Service at the brand or an independent??

Today I bring a discussion that seems pertinent and that certainly many of us question ourselves: should we have our watch serviced at the brand or an independent watchmaker?

Obviously this question has many variables, but I would still like to know your opinion.

And to all those who have an OMEGA, what do you have to say about doing the service at the brand? Did you like it? Recommend?

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Cheaper watches with universal movements (ie Seiko) I’ll usually send to independent places for work. Many will work on vintage Omega/Rolex/Heuer (>20 years) as these all used ETA or Valjoux movement back in the day. 
 

Anything new and higher end always goes back to the brand for me. Turn around can be 3-4 months depending but usually worth it for in-house movements and proprietary tech. A lot of independent shops won’t even offer to service newer high end watches. 

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When I asked my watchmaker about servicing my Omegas, he said to definitely send it in to the company.  He's certified... blah, blah, blah, but his take was that with the latest generation of co-axial movements, like in the 8900 calibre (looks like that's what you have there in your Aqua Terra), things are so complex, tolerances so tight, it only makes sense to send back to Omega.

When he was going through the certification process, he said that it was understood that Omega had put so much money and focus on the co-axial technology, because their aim was to create a movement that could last a lifetime without servicing.  Obviously, they can't make that claim, and they can't offer that kind of warranty.  But, big manufacturers actually lose money every time you send in your watch for service, so it behooves them to be able to build a movement that doesn't require service.  

https://www.fratellowatches.com/watches-for-the-long-overhaul-comparing-new-service-intervals-of-rolex-oris-casio-and-more/

Anyway, his overall take was that Omega movements these days are like F1 engines.  Outcomes are pretty binary.  Either they'll perform for the long haul and win the race.  Or...  they'll blow up catastrophically halfway through the competition.

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I've sent my Speedy back to Omega in New York a few times over the years and they have never made a single mistake; the service was impeccable.  If you have a good local watchmaker like others have said already you can trust them for routine service on common movements.

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I’d send it back to the OEM if they’re still around and you can.  Usually they will warranty the work performed whereas an independent shop will not.

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Certainly that lovely Aqua Terra should go back to Omega — when the time comes.  However, I had a similar question regarding a Sinn 856 that will soon be due for service.  This watch has an SW300 in it, so — as we’re told — any competent watchmaker should be able to work on it.  I inquired at Nesbit‘s Fine Watch Service in Seattle — a reputable establishment — and they told me to send it back to Sinn, because they can’t get parts.  
 

This has made me question the widespread internet lore of generic vs in-house movements.  Could it be that the internet has misled me?  Nooooo!😉

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valleykilmers

Cheaper watches with universal movements (ie Seiko) I’ll usually send to independent places for work. Many will work on vintage Omega/Rolex/Heuer (>20 years) as these all used ETA or Valjoux movement back in the day. 
 

Anything new and higher end always goes back to the brand for me. Turn around can be 3-4 months depending but usually worth it for in-house movements and proprietary tech. A lot of independent shops won’t even offer to service newer high end watches. 

Exactly this.

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A somewhat-related story regarding factory service.  Hamilton Khaki Field Auto: ran great, but when manually winding, the winding pinion would frequently skip a tooth on the crown wheel.  You could watch it through the caseback.  It was under warranty, so I sent it (with a note describing the problem) to the Hamilton/Swatch/Omega service center in California.  They promptly sent it back with a report that it was running at +1, and still met the pressure test requirement.  They didn’t address my complaint, but merely verified that the watch was serviceable.  Not exactly what I was expecting.

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I have a watch maker (whom I love) but I tend to service with the original company unless it's Seiko, microbrand, or vintage.  Better warranties and a nice way to build boutique/AD relationships

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I will be sending my Speedy back to Omega when the time comes. I recently brought a Seiko diver to a local watchmaker that had very good reviews and had a very bad experience so unfortunately I will not trust any one about the manufacturer anymore. Most of the local watchmakers I see are extremely busy and backlogged and I believe this makes some of them rush to get to the next project unfortunately.

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Modern watches are probably best off serviced by the manufacturer's service centre. Especially with in-house movements, actually at times you might not have much of a choice.

When in 5-6 years it'll be time for my Longines Spirit to get serviced, I'll probably have that done by Longines's service centre. The L888.4 is a 2892-based movement - however, it's heavily modified, and knowing the Swatch Group, they probably wouldn't supply parts for it to anyone except the local SG service centre.

With vintage, it's best to find a good independent. Authorized service centres - assuming we're dealing with a brand that still exists - don't care much for originality. Where a collector sees a case without traces of restoration, the ASC watchmaker sees scratches to buff out. Where the collector sees patina, the ASC sees a dial that has to be replaced. Of course, this might actually come in handy when the watch in question is a wreck that's way too far gone to care about originality. 

Some watches are getting harder and harder to service. I asked my friend - who knows some Omega-certified watchmakers - about whether it's safe to buy a "fat lug" Seamaster from the 1950s. The answers were an overwhelming "won't touch it with a barge pole," because the brand won't provide parts for the cal.49X and 50X-series even to watchmakers whom they have certified as their authorized one-man repair centres.