An automatic watch can function for years without apparent signs of weakness — yet degrade silently from within. Drying oils, wearing gaskets, drifting accuracy... Regular maintenance is not a luxury: it's what makes a mechanical watch last in the long term.
Here's everything you need to know to make the right decisions at the right time.
How often should an automatic watch be serviced?
The general rule: every 4 to 5 years, depending on your usage.
Over time, even without visible impact or incident:
- lubricating oils dry out and lose their effectiveness
- gaskets degrade, exposing the movement to moisture
- accuracy can gradually deteriorate
A watch can continue to tell time while wearing out silently. This is precisely why preventive maintenance makes sense.
The right thing to do before a full service: visit a watchmaker for a quick check — a chronocomparator and water resistance test. This takes a few minutes and gives an accurate assessment of your watch's condition, without obligation.
Good daily habits
Maintenance begins long before the workshop. A few simple habits can preserve the mechanism over time.
Things to avoid:
- Showering, even with a watch advertised as water-resistant (heat and steam weaken gaskets)
- Significant shocks and sports with repeated impacts
- Sudden temperature changes
- Prolonged humidity
- Incorrectly set automatic watch winders, which can over-stress the mechanism
If your watch remains unworn for several months: wind it manually from time to time. A few turns of the crown are enough to restart the mechanism and ensure proper internal lubrication.
An automatic watch is a precise mechanical object. These small attentions make a real difference over time.
The crown: the most often neglected point
Most infiltrations and damages come from the same place: the crown.
Before any swimming, always check that it is properly closed.
For models with screw-down crowns (K-02, C-02): push while screwing completely, like a bottle cap. There should be no gap between the crown and the case.
For models with push-pull crowns (K-01, K-03, K-04, K-05, C-03, C-04): even if the watch is advertised as water-resistant, we advise against swimming. The risk of unintentional opening is real.
For swimming or diving, use a watch equipped with a screw-down crown. This is the only system that offers reliable water resistance underwater.
How much does a service cost?
The price of a service does not depend on the price of the watch. It reflects the watchmaker's time and the complexity of the movement.
| Movement Type | Indicative Price |
|---|---|
| 3 hands | 200 – 250 € |
| GMT / Chronograph | 250 – 450 € |
(excluding any replacement parts)
A service represents several hours of work: complete disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, adjustment, final checks. A quote is systematically provided before any intervention.
Average lead times: 9 to 15 weeks.
Where to have your watch serviced?
Out of warranty: a good independent watchmaker in your area is perfectly suitable. Just make sure they are proficient in servicing multi-brand automatic watches.
Under warranty, in case of damage or for a specific Akrone part: going through our workshop is essential.
Akrone parts are reserved for our workshop. No parts are supplied externally.
Spring 2026: exceptionally open additional slots
We have expanded our capacity for servicing during April, May, and June 2026.
The last service requests before summer are possible until mid-June. After this date, requests without a response from you will be automatically canceled at the end of June — you will then need to resubmit your request from September, subject to availability.
As the end of the year is always busy, we encourage you to plan ahead now.
Please note: our workshop will be closed from July 17th to August 17th.
Our approach
At Akrone, every watch is serviced in our workshop by our team. The goal is simple: to guarantee you a reliable watch over time.
If you have any doubt about the condition of your watch, now is the right time to act.
The Akrone Team
