BEST Service & up to a 3-year Warranty!
SEIKO KINETIC WATCH
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Everything You Need To Know About the Seiko Kinetic Watch Repair!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Everything You Need To Know About the Seiko Kinetic Watch Repair!
About KineticRepair.com
When to think twice about who should replace your Seiko Kinetic watch battery.
Read the TRUTH about Seiko Kinetic Watch Repair!
How do I send my Seiko kinetic watch to you for repair?
Is my watch 'kinetic' If it has a watch battery, what makes it a 'kinetic'? What service level might my kinetic watch be diagnosed to require? 
How much will it cost, and what methods of payment do you accept?
Kinetic Capacitor or Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit. Aren't these both just watch batteries?
How do I know you can properly replace my Seiko kinetic watch gaskets, seals and/or o-rings? (crown, pusher, caseback)
I have a Sportura, Arctura, Coutura or Kinetic chronograph watch. What type of service does it need?
What might cause my Seiko Kinetic watch battery to fail to hold a charge?
My kinetic watch required intermediate instead of basic service. Why?
I tried to replace the watch battery myself/DIY. No go. Can you fix it?
How do I know you have received my watch?
Are there kinetic watches that you can't or won't work on?
I lost my original Seiko Kinetic watch Owner Instruction Manual and need another one. Where can I find one?
Don't send your watch to a 'Hack Artist' or 'Truth Bender'
Think twice about a watch 'repair' from any of the following sources:
- Any company that only offers a ONE-YEAR (or less) warranty, and this describes 99% of all internet watch repair businesses. FYI: One year is about as long as a new battery will last in a poorly serviced watch, and these hack artists know it. Perhaps the biggest scams can be found in the warranty 'fine print.' One of our primary competitors listed 'LABOR' as an item NOT covered by either their 90-day or one-year warranties. That means if your watch required them to repair it under the terms of their limited warranty, YOU would have to pay for LABOR (again) to repair the problem THEY failed to fix the first time. BOGUS. Thankfully this company is now OUT OF BUSINESS.
- Any company that claims it can repair 'ALL WATCHES,' (this is also likely in the title of their web address), and states that it can get parts for any watch brand. This is a lie. Most manufacturers no longer sell parts to independent watchmakers. If they are willing to lie about being able to get genuine, factory parts for 'ALL WATCH' brands, then what else are they being deceptive about?
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Any company that COPIES part of our URL. Yes, you will find them and you should avoid them. If they are willing to be blatantly dishonest to get ahead on the internet, what might they will do with your watch?
- Any company that does not clearly state that they will or can dismantle, clean and lubricate your kinetic autoquartz movement in any of their repair descriptions. Carefully READ what they claim they will do for that low price of $54.95 . . . What happens if your watch needs more than a battery and new 'spring bars'?
- Any watch repair you are tempted to purchase on E-bay, Craig's List, etc.
- A Self-Repair - that's right - you may be your own worst enemy. You have a 95% chance of breaking your watch, and it will cost more to properly service. We charge complete or complete plus service on any watch with signs of improper service attempts and/or tampering.
- Any business that primarily SELLS watches or watch parts, but also advertises to repair the same watch they sell parts for, or 'every major watch brand' with bold claims such as 'Factory Level Servicing.' This is a huge red flag and almost always a scam. You will be quoted a high repair cost, or told your watch can't be repaired ... and PRESTO ... encouraged to buy a new watch from ... you guessed it.
- Any watch repair company that moves every few years to a new location. Many of these type of companies are located in Utah, Idaho, Montana and Washington State. Try the way back web site at http://wayback.archive.org/web/. Type in the company's website URL in the search box. Just scroll back through the years and you will truly be amazed. You don't want your watch at such a shop when they decide to pack up and move again.
