Why watch maintenance needs to be taken seriously

When you’re busy looking for a new watch, whether in person either browsing Chrono24 – Aftercare, such as watch maintenance or repairs, is not what you normally have in mind. But like the less fun things in life (hello, dentist appointments), service is an essential part of owning a watch, especially if you want your watch to last a lifetime and then some, because a service Regularly will actually prolong the life of a Mira, if you take good care of it.

So what’s the problem with watch service? What’s really going on with your watch? we ask Will Fairheadwatchmaker in Great Seiko UK who received training in Japan, to walk us through the steps and answer our most pressing questions about the piece after you get your hands on the grail.

Spoiler: budget for service costs before you click “buy” on that ticker!

What are the main steps in maintaining a watch?

After an initial evaluation, the case is disassembled and cleaned, ready for a light polish. “The movement is then completely disassembled by hand and the parts are carefully evaluated under a microscope to determine if any need to be replaced. “The movement then goes through a cleaning machine that removes any dirt or old lubrication.”

Once cleaned, the watchmaker reassembles the movement: “A complicated job that requires a steady hand, but to add to the difficulty, great care is taken to ensure that the perfect amount of oil is applied at all times,” he adds. “The movement is then adjusted to ensure it meets our high Grand Seiko standard, which is higher than the internationally accepted chronometer standard. “The case, bezel and bracelet are then lightly polished again and the fine elements are delicately refined by hand.”

Finally, the box is cleaned once more and reassembled. New gaskets are fitted and pressure tested with an air pressure tester, and they are also checked for water resistance.

“Each stage is designed so that we can ensure that when the customer receives their fully serviced watch, it looks and works even better than when it arrived with us,” says Fairhead.

How often should you service your watch?

“The recommended service time for each watch is different, just like each movement is different,” says Fairhead, adding that Grand Seiko offers a different guide for each of its in-house movements on Seiko’s service website. “And we err on the side of caution, just to be safer instead of sorry.”

Why should you have a watch repaired if it has no problems?

“Getting your watch serviced is a bit like passing a car MOT or going to the dentist for a check-up; it’s about avoiding bigger problems down the road,” Fairhead says. “Even if you haven’t detected anything important, you should have your watch checked regularly to make sure it continues to perform at its best in the future. In the long term, not maintaining your watch can cause unnecessary wear on the movement parts that could have been avoided if it had been serviced sooner and can affect performance if left alone.”

How much should you budget for a service?

The total cost will depend on the caliber of the movement and the condition of the watch, that is, the work involved. “(At Grand Seiko), we have a fixed price list of options and those prices are fixed for the duration of the service after we confirm the quote, so there will be no surprises along the way,” says Fairhead, who really enjoys putting together a quote. “Seeing the watch and knowing that I will get to work on it and be able to improve it; a bit like a “before” snapshot when I know the “after” clock will also work much better.”

As for exact numbers, Fairhead says that for his own collection, he always tries to save a small amount each year for its upkeep. “During a repair, the watch is dismantled down to the last screw. If you were having a car serviced, they wouldn’t take it apart and inspect every part of it, so if you think about it, having your watch inspected has a lot of value.”