Originally Posted by
walkerwek1958
It's not just movement parts that are an issue, case-specific parts are more of a problem. Handsets, crystals, crowns, bezels.......these are the bits that have to be supplied from the manufacturer.
If Swatch persist in curtailing general supply of parts it'll be impossible to get any mechanical watch serviced for less than £400 within 6-7 years. The watch repairer will have become a mythical beast, the few who remain will have spent so much in accreditation costs they'll only be interested in working on the expensive stuff.......it's already happening but many of you don't realise; why do the repairers who are Rolex or Omega accredited turn jobs down on lesser stuff?......... it's not rocket science!
The 'business model' of the one-man band watch repairer is bust; the price of parts was having that effect even before the restrictions in supply but the move to stop supplying seals it. It isn't financially viable for one guy to make the investment required to start from scratch, do the training, buy the equipment required for accreditation and set up premises to the standard demanded. The big firms know this, the plan is to get rid of the small guys and thus control the whole service business themselves.
Some people don't care; they've got plenty of money, ownership of a watch that cost a few £k is part of their lifestyle and subconsciously they actually enjoy paying a lot to have it serviced. .....indeed they'd be disappointed if it didn't cost a lot. This forum has changed over the last few years, there's more and more people who fit that description, lots of bragging about who's bought what and how much they're spending, so it's little wonder that the stance of Swatch Group (and others) doesn't receive the unanimous condemnation that would be expected from a forum of true watch enthusiasts.
Just listened to Bob Dylan whilst I posted this; he was right when he said 'The times they are a-changin'
Paul