Panerai service

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Discussion

vinnie_p

Original Poster:

43 posts

182 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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I have a Panerai PAM 210, not worn regularly but noticed that it was loosing about a minute per day. My local watchman has adjusted it and it now seems okay but, considering that it is now seven years old should I get it serviced, if so should I stick with Panerai at about £500 or my local man who really is a very good watch repairer at £270.00. I would think that the Panerai route should be the way to go but what will they do that my man can't?

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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vinnie_p][... said:
what will they do that my man can't?
Charge you an extra £230.

Riff Raff

5,086 posts

194 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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Variomatic said:
vinnie_p][... said:
what will they do that my man can't?
Charge you an extra £230.
Get any parts needed?

darreni

3,759 posts

269 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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If its running OK, I'd not bother.

My brother sent his 112 for a service via an AD (the watch didn't need it, but as he'd had it a few years, he thought he should get it done).

11 weeks later it arrives back with a fingerprint on the inside of the crystal. It was another 9 weeks before he saw it again.

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Riff Raff said:
Get any parts needed?
If a 7 year old watch in that price bracket, that hasn't suffered damage and is still running, needs parts then sell it and never buy from them again. Even bog standard ETA movements don't wear in that timescale.

Riff Raff

5,086 posts

194 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Variomatic said:
Riff Raff said:
Get any parts needed?
If a 7 year old watch in that price bracket, that hasn't suffered damage and is still running, needs parts then sell it and never buy from them again. Even bog standard ETA movements don't wear in that timescale.
Even the most careful watchmaker might damage hands when removing them. Then there is the question of seals.

Don't get me wrong. I do not agree with the way that manufacturers restrict the availability of basic service parts to independent watchmakers. I think it's a fking disgrace and an unfair restriction of trade. But it is a fact that it happens, and it is the way that they, the manufacturers, lock you into their service network. But, as a tactic, it is effective. FWIW, I've never had good service from any Richemont Group service centre, but Panerai seem to be able to plumb new depths - and that's backed up by stories you read on other watch fora.

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
That's true about things like hands, although it's incredibly rare if you know what you're doing. It's also why good repairers carry insurance. If the worst does happen (it hasn't for me in nearly 20 years btw) then you just have to pay for the manufacturer to sort it and either swallow the bill or claim if that's too painful. Personally I'd also not charge the owner my own bill at that point as well, but it'd be valid to charge the original quote if you wanted to offset it.

Seals also aren't a problem. Virtually any size you can think of is available in roughly 0.1mm gradings. Given that they're rubber, 0.1mm either way really isn't an issue - I can happily get just about any watch you might come across to its original depth rating or higher. In fact, just finished putting my FIL's 50m rated Accurist beater through a 100m test. Because I can.

About the only thing that really affects independents is if the customer wants, say, a replacement crown or bezel for cosmetic reasons.

Incidentally, even £270 for service of a simple hand-wound timepiece without even a date comlication is a little outrageous. It's about as simple as they get even if it is made beautifully!

Riff Raff

5,086 posts

194 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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^^^^ All good points. Though I did have an indie refuse to touch an AP RO I had because of non availability of seals.....

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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It can be a pain to match seals, and a lot of repairers don't want (or need) the aggravation when they can spend the same time with another watch. After all, at the prices above they could be earning another £200+ in the hour or so it might take biggrin

MarsellusWallace

1,180 posts

200 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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My PAM 140 came back perfect from its service-like a new watch.Price was £320 from memory-that's sending it to Panerai

vinnie_p

Original Poster:

43 posts

182 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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Many thanks for the thoughts. I will take advice as follows:-
If it ain't broke don't fix it. This was my initial view and is the one that I will take. (will getting it serviced stop it from breaking, I don't think so but am here to be told otherwise)
My independent man will be my choice. He is an approved Omega repair/service man and has sorted other watchs of mine including a service of my Rolex Explorer, came back like new and I trust him.

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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vinnie_p][... said:
If it ain't broke don't fix it. This was my initial view and is the one that I will take. (will getting it serviced stop it from breaking, I don't think so but am here to be told otherwise)
That's reasonable up to a point. But (extreme) lack of servicing will cause increased wear in the lng term. By extreme I mean continuing to use it regularly when it gets to the point that its timekeeping changes significantly (a few seconds a day isn't a "significant" change but can be the first sign of things drying up).

If you have an indie who you trust then the best bet is to get him to examine it and advise.

Alternatively, especially if you have several nice watches to look after, consider getting one of the Chinese timegraphers off EBay and learn how to use it to check positional timing.

It's not hard to do and, even if you don't actually work on them yourself, a quick 5 mins test when you start wondering if it's time for a service can give a pretty definitive answer.