HOW MUCH?! HOW LONG?! Seiko Service Shock!
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Well, this one began with a kind and generous offer from a subscriber, Tyler from California, waaaaay back at the beginning of December. Nearly 4 months to service a Seiko?! I'm still not sure what took them so long. Don't expect the running costs of your Seiko to be much less than a Swiss watch, certainly not if you get Seiko to service it. Cheers, Jody
Getting a service through an official Seiko service channel is notoriously terrible. Also, paying more than $100 USD to service any 6R15 makes ZERO sense. You can outright *REPLACE THE ENTIRE THING* with an NE15 (identical commercial version of the movement) for $115. Any decent independent watchmaker could do the movement swap for you and have it back to you in like a week. This goes double for anything with a 4R35/36 movement in it. Those are literally $50 (retail) movements. NEVER SERVICE THEM.
Does the NE15 have the diashock like the 6R15 does? I'm curious
David Kay Great point!
@@zethiel , all automatics these days has that funktion.
Seriously. I'll replace the movement in any of my watches before I take it to a watchmaker or service center..
nobody send seikos to be serviced or repaired by seiko , unless if u getting a Grand Seiko vintage or new or King Seiko from vintage era which needs special parts etc. just get your city's / town experience watch technician and they will be able to do it. With all your almost over 50 percent china/ gear best promotions , the more i am suspecting your are a China backed agent out to Smear America, Japan and West using Social media
Not exaggerating, but this is probably the most informative watch video I've seen. This is something not many young and new watch collectors know. Servicing watches is this unknown process, and I haven't seen a TH-camr go in depth into this matter until you. Thank you.
Thanks mate! My pleasure. Like I said, I didn't know how the video would end when I started it. It didn't end well for Seiko, I don't think. Cheers!
Bought a vintage Omega, with a unknown service history. Movement was pretty rusty and I thought I was at a $300 loss. Luckily, my watch repair guy fixed it up for only $150. Runs perfectly now and the movement is so smooth. I got very lucky.
Yes, I believe the time has come for TH-cam watchchannels to address topics such as watch repair issues, reliable watch purchase outlets and all the other potentially " down sides" to owning a watch collection. It's not always about "what's new"!
No TH-camr discusses the horrors of vintage pieces. Try getting a high dome tropic crystal for a vintage supercompressor. Most movement parts for obscure makes are simply unavailable, the service parts for valuable watches have been raided to produce frankenwatches. Yeah no one wants to discuss these issues.
I second your idea. I had my Seiko Astron serviced for 350 dollars at Seiko America and i can tell you that i will have to think twice before buying another Seiko. To put it, they did a shitty job, period.
I think problem here is that most of these watch collectors are either never really using anything enough to need service or do it themselves so never get in touch with company service.
I'm pretty sure all of them are same, unless you are talking about "luxury" category.
It would be interesting to repeat the experiment with an independent watchmaker.
My experience in Melbourne. Quoted $350 to replace a bracelet. Went to Japan and it cost $190AUD. It was not requested or discussed but it was sent from Sapporo to Tokyo, got it back in 2 weeks and I am sure at the same time they serviced it. It was a Kinetic watch but I am sure it was running more accurately (had never been serviced in13 years) when I got it back. So the moral of the story is if you happen to be going to Japan take your watches with you. It's customer service is fantastic in Japan.
That's because the Japanese care. I own (my last) Seilko, but ride a (Japanese built) Yamaha motorcycle rather than the BMW as they are so beautifully made, very reliable and inexpensive.
However. I have had some shocking terrible service from watch dealers in japan. It’s not as perfect as people imagine.
@@Drbudweiser Sounds like you did not go to Bic Camera then with your watches.
Send it to me next time. My can of WD-40 has a precision straw, so you know I'm a serious watchmaker. I'll get you out the door for a fiddy USD.
@Lassi Kinnunen The trick is to keep spraying until the dial is wet. Then you know it's lubed proper.
Hahaha that was good one!
@@hugeshows tell me this is a joke please😅😅
@@waris3732 No joke. This is how I service all Casio F-91W
@@hugeshows and the same would work for an automatic movement (after removing the dial and hands of course 😅)?
Here's my Instagram "waris_ahmed" I need to know more about this😅. Message me
my ultimate maintenance free watch would have the Bulova ultra high frequency quartz movement combined with the citizen eco drive solar power so i get great accuracy with a sweeping second hand
My Bulova UHF movement failed in two years!
My daily watch is now one of the Citizen atomic eco drives with a perpetual calendar. I dig it.
I've got a 1970 and 1971 Bulova Accutron tuning fork watches....and they both are fantastic timekeepers. One of which I know....has never had a service. Crazy.
@@garyk8285 failed or needed a new battery? 2 years is all you can expect I think on the battery
@@Gadfly625 movement completely short circuited. Never taken underwater. Tried to replace the battery, but that was not the issue. Still haven't repaired it
Jody: In November of 2017, I purchased one of the (then) new Longines VHP watches. After having the watch less than a month, it stopped working. I sent it (under warranty) to the Longines service center (part of the Swatch Group here in the U.S.) for repairs. The initial report from them was a 4-6 week turnaround. After several "We're sorry for the delay, blah, blah..." e-mails, I finally got the watch back on May 11, 2018 and they had put a rather large scratch in one of the endlinks. This was a brand new watch and was flawless when I sent it in. They wanted me to send it back to them and I said "No way."
Anyhow, just goes to show that the "service" you received for a relatively inexpensive Seiko can also happen with a $1000 Swiss watch. I'm just glad my Grand Seiko with the 9F quartz movt. only requires servicing every 50 years. Someone else can worry about that after I'm long gone.
G. M. Frazier where do you get your 9F grand seiko’s battery changed?
My local watchmaker (who is also an authorized Seiko dealer) replaces it for me. A battery typically lasts about 3 years and I'm on my third battery.
@@luxuryfood3810 $12.00 US.
I got a Seiko Ananta which is considered to be a high end Seiko , the watch loses some time but I am afraid to send to a Seiko service center because I feel watch will be scratched !
My local watch maker is a retired gent. He works on all brands and is very reasonable. He is awesome. He has worked on my Seiko, CW and a few others for me. Everyone should be lucky to have one like Sergio.
