Any watch repairers in here?

[steve watkins]

I see you are a bit of a way away but I used to take mine into Seiko UK Maidenhead, even for a battery change. They used to do it while you wait parts permitting but whatever they would be the repairer to use for me. Unfortunately only by post now. It can seem costly but it gets a full check over, clean and factory parts.
01628 770988

 

[gintonic]

Worthing is a long way from Glasgow.

I believe we still have a cross border postal system. I post my watches to the repairer.

 

[MikeMA]

I believe we still have a cross border postal system. I post my watches to the repairer.

Fair enough.

It just crossed my mind that
there may be someone in Glasgow,
who could probably fix a Seiko,
but I don't know.

 

[twotone]

Fair enough.

It just crossed my mind that
there may be someone in Glasgow,
who could probably fix a Seiko,
but I don't know.

There's loads of places here in Glasgow, we have a jewellers' quarter here, The Argyle Arcade which is basically an old arcade and all of the shops are jewellers shops which range from Mapin & Webb to the wee one man band second hand places, but I've a feeling that the advice from Seiko and Seiko specialists will be to replace the entire movement as it may well be damaged by the force of the watch hitting the door.

I'm going to call Seiko later on.

Thanks everyone for the advice so far, it's appreciated.

Tony

 

[stevec67]

Fair enough.

It just crossed my mind that
there may be someone in Glasgow,
who could probably fix a Seiko,
but I don't know.

Quite apt that a Japanese watch has a repair in haiku form. Or near offer, at least. I haven't counted syllables.

 

[stevec67]

I've a feeling that the advice from Seiko and Seiko specialists will be to replace the entire movement as it may well be damaged by the force of the watch hitting the door.

Tony

Nah. These are robust things, the same movement goes in the Alpinist after all. Sports watches can expect to take the odd knock. A well designed machine anticipates this and makes things like the crown sacrificial in the event of this entirely foreseeable incident. That's why the whole thing unclips in that YouTube video.

 

[twotone]

Nah. These are robust things, the same movement goes in the Alpinist after all. Sports watches can expect to take the odd knock. A well designed machine anticipates this and makes things like the crown sacrificial in the event of this entirely foreseeable incident. That's why the whole thing unclips in that YouTube video.

Makes sense. I’m struggling to find the crown and a part number for same, think it might be difficult to find one as I has the S on it and the watch is discontinued and it’s a Japanese import. I can find GS crowns easily enough though and they’re not too expensive no idea if they fit the Sarb movement though.

 

[twotone]

Well I’ve just called Seiko on that number above (thanks) and their advice is to send them the watch for assessment and if it’s not economically repairable then they’ll send it back free of charge but they don’t give any idea of costs until they see the watch and they don’t provide part no’s for the watch either.

Thanks

 

[Jamie]

The cheapest price might be found at The Watch Lab in either Silverburn on Buchanan Galleries as they're pretty much a one-man show as it were.

From my experience of The Watch Lab in Nottingham, I would not bother. Had an old Accurist (not worth much, sentimental value), where two of the hour markers had detached from the face. Watch Lab ummed and aaahd, and said they would need to send it away, find a new face, don't know how much, blah blah. Instead, went to Tick-King in the market. Response was no problem, come back in an hour.

 

[gintonic]

you

Makes sense. I’m struggling to find the crown and a part number for same, think it might be difficult to find one as I has the S on it and the watch is discontinued and it’s a Japanese import. I can find GS crowns easily enough though and they’re not too expensive no idea if they fit the Sarb movement though.

you may not need a crown. I had a similar issue on a watch. Dom replaced the stem, redrilled the crown etc, good as new.....

I dont understand why you are looking for crown- watch repairs have access to sources of parts that us mere mortals don't have.

If they can redrill and replace the stem, then your original crown will do.

IME Seiko will say replace movement, but their price will make it uneconomic.

