Like a car, these are machines and need periodic service to stay running. You can also keep them running nearly indefinitely so long as you can get parts (when required) and someone with the skill to fix them.

Many parts should last almost forever barring extreme circumstances (like being tossed in a fire or run over by a car). Others wear out and require periodic replacement.

Most movements require service every 5-10 years. If buying used, inquire about service history. If no service has been performed in the past 5 years or history is unknown, plan/budget to send it to a watchmaker or the manufacturer for service.

 

^^^^^

Great answer MX.

I am pretty careful about maintenence, and do so regularly, but some of my hand winders still work great after more than 10 years of use with no issues or servicing at this point.

 

Specific to the watch you are asking about, it is going to depend on how it has been treated thus far....maintenance performed (or not), how much wear has it actually experienced, when worn how was it treated, how was it stored, etc...

Make sure you "buy the seller", not just the watch

 

Just had my Lucien Piccard serviced, new mainspring, only the second part in 58+ years. I suspect it will far outlast
me.

 

It’ll depend on your movement speed too. 21600’s can probably go longer without service than say, a 28800 or higher

 

As others have mentioned, as long as you maintain and service the watch regularly, a watch can last indefinitely. Even if original parts are lacking, new ones can be machined (albeit this is expensive).

 

there are tons of watches out there, still running, decades after manufacture without any servicing but there are so many variable that your question cannot be answered. The IWC you want is a quality built piece that should run well for your entire lifetime but unless you find a seller who has records of a recent service I would recommend factoring a service into your purchase price. Find a seller you like, with a watch you love, and plan to send it in for a full servicing straight away.

 

I'm currently rocking my 1964 Longines (part of an effort to give my dress watches some Covid wrist time). It has been serviced twice in its life. It doesn't get a lot of wear because it's small. I took it to my watch guy, he looked at it and said he could do a servicing on it, but I should just wait as it's running great.

There's a sponsored post for some micro brand on the front page that really pushes its sustainability. I just laughed. Mechanical watches, when properly cared for, can last for decades. The same people that design this sustainable watch are probably in line at the Apple store every new iPhone release.

 

Thanks all for your answers. So it sounds like the answer is mechanical watches can last many decades if properly cared for, and a decade (or so) isn't a deal breaker. And that it really depends on how it was previously cared for.

I think the car analogy MX mentioned is a good one to further clarify. I'm going to make up numbers, but the point will hopefully be clear. If you buy a new car, you can hope that there will be few major issues in the first 5ish years, mostly just routine stuff. After 10ish years, you start to need minor to medium repairs at every inspection, which adds up in cost. So I guess part of the question is when does this occur in watches (if cared for reasonably well)? Or is this an impossibly difficult question to answer because there are too many variables?

Either way, it sounds like I shouldn't talk myself out of this watch just for being a decade old.

 

Thanks all for your answers. So it sounds like the answer is mechanical watches can last many decades if properly cared for, and a decade (or so) isn't a deal breaker. And that it really depends on how it was previously cared for.

I think the car analogy MX mentioned is a good one to further clarify. I'm going to make up numbers, but the point will hopefully be clear. If you buy a new car, you can hope that there will be few major issues in the first 5ish years, mostly just routine stuff. After 10ish years, you start to need minor to medium repairs at every inspection, which adds up in cost. So I guess part of the question is when does this occur in watches (if cared for reasonably well)? Or is this an impossibly difficult question to answer because there are too many variables?

Either way, it sounds like I shouldn't talk myself out of this watch just for being a decade old.

A watch isn't nearly as complicated as a car.

Movements need periodic service (every 5-10 years depending on movement and use) for cleaning and fresh lubricants. Timekeeping performance degradation or reduced power reserve may start to occur when service is due (or overdue). Service is a complete disassembly of the movement, cleaning of parts, reassembly, and lubrication. Parts will be inspected for wear/damage and replaced as necessary. Wear items like threaded crowns, crown tubes, and seals are frequently replaced as part of routine service. A complete watch service is more akin to having you car's engine rebuilt than an oil change.

 

Q: How long do watches last before they either break or start to need major repairs?
A: If the watch you choose was well maintained by the prior owner and you keep that up then the chances of parts breaking or major repairs are quite small. Your watch will need regular maintenance by a reputable watch repair shop every 5 years or so which will cost around $500.

FWIW many of us have mechanical pocket watches dating from the 1800's that still run just fine. Mechanical watches are long lived if cared for.

Welcome to Watchuseek!

 

I have a 1967 Seiko Sportsmatic 5 that my father bought for me while he was in Vietnam. Still works fine though running a little slow. I plan to send it to the Seiko service center for an overhaul soon. It has never been in for any service except for the replacement of a cracked crystal afew decades ago.