I’m not concerned with my resale value on a Seiko so I’ll be getting it serviced independently. If it’s not THAT difficult, I’ll service it myself. I have done engine swaps in cars and I can guarantee that is more of a hassle. Or at least, that would be the case on a simpler automatic movement.
My experience in Warsaw: it was guarantee repair so it was free. I noticed that the automatical winding mechanism is not as powerful as it should be so I left the watch in a shop where I bought it. The watch returned after a month. They said they had to wait for a parts so I think it's their standard reply on every delay. But all in all I'm quite pleased. Apart from replacing the winding mechanism they also regulated the mechanism itself. Even I didn't point any need of regulation. It's accuracy before repair was 15 sec per day. After repair it was 10 sec but per week so I'm quite pleased with the result.
Great job with this one Jody! I can relate to this kind of experience with Seiko. I purchased a 5 with a 7s26c a couple of years ago and adjusted it myself when It started running slowly, and after a few weeks it just slowed down again. I took it down to the Seiko AD where they told me I would have to pay 160$US and wait 45days. That quickly turned into 90days and then they tried to charge me an extra 30$!?! I laughed and said no thanks, at that price, you’d better give me a sapphire upgrade and some solid end links! Needless to say I’ll not purchase anything else from Seiko under 350$-400$ with the intention of keeping it long enough to be serviced. It’s probably best to pass them around like hot potatoes,hoping not to get burned in the process!
Good video 👍 I bought a Seiko with a 7006 movement in Argyle Arcade in 1971 that watch still is very accurate 48 years later with no service
I got a watch serviced by Omega for $500, they took about two months, but I got a damn near brand new watch. I was very impressed. And i got all the old parts they replaced in a bag, and it wasnt a little amount. They pretty much rebuilt the movement and the bracelet was flawless.
$220 for this Seiko servicing seems 100% ripoff garbage. Considering its not a Swiss watch, you should be getting basically a brand new looking watch for $220.
And Seiko has a good reputation? It blows my mind. This isn't "punching above weight", this is a ripoff
MrAhuraMazda187 I’m a Seiko fanboy, but you are spot on!
@@itsallrobbish for anything not Grand Seiko, they should either have a basic $90 basic service or have the $250 one with all the bells and whistles of a full service: replacing parts, polishing case and bracelet.
Not anymore. When this video makes its rounds, I wouldn't be surprised if business falls off. It's up to Seiko to ensure their international ADs are ethical and in compliance. Forward this video to Japan corporate to see if they right this wrong.
If you have watch for couple grands and above $500 service doesn't look bad, however I heard the same price to service my Certina DS Podium Automatic which cost ~$800 brand new. So swiss is pretty much the same ripoff :)
seiko is built cheaply in a production line. Labour hours are a lot less, unfortunately service costs are the same and billed per labour hours involved. To strip down a seiko movement and service it is the same as stripping down an omega movement to service it.
I've had similar experiences with Seiko servicing. To be totally honest, I felt like the 'cheaper' price you pay at the onset felt like it was an indication of things to come. I had to wait almost 5 months for a simple service. No discounts either. I sold the watch as soon as I got it back.
Hey mate! I think Oris charge $299AUD for a service. May as well buy Swiss if that's the case eh?
EMKWAN REVIEWS Good to see you here, Emkwan. Selling the watch sounds like a good idea. If I had an overall bad experience with a watch and getting it serviced (which I did with my Seiko Samurai), then I would certainly get it out of my life.
@@JustOneMoreWatch I had an SLA025 that I got brand new from an AD with a defective bezel. Had it sent to seiko USA for repair and they wanted to quote me $300 for a new bezel. (this was new unworn watch within warranty). The service center claimed that the warranty didnt cover bezel repairs. The AD negotiated with service center to waive the fee. It took the service center 6 months to get my watch back. When the watch returned, the bezel was grossly misaligned. Shameful.
@casiotechI Casio tech. What a fan boy name.
Who services a Seiko in an official AD service center anyway?
Very interesting video... I became a mechanic after getting a car at 17 and it developed an intermittent cutting out problem that nobody I took it to could fix (including main dealers), so I ended up working on it myself and fixing it (fuel pump). So maybe now I need to become a watchmaker and learn to service and repair my own watches too lol.
You seem a man on a similar path having similar thoughts as me. I cannot stand being overcharged for slipshod work. Nowadays my very first instinct is to try to fix things myself, not only because of the money, but mostly because I trust myself to get a better result. After all, I care more than they do about how well it's done.
For instance, I took up motorcycling a year and a half ago. There is zero chance I'm go to risk my life on a bike serviced at a shop. I need to know it was done right. If there is a problem, I need to see it with my own eyes. Those bastards cut too many corners.
Hello: we love your channel in Argentina. We almost have no watchmakers at all (almost all are in their 90 ´s or died; the nearest to me is 1800 km far away. The cost of a service + mail is impossible for an average argentine (a month of work for a service of a very cheap watch), so thousands of mechanical watches and quartz are dumped every year. Even Omegas, Longines, Lanco, Tressa, Tissots, GP´s, are put in boxes and right to the garbage. I rescued some...Cheers from Patagonia!!!
Yes! As previously asked, can you now service a Seiko watch with an independent watchmaker for comparison please Jody? Thank you snack.
Yeah that would be interesting.
better yet, service same watch :) i wonder will it be more accurate xD
I paid 120 bucks for a service on a watch with a similar movement. That included full regulation and videos of the progress to boot, and it took all of 5 days once he got it, including the regulation
Great Idea!!!❤👍🇺🇸
@@HH60gPaveHawk That really shows you Seiko just never meant to service a lot of movements anyway. I like to imagine the surprised faces when someone asks service out of warranty, like: 'He wants a what? Service? We do those? Since when?'
Same nightmare here in South Aus Jody! SRP 775 with a date wheel issue under warranty held for just over 3 months, free of charge but not free of time! Is this standard for Official Seiko service centers? All my vintage Seiko's are serviced elsewhere, really surprised!
Yep.
Avoid the Sydney Seiko boutique in the Queen Victoria Building like the plague. Useless rip-off bastards.
