Also worth double-checking against another time source. (http://time.is for example)
Some of my atomic sync watches drift a lot (10s a day at times...) and if they have failed to synch, they are not a reliable benchmark.
Picked up my 2 month old Hi-beat last night after it had been off the wrist for 24-36 hours and checking it against my atomic synced G Sock I was stunned to see it had lost 22 seconds!
Hasn’t been off my wrist for more than about 8-12 hours the last 2 months and has been keeping excellent time at +0 /+2 a day.
Maybe it’s magnetised but I’ll be off the the Knightsbridge GS boutique tonight after work!
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Also worth double-checking against another time source. (http://time.is for example)
Some of my atomic sync watches drift a lot (10s a day at times...) and if they have failed to synch, they are not a reliable benchmark.
First thing i did :) unfortunately same result.
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I always use a quartz analogue watch for checking, simple, straightforward and doesn`t rely on synching etc. Keep it simple.
Just spoke to the GS Boutique and they said it could be due to it being low on power. When reading the manual, it also says it can gain/lose when low on power, so I've fully wound it and will see how it gets on.
Will keep an eye on it and see what happens. They send them off on Mondays so it its still losing by tomorrow ill take it in. Could also be I miscalculated....
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I'm actually thinking now I forgot I checked it a day before. I think it went from +37/38 - +30 - +17.
Tony, would you say that is more reasonable for a watch's power reserve winding down?
If a watch is running in a low state of wind the rate will be affected, once the amplitude falls below ca 160 degrees all bets are off!
suggest you fully wind the watch by hand, check the time against something reliable ( quartz watch is still my favourite), make a note of the difference, wear the watch for several hrs, check again, check las thing at night, leave it dial- up overnight and check next morning. Do this over a few days and you’ll see what’s really going on. Write the results down and calculate a the rate; you will almost certainly see a different rate for dial- up overnight compared to the ‘ on the wrist’ rate. However, within the errors of taking the readings, you should see consistency.
If the watch is being worn for around 16 hrs and you’re reasonably active it should always be in a high enough state of wind to run correctly.
Paul
See Paul's post. If the watch has been left to wind down over a couple of days, then it will not maintain the same level of timekeeping as when in a full state of wind. The Seiko's balance does not use a Breguet overcoil and its timekeeping will then drift as the power depletes. Having said all of that, low power generally results in low amplitude which can cause the watch to run fast rather than slow. Probably best to follow Paul's advice and report back.
M
Can`t always predict the effects of dropping amplitude.
A free-sprung balance theoretically performs more consistently as amplitude falls, not sure about a Breguet overcoil.
By coincidence I`m messing with my own Seiko 5 7S26 at the moment, a 2003 watch that's never been serviced and could use some attention. I`ve dug it out to check the rotation of auto-winding (Seikos only wind in one direction despite the rotor rotating fully). At an amplitude of 190° the watch is running +15 to +20 dial up, that's in a low state of wind and the beat error's 0.7. Just whipped the back off and wound it fully using a screwdriver on the ratchet wheel screw (don`t try this at home!), amplitude's now 260°, the rate has altered to +7, and the beat error is zero.
This illustrates the difference the state of wind can make, and proves that I don`t make this stuff up.
I recently tried the same thing with a Rolex and rate barely changed until the amplitude dropped below 160°........yer pays yer money and takes yer choice!
For those who are curious, or own a Seiko 7S26 or similar, the watch has to be rotated in the clockwise direction (looking at the dial) to wind effectively. I`m not a fan of watch winders but I do use one for testing etc., that's why I needed to know.
Every day's a school day
This is not the case. The magic lever system used on this movement winds in power regardless of the direction of the winding weight. In fact, every Seiko automatic winding mechanism is bi-directional. With the 7S26, it is the case, however, that the position in which you fit the winding weight effects the efficiency of the winding. On some winding weights you may see a cut-out arrow but that is not there to indicate direction but to indicate the position in which to fit the weight with respect to the dot on the first reduction wheel.
See above.
M
So it's with Seiko now. If it's a regulation, will be only a couple of weeks turnaround. Will update thread with progress.
Thanks for everyone's advice / input.
Rich
If the pawl is worn on one leg a Seiko could wind in only one direction, but that’s due to a fault, not by design.
Just had another look at my Seiko 7S26, and I stand corrected! Yes, it does wind in both directions.
This is one of those 'facts' I`ve had in my mind (incorrectly) for a few years, I believed they only wound I one direction and it's only now when I study the thing closely that it becomes clear exactly what's going on with the rotor/self-winding. I`ve put a few of these together with no problems and I`m fully aware that rotor must be fitted in the correct orientation.
Now it's all crystal-clear. Owing to the design it's possible to fool yourself into thinking it only winds in one direction, I played with the rotor yesterday and that's what I managed to do.
Paul
Hi all
So I heard from the Seiko UK SC that my watch is on it's way back to the boutique tomorrow. I asked what the issue was and the lady said it has been demagnetised and regulated. I mentioned that it was losing rather than gaining, so probably wasn't magnetised and she didn't really seem to know much so said it will come with a letter.
Will see what that says tomorrow / Friday and update thread.
Rich
So it seems it was magnetised. Apparently magnetisation can also result in watches running slow.
Having racked my brains to how I could have magnetised it, I suddenly realised my watch was resting on my phones in my right side trouser pocket whilst sitting on the bus on the way home. So I’ve swapped pockets with phones and wallet, which will get some getting used to!
I also tried these on:
Wasn’t overly keen on the snowflake on the wrist, but loved the black hi-beat.
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I used to own a GS Snowflake and the watch was rather underwhelming on the wrist. Beautiful movement and dial work but that could not save it from its rather cold and clinical persona.
If they made a Spring Drive with the high beat case and black dial, I would rather be very interested in that.