Service?

[hsfrank]

A forum member posted this:
"If you pamper your watches, like I do, you can go years, even decades without servicing .... I have a 1998 16610 that I have not serviced ... looks good as new and ticks good as new ...

don't get caught up in the servicing hype .... like someone said before, if it ain't broke, don't fix it ...."

Is this true? I read that the lubricating oils can dry up and a 5 year service is necessary even if the watch is running within specs.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by hsfrank

A forum member posted this:
"If you pamper your watches, like I do, you can go years, even decades without servicing .... I have a 1998 16610 that I have not serviced ... looks good as new and ticks good as new ...

don't get caught up in the servicing hype .... like someone said before, if it ain't broke, don't fix it ...."

Is this true? I read that the lubricating oils can dry up and a 5 year service is necessary even if the watch is running within specs.

The recommended time for service is usually stated as about 7 years. If it does not need work, keeping correct time, etc. I would definately wait. JMHO =( maverick

[abigsecret]

Do you wait til your car breaks down before you'll get an oil-change?

[Rikki]

Guess it's my turn to chime in as a professional watch maker 5 to 7 years is a good rule of thumb. Then also have it watertested every other year. The world we live in is full of chemicals that can and do affect gaskets which can cause early failure then water damage. If you could have seen the damage done to watches after even a 5 year period you'd be amazed. I have posted such pictures. I cannot tell anyone when to do these things only suggest what to do after 30 years of experience and over 10000 repairs. Nuff said Rik

[nedned]

The world we live in is full of chemicals that can and do affect gaskets which can cause early failure then water damage. If you could have seen the damage done to watches after even a 5 year period you'd be amazed. I have posted such pictures. I cannot tell anyone when to do these things only suggest what to do after 30 years of experience and over 10000 repairs. Nuff said Rik[/QUOTE]

Hey Sir Rikki, im just curious, are you saying that even if you are just wearing your rolex watch under normal circumstances there would be damage on its inards 5 years down the line?

[Andad]

Every day microscopic particles of metal are removed from the wheels and associated moving parts inside your watch. These particles migrate into the lubricants and eventually add to the speed of wear by forming a grinding paste. Just because it is still working doesn't mean it should not be serviced.
As Mireyna stated, do you wait until your car engine stops before changing the oil etc?

[greekbum]

I wore my GMT for 22 years night and day never resting it.The only time I ever unscrewed the crown was to change the time for DST or when I was traveling. It kept time good.I bought the watch when I was 16 and the salesman told me it would last forever.I didnt know till much latter that you serviced them.I was there when it was serviced and yes it did need minor wear and tear parts.No biggie I know every situation is different.

[walds11]

That's sort of a different situation.

I've never heard of a watch being damaged beyond repair due to skipping recommended service intervals. And I've never heard of a service cost being that much more expensive if you follow the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule unless the watch was sitting in a drawer for a 100 years or beat to crap. LOL!!!

Originally Posted by abigsecret

Do you wait til your car breaks down before you'll get an oil-change?

[Andad]

Originally Posted by walds11

That's sort of a different situation.

I've never heard of a watch being damaged beyond repair due to skipping recommended service intervals. And I've never heard of a service cost being that much more expensive if you follow the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule unless the watch was sitting in a drawer for a 100 years or beat to crap. LOL!!!

Well Walds,

Not 'beyond repair'.....but,

there have been a lot of incidents where rotors have caused internal damage when the bearing has worn excessivly. This would not have happened with routine maintenance or even just by opening the back and visually inspecting it.

[Alcan]

The photos below were originally posted by Andrew Babanin at TZ, a Rolex rotor axle less than 10 years old. The upper groove in the shaft isn't supposed to be there. The bottom photo shows marring of the movement bridges where the rotor was making contact. Any guesses as to where the displaced metal went?

From personal experience, my 12 year old Sub was recently overhauled and aside from the standard crown & tube, etc, there were about $250 worth of additional internal bits which required replacement due to wear.

[walds11]

True, but it's not a common occurrence. I am the second owner of my SS Sub Date is Y serial. Watch was originally purchased 11/2003, so it's about 6years old. Runs a tish fast, but other than that, it's fine. I am still in the camp of if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Originally Posted by directioneng

Well Walds,

Not 'beyond repair'.....but,

there have been a lot of incidents where rotors have caused internal damage when the bearing has worn excessivly. This would not have happened with routine maintenance or even just by opening the back and visually inspecting it.

[Nods]

I am defiantly in the camp of maintenance is a saving not a cost. But hey its your watch and if you do not want to maintain it properly you will not be stuck on the side of the road or fall out of the sky. (ok I am a Pilot) However I believe the regular service will save you money over the long time. I also cringe at the thought of mechanical things wearing unnecessarily. So no lives will be lost by not servicing your timepiece, but you do increase the chance of an expensive repair job in the future.

[Damage Inc.]

As a hobby/amateur watchmaker I have seen lots of old(er) watches that haven't been maintained. Not Rolexes, but many others.
I have re-built some, and declared others WAY beyond my ability (or desire/budget) to fix.
I sent my recently acquired 1675 out for service 1 week after receiving it...unclear if it had ever been serviced in its ~38 years of use. It needed some catch-up work that may or may not have been needed if it had received regular maintainance. (I also wanted it to run like new and KEEP running that way)
After a long conversation (and tour of the shop) by the master watchmaker at the AD where I bought my IIc I WILL be having my IIc serviced EVERY 4-5 years as he recommended.

Period, full stop, end of story.

[mmmmp]

My first Rolex was a previously loved SS/YG Air King Date with a pearl-type dial. (Man! wish I could'a kept it) Anyway, I purchased it at an RSC after an overhaul and wore it for 14 years everyday. I only re-set it for DST and I never had a problem. (It lost a few secs a day, but it wasn't even CSOC rated, just "Precision" on the dail.

Then, one of the springbars broke while I was working and the watch 'flew' scross the room...Oh the pain..the pain! Indeed, the watch had stopped but suffered no scratches or serious damage. I took it in to RSC and they got it fixed up and it only cost $100.00. (back in 1989 or so)

They replaced - obviously the broken springbar and something in the mvt, I don't recall, but told me that everything else was fine. They didn't do a full-service and didn't even advise me to do so. The Air King ran great until I finally upgraded to a TT Date in the mid 90's.

Now, knowing what I've learned on this forum, I doubt I'd wait that long for servicing, but clearly there are two schools of thought at work here. I'd say:

1. If you bought a BNIB - regular service is probably a good idea.
2. If previously owned, and purchased in good running condition, you could certainly wait until a problem happens and then have it serviced.

Just my opinion.
Best,
Mark

[swatty]

I get mine serviced every 10 years , whether they need it or not

[Nicko]

I will be getting mine serviced in 2014. If you calculate the cost over time it's a small price to pay for piece of mind. Why spend upwards of $5K and then not have the watch properly taken care of? It doesn't make any sense to me. Please, someone help me with this one. I really don't mind wearing my watch and getting it cosmetically roughed up just so long as the guts are in good condition. You can always have it polished up to look like new again, but if your movement is shot then that's gonna cost you more than the service would have for sure. Take care of these watches, they were made to last a lifetime, let's make sure they do.