+10spd would be perfect for me since when on wrist it usually will run around 0spd. Your mileage may vary. Given the cost of service, most of us who live in the mod world just replace the faulty movement rather than spending big bucks on a service. You could have bought an NE15 for about US$115. And if a service center (watch, computer, electronics, auto, etc.) tells me parts need to be replaced, I would ask for a more detailed diagnosis of what the failure was, why it failed, and what parts specifically need to be replaced.
This is what I'd like to know. What parts got replaced. I can get parts direct from Seiko as well as from my 3rd party parts vendors. And I would've charged $100 or less for a service and refinished the bracelet as well. Wondering if this was an actual Seiko Center or just a "Seiko Authorized" shop that's trying to look like a real Seiko Center.
I am a long-time watch collector; my collection numbers over 200 functional pieces- functional being defined as I can wind it, set it, and use it for a day being properly aware of the time. I have several hundred more that are not functional- either wildly inaccurate or not running entirely. Most of these pieces were bought at considerable age; about half the collection is over 50 years old. I have a Rolex Oyster Precision that I had service about 16 years ago- it keeps time within 25 seconds a day and has been worn about 40% of the time in those 16 years. I have an Omega Seamaster Pro from 2001 that I bought new in 2002, it has been worn about 20% of the time over those 18 years- it has never been serviced and it keeps time at about -13 seconds a day very consistently.
I have vintage Swiss watches, vintage American watches, and even vintage Soviet watches (I have a 1952 Pobeda that has not been serviced in my 20 year ownership that keeps time to within a minute a day and has been worn about 10% of the time). BTW I almost always wear two watches, which should explain the percentages somewhat. In my collection, the brand with the highest percentage of non-functioning watches is... Seiko. The functioning with the least accurate movements is... Seiko. I have two SKX models (a 007 and a 009) both bought new and both suffered total failures. I don’t baby my watches, but I also spend a few moments sniggering when people talk about rugged reliable Seiko movements. After those two SKXs I switched my “beater” watch to Vostok Amphibias. I’ve owned 5, plus my dad has one. 4 of the six run, one died due to my desire to tear it apart to learn about movement construction, and one died when I slipped and bent the hairspring attempting to regulate it.
Of the watches in my collection, only three would be up for servicing if they got grossly inaccurate or broke: The Omega Seamaster Pro, the Rolex Oyster Precision, and a Vacheron & Constantin Patrimony 6115. And if you really are interested, the most accurate watches in my collection are a pair of watches made by a company called Alpha, one a Rolex Daytona homage, and the other an Omega Speedmaster homage, both running Seagull ST19s. They both keep time within COSC parameters; one has been kept wound since I got it a year ago and has only been reset twice- I reset my watches when they are more than 45 seconds off.
Do you have any experience with high end Seiko Quartz movements? I’ve always had my mind set on a small watch collection, and given automatic service costs, I only want a high end quartz to round out my collection and serve as a “buy it for life” watch. If you think Seiko Quartz movements are worse as well, what would you recommend?
Be N S O N; I suggest automatics that you think of more as disposable than a quartz; e.g. a Vostok Amphibia.
I'd love to see your winding box, I should I say, winding wall? Sound like an amazing collection. As for the Seikos, they are cheap entry level to the automatic watch experience, unless you are talking about the higher end of their lineup. No excuses there. Cheers
I live in Long Beach Ca. My watch guy scoped out my Tissot Le Locle, told me it was running almost 2 minutes fast, opened it, took the rotor off, something about the spring tension, then retested for accuracy. I asked "how much do I owe you?" He said, "It's ok, don't worry about it." He's on Anahem blvd and Redondo. Just got a "Milgaus" second hand for my 007. He put it on for me - same deal!!
Thanks for this! I live in Long Beach CA too but had trouble finding a good watch person. I'll go there to check it out!
I had all sorts of trouble getting my SRP777 ("Turtle") repaired by Seiko in Sydney.
Took ages to get it back to me; charged me a small fortune, and the original problem (date/day change) has NOT been fixed.
Stuff you, Seiko QVB!
Seems like the boutique in Sidney is particularly bad
Jeffrey KRUPA maybe they sent it to Japan?
All my watches are quartz and/or solar , I would never expose myself to this kind of so called service. Incidentally my oldest watch has just died, it was a Seiko Quartz Diver bought around 1980 and had only battery and bracelet replacements in the intervening 40 or so years. It was regularly used as my surfing and diving companion, kept good time and never let me down. My next watch ? Probably another Citizen or Casio.
I appreciate this video! Its important to remember, any time you buy something a bit "nicer" than normal (ie a Seiko instead of Timex; a BMW instead of a Ford), its important to remember that "the cost of maintaining the thing" is always going to be more.
Many people don't understand this when they get that "nicer thing" for "a great low price"...
Great video, Jody. 👍
"Waiting for parts" is an old ploy used by Service Depts in all industries, but really means something else, like they can't find the unit you sent in or their Service guy quit or the seriously damaged it in their shop, etc, etc.
"Seiko service center in Sidney," try saying that when you're drunk.
Chris Brillhart Shako Shervis Shenter in Shidney, mate!
ZommBleed exactly! I was sober and only made it to two. Number 3 came out as “Seiko service center in Disney” O.o
Chris Brillhart lol
I wonder how comfortable that is for Sidney?
@@ZommBleed - LOL!!!
What Seiko didn't take into account is that movements wind the opposite way in the Southern Hemisphere.
Seikos have the magic lever, they wind both ways!
Thinking he was joking but, your right✔️😁🍻
I'm too dumb to understand this.
@@気が読めない子 people always say water goes down the toilet the opposite way in the Southern Hemisphere
if thats the case the n dont buy
Thank you for making this video. I am still a newbie and getting into the hobby. It's nice to have this in mind as I never thought about it till you brought it up. It makes perfect sense to compare it to a car dealership, they charge more than independent repair shops. It's also worth noting that these boutiques are incapable of repairing timepieces, instead they just replace the part. That's like changing your watch altogether! Same body, different brain. The craft of doing repairs is a lost art. I'd rather go to an independent repair shop and get more by cultivating friendships that would most likely translate to getting an honest maintenance that will more or less translate to getting a discount! On that note, how much would you charge to regulate or do minor maintenance if push comes to shove? 😁
For scuffs and scratches like those on your Seiko, use a small amount of Brasso metal polish on a clean, soft cloth and gently rub with the grain, then buff it out. Your watch and bracelet will look like new. This also works on polished surfaces if you carefully rub the Brasso in circular motions or vary the directions of the buffing. I've used this technique on stainless steel and on titanium surfaces.