- Any company that has isolated and repeated claims of being an 'EXPERT' or 'AUTHORIZED' prominently advertises that they will 'expertly repair your watch' in their 'authorized service center.' These hack artists are only an 'expert' at coming up with malarkey to explain why a customer's watch won't work correctly both before and AFTER they attempt a repair. 'Expert' = 'Stay Away.' 'Authorized?' Call the parent/manufacture company and inquire. Surprise! If your watch is no longer under the manufacture warranty, one of the WORST places you can send it to is an 'authorized' repair center - this is the same repair shop that is swamped with WARRANTY claims. You will pay for and wind up with substandard work, and only a one-year warranty, IF your watch runs that long ...
- Any company who appears to have copied our business model, diagnostic language, pricing structure, service levels or website information. We are happy to know that we have been such a unique part of their 'learning curve,' and would like to offer them, or any other fake 'watchmaker' that has viewed our web site and had an 'Aha!' moment, a special, super-authentic GRADUATE certificate (click here for your FREE certificate). Happy Hacking!
Want to know why your Kinetic watch no longer works properly?
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Is your Seiko Kinetic watch battery or capacitor not charging as it should?
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Does your Seiko Kinetic watch stop during the night? Does your power reserve indicator only show '5' or '10' seconds of charge, no matter how much you 'shake' or 'swing' the watch to charge the capacitor?
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Is your second hand 'stepping' in two-second increments indicating a low charge?
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Have you already had your Seiko Kinetic watch repaired by a 'hack artist' on the web only to have the original problem come back in a few weeks or months?
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Were you told your Seiko Kinetic watch needed an expensive, new movement?
At KineticRepair.com we know exactly why your Seiko Kinetic watch is broken. We can properly diagnose and expertly repair your auto-quartz watch, and restore its function to factory-performance levels.
A correct repair begins with an accurate 'diagnosis' or 'estimate' of what is wrong. In the above photo you see a Seiko Kinetic watch being tested for 'consumption,' which is precise measurement of the electrical demands of the watch movement while it is running at 1.55 volts as supplied by the test instrument. In the Seiko auto-quartz 'kinetic' watch, these demands are normally met by a portion of your movement that generates electricity and a devise (the energy storage unit or L-Ion battery) that stores the energy for use by the watch's integrated circuit (IC).
This photo shows a state-of-the art, Swiss Witschi Analyzer Twin, being utilized to detect and display a just-serviced Seiko Kinetic watch's electrical consumption in microamps or 'millionths of an amp.' The reading shows .753 microamps, and is normal for this movement. This critical electrical test, performed both BEFORE and AFTER the servicing of an auto-quartz watch, is the ONLY way to know if both the charging system and new Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit will perform properly. We are confident that many of the places advertising to 'repair' kinetic watches are NOT performing this test.
More importantly, the majority of competitors do NOT know how to, or will refuse to correct this problem with proper service. How do we know this?
More importantly, the majority of competitors do NOT know how to, or will refuse to correct this problem with proper service. How do we know this?
Ask the '$54.95' guys how they will fix this common problem!
The partial movement and component part in this photo came from a watch which had been serviced by a competitor three months earlier. All that was done to this watch was a replacement of the capacitor with a new Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit at a cost of $54.95 (with free estimate & free shipping!). The owner sent the watch back for warranty service and was told he had "failed to keep the watch charged up, damaged the 'battery,' and voided his warranty." He was then told he could spend another $125 for a 'new movement' to correct the 'problem.' This customer was misled and ripped off. Let's examine why this is so.
The new 'battery' in this customer's watch did truly fail within three months, but NOT because the owner failed to 'keep it charged' or to 'condition' the new lithium 'battery.'
On the contrary, the new Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit (LI ESU) in this watch failed because the 'hack' who worked on this watch failed to diagnose the REAL problem - HIGH CONSUMPTION caused by OLD, DRIED GREASE. The consumption was so high that the owner could not possibly generate enough kinetic energy to keep the LI ESU charged. High consumption is just one of reasons why a Kinetic watch may not be running OR charging properly.
