Patek Phillipe service estimate

[argee1977]

Yeah, but i think these days everyone agrees that the service side of life will soon go ahead of actual production for companies. With each passing year it means more watches coming through and in the last decade we've really seen quite a rise in the way people treat their watches, it's no longer a case of sending it off when it breaks, or when its time is out by 5 minutes a day, people now are sending them back when they are over 6 seconds out, or have a few surface scratches.

I think this issue is going to be huge over the next decade, with the lead times in repairs just now being seen as bad, imagine what they're like with another hundred thousand watches coming into the loop.

[rpryan55]

Originally Posted by argee1977

Pocket watches in the main are worth less than wrist watches, a 110 year old Patek pocket watch may only be worth a few thousand dollars. I hear what you're saying about replacing all worn parts, but if Patek can manufacture 40,000 watches every single year, then how can a master watchmaker, with all that machinery at hand take 40 months to service one watch, in that same period Patek have knocked out 133,000 watches, some of those the most complicated watches on the planet?

I wonder where anyone got the 40,000 production number - even Patek employees are not privy to the total output of the firm. As for taking 40 months to service one watch, it is obvious that Patek Philippe, a small firm that still does custom orders, only has so many hands to devote to repairs. And, of course, those hands only have so many hours.

Patek does not make it's watches like Ford makes its cars - there is very little automation in the restoration of a 110 year old pocket watch (which may, in fact, be worth under 10K - but the most recent example at auction sold for five million USD). So the answer to your head scratching is this: small firm, limited number of employees, highly specialized and difficult work.

Originally Posted by argee1977

I should have added that it's not specific to Patek, it's across the board, watch manufacturers are not really keeping the service centres at a decent level, and with each year passing it means more work for less people.

If Patek are putting out 40,000 watches each year, that's 200,000 over a 5 year period, if a quarter of those watches come back for service that's 10,000 services each year, add on the number of Pateks in circulation and it's quite a lot of servicing required, i just think that unless the companies can increase their ability to service, they should just bite the bullet and allow 'sub contractors' to do some of the work while still keeping it as a manufacturers service, because there are a lot of highly skilled watch repairers out there who could easily become a network for these companies, cutting down the time and expense of servicing to the customers.

Patek will never allow the watches it manufactures to be serviced by anyone other than the firm. They do not consider their watches a piece of mechanical timekeeping. They consider them works of art, and their employees artists. Any owner can send their Patek whereever they wish for service, but if they wish the watch to be considered a true Patek Philippe, only the artisans at Patek will do.

I'm not saying I agree with them, but that's their philosophy, and that philosophy is part of the reason that you buy a Patek in the first place.

[Boopie]

This is an interesting discussion. I also had my eye on a vintage PP (no complications...just a watch) but never thought that a service would run north of $1K.

[argee1977]

Originally Posted by rpryan55

Patek will never allow the watches it manufactures to be serviced by anyone other than the firm. They do not consider their watches a piece of mechanical timekeeping. They consider them works of art, and their employees artists. Any owner can send their Patek whereever they wish for service, but if they wish the watch to be considered a true Patek Philippe, only the artisans at Patek will do.

I'm not saying I agree with them, but that's their philosophy, and that philosophy is part of the reason that you buy a Patek in the first place.

That's actually a reason why i wouldn't buy from them if that's their attitude towards the watch world. I love Patek for their mechanical movements, but in terms of being 'artistic' and creating works of art, well i believe there are a few companies who actually do a better job, most of them over the top and again something i wouldn't buy.


Anyway my argument was about servicing, if Patek want to use taglines such as 'you never own a patek' and stuff like that then they need to put their money where their mouth is and make sure their servicing department is up to scratch, also they aren't that 'small' of a company if they produce 40,000 timepieces a year (if the above is true), that would put them quite a way up in the production stakes.

[unknown]

Originally Posted by Boopie

This is an interesting discussion. I also had my eye on a vintage PP (no complications...just a watch) but never thought that a service would run north of $1K.

It's only 650 USD, imo that is ver acceptable, how much will it cost to service a simple Rolex ? Probably almost the same.

[unknown]

more about service costs

Those are prices in Swiss Franc, VAT included

Imo it is wrong to say Patek charges too much for a service

[watchteacher]

Great thread, but let's get real. Rolex won't service your very old watch. Patek will. We don't know the type of pocket watch it is, but it could be quite complicated. Patek's popular 3970 perp calendar chrono has two people qualified to assemble, and one for repairs. Frankly, watchmaking schools are producing enough graduates to fill retiring watchmaker spots.

So Patek offers repairs, but it will take time and money. Rolex won't do it for either. And for those who say it's a marketing ploy, is that much difference from Rolex marketing their chronometers as being 'superlative' to others?

[boa2]

Originally Posted by Boopie

This is an interesting discussion. I also had my eye on a vintage PP (no complications...just a watch) but never thought that a service would run north of $1K.

I know plenty of people who overhaul their vintage Submariners to the tune of $2-4K. It isn't cheap, nor is it necessarily a quick turn-around.

Personally, I don't think Patek charges too much, not for vintage or current models. You're buying at the pinnacle.