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“Been looking at Tudors for some time as a gift to myself for a huge promotion that will really boost my career. The color dial felt more special than all of the black dials I had tried. I’m so excited to be a part of the crew ♥️”
- A first-time luxury watch buyer sharing his excitement on Reddit.
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Regardless of whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned luxury watch enthusiast, high-end timepieces bring a sense of joy when you purchase them. Given that these watches have an endless number of zeroes on their price tags, you’d assume the service by the brands would be of superior quality. The reality, however, is unexpectedly much different.
“I bought a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms (the new model) 38mm, my first ever luxury watch. I’m a huge fan of dive watches, and of course diver = Blancpain, no brainer. However within a month of wearing the watch, it was not on time. After investigation they say it was a external impact that caused the damage and asked me to pay 8400 for repairs. How ridiculous is that??? I expected better service and durability from them, but they’re just overpriced.”
- An upset Blancpain watch user complained on Reddit.
It is easy to assume you are fully protected, especially when brands advertise 5-year long warranties. Unfortunately, many owners discover the truth the hard way after they deal with cracked crystals, damaged movements, and a repair bill that costs thousands of dollars.
Because of the precision and expertise involved servicing luxury watches can get quite expensive. For example- servicing a Rolex can cost between $800 and $2,800 depending on the model and damage severity. Repairs for Omega pieces can reach $1,500 or more, especially for chronographs and complex mechanical models.
“I purchased my first Rolex earlier this year. It has been running so poorly, losing 15 minutes somedays, a few minutes other days. I sent it into the Rolex service center in Dallas, and the quote came back today: $1100 USD for a full service, new crown, and new hands. I had paid $4600 USD for it.”
- A luxury timepiece owner sharing their frustration on the Omega Watch Forums.
But wait. What if we told you that you don’t have to pay these high servicing charges? What if you could enjoy using your watch in peace?
Let’s go over the risks of maintaining an expensive timepiece, the real cost of ownership, where manufacturer warranties fail, and how getting a warranty can prevent pricey repairs.
There’s a growing demand for luxury timepieces across buyers in the US and Canada. Unexpectedly these are now more popular than ever. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, international watch exports reached approximately $45 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach $62 billion in 2030. But as ownership grows, so does exposure to risk.
According to Timex, luxury watches can have over 400 parts. And any kind of damage can result in you sending your timepiece off for servicing for months.
One user shared their frustration with the long timelines:
“I had my FF 38mm Bathyscaphe serviced late last year in the US. It took 6 months.”
Most servicing charges vary from brand-to-brand, across different models, and depend on the severity of damage.
For Rolex watches, these prices are:
The prices for repairing Omega watches, on the other hand, are:
These charges aren’t easy to stomach, to say the least. Perhaps that’s why so many watch owners are so careful about using them gently.
“Certain situations have just become second nature to me, being careful at elevators, walking closely past someone, I look like I'm partially paralyzed when getting in and out of a car while wearing a seatbelt.” - A funny but true anecdote shared by a Reddit user.
These ultra-premium watches are worn daily. They go wherever you go- to the beach, on a dive (for specialized watches), while you’re traveling or working. And the thing is, even if you’re extra careful, you can’t fully eliminate the risks of damage.
That’s kind of how it is for most owners- you accept that repairs are a normal part of owning a luxury watch. But that doesn’t make the bills any less painful.
“Took my Speedmaster to the closest Omega AD as one of the chrono hands wasn't resetting to zero and it hadn't been serviced. Was keeping time around -15 sec per day. I've had it for around 5 years. They sent it to Omega for service. Got a call from Omega today. The movement isn't "performing to our standard and needs a full service". Ok. No sweat. Cost? 950$...ouch.”
- A luxury timepiece owner shared their frustration on the Rolex Forums.
Apart from manufacturing defects, accidents are one of the most common causes of damage. These could happen because of:
Despite how common these accidents are, they’re rarely covered by manufacturers and their standard warranties.
What manufacturer warranties actually cover
Don’t get this wrong- Manufacturer warranties are important. They play an important role in protecting buyers in the case of production issues.
They typically cover:
These are covered by manufacturers because, well... no luxury brand would want to give their customers solid reasons to sue them. So yeah, these warranties are set in place to protect the watch companies more than you, the user.
Perhaps that’s why manufacturer warranties are so limited in scope; They exist to protect brands when factory defects happen, not when customers deal with real-world accidents.
It is a bit like buying a high-performance sports car and realizing the warranty covers engine defects, but not damage from the potholes you hit every day. The craftsmanship is extraordinary, but the protection? Not always.
Most manufacturer warranties do not cover:
This creates a clear protection gap.
A watch can be perfectly manufactured and still suffer damage from normal use.
When that happens, repair costs fall entirely on the owner.
“My Nomos Club suddenly stopped working one day. I've never dropped the watch or subjected it to any abuse. I sent it along with my warranty card (watch is still under warranty) for what I assumed would be a covered repair. After inspection, Nomos is claiming there's "impact damage/drop damage" based on a tiny scuff. They're refusing warranty coverage and asking for $210 to service it. I take great care of my watches, and this wasn't caused by mishandling. They're using the tiniest bit of case wear (on a watch that's meant to be worn!) as an excuse to deny warranty service.”
- A Nomos watch owner vented on Reddit.
These watches are often long-term investments. Many owners expect to keep them for decades or pass them down to future generations.
But unexpected repair costs can reduce both financial value and ownership confidence. The increased complexity and specialized labor requirements can leave you with 4-digit repair bills. In fact, research found that the average cost for servicing a luxury watch is $500-$1500 USD.
The most common cause for watches breaking is accidental damage. However, if it’s so common, why isn’t it covered from the start?
Third-party warranty providers offer protection designed around real ownership risks- accidental warranties.
This often includes coverage for:
This type of protection complements manufacturer warranties by covering the risks that manufacturer coverage excludes. At SureBright, we offer accidental warranty protection designed to address these real-world situations while helping reduce unexpected repair expenses.
Let’s have a look at how these warranties help you-
Accidental warranty helps high-end watch owners by:
Many watch owners hesitate to invest in third-party protection because they've heard mixed experiences from people online. But they’re not accounting for the fact that not all warranty providers are the same.
Different providers have different networks and kinds of coverage. That’s why picking the right warranty provider matters so much.
The claims process with a reputable provider like SureBright is straightforward.
When accidental damage occurs:
But with the wrong provider, things can go terribly wrong. They could trap you with vague coverage and find random exclusions to deny your claims.
That’s why it’s so important to pick the right warranty provider- so that you can rest easy whenever your watch needs servicing.
We also recommend that you look into what can go wrong after you submit a warranty claim just so you know what to look out for.
The price of servicing these precious watches is exorbitant and can disillusion anyone from getting more pieces ever again. Rolex service bills can exceed $2,800. Omega repairs can surpass $1,500. It costs an arm and a leg to buy the watch in the first place, and no one wants to pay more for expensive repairs.
Manufacturer warranties provide important protection against defects, but they typically exclude accidental damage, which is one of the most common causes of repairs.
Accidental warranty protection, especially by trusted providers like SureBright, ensures that your investment is protected from all kinds of damage. With the right protection by your side, you won’t have the fear of repairs prevent you from building your collection.
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