Servicing entry level watches

Yup, I regard less expensive watches as disposable for that reason. Also why I avoid mechanically complicated watches.

Obviously on a sentimental piece different rules apply.

Good luck 👍🏻

Qualiy service is expensive. Plus service on a 7750 is far more expensive than a standard 3 hander.

I have never adhered to the suggested "service cycle". I only have them service when I see signs that a service is needed. If I've had the watch for some time and like it I pay for service-I would never sell a watch that needs service.

If it ain't broke.......

It's worked for me for years with no problems.

I just don't buy inexpensive watches that have complicated movements. All of my chronos are quartz, and all my mechanical movements are standard movements.

Here is what I personally do with affordable watches in my collection. Most are nh35 movements. When they are in need of service I will be just replacing the movements my self with a new one. That won’t work obviously if you don’t learn to do so. At that point it won’t be worth the service money from a watch maker at all. Unless…. It’s super sentimental

I look at it this way: would I rather wear a new watch or keep wearing the old one? Then I decide whether to spend on a new watch or a service. The "value" of the old watch isn't relevant to me as it's something I wear, not an investment.

Look at multiple watchmakers....find one you trust, whose rates you like

Only been at this for less than 10y. But I plan to just keep/hord them past their prime as I keep buying new ones.

As with others, the sentimental ones I’ll just pay for the service.

A $300 service is still cheaper than buying a $500 watch.

I haven't serviced any of mine yet, but the plan is to service the ones I wear regularly, and let the others ones sit unserviced until I feel the urge to wear them or toss them out.

It's $450 for a 7750 service in L.A. and still I'm upside down on many watches I've had repaired. It was similar with classic cars where I often had more into them than they were worth. For me it's a hobby and sometimes those cost money.

Yeah. This made me think how big of a collection I can maintain

That’s smart. I am looking for a GMT as my next acquisition but may consider a quartz now.

Yeah. That’s essentially how it happened on my Fortis. I didn’t service it until the noticeable problems showing up. Other watches are relatively newer as I am still new to the collecting hobby.

I'm currently in a similar situation.. but it's with a Bulova 3 hander. The movement new is $65. The service would be easily a couple hundred. So my plan is to swap for a new movement (actually improved by adding hacking seconds) and then I'll use the old movement to tinker with learning how to service it myself.

$650 is about what I paid last year to service that same movement in a different brand.

I used to tell people you will pay $100 per hand to service your auto or manuals. Rolex and some other brands charge whatever they want.

I speak to my watchmaker about this sometimes. He serviced watches when mechanical watches were more common and the idea of servicing something instead of throwing it away was the prevailing philosophy. His rates, even when adjusted for inflation would be less than what a watchmaker charges these days. It goes to show how a mechanical watch has become a luxury/enthusiast product as well as how scarcity drives prices up. Every town used to have a watchmaker and spares were a phone call away. Nowadays, where I stay in middle-of-nowhere, South Africa, spares are hard to come by and expensive and the only watchmakers left cater to the luxury market and will have me dance in very suggestive ways just to service a three-hander.

This is my villain origin story. I learnt to service watches because I was broke and stingy. I still need to work on a chronograph, but an old pocket timer is the same principle, minus the timekeeping works. So if I service a three-hander and pocket timer at the same time, I can brag and say I serviced a chronograph.

With my little trip down memory lane out of the way, rather just service your watches when something goes wrong or they stop. Modern lubricants are excellent and I have watches with fifty-year-old oils that still run fine. The sad truth is that labour is expensive and being a hobbyist watchmaker, I completely understand why. I've been battling a particular watch for over a week now.

Oh, that's an interesting idea. I should have gone that route....

Yes, cheaper watches typically aren't worth servicing. There are exceptions, but for the most part, a service can cost as much as the watch iteslf, or close to it. For this reason, I avoid cheaper watches, because I don't want to have any throw away watches. I want my watches to live at least as long as I do. For what it's worth, OP, Tag Heuer just charged me $850 to service a chronograph, and Omega charged me $1100 to service a chronograph 4 months ago. It costs a lot of money to keep watches running well, and this is my main reason for not having 20+ watches.

Didn't do quartz for a few years, was quite snobbish towards it - now one of my most worn watches and a firm favourite is my early Aqua Terra quartz.

Makes sense, higher quality, easier, tougher and cheaper. 👍🏻

I have a Powermatic 80 that I hear is a chore to service. When the time comes I’ll probably just swap the movement. I’m not attached to them.

Thats one reason I avoid expensive/luxury watches. More money left for servicing. And why I have mostly quartz. Battery Change comes cheaper.

The mechanical watches I do have, will be serviced, when the time comes. Even if they are not high-end.

Its also worth mentioning that chronographs are one of the most expensive "everyday" complications to service. When I was looking for a watchmaker a while back, chrono servicing was typically double, and sometimes more, than a standard 3 hander with date.

So unless you're a lunatic like me and like to collect mechanical chronographs, your other watches will be significantly cheaper to service.

A little food for thought I'll throw out there: if you don't love the watch enough to justify getting it serviced when the time comes, regardless of price and value, maybe move it on to someone who does. Whether or not I'd pay to have a watch serviced is the litmus test I use to buy/sell my watches.

Mechanical watch movement servicing cost of $400+ is the industry norm (from my experience), and mechanical things (such as your car) will eventually breakdown (some sooner than others) without service…. As others have mentioned if the servicing costs are more than the cost of the watch itself, then it becomes a question of sentimentality. If you love it, and servicing doesn’t hurt you financially, then do it. Otherwise time to let the watch go

The Fortis came back from the watch maker! Apprarently he takes pics/video in the process.