Old, dried grease creates high levels of friction that your watch's integrated circuit continuously tries to overcome by requesting MORE power from the capacitor or energy storage unit.
Many 'watchmakers' are either unaware or choose to ignore this problem, and simply install a new 'battery.' Your watch WILL run again, but only for a few weeks or months before the new 'battery' is drained by HIGH consumption, and your second hand starts to 'step' in two-second increments, or your watch STOPS completely. When you send the watch back to these 'watchmakers' they may then try to 'spray clean' your assembled movement. But you can't spray clean this thick dried, old grease. You will then be told that your watch needs a 'new movement' that YOU will be asked to pay MORE for. YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF!
The BEST way to properly repair this problem is disassembly and ultrasoniccleaning, reassembly and lubrication - all of which we do at KineticRepair.com with our exclusive 'intermediate service.'
- KineticRepair.com is a state-of-the-art, full-service, professional watchmaking facility specializing in the proper repair of Seiko Kinetic watches.
- Our company has previous or current, professional affiliations with the AWCI, NAWCC, BBB, JSA, & JBT.
- Our watchmaker is certified in watch repair, professionally educated with two master of science degrees, and was trained in Switzerland in the servicing of auto-quartz watches.
- Our repaired kinetic watches and watch battery replacement carry limited warranties of up to 3 years! No other company can make this claim. Go ahead, search for one. You won't find one.
- We are the ONLY website exclusively dedicated to kinetic watch repair that shows actual pictures of Seiko Kinetic watches in all phases of diagnosis and repair. Our competitors visit KineticRepair.com to better learn how to properly repair Seiko kinetic watches.
- We do not do '10,000' repairs each year, preferring to focus on QUALITY and NOT quantity.
- We have pioneered many new methods in the efficient and effective repair of kinetic, auto-quartz watches, including diagnostic service levels to insure the correct repair level for your watch; specialized cleaning techniques to truly disinfect your watch; and the use of new synthetic, high-pressure oil in critical areas of your watch movement to increase your watch's service life and increase its performance.
- Click HERE for our contact information.
Beware of the Competitors who advertise only one price & 'free' shipping.
Their website states, 'call us for a free estimate,' or they will ask you to complete an NON SECURE form (at least one of them now has a new https contact page as of 3/28/12 - wonder where they learned that? . . . ) to request a 'free estimate' with 'free postage' or a 'free shipping box' or a 'free' lunch. Yep, there is no such thing people - AND there is NO WAY to tell you the exact cost to repair a watch without actually examining what is wrong. Oh, and the 'free postage' is WITHOUT any insurance for your watch. You have to pay for that. Minor oversight.
One of our customers related this account to us of what happened to her when she decided to send her watch to a Foreign National/ESL 'All Watch Brand Repair' Sweat Shop.
"Hello, I have a Seiko Kinetic watch that is not working. How much will it cost to fix it?"
The nervous voice at the Total Watch 'Botch' Repair Sweat Shop answered, "Our normal fee is $XX.XX with free shipping. Do you need a free label to send us your watch?"
Her response, "Why yes, but don't you need to know anything else about my watch?"
Sweat Shop person's response, "No, just send it in with the free label that I am e-mailing you."
So I sent it in. Two weeks later it came back - Free shipping! Yippee!!!! And it was running and showed the correct time! Such a deal.
But then tragedy struck. Two months to the day after I received it back, it stopped working. I called the company.
"Please send it back so we can take a look at it," was the foreign-accented reply.
"Can you send me a 'free label' to do that?"
"We only offer free shipping for new repairs."
"Oh, okay, wow." I sent it back to them. SURPRISE! The company e-mailed me back to state that it would cost another $105 for a new movement, as this was not part of the original repair. But they would warranty that for one year too! Such a deal (heavy sarcasm). That is why I sent it to KineticRepair.com. I could tell from all the information on your website that you knew what you were doing. I was so happy to get my watch back running like new again. Thank you so much for restoring my confidence in getting my watch repaired."
