Experts in the industry often recommend maintaining watches every 3 to 5 years. The cost of maintenance is not low each time.
For example, a Tissot watch of about 500 USD costs about 50-70 USD each time. Expensive high-end and top-level watches require hundreds in maintenance costs. So, is it necessary to spend so much money on maintaining watches?
As a consumer, it is normal to question what a watch repairer said. After all, this statement can bring good income to this industry.
But let's also listen to the official statement of the watch brand. Let's first look at the warranty period of the watch industry.
Most watch brands offer a warranty period of 2 years. This is mainly EU law, which sets the minimum warranty at 2 years.
Since July 1, 2015, Rolex has offered a 5-year warranty on all its watches. Since January 2017, Ulysse Nardin has also provided a 5-year warranty for its mechanical watches.
Additionally, Omega announced that all its watches will have a 5-year warranty starting July 1, 2018! Since last year, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, IWC, and Panerai have extended their after-sales warranty service to 8 years.
Watches usually do not fail during the warranty period. The brand understands how people use its products better than anyone else.
We all know that a mechanical watch's movement consists of small metal parts connected to each other. These parts keep turning and rubbing against each other.
This rubbing causes tiny particles to break off. Over time, these particles mix with the oil, creating stains. This process leads to wear on the movement.
When making a mechanical watch, the watchmaker oils some parts of the movement. This helps reduce wear.
However, the oil will dry up over time. So you also need to clean and oil it again.
Waterproof watches can also age over time. The waterproof rubber ring may deform and require replacement.
So, unlike mechanical watches, quartz watches do not have many gear parts. Is it necessary to maintain them?
High-end quartz watches need maintenance! We generally divide quartz watches into two types: digital quartz watches and pointer quartz watches.
Digital quartz watches contain no gears in their movement, only circuit boards, so you only need to replace the battery, waterproof ring, and waterproof paste. Digital quartz watches are cheap. However, the cost of maintaining them is higher than the watch itself. This makes maintenance not worth it.
Mechanical gears in the movement of pointer quartz watches. After the lubricating oil ages, you need to maintain it like a mechanical watch.
Most pointer quartz watches are also quite affordable. Many quartz watches do not require maintenance. Letting them take care of themselves is more cost-effective.
Most quartz watches do not need washing and oiling like mechanical watches. However, they still need testing for waterproofness. You should also clean them regularly.
They conduct the waterproof test every two years. This can happen when someone replaces the battery.
You should clean the watch's appearance based on its environment and condition. Hidden areas of the watch must be free of sweat stains and dust. Corrosive sweat stains can damage the metal layer of the case over time. This will not only keep the watch in good running condition, but also effectively extend its service life.
No matter how good the object is, you cannot separate it from maintenance. Only long-term maintenance can reflect its value. Watches, like other highly precise instruments, need regular maintenance to ensure perfect operation.
The maintenance and oil washing of a mechanical watch is as important as changing the engine oil of a car. To keep the car engine running well, you need to change the engine oil regularly. The same goes for mechanical watches. Regular maintenance is necessary to extend the life of mechanical watches and stabilize the operating accuracy!
So for famous watches, the quality of maintenance will have a direct impact on their value.