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Selling of watches that are unserviced

ddurham
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tikkathree tikkathree
Further, if you knock out the small percentage of watch geeks who have the technical capability to dismantle and service their watches, I'd expect the majority of us don't bother either unless one of two things:
1. something's gone wrong with a watch already in the collection and servicing / repair are essential to either future ownership or selling on at an acceptable value.
2. you've reached a state of nirvana/madness whereby the desire to buy more watches has gone completely and the only legitimate spend is on preventative maintenance.
If your conclusions are correct then I have to say that I'm happy to find myself in the minority, and will continue to be extremely cautious of the majority.
 
eugeneandresson
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ChrisN ChrisN
Seems there is another way to sell any broken/unserviced watches...😁

A fellow collector who I bought a beautiful watch with no known service history (thus not worn) said : you can wear it as is, it is correct at least twice a day ... I almost pissed my pants at the thought of walking around with a watch on my wrist, not ticking ... some kind of crazy joke ... but you say people actually do this ...::facepalm1::
 
watchknut
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ddurham ddurham
As far as I'm concerned this isn't about keeping perfect time, it's more about basic care for a timepiece. A fully serviced vintage watch will probably not keep time as well as a new one, mechanical or not, but it will last longer than an unserviced vintage watch.
Of course what anyone does with their own watches is their own business, but to put a vintage watch on offer for which the service history is unknown, and claim that it runs perfectly means that the watch has been wound and run in a potentially damaging state of disrepair. Simply strikes me as irresponsible and ultimately disrespectful.
Hey chief...how many watches have you owned and currently own?
 
Archer
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Syrte Syrte
Who's to say that the ones that were serviced are the ones that fare best or last longer? In fact all indications point to the opposite because the unserviced watches are the ones being used the least.

There is certainly a kernel of truth here, as I've bought watches that appear to have been bought new, ran until they stopped, and stuck in a drawer, and they were pristine after a good cleaning. But for every one of those, I can show you 10 or more that didn't stop, continued to be worn, and when they did stop they were a mess inside.













So again, I would caution taking to heart the idea that watches that don't get serviced are ones that don't get used, and that will be in better condition than those that are serviced. I would say those are the exception rather than the rule.

Cheers, Al
 
Deafboy
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Archer Archer
But for every one of those, I can show you 10 or more that didn't stop, continued to be worn, and when they did stop they were a mess inside.
Haha I like the last one, with the oval hole in the jewel. It's metal pivot must had been pretty sweet too!
 
ddurham
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watchknut watchknut
Hey chief...how many watches have you owned and currently own?
Right now I have 8 or 10 that are worth mention, have owned many more than I'd care to mention.
 
watchknut
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ddurham ddurham
Right now I have 8 or 10 that are worth mention, have owned many more than I'd care to mention.
I assume all 8-10 are serviced, correct? Did you service the “care not to mention”?
 
ddurham
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watchknut watchknut
I assume all 8-10 are serviced, correct?
Either serviced or on the waiting list.
watchknut watchknut
Did you service the “care not to mention”?
Not myself but none have left my hands without a full service unless previous service history was documented.
 
watchknut
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ddurham ddurham
Either serviced or on the waiting list.

Not myself but none have left my hands without a full service unless previous service history was documented.
That is very impressive, and if you can do it, great.

Unfortunately I don’t have the time nor funds to afford to do so.

In a perfect world, I would love to have all my pieces serviced, but alas, I’ll live with most “as-is”. I mean Rolex movements are like Toyota anyway, you cannot kill them.
 
eugeneandresson
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I love this thread ... 🥰 ...

watchknut watchknut
Unfortunately I don’t have the time nor funds to afford to do so.

Sorry Matt, as an avid follower of your IG feed, and with all due respect (thus no disrespect meant), I find it hard to believe you don't have the funds to service your 8 beauties ... time, sure, as quality watchmakers have a long turnaround ... but all that costs is patience...
Edited:
 
Archer
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watchknut watchknut
I mean Rolex movements are like Toyota anyway, you cannot kill them.