For older guys such as myself, we grew up in an era that marketed great watches as special-category items, the category of things made to last a lifetime and then to be handed down to our children. Seiko, with clever marketing, may have bamboozled us in that way. My FORMER thinking was something like the following. Seiko watches were made to be passed down the generations like stout carpenters' hand tools or like finely crafted and beloved hunting rifles. Our grown children would remember us in misty-eyed fondness when they gripped our hand saw, or when they shouldered our burled wood stock Krieghoff Triumph Drilling rifle, or when they put on our scuffed but still running SKX (with jubilee bracelet no less). Passed down to become portable fetish objects, granting us nothing less than a kind of immortality!
My PRESENT thinking forms an image of Seikos creative marketing team rolling on the floor in uncontrollable mock-laughter.
New York Lad they copied the Patek marketing ... lol
I always thought part of the enjoyment of the mechanical wrist watch was in 5 years (or whenever it starts playing up) you can send it off, get it serviced and you’re good to go for another 5 years. And your experiences are with the giant that is Seiko. Makes me question the wisdom of my mechanical watch ownership.
This is why is stopped buying cheaper mechenical watches. I am not going to pay 200$ servicing for a 300$ watch. I'm in the process of buying a gshock metal square which will probably outlive me without ever needing servicing
nobody send seikos to be serviced or repaired by seiko , unless if u getting a Grand Seiko vintage or new or King Seiko from vintage era which needs special parts etc. just get your city's / town experience watch technician and they will be able to do it. With all your almost over 50 percent china/ gear best promotions , the more i am suspecting your are a China backed agent out to Smear America, Japan and West using Social media
just get a new movement instead from japan... many people are doing that ...
Ambiance my 10 year old rare gshock died after letting in liquid due to it not being serviced and not having the rear seal changed.
@@RyanF91W it's always a good idea to lube the oring when changing batteries , and if it is not in good shape replace it
@@woonfaseng8737 You keep posting the same crap
I bought one in February 2020 and when it arrived from japan it had a wobbly cannon pinion and so I returned it for repair/fix under warranty. In June it came back as ‘fixed’ but was exactly the same. It was returned. In August it was ready again but this time had scratches all over the case after having a new movement put in. It was sent back again and they replaced the case. The watch (now all new apart from the bracelet) finally arrived back last week. 07 Oct 2020.
Any service that does not completely take apart the movement, cleans them all, replace wornout ones and applies correct lubrication is not a true maintenance. This involves around 1.5 hours of manual labour for even the simplest of movements. If all this was done, Seiko charges a very reasonable fee altogether. Wether your watch is worth it is your decicion.
It takes 10 minutes to take out the old (wonky) movement, pop in a new one from factory, and then +10 minutes for a WR test.
@@ElijsDima And that's why it is not called a service, but a replacement.
@@Bob.martens Yes, and said replacement is cheaper, faster, and has a better result. So what's the point of servicing?
@@ElijsDima What's the point of mechanical watches?
People just have to learn to service their own watch and do a perfect job.
Yes, finally a video on the actual costs of owning an automatic! Similar issues with a 4-year-old microbrand watch running a Seiko movement for me. Discovered its been running rather fast recently, so decided to run a movement accuracy check. Imagine my surprise when the accuracy report over 4 days came back as +110 s/d! Long story short, the watch currently reside in the bins as I was quoted the princely sum of £128 by my local jeweller to service (which is about £8 dearer than the initial purchase price 4 years ago)!
I had a Miyota movement serviced at a local shop for $5 USD. It's currently running 0.1s fast a day.
Which city is that mate?
@@garyk8285 near Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Jacob Bolduc What’s the name of the store?
I dont believe you, a battery replacement on a quartz costs more than $5. Nobody is going to take watch apart, clean and service it and then regulate it for $5. Would be losing money on time and material.
@@jasonwb6884 Yup, this is BS. Either that or he doesn't know what "servicing" means.
I have a Seiko Third diver 6306-7001 watch from 1978 and it still runs great. The watch has many scratches, dents, paint or finish has come off the bezel, and dings from the 40+ years that I have worn it! Never had it serviced. My first diving watch I got from my ships store(px). I have ordered a Seiko Prospex divers watch. I have an Invicta Pro divers black and gold watch automatic and a Citizen Auga pro dive watch. Thanks for the service intro on Seiko watches.
Fantastic break from the usual format, even if the result was rather negative.
What i would really like now is a Rolex or Omega service review!
Great watch. Received mine just over a week ago from Japan, brand new, good price, and it has been running at +0.8s/day
Companies selling inexpensive watches, or rather watches with inexpensive mmts, should offer to swop out the mmt for new rather than disassemble, lub etc as it would simply be more cost effective and the customer will be better served and more satisfied
That’s what I’m planning with my Vostok, when it gets dodgy I’ll just buy a new movement and shove it in myself.
100% agree 👍
I have had good experiences with servicing Seikos at the Seiko service centre, Petchaburi Road, Bangkok, Thailand. My Marine Master SBDX001 was given a Complete overhaul with new escape wheel and pinion, pawl lever with jewel, barrel bridge, gaskets, spring bars. The bracelet and clasp was polished and it was regulated and tested to 5bar. I was charged 6,000 Baht ($approx. US$171). My SBDX001 probably has some MEMS parts in it now! I also had my Seiko Landmaster 10th anniversary titanium watch SBDX009 serviced. It was given a full overhaul, regulated and tested to 5bar and I paid 8,000Baht (approx. US$228). All good!
Can you do a video on independent watch makers? Since you're also in Sydney, it'll be extra useful for me.
Plus one here!
