Do you get your watches serviced?

As i love my watches i honestly don t look on the price i ve payed. If it needs a service it ll go to the watchmaker. But as i have mostly g shocks the most can be done by myself. But my mechanical ones, poljot, phoibos and seiko (5 pieces) will see service if needed to whatever the price may be

On <1000€ watches I just swap the movement for a new one myself because the cost of servicing entry level watches with 30-50€ movements is absurd to me.

I did it for a simple 250€ 80s watch I bought like 3 month before because it simply needed it. That was definitely 50% of the value in this service. but I love the watch more than any modern watch at the price point. I see it as a pay to play thing and finger crossed this watch won't need anything more for the next 10 years. I know it run great without stressing about it.

Thankfully most of mine are Seiko movements so I will just swap them out for a new one.

Servicing your timepieces is obviously a question best answered by you, an inexpensive timepiece that somebody would not even pick up from the ground might be an important talisman to you, deserves repair and maintenance when necessary. I have not purchased any Breitling watches during recent times but understand models that are fitted with their in house movements carry 5 year warranty guarantees that require a certain number of services to keep the warranty valid. I cannot comment the cost in other communities but a standard servicing in Toronto performed by Breitling is about 1k cad. This comment does not actually relate to your poll but I decided to just throw it in for whatever good that info might carry.

Most of my watches are a $400-$800 service. The later being Omega where they service and make the watch look new again.

In general, there are three or four options with the "paying 50% of the watches value for a service" scenario, right?

1. Discard watch, don't replace

2. Sell poor functioning watch for paltry return (maybe more if dishonest!)

3. Service, get perfectly running watch for half price.

4. Pay 100% of watch value for new watch

Unless you hate the watch, 3 is the clear option. I'm including movement swaps as service for the movements that cost less than any true maintenance.

You need to remember watch service is expensive, like you said it can be more expensive than what watch you are actually getting serviced in the first place. Generally speaking, if you have a watch worth £500 or more I would look into getting it serviced, anything less than that and you could pretty much get a new replacement. Vintage watches are a different kettle or fish and in many cases need master craftsmen skilled at a particular brand - I spent a long time looking for someone to service my 1971 king Seiko, the last thing you need is a bodge job as parts are next to non existent

Just service your watch as soon as you notice it losing or gaining time. Trolls will say it’s too late by that point but it isn’t. Most of the service is about cleaning a lubrication & microscopic changes in this will affect the accuracy of Watch. It’s very unlikely your watch will ever become so bone dry that the increased friction wears the contact points. Most services include some replacement parts. Speak to the person who services the watch, not the salesperson seeking to sell you spares.

1. Check warranty status

2. Seek out a watch repair shop (e.g., https://www.marylandwatchworks.com) Local jewelers tend to have 3rd parties perform repairs and mark up the invoice

3. Ask for an estimate to repair the existing movement and price to swap it out for context

4. Shop around

5. Think twice before chucking a watch because of the price of service. Models change and generally become more expensive over time so would resist the temptation even for less expensive watches if you can

I paid for service of two watches little less than 20$

I’m learning how to work on watches as a hobby so I’ll be able to service my own watches at some point.

If it is a watch that you wear and love it should not matter if the service costs as much as the watch itself. If we made all of our watch decisions based on financial points there would not be any hobby. None of it makes sound financial sense, service the watch regardless if you love it.

In addition to price, I think an important factor is whether the watch has an in-house movement. (I am excluding inexpensive watches from Seiko, Citizen, and Orient.) If the watch has an in-house movement, I am more likely to opt for servicing the movement due to the lower cost of the service versus the cost of replacing the movement.

I'm not gonna lie, I've had my Timex Midget, and several other under $200US seals checked, etc. I've used the same dudes where my parents live for years. Before I knew how to change batteries, I took my stuff there too for batt swaps.

I'll still drop stuff off with them, for example my EB Holton Pro, cost prohibitive to send back to the UK, and since it's a hard use watch, when it needed a new batt, I let my watch guys do it, and give everything a once over.

Funny thing is, they are a full service repair center, watchmaker, and seller. They sell all kinds of used luxury, Rolex, Tudor, Omega etc and are working on becoming full AD's. Ive harped before about the crappy experiences I've personally had with some AD's. These guys would be the exact opposite.

Bringing in cheap Timex, Electric, Seiko microbrands, etc for batt swaps or service, they never once turned their noses up. And I was treated like an actual human, no disdain, and actually had one of the watchmakers get all excited when I had my Lorier Neptune regulated. YMMV.

Can’t put a price on the memories of the piece. If it’s too expensive to service the movement, replace the movement. I wouldn’t think of tossing my whole SRPD or Pro Diver if they needed serviced, I’d attempt replacing the movement before I sold them or tossed them.

It depends on the sentimental value of the watch. I have my first watch given me by my parents services for 450 EUR. I could have found the same for 50 EUR on ebay. It doesn't matter. But i wouldn't do the the same for a seiko 5 i bought for myself.

If the non sentimental watch have a standard eta, selita, seiko or miyota movement just swap it if its cheaper.

If you paid good money for an inhouse movement, than you probably have enough money for the service and it doesent matter either.

I'm lucky enough to be able to service my own. My rates are very reasonable too so it's not too painful ;)

It becomes a problem if you also bork the hands, dial and caseback... I'm not that bad with tools and I'd love to service cheaper watches myself but I think there is decent chance that I'd make it worse than it was.

I'd still be up for it just because it's fun. Financially however I'm all but certain that I wouldn't come out ahead, long or short term 😉 by the time the next one is due I'd have unlearned that bit I practiced last time.

I never get any of my watches serviced unless it’s absolutely necessary. Only had one issue in 4 decades of buying. I dropped my Tudor BB bronze last year and broke the crown to wear it would wind but would not screw down properly. I took it to the AD here and they said it could take 6 months to get it back. So I took it to a watchmaker in the area and he fixed it and it was back on my wrist in two weeks. Am I worried about the warranty being voided? No, warranties are not worth the paper they’re printed on.

So far, besides having my vintage watches serviced (necessary to get them to run properly), the only watches I've had to send in for service are my AP and LUC. AP was still under warranty so that cost $0. Not sure what the LUC charge will be...still waiting for the estimate...my guess is it will be four figures 😕