What does the warranty apply for and how long is it valid, what should not be done so that one would not be refused in maintenance, which brands deliberately prolonged their term of commitment to the clients: explaining below!

 

The desire to save some money is always associated with certain risks. The most common one is the loss of the prepayment, replacement of the original piece with a fake one, and total ambiguity with the further maintenance of the watch in case of an unforeseen breakage.  Even an impeccable reputation does not guarantee that there will not be any force majéur breakage, always keep it in mind.

 

Trust but verify

 

Before you buy a watch from a seemingly trustworthy manufacturer, find out whether there are service centers in the area you live in. Niche brands might not have them at all. Large ones do not always affiliate their service centers in certain regions. The more complicated the calibre and the trickier the factory defect are, the bigger are the chances that the watch would have to be sent to Switzerland. In this case, one should have enough patience, and one should keep in mind that the watch will come back eventually, without any flaws. When in a shop, make sure that the seller fully and correctly fills out the warranty card/certificate. Even experienced consultants might make a mistake, so do not hesitate to check the data yourself. Also, keep in mind that the warranty does not cover the natural deterioration of the components (bracelet, buckles, the surface of the body of the watch, elements that control the clockwork and other functions, the integrity of the coatings/inlays). Falling out or cracking of the glass also falls under the category of breakages that are not covered by a two years international warranty.

 

Before you buy a watch from a seemingly trustworthy manufacturer, find out whether there are service centers in the area you live in

 

 

 

Be careful

 

Remember that warranty only covers the defects that are caused because of the manufacturer. All of the factory defects (when the owner follows the recommendations on exploitation) are paid for by the manufacturer - from the change of defective components to the stroke adjustments. Even if the warranty has not expired yet, you can be refused in service of the watch if some of the following are noticed:

  • significant external mechanical damage (deformations, dents, notches, chipped body, etc., caused by impact, fall, vibration)
  • significant internal mechanical damage (deformation, rupture or stretching of parts, scrapping or bending of the crown axis, a curvature of the wheel axes, balance, etc.)
  • damage caused by water entering the mechanism
  • surface defects caused by contact with caustic chemicals, gasoline, household products
  • signs of opening the case by third parties
  • defects caused by the influence of too low (high) temperatures, long exposure to the Sun, being near devices that emit a magnetic field
  • it is impossible to read the serial number of the product due to the damage to the case

 

 

 Remember that warranty only covers the defects that are caused because of the manufacturer. All of the factory defects (when the owner follows the recommendations on exploitation) are paid for by the manufacturer

 

 

 

More than usual

 

In general, the Swiss watch industry is based on generally accepted rules:

Twenty-four months of free warranty service since the moment of the purchase. Two years are provided for such services by manufacturers like Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. But some brands raised the bar of the average interval.

 

Up to 5 years

 

In Rolex, a 5-year warranty was introduced, one of the first on the market - in July of 2015. Breathing and Omega has made a similar decision after a while except for one thing: these two brands provide a 5-year warranty only on manufactured calibers. The purchased ones can be repaired for three only for the two years after the purchase. Those of unrelated mechanisms of Omega that got coaxial escapement are given up to four years of warranty. Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, and Ulysse Nardin provide their clients with five years of warranty after completing an additional online registration.

 

 

 

 

Up to 8 years

 

The leader in the prolongation of the warranty is the corporation under the name of Richemont. Four manufacturers that are a part of it recently announced about switching to an eight-year service: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, IWC, and Panerai.

 

 

 

 

Up to 70 years

 

An obvious marketing move, yet quite spectacular: seven decades of service instead of the usual two years. It is how Panerai awarded a few limited pieces of Luminor Marina in 2020 (including models PAM117, PAM118, and PAM119). The trio is a part of premier release time for the 70th anniversary of the legendary luminescent coating that mainly consists of tritium. The texture of the bodies of the watch is innovational as well: titanium (an alloy made with the use of 3D printing), the company composite Carbotech (compressed from carbonic fibers), and composite made mainly from basalt (Fibratech).