Seiko 5 losing time
Discussion
Hi folks,
Been wearing a Seiko 5 for a couple of years now and love it. It's always kept time very well and only needed a slight adjustment every month or so. The last week or so, however, it's been losing a lot of time, sometimes 10 mins in a day, so much so as I've had to stop wearing it as I was being late for things!
Given that it cost £50 and a repair would probably be at least that, anything I can do?
Been wearing a Seiko 5 for a couple of years now and love it. It's always kept time very well and only needed a slight adjustment every month or so. The last week or so, however, it's been losing a lot of time, sometimes 10 mins in a day, so much so as I've had to stop wearing it as I was being late for things!
Given that it cost £50 and a repair would probably be at least that, anything I can do?
By "sometimes as much as 10 minutes" does that mean the loss is quite variable from day to day?
If so then by far the most likely cause us a slipping cannon pinion. The CP is a clutch between the movement "proper" and the hand / date works under the dial. It's needed so the hands can be turned for setting without trying to turn all the wheels in the movement (which would be impossible and would break things if you tried).
If it becomes loose then the movement will carry on running as it should but the hands get left behind - a bit like trying to drive uphill with a worn out clutch in your car. Two checks to help confirm that are : does the hand setting feel "lighter" than it used to? And does a sudden loss happen overnight (changing the date puts more load on the CP)?
If it is the CP then it sounds like an postage +RBL donation job to me
If so then by far the most likely cause us a slipping cannon pinion. The CP is a clutch between the movement "proper" and the hand / date works under the dial. It's needed so the hands can be turned for setting without trying to turn all the wheels in the movement (which would be impossible and would break things if you tried).
If it becomes loose then the movement will carry on running as it should but the hands get left behind - a bit like trying to drive uphill with a worn out clutch in your car. Two checks to help confirm that are : does the hand setting feel "lighter" than it used to? And does a sudden loss happen overnight (changing the date puts more load on the CP)?
If it is the CP then it sounds like an postage +RBL donation job to me
Not banged it on anything. It just started losing time a week or so ago. It'll be fine for a couple of hours and then it will suddenly lose a couple of minutes. I don't know if it is stopping or running slowly for a bit. Seems fine when I look at it, just wrong! It is my everyday watch but I don't do anything manual where it gets abused, always take it off for washing up/showers etc. Put it on at 9.35 this morning and set it. It is currently reading 1305 while my tablet is saying 1307...
Havent't notice the symptoms you mentioned Variomatic, there is resistance when changing the time and I notice the time loss changes throughout the day so not when the date changes...
Good call on Timpsons, although a quick google brings up some horror stories...
Variomatic, how would I go about sending it to you for a service? I also have a Tissot PRC200 which has a flat battery but was going through them like they were going out of fashion and has stopped keeping very good time if I recall correctly (it was a few years ago and has been sitting in a drawer ever since
)
Havent't notice the symptoms you mentioned Variomatic, there is resistance when changing the time and I notice the time loss changes throughout the day so not when the date changes...
Good call on Timpsons, although a quick google brings up some horror stories...
Variomatic, how would I go about sending it to you for a service? I also have a Tissot PRC200 which has a flat battery but was going through them like they were going out of fashion and has stopped keeping very good time if I recall correctly (it was a few years ago and has been sitting in a drawer ever since
)
NiceCupOfTea said:
Variomatic, how would I go about sending it to you for a service? I also have a Tissot PRC200 which has a flat battery but was going through them like they were going out of fashion and has stopped keeping very good time if I recall correctly (it was a few years ago and has been sitting in a drawer ever since )
Check his profile. )
NiceCupOfTea][... said:
It'll be fine for a couple of hours and then it will suddenly lose a couple of minutes. I don't know if it is stopping or running slowly for a bit. Seems fine when I look at it, just wrong! It is my everyday watch but I don't do anything manual where it gets abused, always take it off for washing up/showers etc. Put it on at 9.35 this morning and set it. It is currently reading 1305 while my tablet is saying 1307...
Havent't notice the symptoms you mentioned Variomatic, there is resistance when changing the time and I notice the time loss changes throughout the day so not when the date changes...
[...]
If it's losing in "bursts" like that then it's almost certainly either stopping intermittently or it's the CP. With stopping it'd be unlikely for it to be running every morning when you pick it up because, if it stops while you're not wearing it, it won't start again until it gets disturbed somehow.Havent't notice the symptoms you mentioned Variomatic, there is resistance when changing the time and I notice the time loss changes throughout the day so not when the date changes...
[...]
If it's only a minute or two at a time then it's more likely to be the CP being right on the edge (the point where you first notice a slipping clutch on hard acceleration but before you find yourself going nowhere with smoke streaming from the bellhousing!)
With the PRC200 it's probably a case of replacing the movement complete unless it's one of the really early ones. Cost obviously depends on whether it's chrono or straight timepiece but shouldn't be too scary either way if you like the watch.
Oh, and you have contact details mail
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff