[Squashracquets]

Most manufacturers recommend authorized service every 3 to 5 years, and most comments in these forums echo that advice. Meanwhile YouTuber Wristwatch_Revival recently receives, encrusted with filth, a Rolex OP with 1560 movement that's been worn every day for 53 years and never opened until it finally stopped. He finds near zero internal wear, and after cleaning, lubing and replacing the main spring gets +/- 0 seconds on the timegrapher. Is it time to call BS on this whole regular service thing?

 

[Nokie]

Subjective as far as I am concerned.

I would not ignore the schedule set forth by manufactures, or at least use it as a guideline.

 

[Chiane]

Watch your back, here come the ‘service your watch brigade’ over the horizon to tell you that if you service your car, you must service your watch. Yep, paying $600 to Omega every so many years or it will way more expensive later.

Meanwhile, I have watches that are 50 years old that have never been serviced and run fine.

 

[Bradjhomes]

I think we're going to need a bigger sample size...

 

[bigclive2011]

I service when there is an issue, be it with deviation or gritty winding.

In the last couple of years I had six watches serviced, two because of deviation, two because of debris on the dial, one cos I dropped it 🫣 one cos the mainspring broke.

Servicing for the sake of it is not something I have ever done.

 

[Seabee1]

I think we're going to need a bigger sample size...

n=1 seems a large enough sample to opine on, ney?

 

[Aldus Pagemaker]

I do believe that servicing a watch after a few years is good. And that is one thing that keeps me from buying expensive timepieces. Just do not want to pay for servicing and I am worried about all that may go wrong during a service.
It might also be another reason that more and more I prefer good quartz watches.

 

[TalkingClock]

Watch your back, here come the ‘service your watch brigade’ over the horizon to tell you that if you service your car, you must service your watch. Yep, paying $600 to Omega every so many years or it will way more expensive later.

Meanwhile, I have watches that are 50 years old that have never been serviced and run fine.

Holy broken biscuits Batman. You have just opened up the whole 'How often should you change your engine oil' debate.
On a watch Forum. And you didn't even try.

 

[TalkingClock]

n=1 seems a large enough sample to opine on, ney?

It's the Internet. One simply does not require any sample to opine on anything, dontcha know.

 

[PSo71]

Unless something is obviously wrong with a watch (losing accuracy, strange noise, weird crown action, etc), I don't service my watches on any schedule. Granted, I'm not going to wait 20 years to get a watch serviced, but every 3-5 years is kinda ridiculous, especially if you're like me and have 6-7 watches in rotation. Also, no winder, so the watches not being worn are just resting peacefully in my watch box (less wear and tear).

Last watch I had serviced had to go to Germany and not only did it take 5 months, but I could have bought a microbrand for the same cost, and it was "missing" in customs for a couple weeks, which gave a me a few heart attacks.

 

[MX793]

Watch your back, here come the ‘service your watch brigade’ over the horizon to tell you that if you service your car, you must service your watch. Yep, paying $600 to Omega every so many years or it will way more expensive later.

Meanwhile, I have watches that are 50 years old that have never been serviced and run fine.

IIRC, Omega is among the ranks of companies that have an "all inclusive" service price. You pay the same whether they have to replace half the movement due to wear or just clean and oil. In which case, run 'er 'til she breaks and then get it serviced.

If service pricing does not include replacement of parts, you may want to consider preventative maintenance. You'd need to do a cost benefit analysis.

 

[Tim Plains]

If service costs are flat rate, like Rolex and Omega, I don't see the point of sending in watches until they have issues.

 

[FeloniousTesseract]

Damn right. I lube my door hinges at the dealer every 2000miles, just like the manual reads.

 

[Mr Dennis]

It pays to have them at least looked at, check the regulation and see if the dried up lubrication is messing with your pivots. The wear on the internals depends on when it was last serviced and how much abuse any one watch will go through.

Think of service intervals as a good suggestion, not as a way to rip anyone off. It makes a difference in any mechanical device. Look at some machine shop machinery, they have automatic oil cups to lube high friction areas on them. Makes sense.

 

[WizardofWatch]

Also, no winder, so the watches not being worn are just resting peacefully in my watch box (less wear and tear).

Don’t you know that you should always use winders? Else, the oils and lubricants in the watch will dry out! 😬

 

[maxmfs]

I service my Rolex GMT Master II at Rolex when it needs it. About ten years ago it was the movement of the second hand being off. This past year it was the crown/stem not catching to manually wind the watch.

Perhaps I’m ignorant, but I don’t view watches as requiring PM like a car or other machinery, where foregoing PM can lead to much bigger problems down the line - blown cylinders, leaking gaskets, etc. Though I suppose not keeping the mechanical movement properly lubed could lead to unnecessary wear and tear to the gears. But, with a sealed system, and high quality lubes, I’m not as concerned.

 

[thewatchidiot]

based on my wear, I’m good at 8-10 years before service. Another issue is how long the watch will be gone. In today’s world it seems 4-6 months to get done

 

[zfeldm]

n=1 seems a large enough sample to opine on, ney?

n=1 is totally valid sample size as long as it totally happened for real to your brother's friend.
Trust me. I'm a statistician.

 

[Seabee1]

Trust me. I'm a statistician.

what are the odds of that....

 

[Seabee1]

It's the Internet. One simply does not require any sample to opine on anything, dontcha know.

says you and who else.....