Omega watch service

[jwasbury]

Originally Posted by aschen

watch manufactures recommend service every 5 years in the same way jiffylube recommends an oil change at 2500 miles.

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

[aschen]

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.

[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by jwasbury

I recently paid $280 for a complete overhaul of my Paternal Grandfather's Hamilton (ca. 1940s). Have paid more $$ for overhaul of my Maternal Grandfather's Hamilton (also 1940s), and $$ for overhaul of same Grand dad's 70's Seiko Worldtime.

None of these watches are particularly valuable or "status" watches as you call them. They are priceless to me.

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.

[Tishabet]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Did you you use the service center in downtown Seattle?

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.

[Kraftwerk]

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...