cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
19302
My Seiko Service Saga
I'm reporting back on my experience with Seiko Service Centers in the US and Japan. This is by no means a survey, just a note about 2 watches I decided to send in for service rather than tackle myself.
One of my servicing weaknesses is removing and replacing hands; the other is inability to readily obtain parts for older watches. Since these two chronographs have a total of 16 hands and 52 years between them, I didn't relish the idea of working on them beyond the usual clean-up, battery replace, etc.
THE 9T82
9T82 Sportura Kinetic Chronograph report with details and photos Click the link to view.
Needs a new Titanium lithium ion rechargeable battery/storage cell. Not only are those rare as hen's teeth, they are fitted into the middle of the mecha-quartz movement. This watch is hand-built by the folks who run the GS & Credor Micro-Arts studio, and it's the only manually-assembled Seiko chronograph. Of course it was expensive ~ $2500-3000+ in 1998.
The only image I have found that shows the whole movement disassembled is here, from a Turkish website. I am not interested in tearing it down myself.
THE 7T59
7T59 1/100th Second Quartz Chronograph with details and photos. Click the link to view.
I think you can see from this diagram that the movement in the 7T59 is not your average quartz watch.
So off they went to Mahwah New Jersey in late March this year. I already had an idea of the service prices - about $200 for the 7T59 and (including a coach class air ticket R/T to Tokyo) about $900 for the 9T82. Within 24 hours of receipt at their end, April 1, I got a quote and approved the service.
Fast forward 60 days and I was surprised to get an email saying my 7T59 was ready to come home, and to look out for the USPS (mail man). A couple days later another email arrived, saying the 9T82 would be arriving courtesy of UPS, so keep tabs on the big brown truck coming to your house requiring signature.
Both arrived as described, in stout boxes with security tape. In fact, the 9T82 was in a Seiko foam-filled box, inside a sealed box, inside a sealed box.
TIMELINESS
I give them high marks for virtually instant estimation and feedback about arrival at the service center, and for decent turnaround time, esp given the state of our countries during this time. Sixty days seems reasonable for a complete rebuild / service.
THOUGHTFULNESS
Both watches arrived set to the proper date and time, in my time zone.
FUNCTION
Both of the watches seem to work properly, as much as I can tell thus far. The pushers work smoothly, the crowns screw out and in well, the hands don't touch each other, etc.
APPEARANCE
The 9T82 small chrono hands were replaced. At first the color appeared a bit brighter than I remembered. Here is a photo from 2007
a photo from 2016
and one from today, in 2021. They all look about the same to me. The case and bracelet look about the same as before; perhaps a little cleaner but the minor scratches are still there.
The 7T59's main hands were replaced. I can't tell if the little ones were as well. I wore the watch for a couple days before I noticed the small black dot between 8 and 9 on the dial. I guess I was so happy watching the 1/100th of a second hand spinning that I completely failed to see the spot. Alternatively, it could have been up under the chapter ring, or floating somewhere within the watch case, and it landed for this photo.
In any event, I removed the back, lifted out the movement, cleaned it off, and replaced everything. Here's how it looks right now. The minor scratch on the glass is still visible at some angles (over the date window) but the speck is gone. The case and bracelet look pretty good, in fact, better than I remember them being when I sent the watch.
Almost pristine. This watch is from 1992!
I have to take off a few points for the annoyance of a foreign body on the dial, but otherwise I am very happy that these "too old to service" Seikos were quickly, completely serviceable in a reasonable amount of time. The cost for the 9T82 was higher than I wanted, but then this is its first service in my 18 years of ownership of this watch.
I hope you enjoyed the report.
Cazalea
My Seiko Service Saga
I'm reporting back on my experience with Seiko Service Centers in the US and Japan. This is by no means a survey, just a note about 2 watches I decided to send in for service rather than tackle myself. One of my servicing weaknesses is removing and replac...