Seiko SKX007: Watch runs too fast...

[Ojai Diver]

Not familiar with this watch, but I am confident that either Seiko or a good watchmaker could correct this, and easily.

Don't let anybody tell you need a quartz watch for accurate timekeeping. Is it new? Is it under warranty? I agree that watchuseek.com could offer recommendations of good repair places in your area, covered under warranty or not.

 

[tep]

Warning: minor watch geekery ahead... you've been warned...

TL;DR - your watch is a classic, and it's in spec, it's a perfectly serviceable model, a good watch shop can probably regulate it to 2-5 min a month at best. There's a video at the end that shows the regulation process.

The SKX007 is a very popular and quite serviceable dive watch. Its movement (7s26) came out in 1996, and it is a workhorse, originally powering the original Orange Monster, which many consider a classic.

There's a very nice review of this watch here: Seiko SKX007 Watch Review

This movement is manufactured in mostly automated factories, and I'm pretty sure that it is not "regulated" by a person before being put into the watch. In other words, they are relying on the high quality manufacturing process for the movement to be "mostly right" when it is manufactured to spec, and the calibration is in the mid point.

From this site, you can see that the spec is -20/+40 sec/day, which is definitely an entry level spec. That should be the manufacturing variability, not the drift you would see after the watch is regulated. Any given watch will be off by up to those amounts, consistently. That is any given movement will usually consistently be off about the same amount of time, within that spec. The movement is consistent, it most likely just needs to be properly adjusted. +40s/day is up to 20 min fast over 30 days, if I'm doing math.

WatchOtaku

Since your watch is running consistently fast, and almost always by about the same amount, having it regulated by a watch service should bring that well down into 2-5 min per month. That's probably the limit of that movement, I'm guessing. The movement is "consistent", the balance wheel adjustment is just too fast, which is what regulation fixes.

That said, my rule is to never buy a watch that costs more than a week's worth of vacation diving The same goes for almost any single piece of dive gear. YMMV.

Think of it as the difference between that very modern, very serviceable, but entry-range regulator, like maybe an Apex AT20 at $400 or so, and that vintage Calypso or a Scubapro mk25t evo s620 X Ti for $2500. Some people want (or actually need) that high end reg (or rebreather) for the kinds of diving they do. Some don't. Same with watches.

Personally, I'm an entry or slightly higher level watch person, I have 5 dive watches. All but one would be considered entry level, or "tool watches". They all get the job done.

One watch is automatic, 3 are battery quartz and one solar quartz. The automatics are a testament to the art of watchmaking, but they will never be as reliable or accurate as a quartz. Adding in solar, such as the Citizen ECO-Drive or Seiko Solar Diver, and you have a watch that will be accurate to within seconds per year and never have to be opened to change the battery.

But it's not a 1958 Porsche 356, or a 69 Chevelle SS. It's a very nice Camry or Mazda 6.

The actual info on how to regulate a watch starts at about the 6 min mark.


Sorry, I was channeling my inner engineer there for a bit.

 

[TrimixToo]

I have one of these. It mostly just sits, because it keeps time poorly and floods if used for diving. After the third flood repair I stopped taking it under water. Before the first flood it kept time quite well, and it was 3-4 years old when it first flooded. It has always been repaired by Seiko in Mahwah.

I have another Seiko with a quartz movement that rarely needs to be touched other than at the end of a month with fewer than 31 days in it. I wear it nearly every day I wear a watch at all.

YMMV, but if I wanted an actual dive watch again (unlikely), I would look at other watches and not the
SKX007.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I used that degaussing gadget on my watch three days in a row. It’s still showing as magnetized, but it seems to have slowed down considerably.

I reset the watch 12 hours ago and it’s within 10 seconds of where it should be at the moment. I’m curious to see where it is a week from now.

 

[Outbound]

Sorry if someone else covered this already, but...

I have the SKX011, which is the orange face version of the classic SKX007. The 7s26 movement has a reputation as a solid workhorse, but it is also one that does not keep time as precisely as some of the more expensive automatics (not to mention any quartz movement). I believe the spec is +/-30 seconds per day. Mine runs around 20 seconds per day fast. I like the watch for its looks and that's why I keep it in my rotation. But overall I prefer my Prospex SSC021 with its solar quartz movement for its precise timekeeping.

 

[CT Sean]

I used that degaussing gadget on my watch three days in a row. It’s still showing as magnetized, but it seems to have slowed down considerably.

I reset the watch 12 hours ago and it’s within 10 seconds of where it should be at the moment. I’m curious to see where it is a week from now.

Is this the same gadget you bought at Home Depot? If so, that's probably why it's still magnetized. Given the device that people use in their "how to demagnetize watch", it's probably not doing anything - particularly since one side demagnetizes and the other magnetizes. I would think any watch service place around you should be able to properly demagnetize it for you. If accuracy is still not ideal (but precision is good) then they can probably regulate it as well. a Watch that consistently runs +20 a day should be able to be regulated quite nicely.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Is this the same gadget you bought at Home Depot? If so, that's probably why it's still magnetized. Given the device that people use in their "how to demagnetize watch", it's probably not doing anything - particularly since one side demagnetizes and the other magnetizes. I would think any watch service place around you should be able to properly demagnetize it for you. If accuracy is still not ideal (but precision is good) then they can probably regulate it as well. a Watch that consistently runs +20 a day should be able to be regulated quite nicely.

No. I should have been more clear. I meant that I thought the blue degaussing gadget that plugs into a 110v outlet fixed it.

It’s still running fast and I still have to adjust the time every couple of days to make it a relevant timepiece.

The only watch shop in town appears to have closed down. I just swapped it out for the Citizen until I can get it to a shop to look at it.

I much prefer the Seiko (aesthetics wise), but in its current state...it’s pretty much useless as a timepiece (unless you enjoy syncing the time on pretty much a daily basis).

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Seiko is up front about the expected accuracy of watches with the 7S26 movement and your watch appears to be falling within expectations. Somehow it seems unlikely that Seiko is going to do a warranty repair on a watch that is performing to specification. If you want more accuracy and don’t want to spend much go buy a quartz watch. Or go get mechanical watch with a better movement like a Seiko 6R15 or Swiss diver with a ETA 2824 or Selita. The SKX007 is great watch at it’s price point. Spending time to set it once or twice a week is a feature and not a bug.

 

[CT Sean]

gotcha - a minute fast after 3 days would be quite a nuisance. You might want to try different positions when you take it off at night (if you do).

This is actually a guide for Rolexes (not mine, stolen from elsewhere), but maybe it'll work on a Seiko as well

 

[muzikbiz22]

Seiko is up front about the expected accuracy of watches with the 7S26 movement and your watch appears to be falling within expectations. Somehow it seems unlikely that Seiko is going to do a warranty repair on a watch that is performing to specification. If you want more accuracy and don’t want to spend much go buy a quartz watch. Or go get mechanical watch with a better movement like a Seiko 6R15 or Swiss diver with a ETA 2824 or Selita. The SKX007 is great watch at it’s price point. Spending time to set it once or twice a week is a feature and not a bug.

Well stated. I have both 7S26 and several ETA2826-2 in my arsenal. My 2 favorite movements, even over my Rolex. Even the 2826 can "stray".