Quartz servicing - is it ever worth it?

[Dougal]

I’ve a twenty year old quartz diver. It’s had regular battery changes and (re)seal tests, but would it benefit from a service? If so, where would you send it?

[Wyvern971]

Depends what it is really, from my understanding some are built to be serviced and some are just throwaway movements where the service would cost more than a new movement would.

The other factor would be the age and whether a suitable replacement is available, at 20 years old it might not be which in some cases would be a shame, especially if it's a sentimental watch.

As to servicing, I wouldn't know where to go unfortunately.

With my Tuna I'll be sending it to Seiko if it needs it, with some of the cheaper ones probably try to source a new movement.

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[alfat33]

A quartz watch generally has plenty of moving mechanical parts that wear and need lubricating, just like a mechanical watch.

If the watch is worth something to you, financially or sentimentally, I would have it serviced after 20 years.

[lew07]

Out of curiosity what movement is it? Some are plentiful and dirt cheap others are rare and expensive so I think I would have it serviced if it was one of the more expensive ones.Could save You future hassle and expense

[walkerwek1958]

There’s far less wear and tear on the train wheels (and pivots) of a quartz watch, they tend to stop running due to the oil turning sticky after many years or dirt getting in. Replacement movements vary hugely in price, some are under £10 whilst others are well over £100. The better quality movements have jewelled pivots and are in a different league to the dirt cheap ones, which is hardly surprising.

Problems arise when the circuitry fails. Generally, these parts aren’t available separately so the answer has to be a new movement if it’s available. There’s nothing that can be done to prolong or enhance the life expectancy of these parts, and that’s one reason why I don’t like old quartz watches.

The keyless work on a quartz watch has an easy life because it isn’t being used frequently, but typically these parts are quite fragile and they’re not designed for hard use.

Strictly speaking a quartz movement should be stripped, cleaned and re-oiled when the current being drawn becomes excessive, that’s a sign that the friction in the movement has increased. Battery life will be shorter, but the watch will continue to run. Test equipment is available to measure this but it’s expensive.

Some quartz movements are virtually impossible to strip down and fix, some of the cheaper ETA chronograph movements are definitely in this category and a replacement is the only option when they fail.

[Dougal]

It’s a Longines quartz and a basic three-hand watch, but with sentimental value. I’m concerned that the Swatch service centre could be costly, without necessarily providing the best service.

[lew07]

It’s a Longines quartz and a basic three-hand watch, but with sentimental value. I’m concerned that the Swatch service centre could be costly, without necessarily providing the best service.

I think You have answered Your own question here.

[Der Amf]

It’s a Longines quartz and a basic three-hand watch, but with sentimental value. I’m concerned that the Swatch service centre could be costly, without necessarily providing the best service.

When my mum's basic Longines quartz needed a new movement, the Swatch service centre would have charged her significantly less than the family-owned independent business which fleeced her good and proper.

[Webwatchmaker]

Only ETA Swiss chronograph movements are expensive.
It usually pays to exchange such a basic faulty quartz movement.
On examination of them I find that the magnetised pulsing drive wheel collects fine metal particles which obstruct it's movement or it has been turning for so long that the pivots have worn down to virtually nothing, which finally stops the watch.

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[JeremyO]

I seem to recall Paul, Walkerwek, stated some time ago, that a service at 10 years old would not go amiss for a decent quartz movement.

This being the case I anticipate getting OSC to service my 2012 SMP quartz when next battery change is necessary. This is likely to be in about 12 months time.

[McBeardy]

I recently sent my 35yr old Seiko Quartz to Seiko for servicing as the battery was I need of changing. I knew the watched had never been serviced. Was quoted £165 for this, then told it couldn’t be done as they couldn’t get replacement parts. Battery change happen and re(seal) WR test at £37 awaiting the call to collect.


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[dschaen81]

I had two of my vintage Seiko 7548 divers serviced by independent Seiko specialists. Both movements ran without issue, just did it as preventive maintenance.
The movements were stripped, cleaned and lubed, but no replacement parts were needed. They accuracy of both movements is still within spec after more than 35 years as is the battery life.

[Harry Smith]

Only ETA Swiss chronograph movements are expensive.
It usually pays to exchange such a basic faulty quartz movement.
On examination of them I find that the magnetised pulsing drive wheel collects fine metal particles which obstruct it's movement or it has been turning for so long that the pivots have worn down to virtually nothing, which finally stops the watch.

