Longest time without service

Archer · May 10, 2020

Thegreatroberto
But when it comes to watches and especially manufacturers own mechanisms you need to convince yourself about what is being fitted if it not serviced ( there you go, I used that word) by the OEM. No problem using third parties as long as they know what the OEM knows.
It's a risk. Do your own assesment. After all, it's your watch and your money. And that's why watch " servicing" costs.

I'm not sure what parts you are referring to specifically, but if it's movement parts, there's very little "risk" of someone using "third party" produced parts for most brands. Other than the odd discontinued 321 chronograph parts like the elusive hammer spring, there aren't very many "reproduction" Omega movement parts out there. The same goes for most "in-house" movements - the only choice is OEM parts for the most part because others simply won't work.

The one big exception to this is Rolex, as there are lots of cheap knock-off Rolex movement parts out there. I ordered some genuine Rolex movements parts for a ladies caliber a few years ago, and my local parts supplier sent me generic parts. The new generic parts had pivots that were rougher than the worn parts I was trying to replace. I retuned them and told that place not to send me generic parts again. I ended up getting them from another watchmaker who had a parts account in the US, but those days are long gone with Rolex closing down most of the accounts. I have decent stock of vintage Rolex movement parts for some calibers, but other than that I don't service them much anymore.

I do suggest that you speak to the watchmaker about parts and where they get them from, and make sure that they are using genuine parts. For brands like Omega, this is mostly an issue with case parts, like non-OEM crystals for example.

Cheers, Al

Canuck · May 10, 2020

It was about 30 years ago that Rolex slammed the door on supplying parts to the material house watchmakers get their parts from. I was running a jewellery store at the time, and we carried Rolex. I had a contact at Rolex Canada at the time. He knew I was also a watchmaker. He had referred many local Rolex owners to me for attention to their Rolex concerns. I wrote him a letter, expressing my displeasure at the parts policy of Rolex. He asked me to send any requests for parts directly to him, and he would see the order was filled. I stocked up! That was fine for several years, until he retired.

Just last week, I serviced a Rolex Oyster Date chronometer that hadn’t been serviced for over 20 years. Balance pivots scored, mainspring barrel arbor bearings worn. I had NOS Rolex parts to do everything the watch required! However, like most repairers, there are Rolex watches I won’t be able to service. My stash is pretty much dried up.

dan7800 · May 10, 2020

A bit of a side question: With the "lockdown", I'm not really wearing my manual wind watches. Should I wind them every so often to give them "work" or are they perfectly fine just sitting in storage? They're an 861 speedy and a cal 613

Thanks all

Archer · May 10, 2020

dan7800
A bit of a side question: With the "lockdown", I'm not really wearing my manual wind watches. Should I wind them every so often to give them "work" or are they perfectly fine just sitting in storage? They're an 861 speedy and a cal 613

Thanks all

No need - they can sit.

Meyrin · May 10, 2020

I bought my Rolex 14060 Sub new in February 1996 at a Rolex AD and had it serviced by them in 2009, 13 years later. And again 10 years later just last summer, They had to replace the main spring. Both times excellent work and regulating was done. It´s my everyday watch. The old tritium lume is all but dead now, but I won't have it re-lumed!

MaxChu2020 · May 10, 2020

S speedygrail
Here's a weird question. What is the longest time you've run a watch without getting service? I'm sure everyone knows the Cernan legend that he "never serviced his speedy". What is the longest time you've gone? What is the danger of not servicing?

This is just from my experience with one watch...may be a fluke. I own a vintage certina which was purchased in the early 1970s and received its first service by me in 2020. It belonged to my mother. It was worn sparingly and when the servicer cracked open the case and showed me, it looked clean and brand new to my eyes.

Canuck · May 10, 2020

MaxChu2020
This is just from my experience with one watch...may be a fluke. I own a vintage certina which was purchased in the early 1970s and received its first service by me in 2020. It belonged to my mother. It was worn sparingly and when the servicer cracked open the case and showed me, it looked clean and brand new to my eyes.

Cleaning a watch is 10% removing dirt, and 90% checking for failed or failing Movement parts and case parts, and removing varnish residue from congealed lubricants that are no longer active at points of friction.

MaxChu2020 · May 10, 2020

Canuck
Cleaning a watch is 10% removing dirt, and 90% checking for failed or failing Movement parts and case parts, and removing varnish residue from congealed lubricants that are no longer active at points of friction.

Good to take note of. Thanks.

alam · May 10, 2020

S speedygrail
What is the longest time you've run a watch without getting service?..

This Rado.. it seemed to work just fine for many, many years —but again, I don’t track accuracy to rocket-science standards 😜

Explorador · May 10, 2020

About two years ago, I went to Bucherer (the Rolex AD in Switzerland) in Zürich, to get my GMT II fit to swimm. I just wanted to get the crown checked and replace all rubber parts necessary, but without the big service. They denied it, argueing that Rolex does not do that, if the service has been done longer than two years before. My service had been 7 years before, and I really just wanted to avoid water damage, but they made me do the full service instead.
About one year ago, the very same day a relative of mine passed away, my GMT II started loosing 6 sec/day, no matter night positioning. The watch was still under service warranty, and I went to Bucherer again and they checked the watch in the store, but the machine said 0 deviation, so nothing they can do. Then I asked if I could come back next year, before the warranty expires, to let them change the gaskets and get I ready to swimm, since two years will have passed. They said of course not.