Monica L. - San Bernadino, California - May, 2009
We repaired this woman's watch for FREE just for relaying this story to us. That's right. And two years later it is still working!
RIP OFF ALERT - Like 'Free' Stuff? So do they. By sending your watch to these businesses, you may be supporting illegitimate businesses who utilize illegal aliens and/or undocumented workers (click for the latest statistical report).
Many competitors claim to repair all Seiko Kinetics for a flat fee of $XX dollars. They can quote you a low-ball repair fee because they may not actually diagnose and/or repair your watch to factory standards. They may NOT dismantle your watch to properly clean, inspect and repair it, as many of them lack the training and equipment to do so. Their "repair" consists of overhauling your capacitor (basically replacing your watch's high-tech battery), or "gear adjustments as needed" (meaningless as the gears in the Kinetic can NOT and should NOT be adjusted).
You are being ripped off, and putting genuine watchmakers out of business.
If they can't "fix" your watch with a quick capacitor swap for a new 'LI' cell, they may try to repair it by spraying the movement with a "one-shot" cleaner. When this fails to work, they may tell you that your watch needs a "new movement." Seiko now charges watchmakers with parts accounts $70 to $95 for new movements. Seiko does this to try and put a stop to these "movement swappers." What your watch actually needs is not a new movement, but proper servicing. We offer this type of repair through our intermediate and complete service levels. One of our competitors actually stated on a watchmaker-only forum that we were 'stupid' for servicing these movements the proper way. Not one 'watchmaker' on this forum stuck up for doing it the right way. Not one. Stupid is as stupid does. It takes us 30-45 minutes to service one movement, properly we might add, and HONESTLY.
Kinetic watches which require more than a new 'energy storage unit' to function properly, require disassembly, cleaning and lubrication. This is a genuine "overhaul." Most of our competitors are NOT properly trained, skilled or equipped to do this to your watch. They are literally banking that you will pay them to merely swap your capacitor and clean off the grunge, or swap the movement. A new capacitor may run your watch for six months or so before it slows and stops again. These same unethical competitors hope that you decide to buy a new watch, or forget where you sent it for repair, or that you will send it back to them for more of the same. Many of you do! 60% of the kinetics we service have been to some other shop one, two and/or three times - and all repair attempts have failed - giving the customer the impression that their Seiko watch is unreliable. NOT TRUE. These watches are very reliable if they receive the correct type of periodic maintenance.
Why risk having it done wrong?
Your Seiko Kinetic watch may require complete disassembly, cleaning and lubrication to operate properly. We offer intermediate and complete service levels capable of performing these tasks. Ask the competition IF they will do ALL of that. NONE OF THEM OFFER THIS SERVICE LEVEL.
Our company now offers no less than six (6) unique repair levels designed to meet the specific requirements of Seiko Kinetic watches in need of service. We do this because of our professional experience with kinetic's auto-power generating quartz watch technology, and our knowledge of what wears out and goes wrong with an older kinetic movement. We also know how to resolve these issues so your watch operates as intended by the manufacturer.
Our limited repair warranty is six months (reconditioned LI cell only) for quick care service, 1 year (12 month capacitor) for basic service, 1 & 1/2 years (18 months) for intermediate service, 2 YEARS (24 months) for our complete service and 3 YEARS (36 months) for COMPLETE SERVICE PLUS.
No ONE, not even the manufacturer, will warranty your Seiko Kinetic watch repair for periods in excess of one year. Many will only offer a six-month warranty (some only 30 days). This is curiously the length of time a fully charged capacitor may run in most of the Seiko Kinetics, even when the watch has a problem that was not corrected during the repair!
We can offer longer warranty periods on our intermediate and complete service levels because we know our repaired watches will operate trouble-free for at least this length of time, if not for as long as you originally owned them before problems became evident, often five years or longer! This is NOT hype. It is fact, and it is backed up by our loyal customers and record with the BBB.
