Hi all, I'm still working on making contacts and developing relationships with watchmakers in my local area. I've used three different places now, each with different experiences. I just had a watch serviced, a cal 861 speedmaster, and the 'overhaul' took about a week. There was a problem with the hour recorder not recording which is fixed, and the watchmaker said it was fully disassembled, cleaned, oiled and regulated. Not much in the way of parts replaced other than mainspring and no pressure test. Contrast that with one of the others, but for a cal 321 speedy. This is an authorized Omega repair center and the onsite watchmaker does all the work. In this case, the full service takes 8 weeks minimum (still don't know if it will take longer) and many parts replaced. I know these are different beasts and cal 321 is harder to get parts for, and a lot depends on the condition of the watch itself. I'm just curious if an 861 can be properly serviced in a week by a local independent, or if this is a bit of a quick job and maybe not as thorough. I'm sure the servicing on the 861 would be 8+ weeks and probably double the price if I had taken it to the authorized repair shop. What would you expect the turn around would be for a full service on either of these movements? Insights and feedback greatly appreciated.
Cost varies depending on the watchmaker and his overheads / demand, you can find very good guys that work very cheaply and very mediocre guys charging big dollars. Find out who the other collectors in your area are, especially the more obsessive ones, and find out who they use. Some of the best watchmakers are impossible to find online, you have to sniff around your city and follow the rats. And by rats I mean people like me who run out of their pay check the week they get it because something cool popped up on eBay and have to survive on baked beans again for a fortnight. You can also ask people like independent pawnbrokers and watch dealers in your area and ask them "If you had a Cal 321 or a vintage Rolex that needed some work who would you take it to". They'll know, and if they don't have an in-house guy they'll tell you.
I believe Al said a while back that a good watchmaker could fully service a 861 in a couple of hours.
I would think the difference in turn-around time to be more related to waiting for parts, or waiting it's turn. The movements are very similar, so unless the 321 needs more work done, I doubt it takes any longer for the actual 'work'. As for price, FWIW, I know that at least one local Atlanta WM charges a higher service fee for older vintage, than newer vintage; and then we have big differences in fees charged between WMs. As you know, I'm not a WM, so experts please correct me here if I am wrong with the above!
Once again I'll express my satisfaction with GWR in Philadelphia, Pa. Complete Cal. 321 service, including parts and 1 years guarantee, less than Omega Service. They do only what you want them to do. My 105.012-66 looks and runs beautifully. Maybe best of all: 6 weeks from the time it left my house in Ohio until it was back on my wrist
So many variables to consider. I think I have experienced several in 30 years of collecting, from the self-taught young kid who serviced my IWC cal. 85 the day I dropped it off, to the guy who does expert work very cheaply but still has my watch after 8 months (a Universal that needed parts), to the guy who overcharged for service and didn't get it quite right even after a second chance. I don't find it unreasonable for a cal. 861 to be fully and expertly serviced in a week. I don't know your WM's qualifications so I can't speak to the quality of his work on your watch, but time is not necessarily the indicator.
Thanks for the feedback gents. It's all very helpful. I suppose my main concern is that I don't know how to verify the quality of the work. On the 861 I just got back, I seem to have developed the hour recorder creep that seems more common on 321. The hour recorder was the main reason I took it in as it wasn't working at all prior to service and now it runs all the time. Back I go, but not sure if I should be concerned about the quality of the work, or if this is just one of those things that happens sometimes.
I hear ya. I think this is the hardest thing to determine, especially if you are having to limit yourself to the local watchmakers only. I think we all know we could trust someone like Al to do a great job, but sometimes shipping to Canada for a relatively minor repair/adjustment isn't a reasonable option. I think @dsio had the best answer on choosing WMs. Gotta get into the network of local WIS's and hear some feedback.