There are many factors which go into the decision of servicing your watch – which we will cover within this article. You’ll need to think about these different factors and then determine whether or not your watch needs servicing… but don’t worry, we’re going to help. To give you an example, the age, the brand and the movement your watch has, plays a crucial role in whether or not your watch needs a service. But that’s not all, because external factors, such as damage plays a huge role too. So, have a read through, and see if it helps you. We hope you walk away… or click away in this case, feeling as if you learnt a thing or two.
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO SERVICE YOUR WATCH?
When it comes to servicing your watch, it’s always best that you know what steps to take -when it does eventually come down to it. If you’re noticing that your watch is losing time, by either skipping a beat, or simply just stops, then that’s a sign that your watch is in need of a service. However, if you look at your watch, and there’s no immediate sign of wear and tear or just flat out damage, then maybe it’s just the watches’ time to be serviced. There will always be a time where your watch needs servicing, but it’s the question of when? This is the question that really matters.
We took a look at “Crown & Caliber”, “Rolex”, “Omega”, “Patek Philippe” and “Vacheron Constantin”. which all had mixed opinions on the matter.
Crown & Caliber quoted from president of Hublot (North America):
“We suggest servicing every three to five years.”
“If a watch is worn sparingly, such as a few times per month or less, servicing can take place less often,” Boutros adds. “However, when worn infrequently, it’s important to wind and run the watch at least once a month to keep the movement’s parts lubricated. To prevent rusting and ensure oils do not completely dry, a service should take place within 10 years.”
Rolex said:
“To guarantee continued accuracy and waterproofness, Rolex recommends that you periodically return your watch to an Official Rolex Retailer or Service Centre for professional servicing. It is recommended to service your Rolex approximately every 10 years depending on the model and real-life usage”
Omega said:
“We recommend that you have the water resistance checked once a year and a complete service performed every 5 to 8 years.”
Patek Philippe said:
“A Patek Philippe watch is designed to be handed down from generation to generation. For this reason – whether your timepiece needs to be repaired, restored or entirely overhauled – servicing a Patek Philippe timepiece regularly is essential to ensure it’s longevity. We recommend every 3-5 years or whenever necessary.”
Vacheron Constantin said:
“Everything depends on how you wear your watch every day; however, we strongly recommend you bring your timepiece to a Service Center every 3 or 4 years for complication models, and every 4 or 5 years for mechanical models (self-winding or manual).”
If we take the average of all the years stated from each watch brand, we get an answer of 7 years! So, take it how you will, and understand that this average comes from a very small sample – but a good sample, as they’re considered by many, as the best watch brands in the world.
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR SERVICING YOUR MECHANICAL WATCH?
There are many reasons why your watch would need a service, and it’s up to you to identify them, before any more damage can be done etc.
Cleaning watch/ components –
Cleaning is a must when servicing your watch – if you’re watch isn’t cleaned during a service, then ask for a refund. The components will be disassembled from the overall movement, and then placed carefully into a mesh style container – from there, they will be placed into an ultrasonic cleaning machine with cleaning solution, water and a dryer to ensure they’re in the best condition.
Repairing –
During a service, you might expect some parts of the watch, or components to be repaired. This is more the case for vintage watches, as no one likes to see an old watch being replaced with new parts. However, you would find this type of work being carried out by individuals etc. as most big watch brands, tend to just replace any non-working parts.
Replacing –
When your watch goes for a service, there might be components that are broken, an example being teeth on a wheel – and that will need to be replaced with genuine parts from the watchmaker themselves. The idea of replacing parts, ensures that the watch will function properly, when assembled back together.
WHY WOULD YOUR MECHANICAL WATCH NEED A SERVICE?
Skipping beats –
If your watch is skipping a beat every so often, then it most likely needs a service. You can work out whether or not your watch is skipping a beat, by just focusing on the second’ hand, and if it suddenly jumps or jolts, then you know it’s not sweeping/ ticking properly.
Stopped working completely –
This ones a little bit more obvious, but still valid to include. If your watch has completely stopped – meaning the hands aren’t moving, the action of winding the crown, doesn’t do anything, nor does shaking it… then a service bill is headed your way.
Water damage –
This ones a big problem when it comes to using your watch in the water… evidently – no, but seriously, it can be devastating for your watches’ condition. If you’re underwater with your watch, you should not open the crown to adjust the time etc. Use the pushers if you need to time something etc. If you use the crown when underwater this allows for water to reach parts it shouldn’t be allowed to reach, and will then start to cause long-term damage.
Damage in general –
Water damage is one thing, but damage in general – such as dropping your watch, hitting your watch on something, or anything which could cause harm to the watch, will subsequently, potentially mean your watch will need a service.
