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Zenith

Should I service or should'nt I

Can Anyone PLEASE give me advice ???? do I service my 2002 Zenith el primero which Never gave me any trouble at all ,,,and TRUST a local Zenith qualified watchmaker to overhaul my watch????????this is really a scary dilema that I would imagine many high end watch enthusiasts might also fear..................Do I or don't I ??? Is there anything to be afraid of?? Thanks Mark

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Good question but....

By: Bill : February 3rd, 2011-20:37

That all depends on how the watch is performing. My general rule is that if the watch is within your tolerance for keeping time then I would not service. I guess one can take the route of preventative maintenance but why try to fix what is already working...

It's a sensitive question, too, because . . .

By: Dr No : February 3rd, 2011-21:41

. . . the relatively high beat of the EP movement should, at least theoretically, lend to a more conservative approach. To put it simply, an El Primero will have experienced a quarter more wear over the same period of usage as most current movements, and ...

Don't know all the fuss

By: mrsnak : February 4th, 2011-17:11

You are speaking purely hypothetically - we should all never buy vintages for a number of reasons . I have an EP from 1991, bought used that runs like a top. Came from a friend of mine. Will probably get serviced in a few years or when there is a noticeab...

Ah, I was referring to a vintage . . .

By: Dr No : February 5th, 2011-04:53

. . . El Primero, and not "vintage" in general . . .

Same thoughts

By: mrsnak : February 7th, 2011-14:57

20 or 40 years. You can tell how well a watch has been treated.

Service question/s

By: sery.vlk : February 4th, 2011-04:10

I would split your question into two: - have the service performed by LVMH or by independent; and - when to service. 1. It is said that El Primero, due to its high frequency, requires some parts to be lubricated by a dry lubricant, molybdene bisulfide app...

Service

By: Timewarp : February 4th, 2011-07:08

Hi, I have 2 El Premiros 4021 and 410 (of 4100), the zeniths use a solid type lubricant for their movements which looks after the moving parts as in the case of a liquid lubricant it may dry up but no so in the case of Zenith, so one really need not worry...

Definitely ....

By: Marcus Hanke : February 4th, 2011-11:02

I had serviced two of my El Primeros by a Zenith authorized service facility, and both times received back a watch that looked and performed like new. However, I think that the need of a service mostly depends on the watch's usage: If you have worn it onl...

Glad to see this enquiry......

By: orahu : February 4th, 2011-20:16

I have a Zenilth El Primero HW that I bought used nearly two years ago. I have no record of its service history, and I have been wondering whether or not I should send it in for a cleaning. BUT, it operates flawlessly and given some of the horrow stories ...

I wouldn't

By: ei8htohms : February 6th, 2011-06:27

Hi Mark, The short answer: The second most dangerous thing a watch can come into contact with is a watchmaker (#1 being salt water) and the El Primero is a complicated mess of a movement and should not be entrusted to just anybody, so wait until it stops ...

Thanks, John, much appreciated. A follow-up question, if . . .

By: Dr No : February 6th, 2011-10:25

. . . I may. Is there a span of time over which you would tend to recommend servicing rather than waiting for the watch to fail? Worst case scenario in my experience was a '63 Constellation chronometer on the wrist of a diner seated next to me at a local ...

rather a philosophical question I guess

By: ei8htohms : February 6th, 2011-14:50

Strictly pragmatically speaking, you should service it before it becomes vintage and parts become hard to find. _john

In Philosophy . . .

By: Dr No : February 6th, 2011-21:22

. . . this is referred to as The Watchmaker's Dilemma ;-) . . .

No and yes

By: Rickr25 : February 6th, 2011-10:26

As to the first question, should you service it, unless the watch is running slow and giving signs of being in need of lubrication, I wouldn't service it. Regarding trusting your local Zenith watchmaker, why not? That he's local is advantage as opposed th...