Don Draper-worthy: 1959 Patek Philippe [Mad Men]

1959. Patek Philippe, fresh form the work bench.

While I was doing the overhaul, Tanya had fun with watercolours.

Ref 2515 is a very typical example of a mid to late 1950s Patek watches. It is fitted with iconic movement Cal. 12-400 which was in use from 1950 to 1962. Patek produced a total of 10,000 Cal 12-400 movements which means that less than 1000 pieces were manufactured each year. Some reference numbers like 2515 with short lugs are now rarely seen on the market.

Each bridge is stamped with the last 3 digits of the movement number which takes us back to the days of hand finished movements. This touch of individuality is not something you will find in a new Patek!

In addition, the bezel is also stamped with the 3 last digits of the case number.

The complete overhaul was really a straight forward job. In its 54 years, this is only the third time it has been overhauled. Nevertheless, the pivots and jewels are still finely polished due to the fact the watch was used only on special occasions.

The original ivory colour dial is nicely aged and gives the watch a warmth and unmistakably vintage look.

Under the bonnet of Patek Philippe Ref 3919 Calatrava

Patek Philippe Ref 3919 Calatrava, 18K gold on a leather strap.

Yesterday, a postman left a 10 kg parcel in front of our office

*** Blessed

Just when I thought I'd seen it all: Bruce arrived the other day to buy a Rolex Explorer I.

He was very adamant that the Explorer I was the only watch to suit his requirements. "I am traveling overseas. I need a simple, reliable watch which would last me for many years." He also said that he is 'de-cluttering' and getting rid of his earthly possessions. I did not take that statement for more than a passing comment. " I like your service" -he said- " and I have something for you, a small present.

Again, I am not a big 'presents' person. A good second hand dealer is one who has no friends and does no favors. And I am more than happy for things to stay that way.

Yesterday, a postman left a 10 kg parcel in front of our office. I wasn't expecting any delivery of that size or volume, and thought we had received some office supplies. The box remained unopened until late afternoon.

"Please accept these watch books as a gift from me. They are second hand and have been packed in a cardboard box, stored in shed for the last 3 years and as you can see have somewhat deteriorated. The Rolex Explorer is performing well and for now, it seems to like gaining +3 seconds per day. So I am very happy with it. Soon I will be traveling, returning into a Buddhist Monastery..."

The box contained eight watch books in very decent condition. Some general, others subject and brand specific. But this was too much of a gift to accept so I instructed my assistant to get in touch with Bruce as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there was no return address. The phone number we have on file answered with a recorded message which sounded to me like a Buddhist song.

Bruce - if you are reading this email - please get back to me. I truly appreciate your present and as small token of appreciation, I have something here which may be useful to you, wherever you may reside. You are a very kind soul and we wish you all the best in your journey.

I am not to comment or dwell for too long on things spiritual. But quite frankly, at least in my books, Bruce could be closer to his destination that most of us would ever be.

No horsing around: Seconds hand misalignment. A broken wheel. Who makes Omega dials?

*** The Kickstarter

To kick start myself on a rainy and miserable day I need an easy victory by 11am. This usually comes in the form of a battery replacement and water pressure testing, or anything 'quartz'. Battery operated watches are often straight forward, easy money, and productivity boosters.

Fixing the winding issue on an Omega Seamaster Professional Quartz is one of those jobs.

It took less than 5 minutes to dismantle (almost) the entire mechanism. The culprit: minuscule intermediate wheel for quick date setting.

The friction-fitted wheel itself is just under 1mm in diameter, but it developed a huge crack which in return made it slip on the arbour.

The cause: excessive force applied to winder. And here is your 'daily dose of horology' : when operating the winding crown (winder, stem) don't apply an excessive amount of torque. Especially so if you 'feel' that something is not quite as smooth as it used to be 10 years ago.

A 100 kg man with 70cm long arm can produce significant amount of the torque on a winding crown.

Can a 1mm diameter, 11 tooth wheel withstand such aggression? Well to it's credit, for most of the times, yes, but if you horse around with it, it will give up.

On another note: the Seamaster on the workbench gave me an opportunity to try something I always wanted, but never had time to do: to find out if the sweep seconds hand can be aligned to absolute zero with seconds track markers. (Watchmakers: I can hear you laughing, but keep quiet please!)

Now, while such alignment on a mechanical chronometer is an absolute MUST for all hands, this is a bit of a luxury when dealing with less expensive, battery operated watches.

