Went looking for razors but WATCH this....

**fidjit** · 10-20-2009, 10:06 PM

I hate youse guys.....

I haven't worn a watch for 4 years and in the last week I've bought 2 due to threads on this "magnificent" community.

Went to a little opps shop looking for razors and instead found this....

The good news, have a look at the price on this one. Everything appears to work, just needs a new glass. Know nothing else about it but it's a Seiko and a Kinetic !

Anyone know how expensive to replace a glass ??

Can I do this myself ????

I see there's watch glass available on Ebay.

Not actually too worried about 100m waterproofing and for the price assuming it keeps good time, then I'm not worried about fixing the thing up myself.

If it's too expensive to replace the glass I'll just PIF it to my local jeweller who's a nice chap ( and used to work for Seiko ). ( Who's closed today ).

Can anybody tell me anything about it ????

**cfriend** · 10-20-2009, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by fidjit

Can anybody tell me anything about it ????

Looks like the time is off by a few hours...

**fidjit** · 10-20-2009, 11:06 PM

It's you Americans who are behind !!!!

**Biffo** · 10-20-2009, 11:11 PM

Ian, its a nice looking watch, but if the glass is broken like that in 2 places, if any water got inside it may be an expensive repair bill, but good luck, I like it

**rickboone1** · 10-20-2009, 11:17 PM

It's the crystal that you need to replace. You do not want to do this yourself. The kinetic is an automatic watch. Meaning it recharges with your movements which swing a pendelum in the watch. No battery. If you knew this, sorry.

I mention that because if automatics are not cared for, they can lose time. A jeweler has tests for this and can usually fix it. However, the watch is full of springs and gears and lubrication. When lubrication wears out it's metal against metal and that's not good. Means things need to be replaced in order for the watch to keep time again. In newer pieces, such as the Seiko Kinetics, this is USUALLY not an issue. however, it can be with vintage pieces. There's no way to tell what it'll need until you take it to a jeweler.

It does need the crystal replaced. Getting one off ebay is really not an option. You will wind up with a product that doesn't fit properly, as well as not knowing how to install it and create the airtight and watertight seal. It will probably at least need a good cleaning and conditioning from the jeweler.

It looks a bit beat up. What needs to be done, will probably run you around $150-$200. Having it serviced they take it all apart piece by piece, clean it up, lubricate it and put it back together. That is at least $100-$125, depending on the automatic. Rolexes are a LOT more than that. Now the crystal will be anywhere from $70-100. I'm not sure what the Seiko crystals run. I may be off on this number.... Needless to say, it's probably not going to be worth it if it is not keeping good time.

If it is, which I'd be surprised with the crystal being damaged....as a lot of dirt got in there, I'm sure...at best you get the crystal changed out and have a good piece. I strongly suggest getting yourself a watch winder. Unless this is going to be your daily wearer. Or at least, every other day.

**fidjit** · 10-21-2009, 01:22 AM

Rickboone

Thanks for all that.

I knew when I bought it , it'd either be coal or diamond.

I can't see if the crystal is cracked "through" to the face and the face does look pretty clean.

I'll take it to the jeweller on Monday ( it's a holiday here tomorrow ( Thursday ) and most people take Friday off as well ) and see what he says......

First option for a pif goes here though in case I don't go ahead.

Any jewellers or watch fanatics willing to pay me $3 AU + postage + paypal fees........... ????

Either a restore or a spare parts option .

Otherwise it goes to the jeweller if I don't go ahead

**lenard** · 10-21-2009, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by rickboone1

It's the crystal that you need to replace. You do not want to do this yourself. The kinetic is an automatic watch. Meaning it recharges with your movements which swing a pendelum in the watch. No battery. If you knew this, sorry.

Seiko Kinetics use the movement of your arm to charge a battery/capactitor that runs the watch. You can pick replacement batteries of the bay fairly cheaply.

Looks like a SKH443P1.

**mdunn** · 10-21-2009, 05:26 AM

if it keeps time then just replace the glass - even if ite more than a DIY job it would still end up being a bargain watch

**82R100** · 10-21-2009, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by lenard

Seiko Kinetics use the movement of your arm to charge a battery/capactitor that runs the watch. You can pick replacement batteries of the bay fairly cheaply.
Looks like a SKH443P1.

This is true. It's technically a quartz movement driven by a battery/capacitor that's charged by a generator driven by an eccentric weight. Originally it used a capacitor which went bad and had to be replaced with a rechargeable battery. That was the case with mine, and I paid ~$145 to have it converted. Mine has a see through back cover and I'd be reluctant to try to service it myself. It's probably that later model years (less than five years old) were equipped with batteries from the factory.

The key will be to see if it will sustain itself for more than a few hours after being vigorously charged.

- Chris

**strat1117** · 10-21-2009, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by lenard

Seiko Kinetics use the movement of your arm to charge a battery/capactitor that runs the watch. You can pick replacement batteries of the bay fairly cheaply.

Looks like a SKH443P1.

Correct -- it's not technically an automatic, becasue its a quartz movement, not mechanical. The battery recharges by the movement of your wrist. Still, a very nice watch. The crystal replacement should be fairly inexpensive, the only issue is whther or not any water entered the watch, as mentioned by a previous poster.

**fidjit** · 10-25-2009, 06:04 PM

Quick update, went to see my little watch man in "The Little Watch Shop"

Explained the whole thing to him and he said he'd take the old crystal out, drop the mechanism and test it. He reckons around $40-50AU if everythings good.

I told him if it was too expensive the watch was his for spares.

Fingers crossed........

Coal or Diamond ????

**FLTiger** · 10-26-2009, 08:02 PM

Good luck, sir!

**mdunn** · 10-26-2009, 08:10 PM

diamond, diamond!

**rickboone1** · 10-26-2009, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by strat1117

Correct -- it's not technically an automatic, becasue its a quartz movement, not mechanical. The battery recharges by the movement of your wrist. Still, a very nice watch. The crystal replacement should be fairly inexpensive, the only issue is whther or not any water entered the watch, as mentioned by a previous poster.

A watch doesn't need to have a sweeping motion or ETA movement in order to be classified an automatic. Swiss/ Swiss ETA movements are found in battery operated watches as well.

Automatic merely refers to how the watch is powered. Typically a weight at the back of the watch swings about with the movements of your wrist or a watch winder. This is done "automatically" and the watch "automatically" recharges.

There's no battery that dies. There's no solar power. And, it's not a manual wind where you'd turn the crown to wind the watch and re-power it.

An automatic automatically winds itself. With your regular motions of wearing the watch.

**fidjit** · 10-27-2009, 08:38 PM

So.....$40AU later:

Case still needs a clean up but I'm happy, but like an old razor I consider them "beauty spots" . A 1998 Seiko Kinetics for $43AU total !

**mdunn** · 10-27-2009, 08:46 PM

brilliant!

**KarthVader** · 10-27-2009, 09:04 PM

Looks absolutely FANTASTIC!!

**Legion** · 10-28-2009, 01:49 PM

Nice work. I think you should have quite a reliable and accurate watch there. Plus, since it's already a bit beaten up, you wont be too concerned about it if you are doing any "high risk" activity.

*The law of Legion- The more expensive the watch you are wearing, the more you will smack your wrist into solid objects.