# How Often Do You Need to Service a Self-Winding Automatic Watch?



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

I'm looking for the least hassle possible. Something like a Seiko or a Hamilton Khaki, could you last a decade w/o taking it to the shop. Two decades?


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## Larsd4 (Oct 14, 2005)

I have a Hamilton khaki going on five years. I think it's time. The guy at the watch repair shop shook his head when I brought it in after two. He said the modern lubricants last much longer. "Bring it back after five years" he told me.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

One of my wife's uncles had a Seiko dress watch with the 6106 automatic movement. He bought it new and wore it every day for about 30 years. Upon his passing I was given the watch because I dabble in watch repair. There was a single worn pivot bushing in the watch, but all else looked good. The watch was filthy and had obviously had a working life, not just Sunday use. It probably could have used a cleaning after ten years. This was a dress watch with limited water resistance, and thus is not as well sealed as a dive watch is. I've seen 20-year-old dive watches that looked like new inside (as long as the seals didn't leak).

andy b.


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## Christophe (Oct 27, 2010)

If you wear it just about everyday, and the movement keeps going, it should last quite a while, as shown by Andy B's story.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

I generally won't bother having a watch serviced until it stops keeping good time. If you dive with it, I'd have it pressure tested annually.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

My grandfather was a jeweler, and somewhat of a watchmaker. There is a school of thought that says if it ain't broke then don't fix it. (Think of your automobile motor.) It is better to err on the side of caution and not open the case more than it's absolutely necessary, or in the wrong hands it might not ever keep accurate time again.


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## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

Thanks for the input all.


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## Bricktop (Feb 10, 2010)

I get my watch serviced every five years or so.


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## Penang Lawyer (May 27, 2008)

Have three non battery watches and they go for service when they stop running. Maybe about every ten years.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Bricktop said:


> I get my watch serviced every five years or so.


With all due respect, sir: do you really find it necessary?

Please consider that like the "service" department at your local automobile dealership this is quite lucrative for the other end, but not always essential for the general upkeep of the motor.


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

Topsider said:


> I generally won't bother having a watch serviced until it stops keeping good time. If you dive with it, I'd have it pressure tested annually.


Agree. I don't dive - I just wear my "dive" watches swimming so, I might go 2-3 years. But, the concern is that the gaskets dry out and the watch loses its water resistance. If they aren't regularly checked you might find out that you have a bad seal only after your watch has "drowned" and, especially, in salt water the movement may be ruined before you can get it to a shop to repair - salt water starts rust pretty quickly. If you don't have the tools to open the case and flush with fresh water quickly and dry, you're propably doomed.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Epaminondas said:


> Agree. I don't dive - I just wear my "dive" watches swimming so, I might go 2-3 years. But, the concern is that the gaskets dry out and the watch loses its water resistance. If they aren't regularly checked you might find out that you have a bad seal only after your watch has "drowned" and, especially, in salt water the movement may be ruined before you can get it to a shop to repair - salt water starts rust pretty quickly. If you don't have the tools to open the case and flush with fresh water quickly and dry, you're propably doomed.


Good points. If one dives, this is something to take into consideration.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

For the past couple years I've worn a Seiko automatic. I've always assumed that the cost of servicing it would approach the cost of replacing it. But no problems yet.

The Hamilton Khaki looks like a good choice


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## dport86 (Jan 24, 2009)

As a long-time watch collector with some basic watchmaking experience, I have to take issue with some of the advice given here.

For inexpensive modern automatic watches (i.e. under $250), maintenance is probably not necessary--the value of the watch does not justify the cost of CLA's. But for fine vintage and modern watches, treating them like quartz junkers is simply foolhardy and wasteful.

The car analogy is a fine one in that changing the oil/lubrication at the recommended intervals is crucial in the long run for proper operation and longevity. Just as it is quite possible for a car to run for a long time without making scheduled oil changes, it is possible for watches to run quite long without cleaning/lubrication/adjustment. Some watches are engineered deliberately for longevity: with tight tolerances and rugged tough movements (Rolex is legendary for this--I've seen a 17 year run without lubrication). Other watches are engineered with broader tolerances and coarse but more resiliant movements (70's Seiko dive watches are legendary for their ability to run for years without adjustment or repair). The car analogues would be vintage Porsche or BMW (vs. Ferrari) and Toyota (vs. say a Yugo). 

