Automatic watch questions

Jedi Knife

Jedi Knife

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May 6, 1999
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OK, I got interested in this from another watch thread. What type of accuracy can I expect from the SK007 Seiko diver's watch, if I ordered it from a dealer who checks it for accuracy? Also, does this watch have any "standby" power; i.e. can it sit for several hours and still keep time? As you can probably guess, I am new to automatic watches but I'm developing a serious interest in them. Thanks for any help!

JK
 
Almost all Seikos have a tendency to run fast out of the box. In my experience about +10 to +15 a day fast. Seikos are not COSC certified, so I wouldn't expect much better than +6 to +8 once they settle down.

A Seiko should have a power reserve of a couple of days if fully wound and not worn.
 
I have an automatic watch, it's not a Seiko but an Orient. They use very similar mouvements. The precision is not bad, just don't expect a quartz watch precision. Mine gets a 5 to 10 minutes correction once a month but I don't care.
As for the power reserve, the indicator says 40 hours, I tested it and it stopped after 43 hours. I don't know if this is a standard. It is not a high end watch and I think most automatic watches shoud do about the same thing or more. I hope it helps.
 
I believe the Seiko automatic movements are manufactured by Citizen, so it should have a 40 hour power reserve. Keep in mind that if you aren't active during the day (certain occupations, elderly, sick/disabled, etc.) the actual power reserve could be 8 hours or less. Also, an automatic watch will generally be more accurate when it is close to fully charged.

By the way, with today's automatics the COSC certification is not very hard to meet. Many brands forgo it to cut costs, but their watches will be just as accurate. My Limes for instance is not COSC certified, but after its first two months it was only off by about 30 sec. Good enough for me! ;)
 
This sounds good. After seeing that nice looking custom Seiko in the other thread I'll probably be getting one. Thanks, and if anyone else has anything else to add, it would be quite welcome.

JK
 
Good Evening All-

Jedi Knife, you may wish to visit the Seiko Forum at TimeZone to take a look at more images of the automatic watch you're considering. Any of the topics marked with a "camera" icon contains photos...

As seen in the other thread, there are advantages and disadvantages to every choice in life...so watches are no different. What I know you will find is that an automatic watch has a "heartbeat" that can't be denied. It is not an appliance, you will treasure it.

As mentioned by other posters, the power-reserve typically runs between 36 and 44 hours depending on make and model. There are a few high-end automatics that can actually go 190 hours on a full-wind.

There are lots of great (but not well-known) watches to be had on the market. Fortis, Oris, Sinn, and Limes are all excellent mechanical watches that come to mind when I think of timepieces with a reliable, military bearing.

Have fun visiting the different sites and chatting with people. You'll find that "watch people" are very often "knife people, firearm people, pen people, and automobile people." The theory is that the interest in mechanics is the common trait. There is a section on the Limes site called "Why Mechanical?" that you'll likely find interesting as a newcomer to the hobby.

Regards,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I agree with BobHWD's numbers for the Seiko autos. I've had a SKX173 model for a couple of months now and it is running about +10 seconds/day (was +15 to +20 out of box). As far as reserve power, I've left mine off over weekends (roughly 50 hours) and the watch was still running on Monday morning.

For what you pay they are great watches.
 
I agree with BobHWD's numbers for the Seiko autos. I've had a SKX173 model for a couple of months now and it is running about +10 seconds/day (was +15 to +20 out of box). As far as reserve power, I've left mine off over weekends (roughly 50 hours) and the watch was still running on Monday morning.

For what you pay they are great watches.
Click to expand...

The SKX173 seems to be the closest thing I can find here in the United States to the SK007 models that MkII is offering. I wonder if the SK007 models are discontinued? Also, you said that "out of the box", your watch was running 15 to 20 seconds fast but now it is down to +10 seconds- did you have to send it somewhere to get it adjusted?

There is a section on the Limes site called "Why Mechanical?" that you'll likely find interesting as a newcomer to the hobby.

Regards,

~ Blue Jays ~
Click to expand...

Thanks, Blue Jays. That was interesting reading!


JK
 
Originally posted by Jedi Knife
The SKX173 seems to be the closest thing I can find here in the United States to the SK007 models that MkII is offering. I wonder if the SK007 models are discontinued? Also, you said that "out of the box", your watch was running 15 to 20 seconds fast but now it is down to +10 seconds- did you have to send it somewhere to get it adjusted?

JK
Click to expand...

JK,

They have a tendency to "calm down" and regulate time more accurately after several months of use. No adjustments.

I think the SKX173 uses the same movement as the 007 (7S26) but the movement is made in Singapore (as opposed to Japan for the movement in the 007) and the 173 is marketed exclusively in the U.S. (also comes with a 3 yr warranty).

I'm not sure if there are any real differences between the Singapore and Japan movements. You can probably find that out and if the 007s were discontinued over at www.timezone.com (warning: watches are as addictive as knives ;) )
 
I'm not sure if there are any real differences between the Singapore and Japan movements. You can probably find that out and if the 007s were discontinued over at www.timezone.com (warning: watches are as addictive as knives )
Click to expand...

Thanks for the follow up, DB1. I know what you mean about the watch addiction thing, and I'm getting there. Those great pictures really make it worse as well. Fortunately, a lot of watches are prohibitively expensive (for me anyway). I've never had an "automatic" watch, though I've looked at them over the years, so if I can find a nice looking one that's not too expensive, I'm going to try one after I get as much info as possible.

JK
 
has an automatic ETA 2824-2 movement. The watch is not COSC certificated. Initially, the watch would just rocket away and sometimes land at +25 secs/day.

However, after approximately 2 months, the watch settled down. The current drift is +2,5 secs/day.

~Paul~
 
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