Patek Philippe

"GRISAR" asked me last Monday to send a couple of more pictures of the three watches that I just took out from the service of Patek Philippe in Geneva. Here are the pictures plus a couple of words before that.

First a sad story with happy end:

In the end of last year I bought a "Mint" Patek Philippe 5134G from a well-known shop located in New Bond Street, London. Like always with pre-owned Pateks, I took the watch to Geneva just after the purchase for a full service. In one week I got by email the following comments among with some smaller issues:

- the watch has been opened with non-Patek tools

- one bridge has been badly damaged by a non-competent watchmaker and needs to be changed

- the watch is having non-Patek parts in the movement

- the hands of the watch are polished and deformed plus damaged

- the white gold case has been polished by a non-Patek service person but not rhodium plated

Patek's Geneva Salons delivered me the watch sealed and gave their detailed comments in a written form. I was lucky: by taking this package to the seller, I could cancel the deal. However, a short time later the watch was back on sale. There was no time to get the watch repaired by Patek but the two weeks the watch was away from the sales, was enough to increase the price! Soon the watch was sold to some unlucky enthusiast.

A couple of days ago I asked from the same shop about a Patek 3940P they have on sale. The owner of the shop answered to my questions but completed his email: "If you buy this watch, I will not take it back like I did with the last deal". I guess that the shop has "serviced" also this watch by themselves...

I get all of my watches serviced by the Manufacturer every five years. This might sound expensive but I do not really think so. I have also decided that I am not buying any expensive pre-owned watches without a documented service history.

At the moment the service costs of a "complicate watch" are in average 1 k either in € or in $. A simple watch is a bit cheaper and a Grand Complication is costing a bit more.

Let's make the following assumptions:

A. A complicated watch is costing in average around 30 k.

B. You service the watch every 5 year and at the moment the service is costing around 1 k.

C. The prices of corresponding watches and the servicing costs of the same are increasing the same percentage annually.

D. After 150 years you have spent the value of the original purchase to services.

At that moment I am sure that you will be convinced that the servicing done is paying dividends!

From the service you are getting back a watch that looks and feels like a new watch. The worn down parts have been replaced, the watch has been adjusted, cleaned, oiled and it is water proof like a new watch.

I feel that a regular servicing done by the Manufacturer is a very good investment. During the past two years I had i.e. 10 Pateks in service in Geneva and I have always been 100% satisfied.

Here are a couple of pictures of the three Ladies I collected on Monday:

 

When I bought this watch, it was some 4 years old but still "double sealed". It was time to get my 5110P serviced but the case was not polished. Looks good...

When ordering a new strap from the Manufacturer, a strap with custom length is costing the same as a standard one. I asked the strap in the color of the outer ring of the dial and the stitching in the color of the center of the dial. Does not look too bad in my eyes...

My + 5 years old 5196R looks, feels and behaves again like a Virgin!

My small but brave Officer's 5054P is ready for new battles again - fresh, nice and tidy like going to a parade. 

GET YOUR WATCHES SERVICED!

Best, Kari

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