We are the only Seiko Kinetic repair site on the web with high-quality photos of what we do in our facility to your watch. The others don't post photos because they are worried that their web page will 'load' more slowly, and you might not want to wait for their "Google landing page" to fully appear, or you might not like what you see.
We think you should see what is being done to your watch.
We are swamped with repair requests from word-of-mouth advertising. This speaks for itself. Reading through our website, you may think that we are elitist. "How can you attract customers with an attitude like you have?" How? Easy. Because we are truly good at what we do. There is no smoke and mirrors, only quality watch repair. What a concept! We actually fix your watch!
When you become one of our customers, you will NEVER want to send your watch to anyone else for repair.
We can also replace crystals, crowns, bezels, bracelets and other parts on most Seiko Kinetic watches, but only on those sent to us which require intermediate and/or complete service.
If you have questions, please contact us at this link. Thank you.
KineticRepair.com utilizes Seiko-factory charging and diagnostic equipment (left photo). We utilize Witschi test equipment to analyze your quartz watch's time-keeping accuracy (center photo). We also use a variety of pressure testing equipment to verify your watch's water-resistance rating.
Is my watch a 'kinetic'? Are all Seiko watches 'kinetic'?
All Seiko watches are definitely NOT 'kinetic' watches. Seiko makes watches that run on a battery (quartz watch), or that run on a wound main spring (mechanical) or that run on a capacitor or rechargeable Lithium Ion cell (KINETIC). 'Kinetic' watches will normally have the word 'kinetic' on the dial or watch face, and utilizes the motion of your arm to cause a small weight in the watch movement to revolve on its central axis. When you swing the watch gently back and forth you may hear the charging action. This rotational energy is captured and stored in a rechargeable battery. Another term for a 'kinetic' watch is an 'auto quartz' watch, as the watch movement relies on a quartz capsule and an electronic integrated circuit for its regulation and time keeping.
It can be easy to mistake an 'automatic mechanical' watch for a 'kinetic' auto quartz watch. But they are NOT the same. A simple way to tell the two apart is to note the second hand's behavior as it moves across the dial when the watch is running. In an automatic mechanical watch the second hand will appear to sweep or glide across the dial when the watch is running. In an auto quartz kinetic watch, the second hand will 'jump' or 'step' in one second intervals when the movement is operating. An auto quartz kinetic with a low battery or low charge may alert you to this fact by displaying a second hand that 'steps' in two or five second intervals. This is also a dead give away that you have an auto quartz kinetic watch.
An automatic mechanical watch also derives its power from your movement; however, a mechanical watch utilizes a mainspring to store energy (wound by the automatic components of the movement), and there are no electronic parts or batteries inside an automatic mechanical watch. If you have an automatic mechanical watch, we can service it at www.bestfixwatch.com. If you have an auto quartz 'kinetic' watch, keep reading to explore the service levels we typically diagnose kinetic watches to require.
What "service levels" are kinetic watches diagnosed to require?
When your watch is received we perform a detailed diagnosis to determine the appropriate service level needed to repair your watch, and return your auto-quartz kinetic movement to factory-level performance standards.
The service levels we may diagnose a watch to require are:
QUICK CARE
BASIC
INTERMEDIATE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE PLUS (LONGEST WARRANTY IN THE WORLD!)
9T82 CHRONOGRAPH
Each of these service levels, along with a detailed explanation, is described below:
QUICK CARE & BASIC SERVICE - These are our two introductory service levels. We recently added a QUICK CARE level as we have determined how to recondition some (not all) Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries. Quick Care is therefore ONLY designed for Seiko Kinetic watches that have a Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit (ESU) installed (NOT the older silver capacitors). Not all kinetics with LI cells can be reconditioned. And that is where the other categories of service come into play, such as the next level up - BASIC service.