There are at least a couple of problems with this super precise alignment. Beside the obvious: customers, watchmakers and even some watch manufacturers simply don't care. And even when they do, the overall tolerance of all moving parts (especially the wheels in the going train) are fairly 'forgiving'. The same applies to the miniature magnetic rotor. Gravity is another factor. Finally, the seconds hand itself is slightly tapered and once placed on the arbour, it may (or may not) align to the very same position.

As I said, not a big deal for everyone - except for a few extremely pedantic watch owners who every now and then would call to complain about misalignment, even on their brand new watch. Yes, if you look at things under x20 magnification, the world will look strikingly different and yes, you may get disappointed whit your discoveries.

To cut the story short, after six or seven attempts, I finally got it right :-) the second hands were now absolutely spot on, each and every tick.

So here you go my dear subscribers - feel free to use this image to annoy your fellow watch forum friends when they complain about the "seconds hand misalignment" issue. Finally, if you wonder why the MINUTE hand is not aligned with the track: this adjustment is done via a stem in the time setting position, externally, so don't let this photo deceive you :-) We are not quite done with this Seamaster!

Finally, a mystery which still needs to be solved:

Who makes dials for Omega watches? Who is the RW ?

IWC Pilot's Ref. 3254-01 The Jubilee Fliegeruhr

IWC Schaffhausen Fliegeruhr Ref.3254
The Fliegeruhr vintage Pilot's Reference IW3254-01 is one of the 6 models produced to celebrate 140 years of the IWC Company, formed in 1886. The very first IW3524 hit the market towards the end of 2008 and came in two versions: a standard stainless steel model 3254-01; and limited and numbered platinum model 3254-05 of 500 pcs run. Interestingly, the limited set of all six legendary Jubilee models in platinum were also available for a mere $241,000.

The Fliegeruhr is the re-make of the 1938 ‘military pilots’ issue in a 44mm steel case with a bi-directional pilot bezel. The function of the bezel is rather utilitarian and simplified to basic 'time marker' purposes. The accent is purposely directed to the black matte 'military' dial with luminescent Arabic numerals and matching hands.

The sapphire crystal with antireflective coating is almost flat – making telling the time under bright light easy. This is one detail where IWC effortlessly combines a vintage feel and look with modern technology.

For a watchmaker -as well as a passionate watch enthusiast - the feast for eyes comes from the 'under' side: the finely finished in-house movement Cal 98300 looks, feels and performs just as one would expect form IWC. The 18 Jewels manual wind movement is adjusted to 5 positions. The low beat movement [18,000 bph] is robust and reliable yet loaded with details to impress: extended regulator for precision time adjustment, an elegant ratchet click spring and "a turtle neck' click for very smooth winding and rubies encapsulated in gold setting - just to mention a few.



To their credit, unlike other Swiss makers, IWC correctly rates water resistance in bars, not in meters. While the pilots watches are not really designed to be submerged, a 6 bar rating is plenty to keep the moister, rain and splashes out of the movement.
There is hardly anything not to like with the IW3254-01. However, if I am allowed to be overly picky, I would like to see another set of casing clamps which would hold the case ring firmly in position. This function is currently performed by the case back itself.
"You are now the owner of a beautiful new example of IWC tradition" is IWC’s message to the Pilot's owner. And I can't agree more - combining an historical look and importance with the new in-house approach, featuring the best qualities of the brand, is something worth celebrating.
Whether you are a professional pilot looking for a retro look, or someone who wears a suit all day long or who even someone who wears jeans and a shirt, IW3254-01 is one of those rare pieces which would blend equally well with your attire. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Lange and Sohne 1815 Automatik Sax-o-Mat Ref 303.025