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Just pm'd you but I've no idea why I did it twice lol. Sorry

[Reiver]

I had a cheap quartz chrono which stopped and I wanted to keep running as it has sentimental value.

I was getting service quotes in the region of £250 which was about the new cost of the watch.

I asked if it was not just better to swap the movement at which point the repairer said that’s what they would do anyway.

I then opened it up myself and identified the movement, looked on Cousins and the correct movement was £10. Purchased movement plus a few additional tools I required and the movement swap took me about 20 minutes. The only tricky part was refitting the tiny chrono hands which took a few attempts.

I should really buy a few more movements for future replacements.

[walkerwek1958]

I seem to recall Paul, Walkerwek, stated some time ago, that a service at 10 years old would not go amiss for a decent quartz movement.

This being the case I anticipate getting OSC to service my 2012 SMP quartz when next battery change is necessary. This is likely to be in about 12 months time.

Checking the condition of seals, or replacing as a matter of course, is certainly wise, particularly if the watch goes swimming. Having the circuitry checked is worthwhile to determine how much current is being drawn, but this needs someone with the right test kit.

Brendan’s comment about worn pivots on the rotor is interesting, I’ve not come across this but my experience with quartz movements is limited, I’m far happier with mechanicals.

Stripping the modern ETA 3 hand movements isn’t difficult but it’s a bit fiddly, the worst part in my opinion is removing the circuit and taking great care not to damage the coil, it only needs touching with a metal tool and it’ll fail. They need handling with great care.

When the likes of Omega service a quartz watch I don’t know what they do, possibly they fit a replacement movement? TAG used to do this with the cheaper ones.

[Webwatchmaker]

I had a cheap quartz chrono which stopped and I wanted to keep running as it has sentimental value.

I was getting service quotes in the region of £250 which was about the new cost of the watch.

I asked if it was not just better to swap the movement at which point the repairer said that’s what they would do anyway.

I then opened it up myself and identified the movement, looked on Cousins and the correct movement was £10. Purchased movement plus a few additional tools I required and the movement swap took me about 20 minutes. The only tricky part was refitting the tiny chrono hands which took a few attempts.

I should really buy a few more movements for future replacements.

Exactly right !
Unless the movement is rare, replacement is the sensible, practical and least time consuming way. The hands won't be a problem for an experienced repairer.

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[Dougal]

It seems the consensus is that servicing is a good idea. However, where would you send a quartz watch for servicing?

[PSTW]

I’m contemplating this with an Omega SMP. It stopped a few months go, timing is right for it to need a new battery so do I get a battery and re-seal, or a service. The difference in price, at Genesis is about £80. Which actually, thinking about it isn’t much. I may have talked myself into it.

[CriticalMass]

I have a couple of quartz watches (Omega DeVille circa 2005 and a Tudor Oyster circa 1983) currently being serviced at Anglesey Clock & Watch - I just happened to be passing en route to the Dublin ferry...
They have been highly recommended on several forums so I’m confident they’ll do a good job. I was quoted £130 each

[bedlam]

Only ETA Swiss chronograph movements are expensive.

Really?

There are GS and Omega quartz movements that I would not have expected to be inexpensive.

[Webwatchmaker]

Really?

There are GS and Omega quartz movements that I would not have expected to be inexpensive.

I am simply referring to current ETA movements. Obviously there are other expensive quartz watch movements.


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[Reiver]

Really?

There are GS and Omega quartz movements that I would not have expected to be inexpensive.

Yes there are quite a few Seiko quartz movements that are definitely not disposable. The current Grand Seiko movements and also the early quartz movements are very good quality.

[Reiver]

Exactly right !
Unless the movement is rare, replacement is the sensible, practical and least time consuming way. The hands won't be a problem for an experienced repairer.

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I can imagine the hands wouldn’t be a problem for an experienced repairer. I managed the minute and hour hands no problem but the others had me tearing my hair out.

All in the job was a success though and the watch is still running 3 years later. May be partly luck on my part.

[Webwatchmaker]

The original poster asked whether a 20 year old Longines quartz movement is worth servicing. Since this will have an ETA movement my opinion is that it would be as cheap or cheaper to replace the movement.
Many other branded movements are not available or are expensive, so obviously it would pay to service them if indeed parts are still obtainable.
Some brands such as Cartier or Rolex will need to be returned to their service centres. That can be very costly.
Some of these horological tyrants charge over £150.00 for a battery and reseal !

