Seiko Servicing advice
So I’ve been having a few issues with my SPB155 Baby Alpinist running very fast (few minutes a day). I made the desperately naive decision to attempt to regulate it myself. It didn’t work. Now the balance spring is probably knackered. So lesson learned, I need a professional to repair it. I’m based in London, and Seiko’s official service centre has quoted £230. Wondering if anyone has used a reputable alternive that’s cheaper?
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Matt
Collecting for almost 20years and obsessed with watches for a lot longer. Not a flipper - more a buy and keeper. Not a huge collection - but they’re all much loved. Have more watches that I’m sure I c...
London
Member since
Last active: 1 day ago
7.50” / 19.05 cm
I have been having a similar issue with my Seiko baby alpinist, but mine runs slow 2 to 3 minutes per day. My AD tells me the warranty should cover it but I have not send it back yet. Hope you can find someone reliable to work on yours.
An attempt at demagnetizing would have possibly solved the problem without any need to try a DIY fix. Unfortunately the Seiko SC is probably your best chance at having it repaired properly. Looking for cheaper alternatives often end up being more expensive in the long run.
Is it still working? Sounds like it could be magnetised. I'd buy a cheap demagnetiser on eBay & try that first before sending it to a service centre
Can you send photos of the balance spring? Did you hit it with the screwdriver? Your hand has to be very stable when regulating movements. As comments above me have stated, there's a probable possibility that the watch was magnetised. it causes the hairspring to coil together tighter and the watch runs faster as a result. Usually.
An attempt at demagnetizing would have possibly solved the problem without any need to try a DIY fix. Unfortunately the Seiko SC is probably your best chance at having it repaired properly. Looking for cheaper alternatives often end up being more expensive in the long run.
Great minds. I did demagnetise using a degaussing machine first - but had no appreciable effect.
Can you send photos of the balance spring? Did you hit it with the screwdriver? Your hand has to be very stable when regulating movements. As comments above me have stated, there's a probable possibility that the watch was magnetised. it causes the hairspring to coil together tighter and the watch runs faster as a result. Usually.
I think that’s exactly what I did!
A local watch maker with a good reputation
If you like the watch and plan to keep it - pay the £230 because its likely to be a general service as well
I had the same issue with mine! But took it to the AD and they took care of it under the warranty
Thanks for the advice. In terms of the hairspring, it took a an hour or more and number of goes to get it oscillating again after I made the initial adjustment to the regulating lever. And since then, it’s stopped on a number of occasions, forcing me to restart it manually.
I had the same issue with mine! But took it to the AD and they took care of it under the warranty
I stuffed the warranty by attempting to regulate it myself. Lesson learned!