Me three
Thats why I am learning and studying how to service them by myself. I was able to disassemble and reassemble a mechanism and make it work. Now I need to find the oils to lubrificate and the schematics of NH35A.
At those prices I'd just consider swapping the movement from a new watch-- if I really wanted the original watch working like new. Seiko 7S/4Rs are easy to get in inexpensive models. 6Rs, not so much.
You don't even have to bu a whole new watch, you can usually find just a new movement on ebay and other places. I saw a brand new 6R for sale on ebay for around a 135 dollars just a few weeks ago.
Thanks for sharing your Seiko servicing experience. It was enlightening. Yes, I do believe the servicing you received was ridiculous, to say the least. I understand your position that you consider the SARB033 a nice watch and would prefer to have an official Seiko service center handle the job. BUT, consider my take on Seiko watches in general which I'll share below.
No discount, absurd multiple extended waiting times, they didn't even bother to clean up the watch for the inconvenience and long time they had the watch while waiting, the fact you had to haggle them to give you a free collar for the semi-broken bracelet, and the performance of the watch after all of this ordeal was just "meh.. I guess it's acceptable and better than before".. I wouldn't tolerate that and think twice before considering sending your watch to an authorized Seiko service center. You may be better off going to a capable independent watchmaker you trust instead since I doubt it could get much worst. I think at least the watch returned to you could potentially be better or equal condition at the very least for a lesser cost in this scenario. OR, you could consider doing something about a similar situation yourself.
For me, and strictly talking mechanical and automatics, unless it's a Grand Seiko or a very high-end Seiko with an 8L movement such as a MM300 or one of those nice new SLA033 6105 reissues or a vintage model because those are particularly hard to find service parts for, I usually go into purchasing a "modern" Seiko with the intent of not ever sending it in for service. Why? The cost and time involved is simply not worth it.
First, I would see if I could do anything to remedy the situation and salvage the stock movement in the watch. Having a timegrapher and messing with the regulator and the lower lever that controls beat error may yield surprisingly sufficiently positive results. I had a broken 7S36 movement from a new SNZG13, a watch I believe you reviewed quite a while back, and looking on the internet and observing what I could on the watch's movement itself, I repaired the magic lever system that was preventing the watch from maintaining power or even getting any winding. Look up my semi-recent video I made of this fix on TH-cam, if curious. It's part of my current ongoing mod watch project using the SNZG13 as the base for a Flieger mod. Yes, this watch is considerably less expensive, but my point if there can be something done to fix a problem yourself in a Seiko watch, I'd try and do that first. I'd even take it to a watch with a 6R15 movement.. my rationale explained below.
If it still seems quite out of whack and nothing seems to work or not work to a satisfactory level, then I'd consider buying a new movement and swapping it out.
So, for about the same price as you standard service, you could buy your own 6R15 and do a complete movement swap to a brand new movement and you're done with a little time and personal labor which would be a hell of a lot shorter than your experience.. And, for about the same price, you are getting a brand new movement and not just a repaired/serviced movement. For a little less $$, I hear the equivalent NE15 movement is said to be maybe even a little better than the 6R15.
And, since the 6R15 is the most expensive and highest level of Seiko automatic movements before you basically jump into 8L territory, all the "lower" movements such as a 4R35/36 and 7S26 will cost even less and be even more worth your while to just buy a new movement and swap out the old one.
And, it probably wouldn't be too hard to brush finish the bracelet yourself, in the end, to get its appearance refreshed if you so desired.
Keep in mind, this is me and someone who has modded Seiko's and feels comfortable taking them apart and tinkering with them. But, even if you are new to entry to mid-level Seiko models, if you have a calm and clear head and dexterity to work on the internals of a watch, it's actually not that bad and hard to do. I feel Seiko movements are robust enough to handle even the most hamhanded of handlings.
The only thing that may be out of scope of self-servicing your Seiko at home is the water resistance test. Unless you also happen to own a decent water pressure tester, you may need or want to take your watch to get it pressure tested after it's been fixed. But, I'll be honest for myself, I rarely put my watches through enough rigorous aquatic activities to care too much about their water resistance. That being said, there are sufficient ways to do your own water resistance testing at home that will likely be more than enough to ensure it holds up against the most common watery situations up to at least casual swimming level.
Four months to wait for a service, and at premium prices equals simply unacceptable to me! Outrageous! Thank you for the very informative video, Jody. Seems to me to be a damn shame that we live in such a "throw-away" society these days. Thankfully I have a very good watch repair service that charges reasonable prices and I have never waited more than three weeks to get my serviced watches back. Love the Monty Python t-shirt, by the way! :)
I was fortunate enough to have my Seiko Kinetic Divers SKA761P1 seviced by Seiko in Bangkok. Amazing service all round. Got a new bezel,glass,capacitor,seals AND free strap polish for about THB2150 / about £45 back in 2015 and I got it back within 2 weeks.If you are going there for a holiday,drop it in on day 2!
Lesson: just buy a brand new movement. NH36 costs around 23 EUR. 6R wont be too much above there. Never understood servicing a Seiko with a basic movement.
Hiya Jody.If you have not already clocked " The Watch Repair Channel" it's very good and the watchmaker strips and repairs Seiko's,Rolex ,seagull etc.At least it gave me an insight that a Seiko for example took no longer to strip clean and oil than a Rolex! Cheers as usual.Len.
Len Powell that’s a great channel. I find his videos to be very relaxing
@@saevans63 Cheers,yes agree 100%. Smashing guy and have learned a lot.
My watchmaker told me he'll service my Seiko 5s for 20€ a piece, I live in Greece
Does he do send-ins? :)
nobody send seikos to be serviced or repaired by seiko , unless if u getting a Grand Seiko vintage or new or King Seiko from vintage era which needs special parts etc. just get your city's / town experience watch technician and they will be able to do it. With all your almost over 50 percent china/ gear best promotions , the more i am suspecting your are a China backed agent out to Smear America, Japan and West using Social media
@@woonfaseng8737 Stop repeating your crap
Well that's good... some places have watchmakers you know n such
Woon Fa Seng what the fuck are you talking about, you schizophrenic?
