Death of a watch
My 20 year old beloved seiko skx 007 has kicked the bucket today, I was setting the time and the crown has come off. This watch has been in my family for its entire life, being my dads beater watch prior to me owning it. I’ve only had it since around October of 2022 and it was fairly destroyed then.It’s not worth the cost of repair according to my local AD especially due to the condition of the watch. It had broken before (rotor weight came off several times and bezel number thing came off of the actual bezel). I’ll try to save it with some methods I’ve seen on watchuseek but the outlook appears bleak. Any tips on how to fix this watch at home will be greatly appreciated. R.I.P skx007
Has a small collection of casios and Paganis with a vintage citizen thrown in for good luck. Looking to expand the collection with a Pagani GMT-Master II or an aliexpress diver
An NH36 costs $35 and a signed crown less than $5. It's a good opportunity to upgrade from the 7S movement anyway. Very easy save. You can buy a few tools to do it yourself or just ask your local guy to swap the movement. The only tricky steps are cutting the new stem and putting the hands back.
Assuming you can remove the movement and whatever is left of the stem, isn't this just a matter of getting new stem and crown, cutting stem to length with wire cutters and crazy gluing the crown on?
That said, the little gizmos that retain the stem and allow the different positions may be tripped up and be a big hassle if you don't know what's going on.
I’m a bit scared of getting deep into watch movements, let alone replacing them entirely. Someone told me on watchuseek that it isn’t a real SKX despite what I believed, I am new to horology so would an nh36 fit in a fake?
GOOD NEWS! I managed to screw the crown back in and with a mix of twisting and pushing, making sure not to cross thread it, it has worked I believe. I will post an update here tommorow if it has held up or sooner if it has not. Thanks so much for the advice and help everyone!
I’m a bit scared of getting deep into watch movements, let alone replacing them entirely. Someone told me on watchuseek that it isn’t a real SKX despite what I believed, I am new to horology so would an nh36 fit in a fake?
It's not a 007 based on the dial and bezel. But there has been dozens of models in the SKX family since the 90s so it would take a real expert to say for sure which is or isn't part of the family based on a photo.
Swapping a movement isn't a difficult operation. You don't have to fiddle with the movement itself. You just detach the hands and dial to mount them on the new movement. Then cut the stem to the proper size for your case and glue the crown to it. Assuming you can push the current stem stuck in to remove the movement at all.
It's not a 007 based on the dial and bezel. But there has been dozens of models in the SKX family since the 90s so it would take a real expert to say for sure which is or isn't part of the family based on a photo.
Swapping a movement isn't a difficult operation. You don't have to fiddle with the movement itself. You just detach the hands and dial to mount them on the new movement. Then cut the stem to the proper size for your case and glue the crown to it. Assuming you can push the current stem stuck in to remove the movement at all.
I’ve fixed it for now, but I might potentially put an nh36 or something similar into it in the future. How would I cut the stem?
Contact @LumeShot
He is a seiko master
Or wristwatchrecival on you tube. He sometimes will repair for free for sentimental watches like this in return for being able to video it
I’ve fixed it for now, but I might potentially put an nh36 or something similar into it in the future. How would I cut the stem?
It's the most popular modders' movement so there are tons of tutorials on YouTube to learn and become confident with the steps. 👍
Sometimes sentimental value trumps monetary value.
And it sounds like your AD just wants to sell you a new watch.
Message @GasWorks he is the man for advice on pre loved seikos.
Your one is positively mint compared to a lot of the pieces he revives!!
Happy to have a look for you. DM me. I have a spare crown, stem and I'm very cheap (generally speaking) 🤣
Also, it's a fairly simple task to replace the movement with an NH. Let me know if you're interested.
My SKX009 with an NH36 and a new crown from Namoki
I’ve fixed it for now, but I might potentially put an nh36 or something similar into it in the future. How would I cut the stem?
The glue everyone is mentioning is called Threadlock, you put a tiny amount on the thread and re apply the crown, leave it for 24 hours and it won’t come off
I’ve fixed it for now, but I might potentially put an nh36 or something similar into it in the future. How would I cut the stem?
Measure the length of the stem from case to crown, with the crown hand tightened on the stem. Take the crown off and cut the stem by that length. You'll want to file the cut edge angled towards the center of the stem. That makes it easier to thread the crown. Put on a dab of Locktite or thread locker and you're good to go.
I'd be happy to take a look if you want to send me a message. I've replaced all my 7S26 movements with NHs and built a few watches with the NH movements.
Sometimes sentimental value trumps monetary value.
And it sounds like your AD just wants to sell you a new watch.
I agree with you! In both assertions.
Sometimes we don't wanna replace or change the movement or any detail that made our watch unique and when in need of repair/restore a watch don't look for a seller/AD look for a watchmaker. 😉
This is a very salvageable watch. Movement and crown are a whopping $50 max.
Even if you have to replace the crown thread on the case it's a simple operation, I've done it myself. You will need tools, a steady hand and lots of patience, but you can DIY. If you dont have the confidence, do as some suggested and contact one of the many builders and modders on here who can help you out, myself included.
An NH36 costs $35 and a signed crown less than $5. It's a good opportunity to upgrade from the 7S movement anyway. Very easy save. You can buy a few tools to do it yourself or just ask your local guy to swap the movement. The only tricky steps are cutting the new stem and putting the hands back.
Totally agree.
So you can go on AliExpress and get a whole new stem for under 8 bucks. Do you know how to replace the crown? If not go on YouTube for a tutorial. It's actually very easy. I do my own watch builds and mods so if you need any help please just ask. Good luck my friend.
GOOD NEWS! I managed to screw the crown back in and with a mix of twisting and pushing, making sure not to cross thread it, it has worked I believe. I will post an update here tommorow if it has held up or sooner if it has not. Thanks so much for the advice and help everyone!
Hopefully it works! Good to see your determination on fixing your dad’s old SKX and I’m sure you’ll cherish it longer
That dial isn't from an SKX007 and the bezel insert doesn't look right. The second hand isn't right either. An SKX crown wouldn't unscrew from the stem. And that case looks like a Turtle, not an SKX. I suspect it's a Franken-watch. However, sentimental value is important. I'm glad you fixed it.
I have a 20 y/o SKX. Every time it breaks and I fix it, I bond with it more.
That dial isn't from an SKX007 and the bezel insert doesn't look right. The second hand isn't right either. An SKX crown wouldn't unscrew from the stem. And that case looks like a Turtle, not an SKX. I suspect it's a Franken-watch. However, sentimental value is important. I'm glad you fixed it.
I have a 20 y/o SKX. Every time it breaks and I fix it, I bond with it more.
An SKX crown, or any crown, could unscrew if there is enough resistance from the movement. It's been 20 years, I'd perform a movement swap.
It is worth fixing, everything should not be decided on a financial basis. If the crown tube isn't stripped and it just needs a new crown and stem it should not be a big deal.
WUS is filled with snobs and know-it-alls, the peeps here will point you in the right direction 😁
Super easy to fix. I slap these together all the time.
There's a little lever you push to release the stem, pull it out. Slide in a new stem, measure, cut & screw the crown on, all done. Its actually easier than a battery swap.
Def get someone to swap the movement & repair the stem, too much sentimental value there to let it “die”. Many hobby watchmakers start with Seikos as they’re a good quality build, relatively affordable and easy to source parts for so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty getting someone to take a look and bring it back.