::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::::facepalm1::
 
watchknut
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eugeneandresson eugeneandresson
I love this thread ... 🥰 ...



Sorry Matt, as an avid follower of your IG feed, and with all due respect (thus no disrespect meant), I find it hard to believe you don't have the funds to service your 8 beauties ... time, sure, as quality watchmakers have a long turnaround ... but all that costs is patience...
It’s true...I am watch rich and cash poor. All of my watches are funded by soft dollars, and service is hard dollars, which are much harder to come by.

I could service all of my collection, but it would mean that I would have to sell something to fund it.

Right now, the only watch that I plan to service is my 5513.
 
eugeneandresson
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watchknut watchknut
I am watch rich and cash poor

Know the feeling 😀

watchknut watchknut
I could service all of my collection, but it would mean that I would have to sell something to fund it.

What I am doing a.t.m. is to send them in one at a time. Stagger the cash-drain over turnaround time per watch...less pain ... anyhoo ... as said, no disrespect / negative vibes meant 👍
 
Archer
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watchknut watchknut
I could service all of my collection, but it would mean that I would have to sell something to fund it.

This is simply a choice you have made - others may make a different choice. I was always taught that if you could not afford to maintain an item you have purchased properly, then you can't really afford to own said item. But I understand not everyone has that attitude, and I see the results of it on my bench every day. BTW the first two photos I posted above are from a Rolex...
 
Syrte
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Archer Archer
This is simply a choice you have made - others may make a different choice. I was always taught that if you could not afford to maintain an item you have purchased properly, then you can't really afford to own said item. But I understand not everyone has that attitude

Apologies as I said I was done with this thread but cannot resist approving— hence I suggest, since many people here live in the so-called Western world, we all ensure at the polls that our respective governments stop living above our means, and ensure that all of the following public property be all maintained properly or liquidated: hospitals, roads, classrooms, police stations, public train systems- public utilities from electricity grids to power plants, airports - have I forgotten something?
(The Versailles Castle and the Eiffel Tower, on the other hand, are maintained very well).
😁
 
Archer
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Syrte Syrte
Apologies as I said I was done with this thread but cannot resist approving— hence I suggest, since many people here live in the so-called Western world, we all ensure at the polls that our respective governments stop living above our means, and ensure that all of the following public property be all maintained properly or liquidated: hospitals, roads, classrooms, police stations, public train systems- public utilities from electricity grids to power plants, airports - have I forgotten something?
(The Versailles Castle and the Eiffel Tower, on the other hand, are maintained very well).
😁

You weren't fooling anyone - your likes gave you away long before you made this post...😉

And yes I agree completely. Unfortunately the vast majority of voters do not, so the various political parties tend to give voters what they want to get into power, which is clearly not what you are suggesting. If we can't expect people to take care of their own possessions, then what does that say about how the society in general is liable to vote? All symptoms of the same thing IMO, but before we get too political, I'll stop there...

To be clear, I don't care if people here service their watches, run them into the ground, or smash them with a hammer. But please don't let anyone suggest that not servicing them when you wear them regularly is not doing damage, because it is. That's just a fact...and not an alternative fact...

Cheers, Al
 
watchknut
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Archer Archer
This is simply a choice you have made - others may make a different choice. I was always taught that if you could not afford to maintain an item you have purchased properly, then you can't really afford to own said item. But I understand not everyone has that attitude, and I see the results of it on my bench every day. BTW the first two photos I posted above are from a Rolex...
I should do better, and every year I say that this is the year I’ll get my watches serviced and I never do.

The funny thing is that I cannot afford any of the watches I own...I’ve just been lucky and hustled so that I can own them.
 
watchknut
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eugeneandresson eugeneandresson
Know the feeling 😀



What I am doing a.t.m. is to send them in one at a time. Stagger the cash-drain over turnaround time per watch...less pain ... anyhoo ... as said, no disrespect / negative vibes meant 👍
My collection does beg the question, so thanks for asking.

Thank goodness the DRSD is fully serviced!
 
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