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[Webwatchmaker]

I can imagine the hands wouldn’t be a problem for an experienced repairer. I managed the minute and hour hands no problem but the others had me tearing my hair out.

All in the job was a success though and the watch is still running 3 years later. May be partly luck on my part.

Practice makes perfect !
I made a special tool for accurately refitting small chronograph hands. It will feature in my book when published.

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[lughugger]

I had an 80’s quartz Tag chrono diver serviced by Genesis earlier this year. Like the op’s, mine has a great deal of sentimental value so to a certain extent the cost of servicing was less relevant. I guess my answer is ‘yes’!


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[walkerwek1958]

Practice makes perfect !
It will feature in my book when published.

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Confessions of a watch repairer

Refitting chronograph hands is one of my least favourite tasks, always glad to get the little blighters back where they belong and zeroing correctly.

[Dougal]

I have a couple of quartz watches (Omega DeVille circa 2005 and a Tudor Oyster circa 1983) currently being serviced at Anglesey Clock & Watch - I just happened to be passing en route to the Dublin ferry...
They have been highly recommended on several forums so I’m confident they’ll do a good job. I was quoted £130 each

Many thanks for the recommendation. I’ll take a look at Anglesey Clock & Watch, as well as Genesis.

[Webwatchmaker]

Confessions of a watch repairer

Refitting chronograph hands is one of my least favourite tasks, always glad to get the little blighters back where they belong and zeroing correctly.

Teaching an apprentice has greatly helped me learn how to explain things clearly. Writing the book is slow whilst I am still taking many great watches for repair.

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[walkerwek1958]

As one who only learned the skills relatively recently I can relate to the difficulties a newcomer has. I also had the dubious privilege of training people when I had a 'real' job in the distant past.

'Confessions of a watch repairer' could be quite an amusing theme as an alternative to a serious book, provided the anecdotes weren't attributable to the contributors. In most cases people like to be acknowledged for their input to books, but I think this could be the exception. Stuff can and does go wrong, and it can be quite funny............in hindsight!

[Mick P]

This thread raises one good question - is buying a Rolex Quartz a risky proposition ?

[Webwatchmaker]

As one who only learned the skills relatively recently I can relate to the difficulties a newcomer has. I also had the dubious privilege of training people when I had a 'real' job in the distant past.

'Confessions of a watch repairer' could be quite an amusing theme as an alternative to a serious book, provided the anecdotes weren't attributable to the contributors. In most cases people like to be acknowledged for their input to books, but I think this could be the exception. Stuff can and does go wrong, and it can be quite funny............in hindsight!

I could easily write a book about my experiences working in Dublin, London and for companies in Switzerland. But my publisher wants a serious 'how to' book which to continue writing is my prime intention. Trouble is I still love repairing and that takes most of my time.
Best wishes to the OP. I hope one of the recommendations above proves helpful and economical.

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[Dougal]

This thread raises one good question - is buying a Rolex Quartz a risky proposition ?

Also, this thread has made me wonder if common automatic movements (e.g. ETA2836) will have greater longevity than some quartz movements.

I can imagine old quartz movements being superseded by new quartz movements over the years and decades. Whereas I wonder if niche players will continue to make parts for common automatic movements for longer. What do you think?

[Wilson_smyth]

is it worth servicing an old quartz?

From a monetary perspective, probably not. if its not a particular model & brand that broke ground or is considered desirable right now, it could probably cost more than the item itself. Same can be said for affordable automatics, a service for a seiko 7s26 costs more than a replacement movment!

Sentimental value is another view, and if there is some personal value, memories or a connection to a loved one, the cost of repair might not matter so long as the item keeps ticking.

Another perspective is reducing waste. If something can be repaired, why would you want to throw it away?
If you have a movement that has been reliable for decades, has given a lot of value, it may be worth repairing.
Its also proven itself reliable and could continue to do so with a service. A new watch wont have that proven reliability.
Ive had the cheapest seiko's serviced rather than throwing them away for this very reason.

[bedlam]

This thread raises one good question - is buying a Rolex Quartz a risky proposition ?

Why risky? Are you concerned it won't work properly?