Lange and Sohne 1815 Automatik Sax-o-Mat Ref 303.025

For those of you who missed last week's Lange Perpetual calendar in platinum - here is a good news: we have just received our Sax-o-Mat Ref 303.025.
The beauty of Ref 303.025 is in it's external simplicity and internal complexity.
For many, this is the pinnacle in fine horology and a piece worth sacrificing. And again, for many, this is often the very last watch in their collection. Once you own Lange, it is almost impossible to replace it with other brand without spending significantly more.
Do you know that a 3 liter milk bottle filled platinum would have mass of 65 kg and would be worth almost 3 million dollars?
Production of platinum in Africa ceased at the start of the First World War and remained docile until the end of the Second World War. With a lack of platinum watches for around 25 years, popularity waned. Only until the 60s had some life returned into the platinum aspect of the watch industry, only to be stomped down again by the onslaught of Japanese quartz watches in the 70s and 80s. With the mechanical watch revival in the 1980s and 90s came the increase of popularity in the precious metal to be used in a horological sense. Since the 1980s the popularity has increased especially since the refining process has been perfected.
Platinum still remains in the realms of high end watchmakers, and still owns a specific aura of class. Its unmistakable hue, glow, heft, purity and resistance to the elements set it apart from the other precious metals. Denser and much more resistant to scratching than gold, platinum betrays itself as a run of the mill, workhorse metal, but rather is a highly sought after material used in only the highest quality watches. A. Lange famously uses platinum in its limited edition and special edition pieces.
An unusual property of platinum: this precious metal never loses weight through scratching, as opposed to gold which is soft and loses some metal every time its comes into contact with another metal.
Basically, you are not really 'scratching the platinum, but merely 'repositioning' atoms around!
Finally, those of you how have a Lange & Sohne watch in collection may have noticed that watch movements appear slightly gold-yellowish in colour.

Here is why.
The movement main plates are made of untreated German silver which is a white alloy containing nickel, zinc and copper. In the natural process of aging or patination, this galvanically and chemically untreated metal becomes naturally patinated and the yellow-gold patina protect it from further oxidation! Funny enough, the German silver contains no silver at all :-) Another use of German silver is in production of high-end musical instruments, like French horns. It is said that such instruments have bright and powerful sound.
And this is really where story of your Lange just begins. We can spend hours talking about blue screws, gold chatons, hand engraved balance cock, platinum and gold rotor - and many other features found only in best made watches.
But more about that some other time...

Jeff Sexton, Watchmaker: "the Elgin guy"

*** Google this!

"Never mind, I'll find it on Google!"

This is a typical answer you'll get from a teenager nowadays. Which is true in most of the cases - except when you are looking for things which are really important - a personal recommendation, for example

Still not convinced? Go ahead, google for "my dentist's dentist". I told ya.

And every now and then, yes, even a watchmaker needs a watchmaker.

The other day when I needed a crystal replacement for a Patek, I sent my assistant to Max Schweizer. A week later - it was all done and ready for collection. Last year, Joao Santos got me out of trouble with a hard to find circuit for a long-discontinued Cartier. And I am always happy to recommend my colleague Thomas Czibula to those who call or email looking for a watchmaker who specializes in vintage watches.

All three of them are a watchmaker's watchmaker!

Often, we are asked to recommend someone in the US who is equally passionate, independent and skilled.

Sometime ago I've bumped into fine and enthusiastic American watchmakers who specialize in Elign watches and other American brand pocket watches.

Jeff Sexton is 'my guy'- if I lived in the US and ran into problems with a vintage American watch, I would send it to Jeff.

I asked Jeff to introduce himself to our newsletter subscribers:

"I learned watchmaking from my Grandfather, Everett Sexton, who attended the Elgin Watchmakers' College in the late 1930s. My Grandfather had no small amount of natural skills. This was something noticed by William Samelius, "The Dean of Watchmakers", who singled out the young man for instructing personally. This was an enormous benefit and a privilege.

When I was just beginning, I would drive to my Grandparents' home, about 6 hours away, as often as I could with a collection of watches I had repaired. My Grandfather carefully and silently examined each, then offered suggestions. He often spoke of Samelius.

"Well, this is good, but Samelius would say you were a little too generous with the oil there."

I learned the tools and methods as Samelius taught them. At first, I did nothing but re-shape screw driver tips and finish the insides of tweezers. Later I learned to set the pallet stones, collet hairsprings, make a staff and set the beat - no machine either. On the one hand, much of what I learned is out of step with modern practices, but on the other hand I also routinely perform repairs and adjustments that few do, while using tools much, much older and more experienced than myself. I use my Grandfather's lathe, which he bought in in 1936 for $38, and many tools much older.

You never know what you will find inside an old watch, that has been handled by a progression of watchmakers, and had all manner of repairs, over a century and more. Every one is different. But I am proud to carry on the work my Grandfather cared for deeply."

