What "service" means
A full service is more than a tune-up. The watchmaker disassembles the entire movement, cleans every part in solvent baths, replaces all gaskets, replaces the mainspring (always), inspects all jewels and pivots, replaces any visibly worn parts, lubricates every moving contact with the correct oil grade, reassembles, regulates the movement to spec, polishes the case (if requested), pressure-tests the case, and returns the watch typically in 4-12 weeks. The result is a watch that runs to the original spec with another 5-10 years of life ahead.
Brand service prices (2026 ballpark)
Rolex: CHF 700-900 for a Submariner, CHF 1,000-1,200 for a Daytona, CHF 1,400+ for a Sky-Dweller. Includes a pressure test, basic case polish, two-year service warranty. Omega: CHF 600-800 for a Speedmaster, similar for Seamaster, more for Master Chronometer Master pieces. TAG Heuer: CHF 350-500 for a quartz, CHF 600-900 for a mechanical. Patek Philippe: CHF 1,400 for a Calatrava, CHF 4,000-8,000 for a Nautilus 5712 (annual calendar), CHF 8,000-25,000 for a perpetual or grand complication. Audemars Piguet: CHF 1,200-1,800 for Royal Oak Selfwinding, CHF 4,000-9,000 for Royal Oak Perpetual or Offshore Chronograph. Lange & Söhne: CHF 1,800-3,500 for a Saxonia or 1815, CHF 4,500-12,000 for Datograph or perpetual.
Independent watchmaker
A good independent watchmaker (Master Watchmaker, WOSTEP-trained, certified by ETA / by the brand for parts access) typically charges 30-50% less than the brand for the same routine work, with similar or longer warranty. Pros: cheaper, faster turnaround (often 4-6 weeks vs brand 8-16), more communicative, willing to do partial work (just a service, no polish). Cons: parts access. Modern Rolex and Patek tightly control spare parts; an independent without official parts authorisation may struggle to source movement components, hands, dials, or specific gaskets. For a 1980s ETA-based watch, an independent is almost always the right answer; for a 2024 in-house Patek, the brand may be your only option.
What drives the price
Three factors. Movement complexity: more parts = more time = more money. A perpetual calendar has 200+ extra parts and requires individual lubrication on each calendar wheel. Parts price: a new Rolex 4130 Daytona mainspring is CHF 80; a Patek 240 mainspring is CHF 250+. Brand premium: brands charge a "swiss boutique fee" that covers their service-network overhead, two-year warranty, official re-certification, and original parts guarantee. Rolex and Patek services are standardised across the world to within 10-20%; smaller brands have more regional variation.
Things that make it worse
Four scenarios that push service cost above book rates. Water damage: corrosion adds 50-200% to the bill because parts swap, dial replacement, and additional cleaning are needed. Magnetism: cheap fix (~CHF 50 for demag) but if it has been months and the watch is running 5+ minutes a day fast, internal damage may need a partial service. Forced winding past stops: setting the date during the "danger zone" (typically 9pm-3am) on some perpetual calendars can crack a fragile gear; not always cheap. Dropped watch: a snapped balance staff is CHF 150-300 in parts plus the labour of replacement.
When NOT to service
A vintage watch (pre-1990s) sometimes loses value after a brand service if the brand replaces dial, hands, or applied indices with current "service" parts that look subtly different from the originals. For a vintage Rolex collector, a "tropical dial" or an original tritium dial is part of the value; a service dial is not. If your goal is collector resale value, ask the watchmaker to service mechanically without replacing cosmetic parts; many will agree, but brand service centres often will not. See should I polish my vintage watch? for the same question on case finishing.