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padders
··Oooo subtitles!Are you projecting the future service cost to get the £600 figure? At present the current cost service an SMP at Omega would be no more than £380. Not great but thankfully not £600. Yet.
Speedmaster service intervals
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mikesspeedy
·Yea kind of, I go for full works and get water seals changed out every year, as I do use it in the ocean regularly. Also any left overs will go towards a replacement SMP in due course.
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Mozziebite
·Official Omega service prices are £380 for a non-chrono and £520 for a chrono. I just paid £540 for a full Omega service on a SMP diver chrono. If you're getting charged £600 for a non-chrono SMP you're getting stiffed.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerThanks Archer! Pardon for my limited knowledge, just read this thread and found it informative. Does the service interval differ on wack brand - Omega, Rolex, PP etc. and in servicing, is it the oil that first dries up or are there any checks being done on the movement. Thanks again!
Not really. No one has magic oil that lasts forever, so they are all pretty much the same. It's mostly oil drying up that leads to service, but of course other faults can happen.
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Green Omega
·Not really. No one has magic oil that lasts forever, so they are all pretty much the same. It's mostly oil drying up that leads to service, but of course other faults can happen.
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Df13
·My SMP purchased in 2006 was serviced in 2010 and then in 2014. Next up ill hold it to 2019
My Speedy pro purchased in march this year will be serviced in 2022.
I'm not super wealthy (if I were I suppose these two watches would be Pateks). When I purchased these watches I knew the service intervals and costs. At about £600 for a service I have to make provision for this, So I have a watch account which I put £15 a month into as a standing order (I forget its even happening) that's £180 a year from 2014 (last smp service) so by 2019 my "pot " will be running £900, deduct approx £600 for the SMP service leaves approx. £300 towards the Speedy Pro service by 2022 that will be up to £840 approx and so on.
I know its a very dry and boring but we all know we should service our watches properly and £600 is more than a lot of people spend on a watch let alone a service, We know when we purchase our watch its going to have to be serviced and most likely in five years time, The cost and timing are eminently predictable so for me trickling cash into an account works. Saves me finding a lump sum or being tempted to skip a service or try a cheep grey market service. None of us would ignore the service intervals on our cars or Bikes so why leave a mechanical watch un-serviced?
The difference is, a watch essentially gets a full "engine" rebuild at service, anyways, so, unless it's a watch with hard to source parts, you're likely spending more money over time being on a strict service schedule, rather than just waiting to service until it runs poorly. Rolex says that their wearers usually go around 10 years between service, on average.
If it was only a $50 to tune-up a watch every few years, I'd feel differently, but the metrics don't add up for a service schedule on my non-vintage watches.
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AustinStm
·The difference is, a watch essentially gets a full "engine" rebuild at service, anyways, so, unless it's a watch with hard to source parts, you're likely spending more money over time being on a strict service schedule, rather than just waiting to service until it runs poorly. Rolex says that their wearers usually go around 10 years between service, on average.
If it was only a $50 to tune-up a watch every few years, I'd feel differently, but the metrics don't add up for a service schedule on my non-vintage watches.
May I jump in as a total newbie? Thinking about getting a Speedmaster with the manual wind movement. If I don't wind it every day, and the watch sits for say, a few days without winding, could this damage the internals? What's more taxing -- running continuously as one winds everyday or allowing it to stop, sit, fully winding, running, stopping, allowing to sit, etc?
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sevenhelmet
·May I jump in as a total newbie? Thinking about getting a Speedmaster with the manual wind movement. If I don't wind it every day, and the watch sits for say, a few days without winding, could this damage the internals? What's more taxing -- running continuously as one winds everyday or allowing it to stop, sit, fully winding, running, stopping, allowing to sit, etc?
It'll be fine if you let it sit for a few days, or even a few weeks between windings. Nothing wrong with letting it run down, if you only wear it for special occasions. I treat my PO this way a lot of the time. If anything it'll reduce mechanical wear slightly, although the difference is probably not significant.
Just bear in mind, the service interval is the same either way (5 years) to keep the oils fresh.
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mikesspeedy
·The difference is, a watch essentially gets a full "engine" rebuild at service, anyways, so, unless it's a watch with hard to source parts, you're likely spending more money over time being on a strict service schedule, rather than just waiting to service until it runs poorly. Rolex says that their wearers usually go around 10 years between service, on average.
If it was only a $50 to tune-up a watch every few years, I'd feel differently, but the metrics don't add up for a service schedule on my non-vintage watches.
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Df13
·I get your point, what ever works for you. My system works for me and any left over I have from servicing will go towards my replacement SMP when the time comes.
You could still put money in a separate account, but simply wait until the watch tells you it needs service. You'd have your extra money for the SMP replacement sooner. As I mentioned above, it's like paying nearly as much for a car service interval as you would for an entire engine rebuild, and you're doing it at a higher rate.
