Well, after the admonishments about getting my '60's Constellation serviced I contacted a friend of mine that works at a jeweler, which is also an authorized Rolex dealer. They accept non-Rolex watches for service and have a watchmaker who picks them up each week. Price is $125. I know I am getting a deal through my friend, but the watchmaker is an independent. Assuming the full $125 goes to the watchmaker, this does not seem much for the service. My concern is that possibly the watch is not fully disassembled and cleaned. Any thoughts? Thanks!
If you are in the US, that is on the low side - should be in the $180-250 range. However, if the jeweler gives the watchmaker a lot of regular work then that is probably ok for a wholesale price.
That's on the low side of the spectrum for a routine full service, but it's a great deal if the guy does good work. I would guess he does a full disassembly and cleaning and oiling, but probably doesn't replace the mainspring or put all the pivots under a microscope. -AMB