In every instance, though, running watches without regular lubrication will result in serious wear that will shorten the life of your watch and cause it to lose accuracy and reliability. If you are talking about a $100 Seiko, it hardly matters. However, on a high end watch, particularly a vintage one for which parts are no longer being made, the damage can be extremely devastating. Vintage watches may also be more susceptible because of prior wear and less-well-sealed cases.

So how often do you need to service an automatic watch? In the old days, I'm told you were supposed to go in for a CLA every other year. In recent times, people seem to recommend 3-4 years. Now, I'm told that the latest (and most expensive) synthetic watch oils are supposed to last 6 years--hence the recommendation for 4-5 year check-ups (but note that most watchmakers cannot afford to use this oil, which costs over $100 for a tiny vial).

Let me offer you a very personal example of the unseen damage that can be caused by running a watch very little but too long between CLA's. 

I just took in my 1962 Rolex 1675 (GMT-1) for a service after 10 years. While the watch spent most of those 10 years in my safety deposit box, I had taken it out to wear a few times over the decade or so. So it has probably had less than a month's total wrist time since the last CLA.

I wore it for a week before the service and it was keeping great time--within 10 seconds a day. I wondered if it really needed servicing so I had a good friend who is a Rolex technician by day open it up on his home bench. I was amazed to see that there was no longer any visible oil on any of the jewels. The movement was bone dry. While it was keeping time, one of the wheels was slightly bent and the balance staff point had worn down flat--both as the result of friction and heat from use without lubrication. BTW, without getting too technical, the amplitude swings and the graphs for beat error all indicated erratic behavior as well, that was not apparent by casual use. 

Seeing the very real damage caused by running the watch without lube--and seeing that the real culprit was evaporation/breakdown of oil just due to time--was a revelation to me. It was also amazing to see how much time my buddy spent on the watch. 

Had I simply waited for the watch to stop running, the damage would have been much more extensive--and expensive. So all the people who have posted here that there's no reason to service a watch until it stops working--well, that's no different than saying there's no reason to change the oil in your car until it stops running. By that point, you've really done some major damage to your engine. 

Many many people are buying mechanical watches now without realizing the maintenance obligations that accrue. With regular CLA"s from qualified watchmakers, your mid and high-grade automatic watch can last for your life and the life of your children. But run it until it stops--and you can be guaranteed it will last less time than most football player's careers. Oh, and btw, you don't know how long it's been sitting in the showroom case before you bought it. (A tip--never buy the watch from the display case: the hot lights can crack and fade enamel dials and accelerate the breakdown of lubricants). And, as others have noted, taking them to unqualified hack watch repairers (and there are many out there) can be equally devastating.

My 62 GMT--it's now keeping time within 3 seconds a day. And hopefully it'll keep making that kind of time for another 50 years.


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## Bandit44 (Oct 1, 2010)

^^^ I couldn't have said it any better. Rule of thumb is every 3-5 years you should have the watch cleaned, re-oiled, and worn parts replaced. There are always people out there who risk it by extending service times, but I wouldn't recommend it as sound advice. 

If you own a watch worth $300 or less, perhaps it is worth it to regard the watch as a throwaway item and run it until it dies. I'd estimate that it will cost $50 to $100 to have a watch cleaned and re-oiled (no parts) by a local watchmaker. A full service by the manufacturer is more money, but you get much more in return. It is much like the difference between sending your Allen Edmonds to Wisconsin for a refurbish vs having a local cobbler slap on a new sole.


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## wj_johnson (Jul 24, 2011)

To my understanding every 5 years however it depends on wear.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

It's always possible to google the watch movement. Expensive Swiss watches seem to need frequent service while Seiko divers need it every 15 years. 

I would never shower or swim with a watch unless it was a 100m. 

Also, remember that the cheap auto you bought in the 70:s is the coolest watch you or your kid can have now, take care of your cheap autos, so what if service costs are higher than the original price? 



It's best to do the service while parts are readily available though


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

I have my (inherited) 60 year old GPG automatic serviced every 5 years, (whether it needs it or not), and it has never skipped a beat. What I worry about most is letting it fall into the hands of a second-rate watchmaker. My guy is about 80, and I dread having to find someone new when he retires.


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