 

Hello all!

I've been reading this forum ever since I bought my first mechanical watch ~5 years ago (a Stowa Antea) and finally decided to join. I'm looking to add a second watch to my collection and I think my top choice is a discontinued watch that would have to be bought at 10-15 years old. My question is: how long do watches last before they either break or start to need major repairs? I know that is nowhere near antique, but is a watch at that age going to start needing major repairs soon or should it be good for a while? The watch I'm interested in the IWC Mark XVI.

Thanks!

I've got a few from the 70's, I'll let you know when one malfunctions.

 

Age is also relative. If you buy the watch from someone who has 20 watches that are all used in rotation, your watch will have much less wear compared to watches that are used every day for the same number of years.

 

Still use my father's Rolex from about 1959. I think there is more original than not, except for the bracelet.

 

I really do not worry about the life expectancy of my watch. Because it outlasts everything else. I will have replaced my car, phone, laptop, kitchen appliances, spouse , clothes and many other things many times over while I am still wearing the same watch.

I do a service about once every decade. And know all my watches will "outlive" me.

 

Thank you all for the advice and information, this was extremely helpful! This means I will not rule out a used Mark XVI. Now I just need to decide if it's my top choice (which I think it is?) and find a good price!

 

52 years and counting. It's why they're called heirlooms.

 

 

Like a used car, it all depends on who owned it. Remember the little old lady from Pasadena?

Your IWC Mark XVI has been running for about 24 hours to 131,400 hours and has been serviced or not serviced very much.

The short answer is: Mechanical movements seem to be able to tolerate tons of run time and some abuse with being severely damaged, which constantly amazes me.

 

How long is a pice of string? With a bit of care and attention a watch’s life can be measured in decades but treat it roughly (“treat ‘em mean, keep ’em keen” doesn’t apply to watches) and it could be all over in a couple of years

 

I once read a review of a Seiko diver watch which had been in daily use for more than 20 years with no service. When it was opened, it desperately needed to be lubricated, as the original oils had dried up. Some components needed to be replaced, primarily the balance wheel and escapement, as their rapid motion caused them to wear faster than other components. It comes down to whether you would rather just own an inexpensive watch which can be replaced at the end of it's usefulness, or spend a much greater amount for a watch, and then continue spending for repeated service every so many years. For many people, it makes more sense to buy a $300 watch, wear it until it stops running (which can easily be 10 years or more), then replace it, instead of a $3000 watch, and spend $300-500 having it serviced every 5 years.

 

For many people, it makes more sense to buy a $300 watch, wear it until it stops running (which can easily be 10 years or more), then replace it, instead of a $3000 watch, and spend $300-500 having it serviced every 5 years.

I'm not morally opposed to either philosophy. For me, I just haven't found many $300 watches that I like that much. So to get what I want, I end up researching heavily and buying what I want. But at those higher prices!

 

I know that is nowhere near antique, but is a watch at that age going to start needing major repairs soon or should it be good for a while? The watch I'm interested in the IWC Mark XVI.

I have a question along these same lines to piggyback on this. I've read many old threads but we are almost in 2021 now and wanted to check if the service cost for a basic ETA in a sub $1k watch or so is still ~$200?

 

Think closer to 300 now.

 

Hello all!

I've been reading this forum ever since I bought my first mechanical watch ~5 years ago (a Stowa Antea) and finally decided to join. I'm looking to add a second watch to my collection and I think my top choice is a discontinued watch that would have to be bought at 10-15 years old. My question is: how long do watches last before they either break or start to need major repairs? I know that is nowhere near antique, but is a watch at that age going to start needing major repairs soon or should it be good for a while? The watch I'm interested in the IWC Mark XVI.

Thanks!

I have some very antique watches from the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's. When I get these older ones in I always go through and service them (myself), and the majority of parts I see that broken are what's either on the outside or were damaged from misuse. The parts that get the heaviest use are the keyless works, stem and crown from winding and setting the hands and calendar wheels. The train wheels are mainly set in jewels which have very low friction on the pivots. The teeth of the larger wheels are usually brass which is forgiving and can provide many years of service without wearing down. Main springs are under the highest amount of tension and can break inside the barrel if wound too tight, or the watch is dropped while under pressure...same with jewels and balance wheel pivots.

So, to answer your question of longevity, they should provide decades of use under normal conditions and servicing. if you're unsure if the watch you're looking to own has been serviced, plan on doing this right away. Just like buying a car, I always have someone check out the major parts to see if they need service soon.

 

I have a Rolex that's 33 yrs old and keeps chronometer time. It has had one service ever.