Well due to you I have finally joined the Seiko club to my collection Jody, but birth year vintage pieces. I have purchased a 1973 Seiko Pogue Pepsi with the 6139B movement & a 1973 Seiko Perpetual Calendar with a blue face using the 7019 movement if you would like to review them when they arrive.
Thanks for the story mate! Replacing instead of repairing is unfortunately the sad truth 😩 What a shame for such a heritage brand like Seiko, with one of the biggest, if not the biggest fanbase in the world, also selling watches with "save the ocean", where I think immediately of environmental protection - all just empty talk!?!?!
If I think of all the new editions of „very famous“ Seikos with the nowadays downgraded movement for significant higher prices and not to forget the countless "limited editions" - what the hell is Seiko thinking 😡 WHAT A SHAME
Heritage of cheap, good, disposable watches, really. They've gone downhill a whole lot on the inside in the last decades.
I had a great outcome. Purchased a 2022 Supercars SRPJ01k September 22 $699 AU the watch stopped working January 24 4-6 weeks for repair.
Then 10-15 weeks if you’re lucky. Option 1 wait for repair 2 have a new replacement 3 refund. 2 Replacement none left. Replaced with a Alpinist SPB121j retail $1200 for 699 arrived yesterday 4 weeks service 😊
My local watchmaker services my seikos for 15$, pretty much every watchmaker in Serbia charges 10 to 20$ for a service it's great.
If a service is $20, its not a service. No watchmaker worth his salt would strip down, clean, and reassemble a movement for that. He is probably blowing it out with canned air and then spraying the whole movement with WD40. lol
@@daletaylorjr.4786 Labour is cheap here plus there are loads of watchmaker so they always try and undercut the others.
Serbia is the best! Pozdravi!
I can’t get a decent service in UK for less than £80/$110.
I'm guessing that the wages in Serbia are rather low!!
Sorry to be so late to this video. Absolutely we need more of these types of videos. I am at the verge of giving up on any expensive watches because of the ridiculous problems and expenses I've had with them. I might as well buy a cheap automatic watch and if it has a problem in a few years just dump it in the trash. It's a shame but it is a very large hidden cost of expensive watches
Well, a few months back i bought an skx as my first automatic, and i guess it will be my last. While i appreciate automatics and nice watches, im wondering whats the point in bothering with all of those hassles if you can just buy a casio duro, wear it until it breaks and buy a new one for a fraction of the service cost. Its more accurate, lighter and doesnt need to be "shuffled" if i decide to wear another watch that day.
Typically automatic watches also have nicer cases and designs.
@@ElijsDima I agree. Watches have become a kind of jewelry for men, with the difference that this jewelry needs to be serviced every few years thus costing you a lot more than you bargained at first.
Wrong. Find a good watchmaker. I would charge $100 or less and he would've got the bracelet refinished like new and had it back in a month or less. Heck, probably would've thrown in a new crystal if needed and they were readily available. New gaskets. And it would be like a new watch. This experience is not representative of all watch repair shops.
Hi Jody. I have mostly Seiko watches, SKX 007, 013 & 011, SARB 033 & 017 and 2 Seiko 5s. I had the 033 serviced at a very reputable watch maker and he charged R1200 / A$83. Not bad if one compares that to the orginal price. My bigger SKXs are all begining modded with NH36 movements, signed crowns, saphire crystals, new dials and new straps. (Strapcode and Uncle Seiko) so I will service them till the cows come home. Thank you the really informative and varied content on you channel.
no, thanks to you doing this test; very useful and ... this is really important; it means that either you go extremely cheap and toss them away (somewhat favoring Chinese newcomers) or there aren't real inexpensive watches, unless one has access to the mythical friendly watchmaker.
I'm quit surprised they had to replace parts, I thought the result could be achieved regulating the old... or replacing the whole movement, that shouldn't be particularly expensive in itself and same for the transplant operation...
I would charge $100 or less and he would've got the bracelet refinished like new and had it back in a month or less. Heck, probably would've thrown in a new crystal if needed and they were readily available. New gaskets. And it would be like a new watch. This experience is not representative of all watch repair shops.
I got mine serviced where i live in saudi arabia. The service was great, it was quick.
Unlike yours it was polished for free after the balance broke from a bike crash (damaged case/bracelet). The service/repair cost about £40 total, so alot more reasonable.
Other time when the crown inexplicably ejected, he fixed it for free in 5 minutes. This was alongside a service for my dad’s skx, also not absurd pricing (multiple parts changed due to prior water).
Good day, I got a Seiko Ananta which is considered a high end Seiko, it looses time and I was advised to send to Seiko service center in Jeddah, do you recommend them ? Any scratches you got on the watch when sending? Kindly advise!
It makes quartz look that little bit more attractive yes?
Solar quartz even more.
I wonder how long solar quartz watches last? I have 2 citizen eco-drives, and im guessing they eventually have to be serviced too?
@@Wingwangization My two pulsar solar quartz watches are 19 years old and are still working great. Never had a battery change. I own 9 mechanical watches but the last watch I bought was a Citizen Eco-Drive chronograph. I think the trick to solar quartz battery longevity is to not let the battery discharge for long periods. always keep the battery charged as much as possible.
@@Wingwangization I have quite a few Eco-drives and they seem to need a new battery/capacitor at around 20 years (I got some used). Unfortunately they also often need a service, or at least a re-lube of the moving parts to run well at that time too. It can get expensive.
@@mountman5386 How much did it cost to service your eco-drives?
What parts did they use? To fix the timing, you just turn the adjustment knob, which should take like 5 minutes. And +5s a day should be well within what's possible.
Citizen eco drive and Casio G shock tough solar watches are virtually maintenance free.
If I'm not mistaken tough solar battery lasts 10 years, then you have to replace it?
@@navarrouk3487 That's right, I have rplaced at least a half dozen of them on my ecodrives and they are $70ea, and a couple of them are actually hard to find to boot. And they have a tab laser welded on them that makes it a real hassle to install a norman battery in a pinch (can be done).
I had a similar conversation with Citizen in Canada - thankfully my uncle put me on to his watchmaker who is very resourceful. He has NH / Mitoya donor movements for parts if sourcing a fresh one isn't your choice.