Jeff's website is www.elgintime.com/ By the way, as someone not familiar with the work of William H Samelious, I was pleased to discover that he wrote a book titled "Watch and Clock information, please!" about watch and clock restoration. Stay tuned for a review :-)

Integrated vs. modular? ETA 2894-2 movement, the Purists and a TAG Monza

Earlier this week we talked about watch servicing. We concluded that an overhaul is a labour intensive and time consuming process which requires skills gained by years of practicing.

We also concluded that the more complex the movement, the more costly it is to service it.

Over the years many watch manufacturers went out of business for the very reason they got into it in the first place: a complex product which required labour and skills in both manufacturing and maintenance was often too expensive for the average watch owner.

The advancement of battery operated watches in late 70s and early 80s brought the Swiss watch industry to the brink of extinction. Only the fittest and strongest of watchmakers survived the Japanese onslaught.

"Brand name" Swiss makers concentrated their efforts on high end product. Small guys disappeared, and those in middle who had manufacturing capabilities or provided a unique service to the industry were eventually absorbed by the big players.

In the 1980s some Swiss makers ventured into the field of modular engineering. This was an effort to retain mechanical complexity, yet to make the end product easier to manufacture and assemble - and eventually, easier to service.

In reality, the concept itself is as old as watchmaking. The final result is always a compromise - not necessary from a performance aspect but rather from the 'purist' view. More about purists later.

Here is the essence of modular watch technology.

As you already know, the watch movement consists of various 'blocks' which are cleverly put together in order to measure and display time. While some of those blocks work extremely hard 24/7, (escapement, train wheels, main spring, auto winding system), others perform certain actions only every now and then (calendar, day/date function). And then, there are some which are only engaged on demand - like a stop watch. Ironically, those blocks which do the least amount of work are often the most complex ones to pull apart, assemble and adjust.

Practically, due to functional integration and complexity (you hate that word too, do you?) and necessity to pack all those blocks together in a slim line watch movement, an overhaul would demand COMPLETE disassembly of ALL blocks, including those which may not need service as often as main spring or escapement.

So, you may ask (and rightly so!) would it be possible to engineer a watch mechanism where components are physically grouped in such way which would retain complexity, yet simplify production, assembly and maintenance?

The answer is yes - and it is called the ETA 2894-2.

Here is a picture of a TAG Heuer Monza which is equipped with ETA 2894-2 movement.

It is a self-winding (automatic) watch with date and chronograph (stop watch) function.

A typical example of a 'standard' Swiss watch made for a novice watch enthusiast.

There is not much to be seen from the dial side, so here is a photo of the back:

Again, from this view, 2894-2 looks like any ordinarily automatic watch- except for one detail: there is no sign of a chrono unit!

Well not until you remove 3 screws and separate two modules:

The module on the left is a 'work horse' and it contains all the hard working bits and pieces which require regular overhaul.

On the right, the chrono module hoses a very complex but low-maintenance unit.

The level of modular integration (or should I say: modular separation) is really amazing. Unfortunately, the photos above do not reveal much of the complexity - not only each unit contains close to 100 parts, but each module does what it is supposed to do even when completely separated! Another important detail is in the fact that the motion from one unit is transferred to other in just 3 'points of contact': via the seconds, minutes and calendar wheel.

If you are a mechanically minded person, then you would appreciate how difficult it is to "break" the motion yet still maintain precision in execution and accuracy in performance.

Here is a photo which shows those 3 points of connection:

It goes without saying that watchmakers just adore the modular concept! If there is no fault in the chrono or calendar unit, a watchmaker can overhaul the watch without even having to remove the dial and hands! A 4 hours job reduced to 45 minutes.

Now, by disclosing all this information to you, you may think you have enough ammunition to accuse your watchmaker of cutting corners. However, don't use that argument- the chrono spare parts are not available from ETA. In case of fault, ETA would supply a complete module only. So by not pulling it apart, your watchmaker is actually saving you some serious money!

Of course, the base module should be serviced the same way as any other automatic watch.

Apart from TAG Heuer, there are number of other Swiss makers who happily use the very same movement – most noticeably, the Omega Speedmaster Reduced automatic chronograph. And here is a tip: the adjective reduced does not refer to it's size (39mm) but to omission of a date function :-)

If you are still reading this article then you are probably asking yourself one logical question: why aren’t there more Swiss "sandwich" movements out there?

The answer to this question is: blame the purists!

If the critics are failed actors, then the purists are failed critics!

Purists are watch 'enthusiasts' who have their own view about everything watch related. There is of course nothing wrong with that - except that such view is based on an extremely narrow minded understanding of watchmaking and horology in general.