[Webwatchmaker]

I have a watchmaker colleague in Somerset who has spent much of his career repairing all kinds of quartz and electronic watches, mostly for multiple chain stores. He started in the early 1980s and there is little about battery powered watches he does not know.
From what he has told me I understand that most quartz watches are run into the ground. They rarely get serviced until they stop. This can mean several years without any attention to the movements. No tell tale variation in timekeeping is apparent when wear sets in, prompting attention, unlike the majority of mechanical watches.
Battery changes are often carried out by inexperienced retail staff with inappropriate tools who mark cases, lose battery terminals and screws, even damage fragile coils and leave large fingerprints and dust on the movements. The case backs are then poorly refitted sometimes losing or breaking the water resisting gaskets.
Apart from this, the movements are made obsolete far more frequently than their mechanical counterparts which means that regardless of quality or manufacturer, parts become impossible to obtain more quickly. It is virtually impossible to obtain any parts for most 1980s quartz watches for example.
The watchmaker therefore has to rely on his traditional skills when repairing a quartz movement, dismantling, cleaning and oiling it as well as removing oxidation from all the electrical connections. He needs to take great care reassembling very small and delicate components. Following all this work there is no guarantee that the watch will again function as the reason may lie in failure of the micro chip or any other electronic component. Not a mechanical fault.
*A set of non magnetic tools are essential for repairing quartz and electronic watches.
Nothing more can be done at this stage unless a substitute movement is available which matches the original case and dial and hands dimensions. Sometimes the substitute movements do not fit exactly and a great deal of time and effort is involved in getting them to do do.
I buy many old quartz watches very cheaply at the good old car boot sales, just so that I have some spares should the need arise.
Finally, whether it is wise to buy a Rolex or even a Cartier quartz watch, or a Bulova/Omega Accutron electronic for that matter, comes down to a love for these watches, their accuracy, convenience and lack of need for any perceivable regular maintenance apart from flipping the calendar over a day or two at the end of short months.

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[Dougal]

[Quartz] movements are made obsolete far more frequently than their mechanical counterparts which means that regardless of quality or manufacturer, parts become impossible to obtain more quickly. It is virtually impossible to obtain any parts for most 1980s quartz watches for example.

In which case, shouldn’t automatic movements have greater longevity?

[Webwatchmaker]

In which case, shouldn’t automatic movements have greater longevity?

Definitely. They generally hold their values better as well.

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[willie_gunn]

I thoroughly enjoy fettling old quartz watches - not servicing, mind, but fettling.

I get far more pleasure from this than walking into a dealer and buying something new, expensive....and soul-less.

It is this satisfaction of getting a watch back into usable condition that does it for me. So far I make it three CWC G10's, an Omega, a Glycine, a Scurfa and literally dozens of Wenger, Victorinox, Seikos, Pulsars, Citizens and sundry others. The only minor inconvenience is that I now have a desk full of running quartz watches! How much better that they are running again, though, than adding to the blight of landfill?

One major benefit of quartz watches is that many owners tend to treat them as disposable as soon as they exhibit any fault, so you can pick up some nice watches for just a fraction of their original purchase price. Then you have the fun of sourcing and fitting the replacement movement, after which comes the enjoyment of wearing a watch on your wrist that you know benefited from the personal investment of your time and effort. The end result should make the watch as good as the day it came out of the factory, and sometimes better if you care to replace the original crystal with sapphire.

Whilst clearly there are different grades of quartz watches and movements, it is not unsurprising that both cheap and expensive watches often share the same internals, showing just how much we are foolishly willing to pay for a brand name. I think the cheapest quartz movement I have bought cost under £4 and the most expensive under £50, and it continues to surprise me how accurate some of the cheaper movements can be.

Why not service rather than replace? To take an example, the latest movement I acquired - an ETA 251.272 - was sourced as NOS from Romania at under £40 including delivery. I needed to source a replacement date wheel, so add on another fiver, but other than my time (perhaps two hours) that was it. At that level of investment it would never have made economic sense to get the original movement serviced, yet that same movement is fitted to watches originally costing many hundreds if not thousands. What's not to like?

As expected, some of the watches I've bought were fitted with redundant movements, but the research into finding a modern equivalent that shares the same dimensions is all part of the fun to me. Of course I do it just for personal enjoyment, but I can imagine how frustrating it must be for a proper watchmaker to have to do the same when someone entrusts them with their pride and joy that was originally fitted with a quartz movement for which the chance of buying an original replacement or parts is now long gone.

So to anyone contemplating giving it a go I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.

[Webwatchmaker]

So to anyone contemplating giving it a go I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.[/QUOTE]

Careful !! There will be a mad rush for all the cheap quartz watches at the car boot sales now !
Many of them, even designer names contain those amazing Miyota movements. How do they make them so cheaply ? I guess automation like Timex.

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