Customers considering purchasing a vintage watch often ask us this question.
“If it has been overhauled, it should be safe, right?”
Of course, an overhaul is extremely important maintenance for a watch.
However, we believe it is impossible to judge a watch’s condition based solely on the phrase “overhauled.”
Every vintage watch is in a different condition.
That is why what truly matters is not the phrase “overhauled,” but whether the treatment the watch needed was properly carried out.
Who assessed the condition of the watch, and what decisions were made in preparing it for sale?
We explain this way of thinking in detail in “Why it matters who commercializes a vintage watch.”
No two vintage watches are in exactly the same condition
Even if they are the same model,
How was it used,
How was it stored,
What repairs or maintenance has it received?
Each watch has its own history.
Therefore, even watches with the same model number are not necessarily in the same condition.
We do not consider a watch reassuring simply because it is described as “overhauled.”
We place importance on inspecting each watch individually and ensuring that the treatment it truly needs has been carried out.
If a watch is in good condition, it may not be necessary to replace more parts than needed.
Conversely, even if a watch appears to be operating normally, inspection of the interior may reveal wear or deterioration, making parts replacement or additional servicing necessary.
What matters is not performing the same work on every watch, but determining what treatment that particular watch truly needs.
A quartz watch is not just its mechanical components
Quartz watches rely not only on their mechanical components but also on their electronic circuits, which play an important role.
Maintenance such as disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication alone may not always leave the watch in a condition where it can continue to be used with confidence in the future.
That is because electronic circuits are consumable components that gradually deteriorate over years of use.
When customers ask Ante to overhaul a quartz model, we generally recommend replacing the circuit with a genuine replacement circuit.
Of course, not every watch necessarily requires a circuit replacement.
It is important to inspect the watch’s condition and determine what treatment that particular watch needs.
What we aim for is not merely “a watch that is currently running.”
It is a watch you can continue to use with confidence for 10 or even 20 years while keeping up with maintenance.
A mechanical watch is not finished with “disassembly alone”
The same applies to mechanical watches.
Disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and reassembly are essential processes for keeping a watch in good condition.
However, that alone may not be sufficient.
If parts related to accuracy and durability, such as the mainspring or gears, are worn, it is important to replace them as needed and restore the watch to a condition in which it can perform as intended.
On the other hand, some watches in good condition do not require any parts to be replaced.
We do not believe that replacing more parts than necessary constitutes good servicing.
Precisely because it is a vintage watch, we preserve what should be preserved and apply appropriate treatment where necessary.
What matters is not performing the same work on every watch, but determining what treatment that particular watch truly needs.
How Ante Defines “Maintenance” and “Overhaul”
In the watch industry, the term “overhauled” is widely used.
However, in practice, the details often vary from one store or repair workshop to another.
At Ante,
We define “maintenance” as disassembling, cleaning, lubricating, and reassembling the watch, then adjusting it until it operates normally,
We define an “overhaul” as replacing worn or deteriorated parts and finishing the watch so that it can perform as it was originally intended.
Of course, not every watch requires parts to be replaced.
If the condition is good, there is no need to replace more parts than necessary.
That is why what matters is not the phrase “overhauled,” but whether the work the watch truly requires has been carried out.
Ante’s Standards for Preparing Watches for Sale
At Ante, we prepare every watch for sale only after performing maintenance that includes disassembly, inspection, cleaning, lubrication, and reassembly.
When our assessment determines that parts need to be replaced, we replace the necessary parts and overhaul the watch before putting it on display in our store.
However, we inspect more than just the movement.
Case.
Dial.
Hands.
Bracelet.
Originality.
And its maintainability in the years ahead.
We inspect the watch as a whole and introduce only those that meet Ante’s standards.
No two vintage watches are in exactly the same condition.
That is why, rather than applying uniform procedures, we perform the optimal maintenance for each individual watch.
For more details on the standards Ante uses to prepare watches for sale, please see “Thinking Beyond the Sale: That Is Ante’s Quality Standard.”.
What Makes a Truly Good Vintage Watch
A vintage watch cannot be described simply by saying “overhauled.”
The condition of the exterior.
The condition of the movement.
Originality.
Parts that have been replaced.
What repairs and maintenance it has received to date.
And whether you will be able to continue using it with confidence in the years to come.
Only after checking all of these things can we understand a watch’s true condition.
For more details on what we consider to be “truly good condition,” please see “What Is “Truly Good Condition” for a Vintage Watch?”.
Our goal is not to attach the words “overhauled” to a watch.
Carrying out the work each individual watch truly requires.
That is what we believe it means to engage seriously with vintage watches.
Ante's Philosophy
The value of a vintage watch is not determined solely by the words “serviced.”
By accurately assessing the watch’s condition and appropriately carrying out the work that watch requires.
And we want you to be able to continue using it for many years after purchase through ongoing maintenance.
We want to prove quality through the watch’s true condition—not simply by calling it “serviced.”
