How Often Should You Service Your Vintage Omega Constellation?

There are basically two schools of thought in respect to servicing a vintage watch - if we eliminate the ‘Don’t Know’ or ‘Don’t Care’ contingents. The first is the ‘Wear It Until It Drops’ school, members of which can be seen arguing vociferously against regular servicing on various watch fora. The second group could be described as the ‘Preventative School’, which advocates regular service regimes in both new and vintage watches so as to prevent premature wear of watch components and thus ensure the long-term serviceability of their watches.

In some ways these two schools of thought represent extremes of personality and reflect how individuals value and appreciate objects - those who value their possessions, or at least recognise the effort it took to earn the money to acquire them (and hence a belief in “looking after” them), versus those who perhaps do not have such a deep interest or appreciation of the technical or mechanical aspects of their possessions and think “If it breaks, I’ll get it fixed or get another”

To me, the statement “I haven’t had the back of my Omega opened for fifteen years, and it’s still going strong” is one of the most gormless and naive statements that could reach my ears, but maybe that’s because I lean closer to the Preventative School than the other.  In reality, it is not so cut and dried, and there are a number of variables to consider when deciding when to service your watch.  One of the most balanced and informative essays on this topic I have seen in a long time was posted here on Watchuseek by a contributor known as ‘Archer’. 

Also, Nicholas Hacko, a well-respected Australia watchmaker, argues here that a proper understanding of watch servicing is of great importance to owners of mechanical watches.

I recommend you take a peek.