Question: time keeping accuracy

No it is not. Your watch might be magnetized. You can take it to a local jeweler and they should be able to demagnetize it for free.

That's not good. 🥺

It depends on the watch. Every cheap quarz watch will always outperform a mechanical watch in timekeeping accuracy. With the exception of maybe a few chronometer watches from e.g. Ferdinand Berthoud (but they kost 6-7 figures).

Seiko 5 watches are not known for their brilliant accuracy. Seiko doesn't regulate them to Chronometer standard and deviations from +/-30 seconds a day are often seen. However, 3 minutes sounds a bit much to me. Put it on a time grapher and check the amplitude and beat error. Additionally you can demagnetize it.

You can buy a demagnetiser really cheap on Amazon, then YouTube how to use it properly, Bob's your uncle for a tenner.

Sounds bad but to be fair I lose more than that per day on this app.

As someone else said before, Seiko 5's have garbage accuracy. My Seiko 5 GMT consistently loses 40 to 50 seconds or so everyday.

But yeah 3 mins a day sounds a bit much.

As others have said, demagnetizing.

Also realize, even stupid expensive mechanicals can lose or gain time.

If 💯 percent accuracy, all the time, 24/7 is wanted for whatever reason, without having to reset the time, quartz is the answer.

Some get really bent out of shape for minor accuracy loss, rarely have I ever needed to know the time down to the second.

I do occasionally need to TRACK something down to maybe a second or three, but that would be according to the bezel complication, and not dependent on my time, matching the actual time.

YMMV.

Unless it has changed recently, Seiko 5 tolerance is +40 to -20 seconds per day. Your watch may be magnetised. But if it's new, I'd be thinking of sending it back.

I think that’s within Seiko 5 specs…

Magnetizing typically means a watch will run fast, not slow, but I’ve seen it both ways. A watch that is gaining or losing minutes a day is not right. Try demagnetizing I first. If that doesn’t work, it’s time for a service.

No, that is not within Seiko specs, and should be sent back. (If the watch was magnetized, I'd expect it to run faster.)

The 4Rxx movements actually have decent accuracy, but the customer may not receive them regulated. But even then it should be within +45/-35 seconds a day.

The 5 Sports line can be really hit and miss. If it's still in the return window at the shop I'd try exchanging it for another one to save yourself some hassle. As much as we all love Seiko, their QC and consistency is awful. It's somewhat of an inside joke in the community actually...

If you can't return or exchange this one for another 5, then I'd pick up a $15 degausser from Amazon. That might fix the issue.

Depending on what part of the watch may be magnetized, it can run either fast (if the escapement of mag'd), or slow (if another part is applying force on the gear train).

Failing that, the movement may need to be regulated or adjusted by going through a Seiko service centre.

I'd try exchanging/returning first if you can...

That seems bad... Exchange it if it is still under warranty.

And we'll never get it back, no matter how accurate our watches are.

Updates (if you are interested to know what was the problem): sent the watch to Seiko service centre and the friendly uncle who inspected it said that something inside is broken. He’s gonna help to get it fixed before Chinese New Year.

Thats not even the highlight of the day. Uncle really likes the watch and can’t stop talking about it 🤭

Having people asking and talking about watches and instead of me spying what’s on people’s wrist. That made my day :)