When to service — and when to leave it alone
A movement service protects your watch. An unnecessary one costs you money and, on vintage, can cost you value. Timing is everything.
The five-to-seven year myth
Manufacturer intervals assume daily wear. A watch worn one week a month can comfortably run past those numbers if it is keeping time and holding power reserve. Service on symptoms — amplitude loss, timekeeping drift, a gritty crown — not on the calendar.
Vintage is different
On vintage pieces every service is a risk event: original parts replaced, dials cleaned, cases polished. We photograph and document before anything is opened, and we say no to polishing by default. An untouched case is worth more than a shiny one.
What a proper service includes
Full disassembly, cleaning, genuine or period-correct parts, regulation to spec, gasket replacement and a pressure test — with a written warranty. If a quote does not itemize those, ask why.