Take it to a proper watch repairer in Glasgow or give Dom a ring

 

[twotone]

you



you may not need a crown. I had a similar issue on a watch. Dom replaced the stem, redrilled the crown etc, good as new.....

I dont understand why you are looking for crown- watch repairs have access to sources of parts that us mere mortals don't have.

If they can redrill and replace the stem, then your original crown will do.

IME Seiko will say replace movement, but their price will make it uneconomic.

Take it to a proper watch repairer in Glasgow or give Dom a ring

I think the part of the winding stem is inside the crown and there’s no chance of me drilling that out of the crown. Think the winding stem is 0.9 mm in diameter that’s a pretty small size of drill bit plus you’d need a plunge drill for that sort of work.

I think the crown is gubbed anyway or at least where the socket is which is why I’m looking for a new crown.

 

[narabdela]

From my experience of The Watch Lab in Nottingham, I would not bother. Had an old Accurist (not worth much, sentimental value), where two of the hour markers had detached from the face. Watch Lab ummed and aaahd, and said they would need to send it away, find a new face, don't know how much, blah blah. Instead, went to Tick-King in the market. Response was no problem, come back in an hour.

I wouldn't trust any of The Watch Labs with a Mickey Mouse watch tbh.

 

[twotone]

I’ve sent this company an email regarding replacement stem and crown.

Any one think the alpinist crown and stem will be suitable?

https://www.watchpartsplaza.com/us/seiko-alpinist-crown-with-stem-sarb059-sarb061-gen.html

 

[sq225917]

Honestly, send it to Dom he's superb.

 

[gintonic]

there’s no chance of me drilling that out of the crown.

Indeed, this is bread and butter to a proper repairer.

Please dont tell me you think you can repair this yourself?

Just send it to Dom or a local repairer.

 

[twotone]

Indeed, this is bread and butter to a proper repairer.

Please dont tell me you think you can repair this yourself?

Just send it to Dom or a local repairer.

I can repair it myself if I manage to source the parts, there's no point in me sending this watch to someone who will tell me that it needs a new movement or will replace the crown and the pin and charge me those parts plus labour and maybe two or three weeks (Seiko are quoting two week lead time) or more before I get it back.

The watch isn't worth spending any more than about a £100 on it so if I can source the parts for €45 plus about £2 for a spanner to open the watch back then surely it's worth having a go at replacing the pin and the crown? No?

At the moment the watch is a write off so I'm quite prepared to try to repair it myself, I am an engineer (plumber/central heating engineer actually) and that video posted earlier makes it seem simple to remove the crown and the pin and then refit with a new crown and pin.

 

[stevec67]

I think that you'll be able to replace the crown and pin if you can get the parts. As I said earlier, I suspect that they are designed to break and be easy to repair for exactly this kind of incident.

 

[bor]

I think you should try it yourself.

The hardest part will probably be screwing the pin to the crown with the right torque value, but that is something that any local guy could do while you wait.

Take some photos as you go.

(www.cousinsuk.com are a well known supplier of Seiko parts but looks like you need to register to use the site)

 

[MikeMA]

I think you should try it yourself.

The hardest part will probably be screwing the pin to the crown with the right torque value, but that is something that any local guy could do while you wait.

Take some photos as you go.

(www.cousinsuk.com are a well known supplier of Seiko parts but looks like you need to register to use the site)

That looks like a very useful website.

 

[-alan-]

I bought one of those Sarb035s off the same chap you did last year Tony. A quick glance at t'Bay suggests they have gone up in price from the £269 I paid to £355 currently - so well worth a repair.

Based on those vids, if you can get the right crown for the 6R15 movement / 033 case, the crown and stem replacement is a doddle. You might have damaged the seat against which the seal on the stem mates with, but if you're not overly worried about water-resistance, that won't be a show-stopper.

Only other thing perhaps worth considering is the possibility of getting a cheap one for spares/repair with the crown and stem intact. That'd give you the chance to trial the removal and installation before you set to your good one. Best of luck with it whatever way you go.