# Seiko 7S26 Movement Stopping And Starting!?



## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

I've had my Seiko 'Black Monster' for about 3 or 4 years now and it's been wonderful. I liked it so much I decided to stop collecting watches so I could just wear it all the time, so much do I love this watch. It's kept good time and never stopped working in all the years since I had it.

Just this morning, the girlfriend woke me up and said "Dive Monster's stopped." I said "No it hasn't, it can't just *stop*..." I looked over at the bedside table and sure enough the second hand was dead still and it had lost about 4 hours during the night.

Feeling a bit worried, I gave him a good old shake and he started up again. So I put it on and walked about a bit. Within minutes the watch had stopped again. So I put it on a shelf and put on my CWC Military quartz. Tonight, I looked up at the shelf to see the second hand merrily sweeping away but it had lost a few hours, which suggests starting and stopping. So I put it back on again. Within minutes it had stopped and then started again, after a gentle tap. Then stopped again. Now it's running again.

This is rather upsetting.

I've sent Roy an email to see if he could take a look. In the meantime, can anyone tell me - is this a really bad sign or a common sign of wear and would it be difficult or expensive to repair?

Thanks

Dr. V


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Unless you have given it a big knock recently, it sounds like it could just do with a service.....

The cost will depend on where you send it to, Roy is a good place to start....


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

jasonm said:


> Unless you have given it a big knock recently, it sounds like it could just do with a service.....
> 
> The cost will depend on where you send it to, Roy is a good place to start....


Well, I went into H. Samuel yesterday and was told the starting cost would be Â£185. I said I could bin it and buy a new watch for less as I walked out. Huh?! I'm hoping this is just H. Samuel silly prices for rich people with more money than sense.


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## AusOmega (Dec 28, 2011)

Monsters are disposable watches. Sharp impact on the crystal last night, managed to bend the second hand on mine and that marked the end of it's 15 month life. eBay I once found to have 7S26 movements on offer, in plastic tray for under 20 dollars. If you're keen, a hand remover and a ball of duck tape will have you back in action, but to my mind just bin it and start over.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

AusOmega said:


> Monsters are disposable watches. Sharp impact on the crystal last night, managed to bend the second hand on mine and that marked the end of it's 15 month life. eBay I once found to have 7S26 movements on offer, in plastic tray for under 20 dollars. If you're keen, a hand remover and a ball of duck tape will have you back in action, but to my mind just bin it and start over.


It's not a disposble watch. It's a fine watch and most collectible. It also has a very strong crystal. I'm not binning it. It was a present from my girlfriend and has sentimental value too. Thanks for your input.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

> If you're keen, a hand remover and a ball of duck tape will have you back in action


Alright, that sounds a bit more positive. Would you mind elucidating please?


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

LOL a disposable watch ? i would love a monster, some folk have way too mucj money if they think like this , :thumbsdown:


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## Swiss Man (Dec 31, 2011)

I have two Orange Monsters and I noticed the other day that one of them gained three minutes in a 24 hr period.

Asked a jeweler friend about this and he told me if it was gaining time then it would keep on gaining it.

Automatics run different when you lay them on their back vs their side.

Since then I always lay it on its back and haven't had the problem since.ðŸ˜ƒ

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.825072,-85.834900


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## AusOmega (Dec 28, 2011)

Doctor Varney said:


> > If you're keen, a hand remover and a ball of duck tape will have you back in action
> 
> 
> Alright, that sounds a bit more positive. Would you mind elucidating please?


Duck tape trick I learnt on watchuseek dot com - get tape wrap it sticky side out until it's close to golf ball size, then place firmly on caseback and then screw anti-clockwise. Might slide off watch a few times and actually was rather difficult on my particular monster (easy on a 100m case) so I had to revert to needle-nose pliers stretched out placed in caseback slots.

Hand removers are pincer like devices that pull hands off never used one before, fairly cheap ~$20.

Check out this link : http://www.clockmaker.com.au/diy_seiko_7s26/index.html


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

Swiss Man said:


> I have two Orange Monsters and I noticed the other day that one of them gained three minutes in a 24 hr period.
> 
> Asked a jeweler friend about this and he told me if it was gaining time then it would keep on gaining it.
> 
> ...


Well, if your friend was a decent jeweller, he should also have told you that a watch gaining time is a common symptom of it needed a clean and lube (service) - Â£30 - Â£60 depending on where you go.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

AusOmega said:


> Monsters are disposable watches. Sharp impact on the crystal last night, managed to bend the second hand on mine and that marked the end of it's 15 month life. eBay I once found to have 7S26 movements on offer, in plastic tray for under 20 dollars. If you're keen, a hand remover and a ball of duck tape will have you back in action, but to my mind just bin it and start over.


No!! No watch deserves to be binned - some of the owners or the designers maybe. Even fakes can be found a good home with a certain member on here - they just need to have the offending logos etc removed.

You could fix your monster for a few quid, in minutes - if you're going to bin it, send it to me instead.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

tall_tim said:


> You could fix your monster for a few quid, in minutes - if you're going to bin it, send it to me instead.


Thank you, Tall Tim. No way am I binning it. It's best to just ignore that suggestion. A large part of the reason I bought a mechanical watch with a good reputation is because I do not agree with the disposable culture we seem to have bred in people today. On my budget, Seiko are just about right for me. If I can afford to, I will be getting it mended at Watch Hospital in Birmingham. Haven't heard from Roy yet but I guess it's still the Xmas holiday for him. If he gets back and quotes me happy, I'll be glad to go with him.

Thanks for the info, AusOmega. I don't know what I'm doing inside a watch. I'd rather leave it to someone who knows what they're doing, I might just make matters worse. But thanks for the good idea anyway, mate.


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