For the issues you were dealing with, they absolutely should have thrown in a polishing. Coming from behind the counter when I worked for an AD it wasn't uncommon that brands would do a little something, especially if issues in repair arose that blew out the length of time it took to repair. This just ensured the client would not doubt the brand and move someplace else. Too bad.
You should request it if you want it, some people think their scratches add character and/or repolishing detracts from value.
Great video, my brother found a well worn 7s26-0029 milasian auto at a yard sale, sent it to me for my birthday.
Keeps time pretty well, second hand skips a bit, but it seems just a bit slow, I am enjoying it tho.
Service costs that you mentioned kinda scares me tho. I'm not rich. He says he paid about $180 for it.
I think I'm just going to wear it, it's okay like I said it's pretty accurate, may loose a minute a day I think.
Thanks for the great videos I enjoy watching and learning.
Very interesting and informative video thank you. The service you revived in my opinion was abysmal. I live in the north of England and I use a Seiko approved watch maker in a town near were I live very reasonable prices £60 for a basic automatic service very lucky to have them. Thanks Jody.🙂
Hi. Would you be so kind as to share their details please?
Wow, I made pals with a great watch guy two blocks from my pad - A friend gave me a Seiko Turtle that he beat on, it needed links added the the bracelet. We hit it off and the bracelet was adjusted for me for free while Mike, his son and I had a good time getting to know one another. I pop in often now and dropped off two vintage family watches they're going to rebuild - Mike has adjusted several bracelets for free and once even adjusted the timing on my Turtle for free within a few minutes... I've since learned to do my own bracelets, bought some tools and am learning to do the straight forward stuff - I'll have Mike do a full service on my Turtle and when I do I plan to do a video on that including the cost.
Thanks for this
Hey Jody, really good video! What you did not really mention was the average to low amplidute of only 250 degrees after the service. A well serviced movement should at least have 270 to 290 degrees. So either they have done something wrong or there is another issue with a failing part in your watch. You should get a second opinion and possibly complain at the service center!
Good luck with your Sarb.
Vee Beem I find that all my recently- purchased Seikos run with amplitude in the 240/250 range. It just seems to be a trait.
The 6R15 has been discussed by other gurus
and been found to exit the factory with wildly differing standards of lubrication. Hence the common bad running of some of them from new.
It was good to hear that they communicated well at least
Woah! Good to know. Good video! Many people don't know how much does a service cost.
250$? Is close to buying a new one.
Cheers!
I learned this lesson recently. Have a Orient Mako. 8 years old. Nothing wrong with watch. Just thought after 8 years I should service it. Took to local watch service company. They said it would be $200 to service. Said they can’t reduce price because the time and effort to fully service the movement is same as servicing other higher priced watches. I originally bought my Mako for $100. So I didn’t service it and will throw it away whenever it starts malfunctioning. Won’t buy a mechanical watch under $300 - $500 now.
I own a few Seikos that are from vintage to most recent and they are all mechanical. All these years, I have taken really good care of them and have not encountered any problems with them. The cases are immaculate and the accuracy is quite within range. I guess I'm lucky not to encounter any problems because I'm very gentle with my watches. I never drop or bang them against anything.
My sarb 035 goes 2 minutes a day to fast, so he goes for repair to Koscom Hodinki in Prague. Repair costs me around 125 dolars and takes around 4 weeks. Great video, thank you.
What an absolute s#!t show. If Seiko was going to charge that much, and they had problems sourcing parts, then they should have just installed a brand new movement. Find a good independent watchmaker, folks, and keep them on retainer.
Thanks for posting! After watching this, I'd be tempted to DIY it and swap out the movement for a new one if the watch had any sentimental value, and sand the bracelet with 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper (with the grain of the brushing of course) to get rid of any scuff marks. Beyond that I'd be inclined to get something new altogether. Good excuse!
Find a local watchmaker with a little workshop. Will most likely have bits and pieces from old movements to fix easy stuff like this. Seiko taking the piss here.
No, that's you...
Deliver your car in for a service and we will look around our scraps to see what fits!
Watch movements are precision equipment and if I'm going to spend 4 hour's taking apart and servicing your watch then I'm not going to look in the bin for parts. If that's what you want then open it yourself and give it a spray of WD40
@@stephens2r338 does that really work ? the wd-40?
@@psilocybemusashi yes WD40 does work but only on Seiko. Remember to use lots of it. Swiss watches prefer cheese with holes in. Make sure its low fat though so that your watch doesn't put on too weight and begin to run slow.
There were no parts to wait for. Every part has a number and nomenclature. Until I see the actual part, then I'm calling BS on it.
@@ZommBleed No your not calling BS on it . Until a replacement parts arrives for example the main spring then you are in fact actually waiting for it.... As for the question of will they send it, that's a whole different story
I just had my Seiko SPB243 serviced. It was running about 30 seconds slow per day and still under warranty. It cost me $40 to mail it to them insured, but I got it back a week later and it is running about +1.5 seconds per day. The movement is a 6R35.
This is a great advertisement to buy quartz.
I love my autos, but it sure is nice to grab a solar quartz watch and see it ticking along at the correct time every time I pick one of them up!😍
Actually, my quartz Seiko from some years back was sent back to me broken after having its battery changed. Then there was a string of other issues thanks to the Seiko official servicing people. I'll never buy a Seiko again and certainly never a quartz.
@@alexjones4338 You had one defective watch and you'll never buy a quartz??? Sheesh! I have several of both, and quartz is vastly superior to any auto in every way.
@@varanid9 Quartz watches are boring. Mechanicals are not. Quartz watches depreciate in value. Well made mechanical watches appreciate. So to say quartz watches are better in every way is nonsense.
@@alexjones4338 we are talking about cheap watches here, value is irrelevant
Got about 10 Seiko's, never serviced any of them. Never needed to. Most people at this end of the food chain ( myself included), never even think about it. I've got a Tag and an Oris that I expect to service at some point but one of the off putting things about Swiss watches is exactly that; service cost. My Sinn is a bit slow but I rarely wear it to actually tell the time.
I had a green Seiko 5 with a dodgy bezel that I ended up doing myself (thanks TH-cam!), before that I simply didn't move the bezel.
