Servicing Costs
Discussion
I've just had my Breitling Blackbird fully serviced and refinished to factory new standard (see their web site for videos 
) and the bill is £360. It has taken Breitling just over 8 weeks to complete the work as they have to check the time keeping etc after several stages of the overall process apparently. If they didn't have their own facility in Tunbridge Wells to do the work for them it would needed to go back to Switzerland and been away for 10 weeks or so.
QED £400 for your Italian timepiece would appear to be about right.
) and the bill is £360. It has taken Breitling just over 8 weeks to complete the work as they have to check the time keeping etc after several stages of the overall process apparently. If they didn't have their own facility in Tunbridge Wells to do the work for them it would needed to go back to Switzerland and been away for 10 weeks or so.QED £400 for your Italian timepiece would appear to be about right.
I would be somewhat nervous about sending it to Panerai, they have a pretty dire track record with returning watches that need to immediately go back for more remedial work; stories on other forums have included loose hands, dirt/dust under the crystal, damage to the case, lost paperwork etc.
I would have it serviced by a respected independent, with the added benefits of a shorter turnaround and vastly less cost.
I would have it serviced by a respected independent, with the added benefits of a shorter turnaround and vastly less cost.
4parajon said:
Recently spoke to watches of switzerland regarding servicing my Panerai, looking at around £400 and it will have to be returned to Italy to have it done and will take approx 10-12 weeks. Is this usual?
My PAM 140 needs servicing next year and although Watches of Switzerland are closer to me I will be taking my watch to Cottrills.Thanks for the reply fellas.
Ive actually only owned it (its a Pan 283 in titanium) for a tad over 3years. When I enquired about the servicing WOS said that the servicing is usually every 4-5 years unless there's a problem. I replied that there wasnt a problem as such but having never needed to wind it up before it has started to stop every 2-3 weeks now unless I wind it up. WOS told me that thats a good indicator of the watch needing a service as the oil in the mechanism is starting to thicken up and restrict the movement, which seems plausible to me, altho Im no expert. WOS state that Pan are currently turning them around in 4-6 weeks so I'll have it back by xmas. In with the price is a polish and general clean up of the strap, which is usefull as I never take it off and as an engineer and car enthusiast its a little marked. Also WOS in Manchester to be fair to them have been very helpfull in the past and are only a few miles away so I'll probably drop it in with them later today. I just wanted to make sure I wasnt having my pants pulled down.
Cheers, and I'll post the outcome on when its returned.
Ive actually only owned it (its a Pan 283 in titanium) for a tad over 3years. When I enquired about the servicing WOS said that the servicing is usually every 4-5 years unless there's a problem. I replied that there wasnt a problem as such but having never needed to wind it up before it has started to stop every 2-3 weeks now unless I wind it up. WOS told me that thats a good indicator of the watch needing a service as the oil in the mechanism is starting to thicken up and restrict the movement, which seems plausible to me, altho Im no expert. WOS state that Pan are currently turning them around in 4-6 weeks so I'll have it back by xmas. In with the price is a polish and general clean up of the strap, which is usefull as I never take it off and as an engineer and car enthusiast its a little marked. Also WOS in Manchester to be fair to them have been very helpfull in the past and are only a few miles away so I'll probably drop it in with them later today. I just wanted to make sure I wasnt having my pants pulled down.
Cheers, and I'll post the outcome on when its returned.
Op: had my pam177 serviced by WOS in july/August this year.
In the end it was much quicker than I expected. They'd said about 8 weeks but was 3-4.
Had full service but not the clean - wanted all the scuffs and scrapes left on. I have a contact there so got a few quid off but the price you've been quoted seems fine tbh.
In the end it was much quicker than I expected. They'd said about 8 weeks but was 3-4.
Had full service but not the clean - wanted all the scuffs and scrapes left on. I have a contact there so got a few quid off but the price you've been quoted seems fine tbh.
Update - Dropped my Pan off yesterday with WOS, but the day before I'd left my old Seiko divers watch with them for a new battery and service as I didnt want to be without a watch which was £60 and would take just 24hrs. So went to WOS to drop off the Pan and collect the Seiko and they did the Seiko free of charge 'with WOS compliments' so I think thats great customer service, altho they probably saw me leering and drooling at the new Pans and maybe sniffed another sale lol.
As for where the Pan's are serviced, they dont go to Italy (dont know where I got that pearl of info from) but they go to Pans own place in London. The sales lady in WOS told me that she'd been there only the once and they drove her for ages around London so she couldnt tell anyone where the actual place is which from the outside you'd never guess what takes place inside as they just use a PO Box number.
Anyway, I'll report back when I collect it.
Cheers
As for where the Pan's are serviced, they dont go to Italy (dont know where I got that pearl of info from) but they go to Pans own place in London. The sales lady in WOS told me that she'd been there only the once and they drove her for ages around London so she couldnt tell anyone where the actual place is which from the outside you'd never guess what takes place inside as they just use a PO Box number.
Anyway, I'll report back when I collect it.
Cheers
Update Time 
Got a call from WOS on Saturday morn to tell me my watch was ready for collection so picked it up yesterday. Cost £405 in total but it actually looks brand new again as they've polished all the strap and crown up, looks lovely again. Not that it was battered but I very rarely take it off so its had its fair share of scuffs and scratches over the 3 years. Very pleased with the service from WOS and would defo reccomend them. I'll add a pic to the recent Titanium thread of mine if anyone wants to see it.
Cheers
Got a call from WOS on Saturday morn to tell me my watch was ready for collection so picked it up yesterday. Cost £405 in total but it actually looks brand new again as they've polished all the strap and crown up, looks lovely again. Not that it was battered but I very rarely take it off so its had its fair share of scuffs and scratches over the 3 years. Very pleased with the service from WOS and would defo reccomend them. I'll add a pic to the recent Titanium thread of mine if anyone wants to see it.
Cheers
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