# Seiko 7s26



## pcn1 (Jul 10, 2004)

As I have had some good advise on the swiss watch forum I thought I'd ask a question here. Bought a seiko 200m divers about 6 weeks ago, its my first auto and the watch I wear all day at work and swimming etc. It has the 7s26 calibre. I was surprised when the instruction's said it was likley to run +/- 25 sec a day and gain 2 mins per week.

Well they were not wrong ! Its gaining 2 to 3 mins per week, is that OK ? will it settle down, or should I return it under warrenty ?

Thanks


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

That is more than the spec., so you could return it to be regulated.

They can be easily regulated, and many here know I've done this myself to several of my own 7s26 powered watches, with no small measure of success. I have got two running at + 2 s per day, with not a great deal of tweaking; but as always, the advice is not to attempt this yoursef unless you are really sure and confident in what to do for success. I wouldn't like more than 6 or 7 s per day, and only as a gain, and not a loss. Get it regulated to better, as the movement is well capable of running more accurately. It is a very robust and reliable movement, with the Diashock system doing a comparable job to Incabloc, if not as well finished off in manufacture!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Griff said:


> if not as well finished off in manufacture!










don't lead pcn1 (have you a real name?) astray Griff. The 7s26 is just as well made as an eta from what my eyes can see.

I had the good fortune to have one running at +2 secs straight out of the box. But don't get hung up about drift, that's the joy of mechanical watches. I like to run by two rules. Better that 30 seconds a day is good enough, better than 10 seconds a day is fantastic.

20 seconds gain a day will equal to 2 mins 20 secs per week about average really. If you want bang on accuracy get a good quality quartz. As griff says they can be regulated much finer but don't do it yourself unless you are certain of what you are doing.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

I'm *not* leading anyone astray, and I have a very healthy respect for the 7s26's, and am a recent fan about Seiko's in general, as several will know; but the fact is that the movement is *not* as well finished off as an ETA 2824-2 e.g. Pg, and we've had all this out in the past, so there is no need for.............


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

pcn1 said:


> It has the 7s26 calibre. I was surprised when the instruction's said it was likley to run +/- 25 sec a day and gain 2 mins per week.
> 
> Well they were not wrong !Â Its gaining 2 to 3 mins per week,Â is that OK ? will it settle down,Â or should I return it under warrenty ?Â
> 
> Thanks


It is normal for these to gain time when new.

It may settle down a little.

I would not advise anyone to regulate this type of watch or any watch still under warranty themselves.

Your watch is water resistant and this will have to be re-pressure tested if the back is removed.

If it were purchased from me then I would do this for you.

I do usually check and regulate all the watches that I sell even new ones.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Alright Griff keep your hair on! They are both mass produced to a very high standard. When I get the loupe out and look at them they both look as good as each other IMHO. My seiko's keep just as good time as my eta's that's all that matters to me really.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Roy said:


> It is normal for these to gain time when new.
> 
> It may settle down a little.


 That's interesting Roy









Does that go for other new movements as well, I had heard it said (somewhere) that a 2824-2 also has a settling in period.

If a movement does take some time to settle in do they atke this into account when regulating it in the factory?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

From reading discussions on other forums (there, Ive admitted it.... sorry!!) I think most watches have a 'settling in period' ......

Jason


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

All the ETA movements that I buy come running 20 secs a day fast from he factory.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Roy said:


> All the ETA movements that I buy come running 20 secs a day fast from he factory.


 Why ... do they slow down with time ... I dont understand


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

They dont









They are set to be 20 seconds fast to try to compensate for climate and other variations. They are guessing that 20 seconds will cover most situations.

When a watch is worn it is never at full wind all the time.

Every watch will have slightly different timekeeping depending on the wearer, climate etc.

A basic movement is not adjusted for heat, cold ischonism etc.

So a watch sold in England will not keep the exact same time in the USA.

I think that there is an obsesion these days with accuracy.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Thanks for the explanation ... I think I understand


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

JoT said:


> Thanks for the explanation ... I think I understand


 No worries John, I'm only guessing.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Roy said:


> I think that there is an obsesion these days with accuracy.


 Too true, Roy. Don't understand it myself.

If I wanted pin point accuracy 247, I wouldn't buy mechanical watches. Period.

Cheers

Paul


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Roy said:


> I think that there is an obsesion these days with accuracy.


 Its YOUR FAULT for selling me a radio controlled watch


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

> I think that there is an obsesion these days with accuracy.


I have one of those, and so does Griff!

I think you can get tablets for it


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

Maybe we are thinking of accuracy as quality.

But when you own a few watches, it really doesn't matter as after a few days it is in the box and something else is on.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

DavidH said:


> I think you can get tablets for it


 I think your getting confused....that's a battery for your Quartz watch


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

I think I have told the story before of a watch I had in for servicing.

The customer wanted it to gain a minute a day because it always had since new and he did not wish to "spoil" the timekeeping.


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

...come to think of it, did it say seroxat or renata on the blister pack?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I wound up an old vostok this morning (man wind screw down crown







) set it roughly right and slapped it on the wrist. Just checked it and low and behold it's still roughly right!







I don't know if it's gained or lost anything at all and I really don't care. If I have to be somewhere or do something at an exact time of day then I'll take more notice. today has been a day off so I've been on PG time.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Im the same Paul....dont really care to the point of a few mins here or there....