That second I decided my next watch will be an Omega.

timoss · May 10, 2020

Explorador
About two years ago, I went to Bucherer (the Rolex AD in Switzerland) in Zürich, to get my GMT II fit to swimm. I just wanted to get the crown checked and replace all rubber parts necessary, but without the big service. They denied it, argueing that Rolex does not do that, if the service has been done longer than two years before. My service had been 7 years before, and I really just wanted to avoid water damage, but they made me do the full service instead.
About one year ago, the very same day a relative of mine passed away, my GMT II started loosing 6 sec/day, no matter night positioning. The watch was still under service warranty, and I went to Bucherer again and they checked the watch in the store, but the machine said 0 deviation, so nothing they can do. Then I asked if I could come back next year, before the warranty expires, to let them change the gaskets and get I ready to swimm, since two years will have passed. They said of course not.

That second I decided my next watch will be an Omega.

I think this is standard Rolex service policy: all or nothing. I found the same thing when looking for a just a "tune up" of my Milguass. Authorized Rolex service centers would not touch it unless I agreed to a full overhaul...

Explorador · May 10, 2020

timoss
I think this is standard Rolex service policy: all or nothing. I found the same thing when looking for a just a "tune up" of my Milguass. Authorized Rolex service centers would not touch it unless I agreed to a full overhaul...

So how are you supposed to keep your impermeability throughout the years then?

JwRosenthal · May 10, 2020

Explorador
So how are you supposed to keep your impermeability throughout the years then?

In theory, if you are taking your Rolex in for service every 5 years as recommended (to either the AD or a certified independent Rolex service provider), replacement of crown and rear seals, followed by a pressure test is part of the service. The seals once tested should last the entire 5 years unless subjected to extreme conditions.

Mad Dog · May 10, 2020

“Longest time without service”

Ummm...I think it was about 28 or 29 years without a service. Why? I’m a super dumbass. It was my beloved Seiko 6309-7049 that I purchased new in 1987 and still own/wear today. It started to run a little slow a few years ago...I thought something might be wrong (gee, imagine that)...so I had it serviced. Don’t worry...I’m not going to go 28 or 29 years without a service again...I’m not a super dumbass anymore...just a regular dumbass.

File pic of my 6309-7049 with its original box(es) and papers...

Bonus gif...

Pipo1202 · May 10, 2020

JwRosenthal
In theory, if you are taking your Rolex in for service every 5 years as recommended (to either the AD or a certified independent Rolex service provider), replacement of crown and rear seals, followed by a pressure test is part of the service. The seals once tested should last the entire 5 years unless subjected to extreme conditions.

Actually Rolex changed it’s service policy from every 5 years to 10 years now.

i checked their site.

JwRosenthal · May 11, 2020

Pipo1202
Actually Rolex changed it’s service policy from every 5 years to 10 years now.

i checked their site.

I find that interesting. Have they also extended the warranty period? Have they refined their movements and lubricants to withstand 10 years of constant use without service? Or is that a marketing strategy so the AD’s can tell a buyer that their watches don’t need service as often? It sounds similar to when some German car makers started offering included service plans with their cars at the point of sale and magically the service intervals went up and some fluids became “lifetime fill”.

Thegreatroberto · May 11, 2020

The extended "service" period will be based around design changes to the mechanism and better lubricants.
Very similar to why our cars do 30k between services rather than 6k from s few years ago.

STANDY · May 11, 2020

So what are the better lubricants then ?

JwRosenthal · May 11, 2020

Thegreatroberto
The extended "service" period will be based around design changes to the mechanism and better lubricants.
Very similar to why our cars do 30k between services rather than 6k from s few years ago.

Gotcha- so this applies then to only new Rolex’s and they haven’t changed their service standards for anything older than the current movements?

kroro · May 11, 2020

A friend of mine got a 1675 from late 60's. He's been the sole owner since 1988 and haven't serviced it once in his ownership. I told him that he should really get it looked at, most likely all the gears are dry grinding and it's just going to be more difficult and costly to fix. He said that it lost a few minutes every week and he's so used to correcting it once or twice a week for the last 20 something years that he didn't mind.

A few months later he decided to finally service it at a local Rolex AD and it was expensive but not really exorbitant looking how extensive the service was. Regular service at that AD costs about 700 EUR and his 1675 cost him 1200 EUR.

Longest time without service

Archer

Canuck

dan7800

Archer

Meyrin

MaxChu2020

Canuck

MaxChu2020

alam

Explorador

timoss

Explorador

JwRosenthal

Mad Dog

Pipo1202

JwRosenthal

Thegreatroberto

STANDY

JwRosenthal

kroro

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