There are times when we must send a watch to the Service Center because there is no other choice. But there is a reason why we must continue to keep our independent watchmaker gamefully employed and supplied with work. Most think that the factory service centers are the only way to go to get their watches fixed correctly which is like the Bigfoot myth. We have some extremely competent watchmakers out there that don't want to work for brands and like to be sell employed. They can do just as good if not better work than the factory service centers and at a HUGE difference in cost.
This is an example of one such case. Poor guy got water damage and the owner sent the watch to Panerai for an quote to fix it. The quote to fix this watch was..... No joke now, $16,000.
Local watchmaker is fixing it at 1/5 the quoted factory price. Had to share this as an example to why you don't always jump and send your watch to the factory first to get fixed. Not always a great move.
I will post the finished watched when he is done.
Wayne
