Regulating Seiko 4r36 Monster

[ColtRevolver]

I have been wearing a 2nd Gen Seiko Monster daily for about 8 years. It ran about 20 seconds slow per day for a few years. That gap grew to about 30 seconds for a long time. I just reset it as needed. A month or so ago, it started running 3 minutes per day fast. That was unacceptable. One week ago today, I set out to regulate the 4r36 movement. I downloaded a timegrapher app. I regulated the watch using the app. Today made 7 days since I regulated and set the watch. After 7 days, the watch is running 42 seconds slow. That's 42 seconds it lost in a week...Much better than even when new.

 

[StillShaving]

My 2nd gen Seiko Monster runs about the same (20 seconds slow per day) if I recall. Which was disappointing after coming back from an unrelated service by Seiko USA. I have not tried to regulate it, and have been somewhat disappointed in my other watches with affordable Seiko movements.

From what I have read, if your watch is suddenly running fast it may be magnetized. I ordered a cheap demagnetizer online and it has arrived but I have not tried it yet. I think I magnetized one or two of my watches with a big brain move of using neodymium magnet torpedo level to check the thickness of a couple of watch casebacks. The second watch felt slimmer on the wrist and I wanted to see if that caused by the strap or bracelet or something else. And the level was close at hand so I used it without thinking to compare with another watch.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I wasn't really disappointed with the initial accuracy of my watch. I just set it as needed and figured it was the norm for an inexpensive mechanical watch. I have worn the watch daily for 8 years and have subjected it to quite a bit of bone numbing or jarring abuse. In all honesty, I am impressed it has held up.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

@ColtRevolver Was adjust the time all you did? How did the watch look inside once you got the case back off?

How did the seal look?

I am tempted to never open my automatic watches. I've heard accounts of Seikos running 20 years or more with zero service. I might take that, along with adjusting my watch, over shortening the life by DIY'ing the maintenance of it.

That said, if you are wearing one watch daily, I totally get the need for accuracy! I rotate through my watching and a number of my autos go months between wearing them. That is probably worse for a watch than daily wearing and tinkering with it.

 

[ColtRevolver]

All I did was regulate the movement.

Inside the watch was spotless.

There is a thin O ring that you have to make sure is in place to seal the back when you screw it on. Mines been submerged several times since I took the back off. It is sealed.

As far as an actual service goes that I have to pay for, I will likely never do it. I'll wear the watch until it quits performing properly and then replace it. As far as watches go, mine is inexpensive. A service would probably cost 50% of what I paid for the watch.

 

[tankerjohn]

Hello, I recently (6 weeks ago) purchased a Seiko padi turtle with the 4R36 automatic movement. I plan on using this watch for scuba diving. The watch runs consistently fast.. approximately 40 sec per day. I wear the watch for several days at a time and have to reset it every 3 days. I own other automatic watches ( rolex and omega ) and never have to reset them this often ( if at all). I called Seiko repair in NJ and they said the specs is 45 sec per day and there is nothing they can do. This is my first Seiko and I NEVER would have purchased the watch if I knew it was this inaccurate.. I debated returning the watch to the seller (Macys) but decided to see if it would improve with time or can be regulated better but Seiko said nothing they can do. The company should be embarrassed to make such an inferior movement.

If you want accuracy at a Seiko 4R36 pricepoint, get quartz instead.

 

[hairless wonder]

Hello, I recently (6 weeks ago) purchased a Seiko padi turtle with the 4R36 automatic movement. I plan on using this watch for scuba diving. The watch runs consistently fast.. approximately 40 sec per day. I wear the watch for several days at a time and have to reset it every 3 days. I own other automatic watches ( rolex and omega ) and never have to reset them this often ( if at all). I called Seiko repair in NJ and they said the specs is 45 sec per day and there is nothing they can do. This is my first Seiko and I NEVER would have purchased the watch if I knew it was this inaccurate.. I debated returning the watch to the seller (Macys) but decided to see if it would improve with time or can be regulated better but Seiko said nothing they can do. The company should be embarrassed to make such an inferior movement.

I'm betting you called the (New Jersey) service center contracted by Seiko to service Seiko watches in the US. TBH, I wouldn't send them my watch; I'm familiar with too many horror stories.

I'm lucky that I have a local watch repairman who is familiar with Seikos. I bring my watches to him to regulate and for servicing. If I were you, I'd look for a local Seiko distributor (not a major department store) and see if any of them are familiar with servicing Seikos. If so, you can ask them to regulate your watch.

Alternatively, you can check your watch's positional variance and use that to regulate the time for you. The 4r36 will run faster/slower based on how it is positioned (e.g., face up, face down, crown up, crown down). Once you find a position where the watch runs slower, you can place your watch in that position overnight (or when you're not wearing/don't need it); that could help you to slow down the watch naturally.