Servicing Wound watches is crazy
I Was excited to purchase the legendary Sea Gull 1963.
Beautiful watch amazing to look at the movement, winding it up and the way it looks you just fall in love with it.
The problem came when it started being kinda stiff when winding. I wanted to service it and geez I was shocked.
170 to about 299 USD service cost!!! That's almost what I bought excluding what I will have to pay to ship it .
This has changed my view so much. I found out servicing a chronograph is another roller coaster.
Daamn, folks don't just look at the price tag of the watch when buying.
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This catches way too many newer collectors. I did a post about service not long ago, and I’m not the first to do so. But too many people get into watches without really internalizing the cost of service.
Just my opinion, but the floor service cost (for a basic three hand plus date), in my experience, is 200. For a chronograph more like 350. To me, that means pretty much every Ali Express special is disposable. They may be great value while they are working, but as soon as they cease working it isn’t worth the cost to repair them.
If I could get a 3 hander serviced for 200 bucks I wouldn't hesitate for a second.
Qualified,experienced watchmakers here are double that.
One of the big caveats with those 1963's is the service. Both the cost and finding someone who will service it.
Makes my Rolex sub date 10yr service quite reasonable at £600 last November completed by Rolex AD
If it keeps time, I wouldn't bother with a full service, especially if it's under a decade old. Find a local watchmaker, a real one that does things in house. I realize this isn't a century ago where every town had one, but search for watch and clock service (I find the overlap to be high, as it's the same fundamental skill) and a good honest place should open the case while you wait for a quick estimate.
But yes, chronographs are a good deal more complex and service costs account for that.
Yeah, the seagull movement is best swapped out.
Yep. When it comes time I will get my Speedy serviced. But when it comes time to get my Seagull 1963 serviced, I may just get a new one instead!
I think it is the same as with batteries, i.e. it is worth learning how to swap out these cheaper mechanical movements. You can likely buy them for not all that much.
If you’re looking for cheaper, my local watchmaker (Leroy Newswanger) does a clean and oil for under $100
Why are you servicing it? Cause it’s harder to wind? Is it keeping time?
Im only commenting because it came up and I knew it would. Service intervals are BS. Let me tell you the tale of 4 Rolexes. They are owned by 4 different people.
Two DJ’s, both around 30 years old, never serviced. Both owners said it still kept good time. Cost, obviously zero. One GMT master 2, mine, 20 years old, serviced at the 17 year. Kept superlative time, power reserve had decreased below 48 hours. Cost $700. The last was a Submariner (two-tone blue dial) serviced according to AD recommendation of every 5 years. 🤣🤣. It was 20+ years old, so at a minimum this owner had it serviced 4 times at the cost of $2800.
I’ve met so many owners of Rolexes that have never serviced their watches, more than the two in the tale.
I know you’re talking about a $250 dollar watch, but for all out there, service your watch when it’s not keeping time.
I'm completely immune to the 1963 Seagull. I can't even work up enough enthusiasm to hate it. I ask myself, why is this? It's in my price range and it's a style of watch I like.
Who knows? Watches are like food. Some people like broccoli, some don't.