Sea Dweller Service ?

[Rolex Richie]

Just looking for a bit of guidance.

Sea Dweller Steel on a Z serial (2006), but bought with stickers on Dec 2007, so its had just over 5 years wear.

Pretty clean. Loses 3 secs ish a day.

Time for service or wait couple of years ??

Pro's & Con's of delaying the service please gang..

Thanks

[mjclark32]

Pressure test and let it go another year or so, IMO.

[bimmerboy]

Rolex Ritchie good question I'm facing the exact same scenario with 7 seconds a day loss looking forward to the answers.

[Rodentman]

FWIW I brought my SD into AD with Rolex trained watchmaker. Needed new pallet fork. Got all old parts back. Was just about at the 5 year mark.

[kilyung]

Take it in to be checked. This was a new D serial watch I bought with stickers... it needed a service after being in a display case for 7 yrs.

[mikesugarvictor]

I recently purchased a pre-owned D serial (~2005) SD and was originally going to wait a year or so for service based on what I had heard and read on previous threads. However, I recently spoke with an independent, very experienced servicer who made some very convincing arguments about why the first service should be less then 5 years after purchase.

Among other reasons, you don't know when it was actually manufactured and it may have been sitting for a couple of years before the sale. In his opinion, sitting in a safe for years without moving is worse for the movement than being in use. After the first service, you can stretch out the serving interval a little longer. If you wait too long, the lube breaks down and the hard jewels will wear down metal parts they touch and could affect the movements accuracy over time.

I cannot articulate all the technical reasons as well as he told me, but I felt he was giving me an honest opinion based on experience and not just trying to increase business.

Many of the same points were noted on this site:

http://www.qualitytyme.net/pages/service.html

[blackout]

***Dont try this at home kids!***

I have a cousin in his late 60's now, he was gifted a brand new pespi 1675 for his bday back in the 1960's from his old man. He has never serviced it ever! Not even gaskets. The thing still runs, it runs a min slow a day, and you can see the condensation on the inside when he gets water in it.... I told him at least get the damn gasket replaced... Im scared to even open and look at the movement, its probably held together by the rust for the pass 50 years!

I just want to cry when I see it on his wrist!

I just hope he passes it on to me or sells it to me, so I can pamper the beauty like it should be!

So yes, please have it pressure tested at least.

[George Ab]

Amplitude is the measure of balance wheel swinging back and forth in degrees. If between 270 and 315° it is typical of a fresh service or new from factory, with healthy oscillations. When the amplitude gets below 220° due to the oils starting to dry up, the watch will likely start to run erratic. It may run fast in one position, slow in another, and generally be all over the map. Any watchmaker has a machine that can measure amplitude along with other indicators that which can accurately tell the health of the movement and if a service is or is not in order. This is a much more sophisticated method then how many years it has been since produced, and TRF members are sophisticated watch folk, eh?

A watch running fast or slow is not a good indicator of the health of the movement and if it needs a service. If the timing is consistent, then it likely just needs a regulation.

[cop414]

Originally Posted by mjclark32

Pressure test and let it go another year or so, IMO.

This, but I wouldn't wait more than a year though. If it's running fine I don't know if I'd mess with it but you are on the fringe of the time frame for servicing as I'm sure you know. My Omega SMP always ran at -2 per day, was a daily wearer for 5 years and at the 5 year point almost to the day began running at -8 per day soooo...That gives you a year to decide on who is going to do the service! (I as of yet have not sent the Omega in but will do so this summer most likely) Cons for no service over time would probably be a costlier service than what you might have paid by doing it earlier.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by cop414

This, but I wouldn't wait more than a year though. If it's running fine I don't know if I'd mess with it but you are on the fringe of the time frame for servicing as I'm sure you know. My Omega SMP always ran at -2 per day, was a daily wearer for 5 years and at the 5 year point almost to the day began running at -8 per day soooo...That gives you a year to decide on who is going to do the service! (I as of yet have not sent the Omega in but will do so this summer most likely) Cons for no service over time would probably be a costlier service than what you might have paid by doing it earlier.

All I can say is I just paid my friend Rikki a whopping $550 dollars to service my 1963 Sub. It hadn't been serviced in 25 years and only had one service in it's life. It runs spot on and is in pristine shape--which he can verify! So--I never understand why everyone is such a rush for service--for me if it isn't broke why bother. As for pressure testing and making sure it has seal integrity--a different story of course. So for me I wouldn't bother wasting my money sending it in as it is running perfectly. Again--to each his own!

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

All I can say is I just paid my friend Rikki a whopping $550 dollars to service my 1963 Sub. It hadn't been serviced in 25 years and only had one service in it's life. It runs spot on and is in pristine shape--which he can verify! So--I never understand why everyone is such a rush for service--for me if it isn't broke why bother. As for pressure testing and making sure it has seal integrity--a different story of course. So for me I wouldn't bother wasting my money sending it in as it is running perfectly. Again--to each his own!

Very well said. For $550, peace of mind that you can not beat...

There are other "vintage watchmakers" that would have probably charged $1,500+/-.

[subtona]

i would wait a couple / 10 years at the earliest.

[patb]

I would send it in for service. While it's gone you will have an excuse to buy another watch!