The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Sort of a general question not quite sure how to phrase it. Say you have two identical watches made the same year, for argument sake they are 8 years old. One was purchased and put in to service 8 years ago. The other sat in a display case for 4 years then was bought and used. Neither has been serviced. The first watch probably needs service now or soon, right? Does the second watch?

Apart from the obvious cosmetic wear and tear the first watch got, the second watch probably looks better but would it actually be more "new". I would think with the second watch not running all that time it has to be in better shape internally, but was not sure if like a car it could be the case that using it and taking care of it is better than letting it sit for extended periods of time. Moving parts are more prone to wear, but does the fact that the second one sat for a while pose the problem that lubrication could have dried up or been lost and the first watch is actually a better bet?

They'll both need servicing.

In modern watches the issue with oils is largely one of aging - over time they break down and lose their ability to lubricate. That breakdown is linear and predictable and is unaffected by use. After 8 years they would both need servicing for sure.

At the four year mark in your example then I would say that the watch that had sat at the AD was more likely to need servicing from a mechanical standpoint (obviously not cosmetically). That's because it wouldn't have been run and the oils are likely to have migrated from where they were originally put (and where they are needed) due to gravity. Modern watch oils are very good at staying where they are put, but over prolonged periods there will be some movement.

So in my above example is the one put into service earlier actually a better bet since it did not sit dormant for the first 4 years? Would it be at all safe to expect an AD to wind their stock from time to time on idle sellers to help matters? Obviously you can't know the history from the AD if you are buying used.

Or am I needlessly worryng and splitting hairs?

ADs don't wind watches - that's pretty much guaranteed - they'll generally sit in showcases / safes with the crowns pulled out.

In terms of buying NOS vs buying used, then used is probably a better bet from the perspective of the oils, but that's only one of a myriad of considerations - a used watch has been exposed to real world scrapes and dings and who knows what that might have done to the movement.