49 year old Seiko Quartz

[Toyfreak]

I recently restarted my Seiko Quartz watch that was manufactured in 1976. I don't remember when I stopped wearing it but it's been in a drawer for many years. I found, ordered and received a new OEM crystal, which I will have installed. What should I ask the watch shop to do to the watch when replacing the crystal in order to lengthen it's life? I plan to give it to my son, who was born the same year the watch was made.

[RichardHarris123]

Photos please.  If it has  mechanical components, then a service will help preserve it. 

[watchweasol]

Hi welcome to the forum,   You should do what Richard recommends, if it’s been stored for a long time it will definitely need a service, that way you will know the watch you are passing on is in good condition.

[Toyfreak]

What would a tech do to the watch? This is a new area for me. What kind of expense are we talking about?

[RichardHarris123]

Any moving parts will be removed, cleaned, reinstalled and lubricated. The case will be cleaned and gaskets, if it has them replaced.  Can you post photos? Sorry, I've no idea of the cost. 

[JohnR725]

think about an automobile occasionally people change the oil in the engine because why exactly? In a watch you can't change the oil other than by doing a complete overhaul. This involves disassembly of the watch running all the components through a cleaning machine reassembly with lubrication. Otherwise in a watch the lubrication's typically get sticky with time in the watch. If you're lucky. If you're unlucky it will continue to run and where itself out or if the gaskets fail in the watch case and moisture gets in which is a problem for gaskets that are old then that is also bad. So proper servicing would be cleaning the watch replacing of all the gaskets.

It would help if we had the model number of the watch so  we know exactly which watch are talking about.