to service my BMW 335d at a main dealer = £426
Cost to service my Omega Seamaster Chrono at Omega = £825

In fairness, a watch isn't serviced as often as a car, but it still costs almost twice as much.
Food for thought...

 

Servicing that BMW might be every 2 years so over a 10 year period it'll be £4k whereas the watch will still "only be £800" and tbh I'm not sure BMW (or any manufacturer) really does a whole bunch of work.

 

Nope. I’ll cross the “service” bridge when I get to it.

 

Yup, and on a watch-by-watch basis. I have 21 watches right now in my box: 5 quartz, 16 hand wound/automatic. Broken down further:

01x >$1000 Quartz
04x <$100 Quartz
11x <$700 Mechanical
05x >$1000 Mechanical

Of the entirety of the Quartz watches, only the $1000 Quart watch may ever get serviced, because it is a rather unique calibre/movement - though by the time it finally dies and NEEDS to be serviced, parts may no longer be available.

Only 1 of the <$700 mechanicals has enough meaning to me to demand a servicing, but the labor is worth more than the watch, and the value of the watch is purely sentimental.

This leaves the 5 >$1000 Mechanicals. Of that batch, ONLY one has the monetary value and the sentimental value in my mind to be serviced (My Speedmaster), and I actually DID pay for a service on it last year after nearly 10 years of ownership. Amoratized to $75/year of ownership, that wasn't too bad. I might be convinced to service my Carl F. Bucherer as well, but the other watches in this group are gonna get run till they stop and may be retired at that time. Likewise, I may inherit 3 watches from my dad - THOSE may actually get servicing.

 

Yup.

 

Hasn't put me off yet. Servicing is spread out over several years so it's barely noticable. If the collection was serviced at the same time that might get my attention.

 

This is my view, too. I regularly pressure test my watches, but for full servicing they won't all come up at the same time.

 

It depends. Some watches were so cheap, I don't mind putting them out of rotation for years until they can be worn. Others are kinda designed to go for years and years without a service (looking at you, Sinn, Damasko!), but my favs will be serviced when they have to but because they're a relatively simple ETA movement, service should be doable.

 

Yes, it certainly makes me hesitant to buy a cheaper ( <€2000) chronograph.

I always buy to keep, which means I also intend to service. And for affordable chronos that is not always a great proposition.

 

I take it your point is that it doesn't make sense to spend $200-300 servicing a $500 watch while spending $1-2K to service a $10-20K watch is totally fine (or something like that). Which is fine & understandable. This isn't exactly a rational hobby. So thus "sunk costs" are NOT ignored but are part of the overall calculation.

 

Not a thought. If you can’t afford to get your watch serviced then you shouldn’t have bought it in the first place. Harsh reality.

 

Nope, but I don't follow the recommended interval either. Just wait until there is significant time loss/gain or some other problem.

 

Nope, I don't let that stop me from picking up something I like.

 

Yes, it limits my collection to under 100

Honestly, it does make that 10 year Oris warranty very attractive.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

 

Nah, that Oris with the 10 year warranty/service interval is around £3.5k whereas the older movements with "lower" service intervals are under £2k. I much prefer the cheaper version and take.my chance hoping the watch will last 10 before an intervention is required.

Actually, come to think of it, with the more expensive watch and the 10 year interval, I wonder if that can last 15-20 years, then it could be worth buying the dearer option.

 

Off any singular watch, no. Off owning "many" watches, yes absolutely.

Lots of people here won't buy in house movements because "it costs 2x as much to service" but then those same people choose to own 14 ETA 2824s. THAT'S the kind of service cost I'm afraid of. Not of servicing any individual watch.

 

No. I have never needed to service a watch in 30 plus years (due to wear) and well over 50 plus watches. Having a good/reasonable watch guy just in case is a plus… lol.

 

No.

I just won't service it lol.

 

Not at all.

wait a few years or for significant time loss/gain to occur.

 

Some people complain about having to change a quartz watch battery once every 3-7 years (or so), but the service cost of a mechanical is higher (much higher for some brands) even if you only service it once every 10 years. So to the OP, yes - and another factor in quartz's favour IMO.

 

This could be true, but in the case of a Tissot for example, I won't list the numbers here but the cost of new battery and sealing over a ten year period seems quite similar to servicing their automatic watch just once. I'm looking at Tissot Gentleman quartz Vs auto. (of course, the auto only gets new seals every decade, but then, so does a Casio G-Shock and I take that into the sea...)

 

Since my primary love is vintage chronographs I always factor in a service. I recently bought an Omega Flightmaster via eBay. The auction ended while I was at work so I set my max bid at the most I was willing to pay for one minus $1000 for an immediate service. The photos weren't great so I was very pleasantly surprised when the watch arrived and looks and runs good enough for me to wear it for a few years without having to service it.

 

No. If I purchase it I plan to take proper care of it like any other purchase.

 

Only time I consider or am really aware service cost is if i am buying used. Buying new that future service cost is broken up over years of use/enjoyment, versus buying a used watch which may need it in the immediate future. I try and factor that into the purchase price.

 

Definitely a consideration, but wouldn't go as far to say put off

 

I should probably think about it more than I do but no, it’s not a factor for me

 

It’s put a real damper on my desire for a spring drive. Sending the watch off to Japan…. I just can’t be arsed

 

Simple enough for me, if I can't do the servicing myself then it is not worth buying, period!

 

Yes.
That's why I'm sticking with popular movements that can be serviced by a local watchmaker when needed.

 

Nah, that's a problem for future me, and I hate that guy.

 

Higher service and maintenance costs have made me less likely to buy chronographs. There are several that I like, but the complication doesn't add much practical utility, but costs more to service. So I usually end up not bothering.