How Often Should I Service My Watch

I was wearing my love vintage Seiko 5 the other twenty-four hour period, and was wondering, how often does a mechanical picket similar this need to be serviced? After doing some inquiry, here'south what I found…

The brusque respond is: at that place's no exact fourth dimension frame when whatever particular mechanical watch needs to be serviced. Picket companies volition frequently suggest you get a service every 4-five years, but that's not ever necessary. The just times you absolutely need to go a mechanical sentinel serviced are if you either damage the scout or when information technology starts losing accurateness. At that place are other obvious signs of a scout needing a service, such every bit a spotter function physically breaking.

Now that we know you don't always need to become a sentinel serviced, the follow-up question is… When should you get it serviced?

When Should Yous Go Your Automated Sentinel Serviced?

Not all watches are created equal. How often you need to get your watch serviced will depend on a lot of things, like how often you vesture it, if you wear it during any physical activities, if you've ever dropped it, etc.

Regardless, over fourth dimension, the oils in a picket volition dry out upwardly, causing friction in the metal parts. This will make the crown of your lookout stiffen up and become harder to plow than it once was. A sentinel volition somewhen need a service once information technology gets to this signal, equally standing to move the easily will grind the machined parts confronting each other and wear them downward.

However, this isn't exactly a common concurrence. Some watches take been known to go decades without this always beingness a problem. It'south one of the reasons why watches like the Seiko SKX are so highly regarded. Their 7S26 motility, while technically outdated by today's modern standards when it comes to features, has stood the examination of time and is known for being able to take a beating for years and years without needing a service.

Watchmaker inspecting a watch for a service — Credits: relojeiro_suico73

What about Rolex and Other Luxury Watches?

If you have a luxury timepiece you really desire to go on in tip-top shape, regular servicing every 4-five years will help maintain that lookout and go along everything in the all-time condition for years to come. If information technology's a luxury timepiece you eventually plan to sell, keeping records of regular professional servicing will help the watch maintain more than of its value than a sentinel that hasn't been serviced. Information technology's always a good thought to go along all receipts and documentation of whatsoever professional servicing washed.

Quick note: if your watch suddenly starts gaining lots of time each twenty-four hours (I.E. 1 60 minutes or more, at the terminate of the solar day) it'south likely a symptom of your watch existence magnetized, rather than losing accurateness and needing servicing. This is a much cheaper fix and tin even be done at home with a cheap demagnetizer you tin buy online.

Aside from that, you're unremarkably fine merely waiting until your watch starts to lose accuracy, or you somehow damage your lookout, before getting it serviced.

Simple Ways to Prevent Needing a Watch Service

In that location are a couple of best practices you can follow to regularly maintain your watch, and keep information technology in tip-elevation shape.

Cleaning it regularly. The best style to make clean a lookout is with a unproblematic solution of soap and h2o. Fill a bowl with warm water and some mild detergent or dish soap. Dip a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently brush around your watch. Make sure to clean around the crystal and all around the watch case, especially the back, where lots of dirt and grime are probable to build upward.
- If you have a diving lookout man or any watch with a trusted water resistance rating over 50m, yous tin can fill the bowl itself with some warm h2o and dish soap, and drop the entire picket in, leaving it for an hour or two before washing it off with some warm water from the tap. Yous want to be sure your lookout is fully water resistant earlier attempting this, or risk damaging it through water leakage. Any practiced watchmaker or jeweler should exist able to test the h2o resistance of your watch before yous endeavour.
- Metallic bracelets tin as well exist cleaned using this same method, but certain types of straps, such every bit leather, can be damaged this way, so always be mindful. Regular cleaning will make sure the dirt and oils from your pare (gross, I know!) volition non get within your sentry, causing rust or corrosion of the parts.
Another important tip to regularly maintain your mechanical watch is by wearing it. Equally obvious as this sounds, wearing your watch regularly keeps all of the mechanical parts and gears within well lubricated by the oils. If you don't wear your sentry for a while, you should requite it a shake and wear it for a day or two, every single month.
- A watch winder can too automatically simulate this by keeping the lookout man in motion and the parts within will constantly be lubricated, but cheap watch winders can actually overwind your picket and damage your spotter fifty-fifty further.

vintage seiko 5 caseback — The indestructible Seiko 7S26 Movement

What Happens During a Watch Service?

I'm certain you've heard of a watch service before, but what exactly does a watchmaker do to service a sentinel? A full sentinel service usually consists of a complete strip down of the entire watch, downwardly to each and every tiny office of the motion. They then clean the parts of the motion and the lookout man case with specialized machines such as an ultrasonic cleaner, and sometimes by paw with particular brushing tools when working with frail parts like vintage dials.

If requested, a watchmaker will smooth a spotter and/or bracelet, giving information technology that "brand new" appearance. Though some sentinel owners prefer to non have their sentinel polished, as they feel the added scratches and blemishes add graphic symbol and tell a story unique to their individual wristwatch. Polishing tin also reduce the resale value of a luxury watch. More than about that later.

Once the watch is cleaned and polished, they will diagnose any bug or cleaved parts, ordering new ones if necessary. The watchmaker will then reassemble the sentinel, calculation fresh lubrication and probable brand new rubber gaskets to aid provide a tight seal for the watch, preventing whatever water from getting in, if it's meant to be water resistant.

Once assembled, they will mensurate the timekeeping of the watch and regulate it every bit necessary, making it as authentic as possible. This is a timely process, usually taking at least a couple of hours for even the most experienced watchmakers, and it'due south all washed past hand. Because of this, getting a watch serviced commonly isn't cheap.

How much does a Watch Service Cost?

The price of a watch service depends on a few things. The watch brand, the number of movement complications, damaged parts that need replacing and overall labor going into the service. Through an independent watchmaker, information technology'll ordinarily cost at the very least $100 for a elementary service on a basic watch. This volition usually include cleaning, lubricating and regulating your wristwatch.

This price can vary greatly, if, for example, the watch is a higher finish watch, has a complicated motion, or is a vintage piece that requires very a specialized and skilled watchmaker. Vintage watches too commonly incorporate harder to find and more than plush parts that need to exist ordered. Some bones services tin cost up to of $500 when working with a luxury watch similar Rolex due to the toll of parts, preparation required, etc.

Where Tin can You Get a Wristwatch Serviced?

There's a great resource called the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Establish that allows y'all to search for clock and watchmaker professionals throughout the U.s.. I like it considering information technology also lists their certifications.

With that said, if you're dealing with a luxury watch, like Rolex, that you lot somewhen desire to sell, you'll want to get it serviced by a certified Rolex dealer, as that'll assistance maintain the resale value of the watch.