One of the great things about selling watches as one of my income streams is that it allows me to pick up interesting pieces for my personal collection without really having to think about them. Case in point, this handwinding 136.041 Geneve on the left. Really inexpensive, but incredibly comfortable and probably what I would be wearing if I had to put on a suit. My vintage SM300 (on the right) is also back from my watchmaker. Had an original NAIAD crown installed, and the corroded-through lume on the hands (looked like skeleton hands previously) were re-lumed. All for a few measly bucks. Finally, some advice requested - I recently got my hands on a 3570.50 (solidly in NEAR MINT condition) with a still-active 2014 warranty. Does it make sense to send it out for maintenance so I could add a "new" Speedy Pro to my personal collection? How much would it cost?
I see no real financial benefit to send a near mint (sparcely used?) watch off to service ... I tend to be a late servicer - especially with run of the mill eta movements, where no real "you wore through your part x and those cannot be purchased anymore" scenario would apply. I figure that the lubricants today are sooo much better than they were in the 60ies, (just look at car engine oil advances in the last 40 years!) yet companies still have you come in with your watches every 3-5 years like they did way back then (business?). Also, just like you I have a rather diverse rotation, so any of my watches, even with say-5 years of age might have run the equivalent of 1 or 2 years and have sat for the remainder.
Factory service on a speedy is expensive and slow. Run it, take care of it, service it when it snows signs of needing it.
In quite a few instances by then it is too late. And might even need parts that may or may not still be available. Why take the chance?
In 50 watches over 20 years...this is the approach I've taken, and it has never failed me. Not to say its right or wrong, but there it is. Do you know of any cases where late servicing has resulted in an unrpairable watch?
+1 of course i am more attentive to the odd 1940ies jlc/iwc movement (where spares are not readily available). but it makes more economic sense to take a contemporary 1861/2892-a2 or 7750 (+derivatives) to the limit a d then change whatever needs to be changed... case in point:its not a 1 size fits all approach - but a judgement call
Never happened to me personally, but I usually practice preventive maintenance, on things I intend to keep. And I do look at watch servicing as preventive maintenance. But hey, if your way works for you, more power to ya. Yep