If I make a statement that "classical music is the only one worth listening to, except perhaps for jazz" then that would give you a fairly good idea of how narrow minded and disjointed I am. Also, this would be a great moment to switch to a completely different subject - or even better, leave the room.

Watch purists are exactly like that. They only recognize a handful of watch manufacturers as "true watchmakers" and everyone else who does not fit in their narrow-minded view are not worth worshiping.

For a purist, a modular movement is a betrayal of the watchmaking tradition, which, according to them, demands that all components must be placed in layers only above or below the main plate. There are number of other pre-requisites for a watch brand to qualify as 'purists approved' but most of them are complete nonsense so I don't even want to go there.

Of course, the current trend of the Swiss industry is towards complex, labour intensive, highly branded products designed to please wealthy purists, not an average watch owner or God forbid - a watchmaker. Old-fashioned watchmakers believe in conspiracy theory that Swiss watch houses are infiltrated and managed by a new generation of purists who come from high fashion, banking and management background, not the watchmaking side of business and who will continue to push watch production beyond common sense.

Practical, serviceable and affordable are no longer engineering pre-requisites.

A humble watches like the TAG Monza or Omega Speedmaster based on modular ETA 2894-2 calibre are already part of horological history.

Timor from Dubbo: Protect it as best you can!

Today a watch arrived in the post carefully packed in a hand-made wooden box. I was impressed by the lengths the owner went to, in order to ensure its safe delivery. In the coffin, I found a 1960s beaten up Timor, with a note:

"Dear Sir, Yesterday, when I went to adjust the time on this watch, I pulled out the winder as usual. The usual click sensation was absent, and the winder felt quite loose. When I attempted to adjust the time, the hands didn't turn, as if the winder has become disconnected. Will you please investigate and repair. Advise me at ( ) of the cost and I will post you a cheque." Thank you, K,, Dubbo. "

The watch was in shocking condition. Obviously a daily wearer which has not been taken off the wrist for past 50 years! Quite frankly, it was long overdue for burial.

Yet there was something honest, sincere and very human about the owner and his request.

On the other hand, while fixing the broken winding crown is only a minor repair which would not take more than 10 minutes, it could take 10 days before the $10 check is received and cleared!

But how could I deny my service to someone who has put so much trust in me?

To his credit, the beaten-up Timor started ticking the very moment the new crown was fitted on and it was on it's way to Dubbo before lunch time, fee of charge, including a free return delivery.

The reward of 'resurrecting' yet another half-dead watch, knowing that an old man will be thrilled to get his ticker back on his wrist was all I needed as compensation for my humble service.

Now, if you think that reason for this post is to brag about my generosity then you've completely missed the point.

The point is: if you are to ship your watch to a watchmaker, PROTECT IT AS BEST YOU CAN!

Patek Philippe Ref. 3590 Cal. 28-255

Under the bonnet of Patek Calatrava Ref 3590.

This post is for lovers of Jaeger Le-Coultre as much as it is for admirers of Patek Philppe . When in 1970. Patek needed an ultra thin automatic mechanism for their new Calatrava, they went to no other than to JLC. The Jeager Cal 920 was in production since 1967 and was a movement of choice for both Audemars and Vacheron Constantin.
Patek engraved the movement and renamed it to calibre 28-255.
It was a beauty! A mere 2.45mm thin - including the carousel gold rotor - this was one of the best engineered slim-line automatic movements on the market. It proudly featured the number of 'only JLC can make this' and features: a free sprung Gyromax balance, solid gold rotor on a beryllium carousel supported at four jeweled rollers, a ball bearing intermediate wheel in auto winding system and a jeweled ratchet under it's own bridge - just to list a few details.
The 36 jewel movement is adjusted to heat, cold and isochronysm in 5 positions. Finely decorated, it is both eye-pleasing and quiet on the wrist. And thanks to JLC, for next 30 years, Patek was able to deliver an ultra slim Calatrava to aficionados of fine watches.
The Ref. 3590 is an 18K white gold version which is just 6.5mm thick.
Pictures below are provided for your enjoyment :-)

Why does a mechanical watch need servicing?

*** To service or not?

Why does a mechanical watch need servicing? How often should a watch mechanism be overhauled? What exactly needs to be performed? How long does it takes and what is the service cost?

Glad you've asked!

