Most manufacturers suggest servicing a mechanical watch every four to six years. That is a guideline, not a rule. The honest answer is that you service a mechanical watch when it stops keeping time the way it used to, when it has been exposed to water, or when it has gone long enough that the lubricants inside have dried out.
Why a mechanical watch needs servicing at all
An automatic or hand-wound movement is a machine with dozens of moving parts turning against each other, day and night, for years. Those parts sit on tiny quantities of oil. Over time the oil migrates, thickens and eventually stops doing its job. Metal then wears against metal, and the damage becomes progressively more expensive to correct.
A service is not a repair. It is the scheduled maintenance that prevents one.
What actually happens during a service
A full service typically involves the watchmaker completely disassembling the movement, cleaning every component, inspecting for wear, replacing worn parts and the mainspring, re-oiling with fresh lubricants, reassembling, regulating the timing across several positions, replacing the gaskets, refitting the case and crystal, and testing water resistance.
It usually also includes cleaning the case and bracelet. This is why a service takes weeks rather than hours, and why it costs what it costs.
Signs your watch is asking for a service
Watch for the following:
- It has started gaining or losing noticeably more time than it used to.
- The power reserve has shortened, so it stops sooner off the wrist.
- The crown feels gritty, stiff or loose.
- The rotor makes a rougher noise than you remember.
- There is condensation under the crystal, at any time, for any length of time.
- The hands or date have become difficult to set.
Condensation is the one that should not wait. Moisture inside a case will corrode the movement, and corrosion is not reversible.
Does a quartz watch need servicing?
Less often, but not never. A quartz movement has fewer moving parts and no mainspring, so the intervals are longer. It still has gaskets that harden, a battery that can leak if left dead in the case, and a stepper motor with lubricants of its own.
The practical rule for quartz: change the battery promptly when it stops, and have the gaskets and water resistance checked at the same time. Do not leave a dead battery sitting inside a watch for years.
What about water resistance?
Water resistance is not a permanent property of a watch. It depends on rubber gaskets, and rubber ages. A watch rated for 100 metres when it left the factory may not be rated for 100 metres eight years later if nobody has checked it.
If you swim with your watch, have the water resistance tested annually. It is a quick, inexpensive check that a competent watchmaker can perform without opening the movement.
Does servicing affect value?
For most watches, a documented service history helps when you sell or pass the watch on, because it tells the next owner the movement has been looked after. Keep the paperwork. Buy a watch for the pleasure of wearing it rather than as a financial instrument, but there is no reason to throw away the records.
Where to have a Claude Bernard serviced
Take it to an authorised Claude Bernard dealer or contact us directly, and the watch will be routed to a qualified watchmaker. Independent watchmakers can also service Swiss movements competently; what matters is that the person opening your watch has the correct tools, correct gaskets and a pressure tester.
Common questions
How often should an automatic watch be serviced?
Every four to six years under normal wear, or sooner if timekeeping, power reserve or the crown suggests something has changed.
How long does a watch service take?
Usually several weeks. The movement has to be dismantled, cleaned, reassembled and then run and regulated over multiple days before it can be returned.
Can I skip a service if the watch keeps good time?
You can, but good timekeeping does not prove the lubricants are still working. Wear happens quietly, and the cost of a service is far lower than the cost of replacing worn parts.
Should I wind an automatic watch by hand?
Most automatic movements can be hand-wound, and giving the watch twenty or thirty turns of the crown when you put it on after it has stopped is good practice. Do not force the crown once you feel resistance.
Is it bad to leave a mechanical watch unworn?
It will simply stop, which does no harm. Long storage of many years is best avoided, because oils settle. Wearing the watch occasionally is better than leaving it in a drawer indefinitely.