When the Cost of Service Exceeds the "Value" of a Watch

[Ryan]

I've just received the overhaul, cleaning, and repair estimates for the two watches I sent in for service a couple of weeks ago. If I consent to work on the Hamilton, costs will exceed its new purchase price by about $100. I could even buy another Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical at full MSRP for less than the estimate, but it was given to me by my wife a few years ago and I'm sentimental. She'd probably tell me to just buy another one if I still like the watch. But if I did that and wanted to keep it for the long run, I'd still be paying someone hundreds of dollars down the road to maintain it. Right? I'm not sure what I'll do yet. Buy a brand new one now and then deal with this again in a few years... What are your thoughts? What would you do, and if you buy affordable watches, how do you/will you approach the cost of maintenance when the cost could equal or exceed the value of the watch?

[Der Amf]

Yeah I've done £x + £x = £x a couple of times. If it were a current model I definitely wouldn't - I would park the sentimental object in a drawer and plough on with getting a new one.

[watchdaddy1]

I just sent 2 Vostok N1 Rockets in for service & repair & they want 300.00 USD a piece to fix them....$600 USD, "your FN crazy I told them there not Rolex's"...

[tribe125]

What are your thoughts?

I'll sell you a quartz one.

But you raise an interesting question. Watch-fanciers are open to thinking of quartz watches as semi-disposable, but often point to the 'legacy factor' of mechanicals. It's hard to make the case for 'legacy' all the time that a replacement is cheaper than a service.

There are two questions, really - service costs while replacements are available, and service costs when a replacement is no longer available. The second question is the easier of the two - either you think it's worth it or you don't. The first question depends on the level of emotional attachment, and whether that triumphs over reason.

In your situation, I would probably have it serviced, even if it makes no sense in economic terms.

[93EXCivic]

Who do you use to do the service?

Sounds like you sound find a cheaper place.

[Ryan]

Who do you use to do the service?

Sounds like you sound find a cheaper place.

RGM. I've never used them before though, and this is my first go around having watches repaired/serviced.

[Rdenney]

RGM. I've never used them before though, and this is my first go around having watches repaired/serviced.

Wonderful folks, and highly expert. But they are not the cheapest. I've you just want it to run reasonably well without destroying itself, there are other options.

Rick "who pays about half that to have vintage autos serviced" Denney

[Ryan]

Wonderful folks, and highly expert. But they are not the cheapest. I've you just want it to run reasonably well without destroying itself, there are other options.

Rick "who pays about half that to have vintage autos serviced" Denney

Thanks, Rick. Who would you recommend? Who's your go-to watchmaker?

[Rdenney]

Thanks, Rick. Who would you recommend? Who's your go-to watchmaker?

Watchmakers are kinda like car mechanics. We are reluctant to spread around their names publicly, for fear they will become too busy and either hire someone who isn't as good or raise their prices. And we don't want to be responsible if our good experience turns out to be anecdotal.

So, I'm ultra- careful about identifying my vintage watchmaker.

Rick ".com" Denney

[OhDark30]

I've been on both sides of this question, lol
Used to wear quartz watches so cheap, it was cheaper to buy a new one than change the battery.
And yes, sub £30 Soviet watches that on the face of it, cost more than their value to service.
But.
Couldn't find modern watches even at several times the price that I liked - so watch + service = still a total bargain
(heck, often my straps cost more than the watches