A 'proper' understanding of watch servicing should be of great importance to any watch owner, let alone to a keen watch collector. Let's start form the very beginning.

On a cold day when you rub your hands, you do so to warm them up. Rubbing creates friction, and the product of friction is heat.

The key word here is FRICTION.

In real life friction could be both desirable and not-so-desirable. For example, the top side of surfboard is coarse so you can have a good grip (more friction = better grip). The bottom is polished and as smooth as possible (less friction between board and water = better surfing).

When it comes to mechanical watches, friction is the evil of all motion. Friction reduces the driving force, increases wear and tear and, has a very negative effect on time keeping and accuracy.

Friction is bad. And this is the first thing to remember.

Now here is the good news: over the centuries, watchmakers have worked hard to get rid of friction, or at least to minimize its negative effect on watch performance. Friction between two surfaces (for example a watch pivot and bearing) can be reduced if both surfaces are highly polished. Reducing the size of contact area also helps. But what helps most is lubrication: when a small quantify of oil or lubricant is applied between solid surfaces, the friction is greatly reduced.

So second thing to remember: OIL is a good thing!

There is however one small problem: over time, this ‘good’ oil turns into ‘bad’ oil. After 5-6 years of constant ticking, a watch which has kept correct time no longer does so because the good, fresh oil has deteriorated to the point where it no longer act as a lubricant.

So here we arrived to the third point: oils and lubricants AGE with time.

In fact, not only do oils get worse to the point where they serve no purpose, if the watch is forced to run beyond that point things get really bad. After 7-8 years, the watch mechanism is seriously contaminated with dirt, dust and metal particles which are now embedded in the old lubricant. The mixture acts as a grinding paste – completely opposite form the very reason we lubricated the watch in the first place! After 12-15 years those fine, hard and polished pivots and jewels are now badly worn.

To answer your first question: a watch mechanism needs servicing because old oil needs to be replaced with new, fresh oil which will restore watch performance. As you guessed, this should be done each and every 5 years.

When you think of it, this is no different to grease and oil replacement in your car - except in one significant detail: the amount of lubrication in watch is minuscule. You cannot simply drain the old oil, replace the filter and voila- off you go!

In order to apply fresh oil, the watch mechanism needs to be dismantled completely. Worn out parts are replaced and all components are thoroughly cleaned, de-greased, dried, then re-assembled, lubricated and finally adjusted for good timekeeping. The watch is left to run for a few days and if needed, re-adjusted again.

[Gents and ladys Rolex Dateust dismantled, ready for cleaning]

This is what watchmakers call a complete overhaul.

The process is tedious and time consuming. A complex watch mechanism like an automatic chronograph (stop watch) may contain over 200 components. In addition, the watch case itself may need polishing and in case of water resistant watches, replacement of rubber seals and in some cases replacement of the crystal, pushers and winding crown. Finally, the watch bracelet is cleaned and polished to give the watch a desirable "as new" look.

There is no fixed charge for a complete overhaul - the more complex the watch, more time it requires to service. In addition, watchmakers often estimate the repair cost based on overall condition of the watch. A well 'looked after' watch would need less work than a watch worn daily for 20 years. With some exception, vintage watches (40+ years old) are rarely serviced by the manufacturer. In their view such watches are simply too old and spare parts are hard to obtain. Those watches may require special attention and the repair costs are usually higher. Finally, well known 'brand name' watches and those made of precious metals and studded with diamonds cost more to service due to higher insurance costs / risk, undertaken by watchmaker.

A turnaround service time of 4 weeks is industry standard, except for vintage watches or watches which need more serious repair (broken parts, water damage, shock-related issues etc).

To conclude: if you would like to extend the life expectancy of your timepiece, follow the manufacturer's advice and service it when it's due. Wearing the watch for extensive periods of time without an overhaul will cause irreversible damage which will have undesirable consequences to time keeping - even after such watch is overhauled at some later point in time.

Mechanical watches - like any other precision instruments - are not built to last forever, and especially not if abused and forced to run to point of self-destruction.

Contrary to popular web myths, placing the watch on a watch winder "to keep the oil fresh" will not extend the ‘between service time’.

If you have a number of watches in your watch collection and only wear them once per month or less, you may get away with an additional year or two between two services. But beyond that, such watch should not be worn again unless overhauled - it should be only good as 'display' model and as such left to rest, unwound and not worn, until you decide to service it and wear it again.