I probably swap watches every 5-7 days so always need to set the time on the 'new' ones....Im having a Chronomat GMT phase at the moment...









Jason


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

jasonm said:


> Im the same Paul....dont really care to the point of a few mins here or there....










a few minutes here or there
















I am going to have to wind up and set all my watches to exactly the right time to purge myself .... a few minutes here or there .... panic .... I need to lie down


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

CWC G10.


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## Sargon (Feb 24, 2003)

Not to mention a very rough looking Poljot Aviator I have that runs 1 second a day. Even those ugly Timex movements are capable of god timekeeping.


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## pcn1 (Jul 10, 2004)

OK then. I will wear the watch for a while longer and check its performance. If it goes more than a couple of mins out I'll contact Seiko.

Having had cheap Quartz watches all my life I new auto's would take getting used to. I guess I bought this so I could see if auto's suit me before I get an expensive Omega......

Paul

I'll contine this on the swiss forum.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Paul,

I'm with PG on this issue.

If a mechanical watch is consistently less than +/- 30 seconds a day it is a good one. If such a watch is less than +/- 15 seconds a day it is a very good one. Consistency is very important in a watch, we can cope with most things but not inconsistency.

Any mechanical watch that can remain in time to +/- 5 seconds a day and do that in normal use at all temperatures and for many years, it is an outstanding piece of equipment in my estimation.

Even if it says Miyota on the rotor.


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Roy said:


> So a watch sold in England will not keep the exact same time in the USA.
> 
> I think that there is an obsesion these days with accuracy.


 All my RLT purchased watches seem very accurate. I think Roy must look at the long term weather forecast for Sheffield and adjust accordingly







.

You're a fine one to be lecturing on accuracy obsession Mr. Taylor







.


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

raketakat said:


> You're a fine one to be lecturing on accuracy obsession Mr. Taylor
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

If you pay extra for a chronometer rated watch, and the watch timekeeping spec. is -2/+6 s per day, you damn well expect it to run within that. Yes, I do have a keeness on accuracy to within the movements capability, and I see that not as an obsession, but part of my hobby and interest, and getting a mechanical to run at it's best timekeeping. That's part of my enthusiasm for watches.

If some of you are less enthusiastic on this matter of the accuracy then that's a matter for you, but I enjoy getting my watches running within spec., and it really pleases me to get a 7s26 or 2824 to within 2 s + per day!!









I wouldn't have been happy with the DN running at 15 s per day, nor a 2824 or 2836, as these are capable of chronometer spec. All mine run within -2/+ 6 s per day, except some of the older vintage watches I have. If someone wants a watch to run 5 minutes fast per day for a preferred reason, that's fine, but that wouldn't do for me. I agree about the important consistancy point, and particularly in different positions. All this shouldn't be confused with any idea of trying to make a mechanical as accurate as a quartz. It is not about that at all, but simply the pleasure of getting the best from a fantastic mechanical marvel!!









*ENJOY*


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

raketakat said:


> long term weather forecast for Sheffield


 Anyone can do that, Wet and cold!


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

This is not an original observation, but relevant: it's all about consistency and variation really Paul.

Quartz watch accuracy is generally only affected by temperature and battery performance. So if your quartz watch watch is "off" by say +0.5 seconds a day, then you can generally predict that it will be off by the same amount each day. So in 120 days, it will have gained 60 seconds. This is consistency.

But the same is not true for a mechanical watch. Mechanical accuracy is affected by many things; how often you wear them, which way you leave them when not wearing them etc., etc. If your COSC rated mechanical was at the upper end of its expected rating for a well set up and run in watch, you might reasonably expect around 3 seconds per day gain. But after 120 days it probably would not be 6 minutes fast. It might be up to 8.3 minutes fast or 5.5 minutes slow (+6/-4). More often than not, it would probably be somewhere in between. This is variation.

In all probability and over an extended period of time, it may well end up closer to the set time than the quartz watch will be.


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## chrisb (Feb 26, 2003)

ESL said:


> This is not an original observation, but relevant: it's all about consistency and variation really Paul.................................................................................................................................
> 
> In all probability and over an extended period of time, it may well end up closer to the set time than the quartz watch will be.


Very true George, but it would be a truly marvellous mechanical to be more accurate than the Skyhawk you sold me









....who needs radio controlled


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

ESL said:


> This is not an original observation, but relevant: it's all about consistency and variation really Paul.
> 
> Quartz watch accuracy is generally only affected by temperature and battery performance. So if your quartz watch watch is "off" by say +0.5 seconds a day, then you can generally predict that it will be off by the same amount each day. So in 120 days, it will have gained 60 seconds. This is consistency.
> 
> ...


I'm confident my SMP would be a constant 3 s + per day, and consistently so for 120 days!


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

chrisb said:


> Very true George, but it would be a truly marvellous mechanical to be more accurate than the Skyhawk you sold me
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Chris,

Is that Skyhawk still on time














?

Perhaps it's made by Carlsberg


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

pg tips said:


> raketakat said:
> 
> 
> > long term weather forecast for Sheffield
> ...


 Same as Brid with no sea frets. No wonder my watches are so accurate







.


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## chrisb (Feb 26, 2003)

ESL said:


> chrisb said:
> 
> 
> > Very true George, but it would be a truly marvellous mechanical to be more accurate than the Skyhawk you sold me
> ...


George,

1 Yes...bang on









2 Probably


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