# Sekonda Quality



## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Just got back from helping out backstage at a local production of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. My friend was helping out also and using the bezel of his divers style Sekonda to time the periods between scene changes. Late on in the performance the bezel fell off the watch and disappeared backstage somewhere! No warning or anything, one moment it was there, the next moment it was gone. As my friend said "oh bugger". He should be in the "bugger all" club







!! Serves him right for having a crappy Sekonda quartz watch I suppose. At least it means he has an excuse to buy a new watch now. I'd suggest a decent watch for him to buy but I don't think he'd take much notice ............ it'll be another cheap quartz for him .......... the phillistine!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Years ago b4 I was hooked the kids bought me a Sekonda "Safari" for a birthday present. The bezel came off within months. Still have the watch and it still runs (if you put a battery in it).


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Rightly or wrongly, I've always had a very poor opinion of Sekonda, after a quartz I had started first to lose time, even after a new battery, and then packed in altogether. Never trusted one since, and never bought another. Always thought their quartz movements were the cheapest around, but all that was many years ago. Would be interested to know how good they are today, if that is the right word to use!

I'd assume they used Miyota quartz zero jewel movements today, but await for someone to enlighten me.

Are they still Russian?

I would guess they are about the same standard as the cheap end of Rotary in quartz terms, but again, perhaps Roy will do the enlightening!?

I notice that there are some very cheap quartz watches like Accurist and Avia with 10 year batteries in them; some for about Â£20. That seems a good option for someone just wanting a cheap time piece with no interest in watches what-so-ever!!


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

I understand that they do now use Miyota movements and are no longer Russian.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Sekonda is just a British import company that badge engineers watches to sell at low prices. Nowt wrong with that.

As we know, years ago, this company used Russian mechanical watches to put it's name on. They were not bad at all, then. Most of the Russian suppliers are still going strong.









If the current Sekonda's have such a poor build quality, I think it's a shame.









Never had a problem with the Casio's I used to own.


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

The watch was still working after the bezel fell off. I was half expecting the crystal to fall off in sympathy. He's had it about 3 or 4 years, doesn't like it particularly and certainly doesn't look after it, so I don't suppose it's done him too badly. He'll probably be wearing it tomorrow!

I used to have a manual wind Sekonda that I found in a car in a scrapyard. Rectangular case with roman numerals, I wore it for a couple of months (I seem to remember that it kept good time) and then gave it to my mum. She wore it for another couple of months and then it just decided that it had had enough of life and stopped working. I lost track of it after that so it may be knocking around at my mums somewhere. I always quite liked it because it was free and I was amazed that it actually worked. I found it in a door pocket which had about an inch of water in it, the watch was completely immersed and I've no idea how long it had been sitting there







. So I suppose it was a pretty tough watch.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Sounds like a "project" if you can find it, Mekanic. 

The Russian ones were pretty good, though Neil might not agree!


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## Sargon (Feb 24, 2003)

We've never had Sekonda sold in stores over here. Maybe Timex has the cheap watch market all wraped up. The guy upstairs from me shares a washing machine (for clothes) with me and he left his laundry in it last week. As I was removing his clothes I noticed a Timex amoung the wash. Still ticking away. It said WR50 on it. Feet or Meters I don't know but I was impressed. I almost decided to put it through the drier to see how it would fare there.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I bought a timex expidition as a beater for work a couple of years ago. Total rubbish, I finally gave up after 2 went back and then the 3rd stopped as well!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Just had the back off that sekonda safari, it's one Jewel and says France ebauches above the coil


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2004)

Stan said:


> Sounds like a "project" if you can find it, Mekanic.
> 
> The Russian ones were pretty good, though Neil might not agree!


Lets face it a cheaply made watch is never going to be as good as an expensive one. Cost cuts have to be made somewhere.

However regarding Sekonda their old Russian stuff was OK, I had an old Sekonda recently in a bag of old watches I bought. It was obviously a late 60's - 70's styling and was working fine.

A close examination showed it was made in USSR on the dial and contained a Poljot movement.

Somebody on another forum I post on has a really nice looking old Sekonda Chronograph.

I think it fair to say that the modern Sekondas aren't up to this standard.

But then again they are made for people who want to spend the minimum amount on a timekeeper and when it conks out shell out another tenner or whatever.

Its just not a WIS watch.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

About 15 years back, I bought a Sekonda manual wind alarm watch...it has been fine all these years, and seems very similar to a Poljot alarm that I have.

Roger


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

I have a Sekonda manual alarm watch. Also gold plated mechanical dress watch. Dunno how old they are, but i've had them couple of years, and are still going. As for quartz I wouldn't know. Wouldn't buy a high end quartz so no way a cheapie.


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

Sekonda had a "quality initiative" in 1993 and started sourcing all their watches

from the far east.

Go figure.


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## davidwall (Dec 21, 2011)

My experience of the old 1970-80s Sekondas is that they are sound watches... and look good because they are bigger and bolder than most... sometimes if they have been `force wound` or set too fiercely.. then the cogs break off the brass setting wheels. You can change these quite easily. But if you can find one that has been semi looked after, the movements have been very reliable and accurate.

I find that 1970s Seikos are the most troublesome... especially the automatics..which have a mind of their own.. sometimes they go for ages then all of a sudden they stop and no amount of cleaning and lubricating will get them going...

Sekonda 1970s have a good gold plating thickness so they polish up very well. I like them and trust them.

Sorry to disagree with you lot out there...

dave


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## davidwall (Dec 21, 2011)

And the Sekonda womens 17 jewelled movements.... usually from the Zaria factory.. are amazingly reliable timekeepers. Cases are not up to much and chrome loss is a problem.. But the test is this... if you go out wearing an old watch and have to get the last train back. then the Sekondas are my preference over many swiss makes.. they are `hardy` and will take the knocks. But I dont go as far as wearing a womens watch when I go out!!


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## pipspip (Nov 17, 2015)

Hi all,

I am new on here, I have a quartz sekonda of which i bought in October 2014 it keeps good time accurate to 2 seconds a week.I also have 3 citizen eco drives 2 seiko quartz 1 casio and 1 ravel watch which only cost about £6 I bought them all at near the same time in October 2014 so I guess we will have to see which one last the longest.My wife has a chinese quartz of which she had bought for her 20 years ago she used it for about 5 years then left it in the draw.I put a battery in the other day and it still works. but its not as accurate as my other watches of which have Japanese movments in.


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## RWP (Nov 8, 2015)

Roy said:


> I understand that they do now use Miyota movements and are no longer Russian.





pipspip said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am new on here, I have a quartz sekonda of which i bought in October 2014 it keeps good time accurate to 2 seconds a week.I also have 3 citizen eco drives 2 seiko quartz 1 casio and 1 ravel watch which only cost about £6 I bought them all at near the same time in October 2014 so I guess we will have to see which one last the longest.My wife has a chinese quartz of which she had bought for her 20 years ago she used it for about 5 years then left it in the draw.I put a battery in the other day and it still works. but its not as accurate as my other watches of which have Japanese movments in.


 All British owned now. Ok for the money.


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

1968 Sekonda runs just fine minor service about 3 years ago major one this coming new year.

The old one's are the best ones.


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## pipspip (Nov 17, 2015)

RWP said:


> All British owned now. Ok for the money.
> 
> yep all sekonda now have Japanese movements in


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## KevG (Dec 15, 2008)

Old ones are pretty good

With a Slava 2414



New ones ar ok for the money

Myota movement



Kev


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