A regular customer who consulted with me about repairs.
Ah, this time is also really long (lol)
"I have an IWC Portugieser and a Panerai, but how much will it cost to repair my friend's Breitling?"
Fortunately, recently, we have been receiving more inquiries about repairing watches manufactured in the 1990s and 2000s, which are similar to current models.
I mentioned on my blog the other day that there are several craftsmen and repair companies that we work with.
We rely on a long-established repair company that has a long history of repairing watches from around that era.
We have been working together for almost 15 years,
We have complete trust in all processes, including not only overhauls but also new finishes on the exterior.
We not only provide repairs, but also management consultation and even life counseling.
I can only be grateful for the deep compassion of the company president, who is willing to take care of someone as old as his grandson.
Now, back to the topic...
Of course, we are happy to accept repairs for Portugieser, Panerai, and Breitling.
We will always ask you something when accepting your application.
“Is that a movement made in-house?”
Very few owners can answer this question.
I'll explain what I mean.
What many people misunderstand is that each brand's watch has a difference between the internal movement and the exterior.
Many people have the misunderstanding that "we consistently manufacture everything in-house."
There are some brands that maintain this kind of in-house consistency, but generally they are "super" luxury products.
This requires not only design and design, but also manufacturing of each part, which is very costly.
This will naturally increase the selling price.
So what brands don't?
There are patterns in which each brand designs and manufactures some parts in its own factory,
There is a pattern in which all parts are outsourced.
I won't be able to finish it if I write it in detail, so I'll just briefly talk about it this time.
Swiss brands such as IWC, Panerai, and Brandtring vary depending on the model.
We purchase movements from a company called ETA, which specializes in manufacturing movements.
From there, we perform adjustments and assembly at our own factory, so
This has the advantage of reducing the manufacturing cost of the movement.
This ETA company is currently under the umbrella of the huge company "Swatch Group", which owns Omega, Hamilton, Breguet, etc.
The brands supplied with this movement are...
Probably 90% of the Swiss-made brands you know are ETA movements.
There are no problems with repairing the IWC you requested this time.
Because it is based on ETA's movement, there is a high possibility that parts can be arranged even if something happens.
I asked Panerai the above question, but they said they didn't know.
Later, I decided to ask people I knew to send me photos of their watches.
If you know the watch, you can tell whether it is ETA-based or made in-house.
Subsequent repairs will be smoother.
Now, let's talk about the "in-house movement."
If you don't know this, be sure to check your watch.
In some cases, it may be better to let go...
"In-house movements" are, as the name suggests, "movements that each brand manufactures in-house."
There may be exact differences, but I won't go into details this time.
Take Panerai for example...
The distinction is extremely easy to understand: ``If it has a power reserve of 3 days or more, it is almost always made in-house.''
It is characterized by a longer power reserve compared to ETA (manual winding is Unitas).
The exterior design is also different from the old model, with a 1950 case and a skid on the back.
I think many users are already familiar with this.
But this is where the problem lies.
“How much will it cost to repair the in-house movement if it is repaired by the manufacturer?”
Normally, the repair cost when we perform repairs at our store is
2-needle, 3-needle mechanical ¥25,000+tax,
Mechanical chronograph ¥40,000+tax.
Even if the watch is large, the repair fee will be as shown above (lol)
However, repairs are limited to those for which parts can be arranged.
``Performing repairs'' comes with a certain amount of ``responsibility.''
Therefore, we sometimes decline orders for in-house movements based on whether we can arrange parts rather than technical issues.
If the movement is made in-house, basically only the manufacturer can "arrange parts".
Well, since it's the manufacturer, it's only natural.
In short, because the products are designed in-house, they often cannot be substituted.
Furthermore, in recent years, many of our in-house products have special structures not only inside but also on the outside.
Franck Muller and Roger Dubuis, who were all the rage, are obvious.
By the way, when I looked it up on the internet, I found out that Panerai manufacturer repairs are
Manual winding ¥64,000, automatic winding ¥71,500, chronograph ¥83,000
I think the cost of parts and consumption tax will be added to this, so it's a considerable amount.
For owners who know this amount and think it's expensive,
You may want to consider what you will do with your current watch in the future.
Just because you bought it new or had it repaired by the manufacturer, it doesn't necessarily mean that everything can be repaired at the basic price.
At least this amount must be paid periodically in the future.
Furthermore, although repair costs fluctuate, it is unlikely that they will become significantly cheaper.
To tell you a little more painful truth, "Manufacturer's suggested retail price" means:
You can also receive the ``ask price'' determined by the manufacturer.
When buying a watch, it's easy to get excited and forget about important things.
Because “having a watch = repairing it”
It is also important to know how much it will cost to repair the watch you purchase.
Furthermore, can repairs only be done by the manufacturer?
Is it okay to send it to someone else for repairs?
Clocks can be a bit troublesome as various factors come into play.
However, solving such problems is also part of the fun of watches.
When choosing a watch, I often tell people that the key point is to "pay attention to the size."
Don't forget to choose based on your budget, including maintenance costs.
Another frequently asked question
"If you undergo maintenance at another company, the manufacturer will no longer be able to perform repairs in the future."
This is rare as far as I know.
Even if you repair it at home, you can still get it repaired by the manufacturer.
If such a brand exists...
Are you attracted to such brands?
