Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 9/6/2008

Question
QUESTION: I hear Hermle makes "some high quality" mechanisms. Implies to me that some are not. How do I identify high quality vs not so high quality?

ANSWER: in my 36 years of experience, you heard wrong! All Hermle movements are of equal quality.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I got this from a local repair person, he asked if I knew when my movement was made as there were some that weren't worth repair and were useful as parts only...

Answer
Your repair person is referring to times past, a factor you did not mention in your original question. Currently the quality is the same.
in the early 70's Hermle made their shafts with chrome plating on the ends. Sometimes the plating went bad after 20+ years and when deciding to replace or overhaul one might decide that a unit with bad plating on the pivots would not be a good candidate for overhaul. I personally would not assume the plating was bad with out inspection.

Some Hermle movements cost me $700 today new and some $100
In my opinion I do not overhaul ANY of the less costly units today because the cost of new is less than that of the labor to overhaul and is thus a better deal.