The only reason that I can think of to get serviced before necessary is if one was embarking on something like a trip to Everest, Space, etc., where one would need to be sure that the watch works for the duration of the trip. Of course, if you dive, getting pressure tested more often is certainly a good idea.
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Mongooseman
·As far as getting your watches serviced goes, do you guys always send to Omega or any skilled and reputable watch servicing firm? I remember paying quite a lot for my Moonwatch service when I had it...and that was the best part of 10 years ago. The pieces I’m considering are all co-axial with the exception of the X-33 Skywalker - which needs a battery every two years. I’m very relucant to put out that kind of money for a simple battery change although I realise pushers, etc. may need changed too.
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sevykor
·I let it run until I notice time keeping irregularities or 7 years, whichever comes sooner. Although I am very gently on my watches and rotate. The only exception may be my 3235 Cal. Rolex - expected to go 10 years... Only time will tell.
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Retro_Rabbit
·I've gone 10 years between services with a co-axial Seamaster with no issues. Omega recommends 3-5 years but I'd wait until there is an issue.
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duc
·I was thinking, as the warranty is 5 years, putting it in for a service before the warranty runs out, say at 4 years or so, would be a smart move.
I don't follow. What do you imagine your warranty claim will be? A warranty is instituted to correct manufacturing flaws, not to provide a free servicing.
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Retro_Rabbit
·I didn't say I wanted a free service out of it, I just think having it's first service a year before the warranty runs out is better than waiting until 5 or so years after, just to try to cheap out on looking after your watch and if you do wait 10 years, you're more likely to end up getting sent a big bill and a bag of bits after a few components end up getting replaced... Essentially, what I'm saying is, cheaping out on service costs is going to cost you in the long run.
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AntonisCy
·I didn't say I wanted a free service out of it, I just think having it's first service a year before the warranty runs out is better than waiting until 5 or so years after, just to try to cheap out on looking after your watch and if you do wait 10 years, you're more likely to end up getting sent a big bill and a bag of bits after a few components end up getting replaced... Essentially, what I'm saying is, cheaping out on service costs is going to cost you in the long run.
You can't just request a service for the heck of it (at least before the warranty runs out). It must have some kind of a problem. And even then its not guaranteed that it will be a full service. Warranty-wise.
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Retro_Rabbit
·You can't just request a service for the heck of it (at least before the warranty runs out). It must have some kind of a problem. And even then its not guaranteed that it will be a full service. Warranty-wise.
I've never had a company refuse to service a watch yet... That would be the first time I'd ever hear of any company refuse £500 for a couple of hours work.
Again, I'm not asking for it for free, I just don't see why you'd wait 10 years+ to have something that costs £4000+ serviced, when it has a recommended 5 year service interval and only costs £500 at Omega to have it fully serviced, while under warranty or not.
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AntonisCy
·So... You think if I put a watch in that's under warranty and ask for a service, they'll say no?
I've never had a company refuse to service a watch yet... That would be the first time I'd ever hear of any company refuse £500 for a couple of hours work.
Again, I'm not asking for it for free, I just don't see why you'd wait 10 years+ to have something that costs £4000+ serviced, when it has a recommended 5 year service interval and only costs £500 at Omega to have it fully serviced, while under warranty or not.
Ok i get it. I thought you was going to request a free service since its under warranty. But still i am curious if OMEGA would service a watch even if they evaluated it and came to the conclusion that a service wasn't needed.
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Bp1000
·Lack of use can extend the service interval slightly compared to a watch that gets used every single day, but eventually oils dry out if the watch is being used or not.
I rotate a lot. My watches get worn 4 weeks a year, spread out over the year when I add it up.
On that basis I do let them run 7-10 years between service. (ps that is a pure guess by me) expecting I can run then a tad longer but not too long as the lube runs dry.
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3nicewatches
·I just don't see why you'd wait 10 years+ to have something that costs £4000+ serviced, when it has a recommended 5 year service interval and only costs £500 at Omega to have it fully serviced, while under warranty or not.
Ok i get it. I thought you was going to request a free service since its under warranty. But still i am curious if OMEGA would service a watch even if they evaluated it and came to the conclusion that a service wasn't needed.
I had my first Omega, my triple date, for just over 10 years before its first service. That was really due to ignorance on my part because I had not been fully bitten by the watch bug and actually didn't know what the recommended service interval was - despite my wife often saying to me "when are you going to get that watch serviced". I wore it almost every day for those 10 years (I was only "1nicewatch" back then) and it hardly ever powered completely down in that time. It ran fine for the 10 years and at service it didn't need anything beyond regular service intervention. Now, I'm not saying that everyone should do this, and the argument of how often to service has been had out many times here on OF - just reporting my own experience. All that said, @Retro_Rabbit, I don't see any advantage of sending yours in before the warranty expires if the watch is working within spec when Omega get it. In addition to the service fee (and yes, I know you would fully expect to pay for that) they can still bill you for anything over and above normal service coverage that they deem necessary to replace because again, the watch was operating in spec when they got it. They might cut you some slack for any above service items, but they would be within their rights not to do so.
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