Hey all,
Searched online here but not really seeing the answer. Basically my Seiko has started running fast by about 5mins to 10mins a day. I have after a bit of googling opened the case back and adjusted the little lever above the spring... this seems to have had no effect.
Any suggestions on what I can do to rescue? I am wary of spending a lot on service or the like because of the cost considering what I paid for the watch. Love the watch and it was doing great until now while I tried save for an upgrade.
Doc
It may be more cost effective to buy another one rather than get it serviced. Perhaps worth getting a quote from some independent watch guys in your area first?
Try searching this forum too. I know a few guys who post here are well regarded watch repairers/servicers.
Thanks john. Yes, this is the dilemma really with spending money on it or just getting another. Seems a shame to just cast it aside though.
Thanks for the suggestion on seeking out someone on the forum here. Haven't really dealt with anyone local to me but I guess probably worth going in an at least asking what it would cost to have them look at it.
The watch may be magnetised if running fast, could be a nice quick fix if you are lucky
Should only cost around £20-30 for it to be degaussed and regulated?
Could be magnetised, or it could be the mainspring not slipping properly in the barrel. If the watch keeps good time when NOT being worn I`d suspect the latter. Alternatively, check how it performs during a brisk walk of around 2 hours; that'll accentuate the problem because the mainspring will be fully wound and in the condition where it should be slipping.
I`ve had 2 Orients with this problem, and they're virtually identical to Seikos. It seems to be caused by poor surface finishing on the barrel walls.
As for cost, I doubt whether anyone would be willing to strip the watch down and fully service it for less than £60 thesedays.
Paul
Check the hairspring has not got hooked up on the fixing post, this can happen with these if they get knocked. If not, as Paul says it could be 'banking' due to the mainspring not slipping as it should when fully wound.
If you think it may be magnetised, I suppose you could check this using a compass
As above, there are lots of things that could be causing this, you are going to have to take it to someone for inspection though.
One thing for the future, is that if a watch suddenly starts gaining or losing large chunks of time, then adjusting the regulator on the balance is never the solution. This is to fine tune the timekeeping when you are happy that everything else is as it should be. If timekeeping suddenly changes, then something has happened.
If you really don't want to pay any more, then an option could be to sell as a repair project and put the money from that towards a new one. Seiko SKX sell readily no matter what the condition (particularly on a certain online auction site) and if the rest of the watch is good, you may be surprised.
Last edited by IanM; 27th October 2015 at 13:57.
Any recommendations for a watch repairer I can send my 07k off to?
Mine has started to go fast after I tried to regulate it and I think I knocked the lower lever rather than the high one.
I used a match stick to do this.
Tried a local jeweller but the external repair guy moaned that it was dirty/messy inside when I hadn't done anything beyond use a matchstick.
How would that work exactly..?Originally Posted by geran
You move the watch up to a compass and if it is magnetised the needle will be deflected from north. It is really a very simple test. You can buy a demagnetiser on ebay for around a tenner. I have treated a few of my watches in the past with excellent results.
^^^ This .... try the easy option first
Frankly, I 'd be amazed if a magnetised watch would be able to exert a magnetic field significant enough to to influence a compass needle. If anyone's actually seen this happen I'll stand corrected, but if not I'll take some convincing.
When a watch Is affected by magnetism it's the balance and hairspring that get affected. When ithe balance oscillates the magnetic fields around the components are varying and working against each other.......can't give a better explanation but the effect is to reduce the amplitude and increase the rate dramatically. I've had a few examples and believe me they still run the same whether the movement's in the case or not.
Demagnetising the watch is like a magic trick if it's magnetised; put it back on the timegrapher and the change in performance is obvious.
Paul
Found this video, Paul.https://youtu.be/pKqlqG13peQ
I'm surprised, too. But I suppose it makes sense. Very low friction on the compass needle and I suppose it would be sensitive to any external field, but I'm surprised it shows this much of a change!?
I had a watch get magnetised about a year ago and I tried this at the time. It did deflect the needle. However, as a control, I tried some other watches (all running fine) and they deflected the needle as well, although by a lesser amount. So clearly it does work, but isn't a very good test. As you say it's when the internals get magnetised you get a problem. I suspect a steel case can get slightly magnetised with no noticeable ill effects, but with a strong enough field to deflect a compass needle.
Just had the same experiance with a Seiko 6306, it was serviced quite a few years back, ran it for a day and put it away, some time later wore it for a few days found it to be all over the place, just would not regulate to keep good time, I tried the compass test a few days back, got a lot of deflection on the needle, used my demagnetiser, needed to do it a couple of times, now showing no deflection on the needle, ran the watch for 24hrs, and regulated it again, 48hrs in showing +6, also checked my 007 beater, same result large deflection on the needle, this too kept erratic time especially when not worn, I'll see how that one goes in the next few days.
My sumo keeps excellent time, also tried this on the compass, there was a slight deflection on the needle but have left it alone.
As mentioned you can buy a demagnetiser from flea bay, to use it correctly do a search on you tube, there are enough on there to show you what's what.
Begs the question how do they become magnetised, I don't leave any watch near a mobile or PC etc, in the case of the 6306 I can only assume it was never checked after being serviced.
Last edited by geran; 29th October 2015 at 23:31.
I 'm surprised that a watch case can get magnetised to such an extent that it'll deflect a compass needle. Every day's a school day, I stand corrected.
I'm also puzzled as to how they get magnetised....... Never ceases to amaze me.
Paul
I worked with loudspeakers for many years which of course have very strong magnetic fields.... always conscious of this, I generally took my watch off or wore a quartz.
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