How to Keep a Watch Service History
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A service history is the record of every time a watchmaker opened the watch: when, by whom, what was done, and what was replaced. Keep the paperwork, then write down what it doesn't say: the parts that changed, the timing results, and whether the original parts came back to you. That record is what a future owner, insurer, or watchmaker will ask for, and it is the easiest part of a watch's story to lose.
Why the history matters
Two watches with the same reference can be very different objects. One has been serviced on schedule with original parts kept; the other had its dial refinished and hands replaced at a shop nobody remembers. The service history is how anyone tells them apart.
It also tells you when the next service is due. Many makers suggest a full service for a mechanical watch every five to ten years, depending on the movement and how it is worn. Your maker's own guidance is the one to follow.
What to record after every service
Write it down the day the watch comes back, while the invoice and the conversation are fresh. A useful entry covers:
- The date the watch went in and the date it came back.
- Who serviced it: the maker's service center or an independent watchmaker, with their name and location.
- What was done: a full service, regulation only, a new crystal, gaskets, a crown and tube.
- Every part replaced, and whether the original parts were returned to you.
- Anything refinished or relumed. Dials, hands, and cases are the parts collectors ask about most.
- The timing results if you were given them (rate in seconds a day, amplitude) and the water resistance test result.
- The cost, the invoice, and the length of the service warranty.
- Photographs before and after, taken in the same light.
Keep the originals, and a copy
Keep the paper invoice and any service card with the watch's other papers. Then keep a copy somewhere else, so one lost envelope doesn't take the history with it.
If the watchmaker returned replaced parts, keep them labeled with the date of the service. A returned original dial or set of hands can matter a great deal to a later owner.
Fill the gaps you can
Most watches arrive with gaps. If you bought one with no history, ask the seller what they know and write down the answer, even if it is only a year and a town. Some service centers will tell an owner what work they did on a watch; it costs nothing to ask.
An honest gap is better than a guess. Record what you know, mark what you don't, and keep the two apart.
Passing the history on
When a watch is sold or handed down, the history should go with it. A clear, dated list of services, with the invoices behind it, is the most useful thing you can give the next owner. Share it without the full serial number until the sale is agreed.
Common questions
- How often should a mechanical watch be serviced?
- Many makers suggest every five to ten years, depending on the movement and how often it is worn. Check your maker's guidance, and service sooner if the watch gains or loses noticeably or has been exposed to water it shouldn't have.
- Does a missing service history lower a watch's value?
- It can make buyers more cautious, because they can't tell what was done or replaced. Keeping a clear record from now on, and noting what you learned about the past, helps.
- Should I keep the old parts a watchmaker replaced?
- If they were returned to you, yes. Label them with the date of the service and keep them with the watch's papers.