Servicing a Patek

[dddrees]

How often do you or are you planning on servicing a Patek?

There guideline state 3 to 5 years where Rolex recomends 5 to 7 years. Is there any reason there guidelines are for a more frequent service.

Do you plan on using any different guidelines than what you do with your other brands in regards to servicing?

Is there any difference in the frequency (not price) of servicing a less or more complicated piece?

[johnswatch]

All watches should be serviced within 3 to 5 years althugh longer intervals are perfectly possible withut major damage in many (but not all) cases.

The main issue for me is the service turnaround time. If you thought Rolex service times were bad wait util you see Patek's. It's absolutely outrageous. The ramp up in production numbers doesn't seem to have included a ramp up in service capability. I can imagine how many watches they'd sell if they told all potential customers that a service evry 3 years will take between 3 and 6 months for a simple calendar watch. 12 months for a perpetual is not unheard of.... If you bought a complicated watch then over a lifetime of 50 years it could be in the shop for over a decade!

I have my ref 96 serviced locally as I'm not prepared to pay thousands and wait years. I find the service issue particulalrly annoying as they harp on about it in their literature and advertising but the reality is quite different.

Having said all that I do love my Patek watches.

[TSW]

I would service them every fifth year.

[johnswatch]

Typing using an ipad is painful.

Sorry for the terrible typos!

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by johnswatch

Typing using an ipad is painful.

Sorry for the terrible typos!

No problem, I can hardly say anything considering I'm always doing it and I use a keyboard.

Thanks for you input John.


Dan

[kilyung]

I plan on 5yr intervals.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by kilyung

I plan on 5yr intervals.

Is this anything that you do diferently than with a Rolex Mike?

If so why?

[kilyung]

I don't service my Rolex until something's wrong. Parts on Rolexes aren't that expensive. Now, replacing parts on a PP is insane so regular preventative maintenance is smart.

I also have a little book that I record performance parameters from my timegrapher for each watch. If I notice beat errors or amplitude changing drastically, then it's time for service.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by kilyung

I don't service my Rolex until something's wrong. Parts on Rolexes aren't that expensive. Now, replacing parts on a PP is insane so regular preventative maintenance is smart.

I also have a little book that I record performance parameters from my timegrapher for each watch. If I notice beat errors or amplitude changing drastically, then it's time for service.

This is the kind of information I was looking for.


Thanks Mike.

[johnbeth]

I wear mine probably 15 times a month or less and sometimes just leave it in storage for a few months at a time.. I would think I should be able to get away with servicing after 8 years???

[Darlinboy]

I'm sure the service interval varies depending on the model/complications.

Curious about Patek service turnaround time vs. AP - I've heard it can take months, anyone have recent experience?

[Lol-x]

The time it takes for servicing is kind of daunting. That is a long time to be without ones watch.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

The time it takes for servicing is kind of daunting. That is a long time to be without ones watch.

True, but it still isn't enough to turn me off Steve. Of course I would say many who buy a Patek will have at least one other to get them over the hump.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by dddrees

True, but it still isn't enough to turn me off Steve. Of course I would say many who buy a Patek will have at least one other to get them over the hump.

So when's the next PP Dan? You need that spare.

[Dan Pierce]

Dan,
Five years is the time to complete the service, not the intervals between them.
dP

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by kilyung

So when's the next PP Dan? You need that spare.

Why is it everybody here just want's to enable me?

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Dan,
Five years is the time to complete the service, not the intervals between them.
dP

Thanks Dan

[Dan Pierce]

Unfortunately, that's only a slight exaggeration. I was quoted 2 years to complete a service on a vintage PP. I thought they were joking at first till they added it would cost at least $1800.00!!
dP

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Unfortunately, that's only a slight exaggeration. I was quoted 2 years to complete a service on a vintage PP. I thought they were joking at first till they added it would cost at least $1800.00!!
dP

Ouch, not only the cost but the time, Wow.

However I would imagine that $1800 might be less than normal for some of their watches.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Ouch, not only the cost but the time, Wow.

However I would imagine that $1800 might be less than normal for some of their watches.

Yeah, and that was over 6 years ago so I imagine it's probably doubled since then.
dP

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Yeah, and that was over 6 years ago so I imagine it's probably doubled since then.
dP

Ouch

[eric23]

I just sell my watches before they need a service, that way I never have to worry about it.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by eric23

I just sell my watches before they need a service, that way I never have to worry about it.

That's it, pass the cost onto someone else.

[hutchman]

They will service any watch they ever made and have records back to the first watches ever sold. If they don't have the parts required to repair a watch they make them. When you receive your watch back from Patek after a service it is brand new again. All service costs are posted on their website if anyone is curious. With the exception of a battery change on a quartz watch all costs seem very resonable to me.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by hutchman

They will service any watch they ever made and have records back to the first watches ever sold. If they don't have the parts required to repair a watch they make them. When you receive your watch back from Patek after a service it is brand new again. All service costs are posted on their website if anyone is curious. With the exception of a battery change on a quartz watch all costs seem very resonable to me.

Thanks for the info Mike.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by eric23

I just sell my watches before they need a service, that way I never have to worry about it.

Remind me not to buy one of your watches.

[johnswatch]

Originally Posted by hutchman

They will service any watch they ever made and have records back to the first watches ever sold. If they don't have the parts required to repair a watch they make them. When you receive your watch back from Patek after a service it is brand new again. All service costs are posted on their website if anyone is curious. With the exception of a battery change on a quartz watch all costs seem very resonable to me.

They will indeed service any watch they have made but I'm guessing that when they quote many thousands for a simple seevice and a timescale in yeas they really don't want to do it. When the watch has a market value less than the repair cost it's a convenient way of them not honouring their pledge.

The costs on their website are for new model watches only. You'll notice that complications and vintage are not included....

The claim that they will make parts is also a little dubious. They often use incorrect crowns on vintage watches because they don't have any stock of the correct ones.....

[perpetualman88]

[QUOTE=johnswatch;3247538]They will indeed service any watch they have made but I'm guessing that when they quote many thousands for a simple seevice and a timescale in yeas they really don't want to do it. When the watch has a market value less than the repair cost it's a convenient way of them not honouring their pledge.

The costs on their website are for new model watches only. You'll notice that complications and vintage are not included....
/QUOTE]

x2

[topcat30093]

Minimum of 7 years.

That said Philippe Stern wears a 3940 which was one of the very early ones which had a limited special coloured dial and I believe that he has only had it serviced once or twice since he started wearing it.
So, what more of a testament do you want than that?

[johnswatch]

Originally Posted by topcat30093

Minimum of 7 years.

That said Philippe Stern wears a 3940 which was one of the very early ones which had a limited special coloured dial and I believe that he has only had it serviced once or twice since he started wearing it.
So, what more of a testament do you want than that?

I'm certain the owner of the company wouldn't lie to us.

Do you think he had to wait a year while they serviced it? Perhaps if he did then the service culture would change. This to me is their single biggest threat to the company. I mean, we're talking about it on a forum and it's certainly one if the most talked about issues.

If it continues it will have a definite drag on the brand and if VC or Lange have the service thing licked (not sure if they have) then they'll suffer for it. Imagine if you walk into an Ad and they ake a point of telling you that the brand has a commitment to service turnaround of 4 weeks and the Patek boutique quotes you in months.....