Tired of my Seiko SKX007

[WESBC]

I've had a Seiko Automatic on my wrist almost every day for the past ~6 years. First was a SKX023, then probably within the last couple of years, a SKX007. I loved the simple looks and ruggedness, but I have always been bothered by it's time keeping. I know it's probably because I am not wearing it enough, ranging from 0 to ~8 hours a day. But I think I am fed up with constantly correcting the time (couple minutes behind every few days).

I don't know if I should get a winding box to keep it in when I am not wearing it, or if I should stay away from automatics in general.

I really want something that can last me a lifetime, but I don't think I can keep up with the constant maintenance.

[Polygeist]

How about the Citizen Eco-Drive watches? It's a self-recharging system but doesn't rely on movement to do so, and it's super simple to charge while not wearing!

[RGNY]

it's always nice to have a "grab and go" quartz. the Eco-Drives are great, and there is probably one for everybody.

here's an Eco Drive diver. only thing i don't like about it is the crown at 3' in stead of 4' like the Seiko:

http://www.bluedial.com/bn0000-04h.htm

[adnj]

I had to spend a ton to get an automatic that was very accurate. And the best automatic is usually no more accurate than the least expensive quartz watch. At least until the battery wears out.

There are solar powered watches from Citizen, Casio, Pulsar, and maybe some others. Seko Kinetics are nice, too: automatic-like motion powered quartz movement with a 5 or 6 month battery back up.

What I believe is really convenient are the solar-powered, self-adjusting atomic watches. They automatically reset themselves daily to the regional atomic clock radio signals.

http://www.citizenwatch.com/COA/Engl...ber=BY0000-56E

[marsos52]

i have a citizens eco-drive ,,a seiko automatic and a seiko kinetic

the auto's will lose time if not wore constantly or kept in a winder box,,,the kinetic kepts good time when not worn but the charge goes down and as it gets older the charge goes down faster.. the eco-drive keeps great time and doesnt need any thing but to see the light of day or some other light source

the time loss of the auto's is minimal,, but can be a pain..

each one at least for me is better than a battery watch,,they are the ultimate hassle..the batteries go at the wrong time..when you want to use it haha,, paying each time to open the watch is another pain.. having a watch that never
has to be opened is the hot setup for many reasons to.. paying extra for a radio controlled atomic time is ok but these days the tv and cable and cell phones are on the perfect time.. and easy to set a watch too.. atomic time is aways close by..

[shrap]

Get quartz watches. Automatics are, ironically, for people with too much time on their hands.

I got rid of all my autos and never looked back.

I was in the same situation as you: I loved everything about my Seiko and Citizen divers except for the movement. Citizen has a quartz diver which is very close:

http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-AJ0100.../dp/B0007IR4Q8

Seiko also has its Sawtooth and Knight watches. Alas the classic quartz divers never seem to catch on, as they are discontinued quickly.

Edit: Also, don't listen to those people who claim automatic watches will last a lifetime. Firstly, automatic watches require just as much maintenance as quartz watches. Every few years they should be popped open and everything cleaned/relubed. Secondly, the maintenance cost for automatics is significantly higher than quartz watches. You need a real watchmaker to do it. Thirdly, most of those people are referring to thousand-dollar Rolexes and Omegas. So your $150 Seiko watch will last forever as long as you spend $100 every five years to get it maintained. As opposed to a $300 Citizen Eco-Drive which is warranteed to last 25 years on its one battery.

[Narcosynthesis]

I am currently wearing the Citizen BN0000-04H mentioned above which suits me perfectly - Have a look at A size that you should be used to (though slightly smaller than the 007), fairly classic diver looks and the eco-drive movement which should cure all your problems - mine runs to about ~4 seconds a month accuracy, and the eco drive charges from ambient light, and in the time I have had mine I have yet to see the 'low power' signal. Check out the rest of the Citizen range too if you fancy a change. Alternatively any quartz watch will do what you need of it really, as even a cheap £15 Casio should run to within about 20 seconds a month accuracy.

As for running your auto's, all a winder would help with is keeping it running if you don't wear it regularly enough - so only useful if you find your watch stopping completely with any regularity. If you are finding the accuracy lacking though, there are a few tricks to look into - firstly watches can be regulated, so their timing checked and adjusted to keep time better, if you are losing more than 30 seconds a day then that should help out and get it running a lot more accurately (though never as accurately as a quartz it has to be said). The other trick is watching how you place it when not wearing it - because the movement in an auto is entirely based on mechanics, gravity can affect the way it works - most watches are designed to minimise this and counteract it to some degree, but it can drift over time, especially if a watch is well worn. So whether you place your watch face down, face up, crown down, crown up, etc... will have an effect. It takes some experimentation, but quite often you can counteract it running fast/slow on your wrist by leaving it in a certain position the rest of the time.

Somewhat unrelated, but I am being tempted by an old SKX023 at the moment as a project to fix up and for the fun of owning a mechanical watch :)

[dewildeman]

You could sent it to me.

I got a Black Monster a few weeks ago, even though I wear mine all the time I still find it will stop, I guess I need to get a little more active! I work in an office setting, seriously, it's has only stopped a couple of times, I've taken to shaking my wrist a few times a day and haven't had any problems since. I know that seems a little silly to you quartz, solar, eco, battery lasts for years types, it's just part of my charm.

If you are inclined you can adjust the movement. Mine was gaining 10+ seconds a day. I opened mine and nudged the lever, now it's within 2 seconds a day and I'm not going to mess with it anymore. There are some instructions on the interwebs. Or, like I said, you could sent it to me.

[adnj]

If you decide to sell it, let me know. My son just got a job as a lifeguard and he was looking at used automatics.

[theotherphil]

Everybody has their own needs in a watch...some are content with just a mobile phone. For the OP, a quartz will suffice. I have a G-Shock GW7900B, that is solar and atomic which I use for work. It's tough and cheap so I don't care if I damage it.

When not at work, I have a Seiko Orange Monster (which runs well at -1 second a day) and have just purchased a Seiko Marine Master SBDX001. For me, I can live with the quirks of an automatic watch because there's just something about a mechanical watch that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy....I guess it's the extremely fine engineering, attention to detail and effort that goes into every watch. Like any other mechanical device, it's going to need maintenance but I accept that as part of the ownership experience....just like my car but not as regular (every 3 years) or expensive.