# Seconds Misalignment Hand



## Boojak (Dec 25, 2010)

Hi, I purchased a Citizen Gents Calibre 8700 (Gold/Diamond - BL8042-54e) watch from a UK online store (thewatchhut) about a few days ago.

The watch arrived two days later. Looks brand new and all, but there's an issue that I've immediately noticed from the watch. The seconds hand on the watch appears to be misaligned and that it is not hitting its mark on the minute markers on each tick. Instead, the seconds hand is off and it is hitting halfway between each and every minute marker on each tick.

Upon some more inspection, the second hand seems to be pretty consistently pointing just behind the second marks - for example, at 12 the right hand edge of the second hand is lined up with the left hand edge of the mark on the chapter ring. This alignment looks pretty consistent - the second hand always trails the marks by the width of one mark. In other words, the seconds hand never hit any of the minutes markers correctly. It always hit half way in between each marker.

So, my question is that is it possible to send my watch to a decent watchmaker and have him/her fix it? Another question, since I purchased this watch a few days ago, I've got a 5 year warranty card. So, if a watchmaker fixed the watch for me, will it void my warranty?

Thanks in advance...

Oh, a picture of my watch:


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## Haggis (Apr 20, 2009)

Yes possible to fix and yes warranty issue. I always eyeball before I buy as I have come across a few makes that have this problem.


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## Dusty (Feb 3, 2010)

It will have to go to an official Citizen service centre to be fixed under warranty, its not to big a job so you should get it back in good time I know its a pain but if anyone other than an official Citizen service centre opens the watch the warranty becomes void

Good Luck.


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

That's the problem buying on the net. As said above, it will have to go back via a Citizen agent or whatever your seller states in their T & C's. Shame really, nice watch :thumbsup: but you shouldn't have a problem.

Mike


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

very common on all watches even the very expensive ones and is not always regarded as a "fault" by the dealers. Years ago I had a manager of a very well known high st dealer look at me as if I was off another planet because I wanted the seconds hand on the watch I was interested in to line up bang on the markers!


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

Haggis said:


> .... I have come across a few makes that have this problem.





pg tips said:


> very common on all watches even the very expensive ones ....


Evident sometimes in the manufacturer's own TV adverts, it would seem.









Check out this classic Seiko advert that ran on British TV in 1986:






The featured watch is a 7A38-7120 in Titanium (SAA044J). None of my own 7A38's suffer from such bad hand misalignment. :wink2:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Try having a go at a Seiko chrono alarm. Took me an age to line that lot up properly. Patience is a virtue. :hypocrite:

Mike


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## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

I remember reading somewhere a few years ago that at one point manufacturers toyed with misaligned seconds as they looked aligned when the watch was viewed at certain angles on the wrist. Don't think this applies now but would be interested to know if this is fact or another piece of watch fiction ?

regards

Ong


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## normdiaz (May 5, 2004)

Check out one of Citizen's caliber E760's. The second hand on mine has always hit the markers spot on, though I'm not a stickler in that department.


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## gravedodger (Feb 15, 2004)

Something that bugs me a lot and sadly have rejected some very nice watches for this very problem


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## Boojak (Dec 25, 2010)

gravedodger said:


> Something that bugs me a lot and sadly have rejected some very nice watches for this very problem


Yeah... well, when I lost my old watch (Tissot PRS 200) from the beach (bye bye Â£350), I've started researching on a lot of watches for a replacement. And when I saw this 8700 watch, I fell in love with it and have decided to buy it... I bought it because it looks very nice and attractive. So I guess that kind of compensates for the misalignment issue. Hell, it looks a lot better than my old watch...


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