Another point; even on the Sarb the bracelets are pretty crap (WTf is that jubilee thing that came with my Blue Moon?) so expecting the Seiko boutique to tart it up is a bit of a reach.
Great video and I hope all Seiko boutiques take note.
I should add, these are cheap Seiko watches, not Porsches. This is really basic stuff we're talking about here. A Spring Drive Grand Seiko needs to be seen be someone that knows what they are doing. But sending an SKX back to Seiko to have the 7S26 in there serviced is like taking your 1992 Toyota Corolla to the dealer and paying $200 for an oil change. That's idiotic. Swap in an NH36 instead (again, $50) and you're actually UPGRADING your SKX with hacking and handwinding.
David Kay You do have to buy an upgraded crown and stem for the SKX to run an NH36 with it, but even then, you’re still financially better off than getting the original 7S26 serviced.
Not really the same. They're both the same to service. I can do either for $100 or less and refinish the bracelet. Plus, a 7S26 I can swap in brand new for less than a service, which is what I usually do. Still a solid movement though.
I know you don't like #citizen but here in the UK, I put my #ny004 in for service, which I bought in 2003. Cost £130. Basically, they sent me a brand new one!! I was very pleased, especially as they've discontinued it. Great service.
Thanks for the great informative video Jody.
I would hate to send a automatic watch for a service here in my country to the dealer.
A skx007 here converted to USD costs $480 so imagine a service cost.
That's why I import all my watches, will be cheaper for me to just import a new movement than to service .
Cheers Jody
I have had my Seiko 5H26 7A19 for 34 years, never been serviced, still runs great. I just change the watch back gasket when I change the battery.
This may be your best video yet, Jody.
Thanks for your kind words! Cheers, Jody
Took my SKX to my AD to get my bezel insert replaced. Seiko quoted an astounding $275. I ordered a new original bezel with insert already installed from Long Island Watch for $60 and snapped it on the watch myself. Took less than a week to get it to Canada. I had several Seiko’s and sold them all except my 007 and 009.
i was gonna buy a Seiko .... but i'm having second thoughts
Me too.
Great video! I'm currently waiting for my Seiko SPB143 to be returned from Seiko Sydney..So far the wait time has been 6 weeks and was told on the phone today from the jewellery store that I bought it from That I'd most likely be waiting until August! " Certain parts " Needed from Japan.... I understand with Covid etc ..But that seems very exaggerated IMO. Very frustrating considering I love the watch!! Just hope a miracle happens soon and the wait time isn't as bad as predicted.
Going on 6 months and still waiting for my Marine Master 1000 from Seiko.
Ouch! That's gotta sting mate?!
I have sold over 50 of these watches from my webshop. SARB 035 and Sarb 033. Under warenty service time takes 4 - 7 weeks, because costomor gets a new watch. If not under warenty the servive is 7 - 12 weeks. But often a new movemt installed is cheaper than a repair. I sell Vostok-Europe watches. Service cost in in AU dollars about 270. Change to a whole new movement cost is about 230 AU dollars.
This makes me want to go quartz and not look back. I've got 3-4 autos in my possession including a 7S26 movement which has been on my wrist for 4 months. And whilst the 7S26 reputation is good, that starting price really hurts to look at. I'm genuinely thinking I might make my SNE498P1 (golden tuna) my daily wearer and stop the addiction whilst i'm ahead.
Jody, they sure now will know who you are!!! You Aussies are so proper! I would have shot a harsh letter to the importer's general manager after the first text delaying the repair. How long does it take to DHL a part from Japan to Sydney? Indifference and disregard for the customer. I guess that buffing and polishing would have cost more than the watch itself. Great video!
I'm a poor bastard. A Seiko 5 is just about my dream watch and apparently disposable according to Seiko...
I have a Seiko 5 that even after wearing all day and to sleep has no reserve..can wake up to a dead watch. Learned to just do the seiko shake before bedtime..for 54 bucs still love it.
Seiko 5 is way better that the fancy Seikos, at least they got the size right.
My 6r15 was running 30s slow after 3 months, returned it under warranty and now its plus 1s a day, very happy with it.
It would be interesting to compare this to a Swiss watch service. Have you got any that need one?
I guarantee the cost would be just as shocking if not more so. Seems Jody had a particularly bad time with this dealer boutique. But he could have chosen any of his watches and sent to manufacturer dealer repair and it would have been a rip off
Hello Jody, I work for a watchmaker and yes you’re right that it will be pricier if you bring it to the official dealers. However, servicing a watch is still a costly endeavor. I’ve seen seiko 5s come into my shop and have a service cost larger than the worth of the watch. What it comes down to when you’re servicing these budget watches is... how much does it mean to you? In terms of turn around time, assuming the watch does not need new parts, we usually get it done in a week or two. Truly a ridiculous experience in terms of wait time from seiko especially when they own everything they’ll ever need for repair. We at the very least clean the bracelet in the ultrasonic, clean the case, and of course re seal the watch. Watchmaking is a dying art and the age of planned obsolescence isn’t helping so to those out there reading. Consider going to your local watchmaker for servicing. It really helps them out even if you may not get the discount you were hoping for.
Super sad behaviour of seiko and stupid prices.
Thank you for info, if i will have problems with seikos, going to non seiko watchmaker.
This was a very thought provoking video for me as just a low end watch hobbyist. Makes a lot of sense to either consider saving for a more expensive/worth servicing automatic vs buying a couple hundred dollar disposable. Cheaper to keep a quartz working from a practical point of view anyway.
Great review.
Anyone have an idea on servicing an ETA2824 or equivalent (eg Selitta, etc)?
I service them. No different than a Seiko Auto as far as the principle goes.
I bought a Seiko 5 and a SARB033 in 2018. I recently had to have both serviced in 2020. The Seiko 5 was running 4 mins fast per day and the SARB was 3 mins slow per day. Six weeks later and $400 USD poorer, I have two Seikos that run about +8 secs per day. I had considered upgrading the 7S26 movement to an NH36 movement, but I didn't want to take a chance as this Seiko 5 is no longer in production. Also, the movements I saw online looked very cheap and I wouldn't want to see them through the display caseback. Even though it was more than I was expecting to pay, I think I'm happy overall.