Agree. Service when it stops working or is not keeping time within an acceptable variance.

Maybe if I had a min repeater or a high beat Ratrapante I would send it in every 5 years. I am going with ~20 years or poor time keeping, which ever comes first for my mostly low complication collection. I did send my 40yo never serviced porsche design chrono in for a complete service recently (800$ ouch). Only replacement part required was a barrel spring. My explorer 1 is stamped early 14 and is + less than 1 second a day, I dont plan on sending it in soon unless something goes wrong.

It costs something like 20-80% of the market value of many decent watches for a full service on many watches. I'll take my chances on extended intervals, though opions vary greatly on this subject.

I just paid swatch about $295 incl tax and shipping to service my 2006 hamilton khaki automatic, it's probably worth less than that but the watch has special sentimental value to me.

My understanding is that there are only 3 actual service centers in the U.S., all of the others (including the one in Seattle) actually ship off your watch to them. I worked directly with the "real" service center for the West coast which is in Irvine, and shipped the watch to them myself.

I was specific about what I wanted and especially what I didn't want e.g. please leave my worn and dinged bezel but polish up the rest, they did as I asked.

I have had my Speedster Omega overhauled 3 times, all three times with factory technicians: Once in NJ lab ( shipped from the NYC store and twice in Switzerland ( once I even fed-exed it there!)

That watch has led a tough life but it's keeping time...