Most "5JXX" and "5M4X" models: If your watch has never been serviced and is less than five years old, is reasonably clean, with NO water damage (rust, fogging of crystal and/or spotting/staining of the hands or dial), NO damage or wear to the crown or pusher, has NEVER been repaired by another company, and has a functioning bracelet and clasp, then it may be diagnosed to require basic service. The definitive test for basic service is a test of your watch's consumption. If it is within specification, and there is no other issue with your movement (such as a bad coil, bad circuit, water damage, sheared charging rotor, etc.) then it will be diagnosed to require basic service. Ten (10%) of the watches we receive have issues that can be corrected by Quick Care. Another ten (10%) percent of the watches we diagnose require basic service. The current repair time frame for quick care or basic service is two weeks.
If the watch is almost ten years old or older - and never had proper service, and/or is extremely dirty, and/or has a sticking power reserve button, and/or a broken crown (winding knob), and/or is an "Arctura" type kinetic, a chronograph kinetic, or a kinetic with a caseback which has four screws on the back or front, or is a "5M6X" or "3M2X" Ladies series, you will likely need intermediate or complete service.
Beware of those telling you that capacitor replacement is the ONLY actual service most Kinetic watches require! At least 80% of Kinetics require more than a capacitor to return to proper functioning. And BEWARE of the "imitators" of our business model offering you three-levels of service. All they are effectively doing is replacing your capacitor and charging you more.
We are not interested in telling you what you want to hear to get your business, but we are interested in FACTS. Facts help to properly repair auto-quartz watches.
INTERMEDIATE - If your watch has been serviced or opened before by any other service center or repair shop, and/or is noticeably dirty (i.e. gunge and/or grime build up in the small crevices of the watch case and/bracelet, a non-functioning pusher or crown, high consumption, etc.), then it may be diagnosed to require intermediate service. Most 5M6X model watches and 'Auto-Relay' kinetics require this or a higher level of service. Approximately 40% of the watches we receive are diagnosed to require intermediate service. Current repair time frame for intermediate service is four to six weeks.
COMPLETE & HIGHER-LEVEL COMPLETE PLUS - This is the correct service level for watches that are almost ten years old or older, and/or have water damage/rust/fogging of the crystal, and/or damage or cracking of the crystal, and/or damage to the dial or hands, has a broken/sheared crown, is a Lady's model "3M2X" series, or for any kinetic watch that the miscreant at the mall or the con artist at "xyz Internet watch repair" tried to "fix" but damaged, etc. This is also likely correct service level if any parts are loose inside the watch, or if your capacitor has leaked its contents inside the movement. While this service level may seem expensive, it is the BEST long-term value for your watch, and still less expensive than purchasing a new Seiko Kinetic. Approximately 40% of the watches we receive require complete/full service or an even higher level of service called Complete PLUS, such as the 5M2X series - which requires a upgraded 5M4X movement installation. Current repair time frame for complete service is six to eight weeks.
NOTICE: New dials, hands, bracelets, clasps, crowns, pushers and/or sapphire crystals are not included in the pricing of any of the above service levels. Inquire when sending in your watch if you desire these parts to be installed. In general, bracelets (when available) start at $75, clasps (when available) start at $45, dials (when available) start at $40, hands (when available) start at $15, sapphire crystals (when available) start at $45, crowns (winding/setting knobs) start at $20, and pushers start at $15. We may also contact you to require that these parts be installed in order to effect a proper repair or to obtain water resistance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OUR EXCLUSIVE SERVICE LEVELS:
If your kinetic watch was "repaired" within the last year at one of the "kinetic repair rip-off shops," and is now failing to hold a charge, the basic service will NOT fix the problem. If installing a new capacitor did not correct your watch's initial problem (failing to hold a charge), then simply installing another new and fully charged capacitor will not correct the real problem. The problem may be associated with a evaporated gear-train oil, or contaminants in the gear train introduced during the prior shoddy capacitor replacement. Both of these problems are diagnosed and repaired with our intermediate kinetic watch repair service, and/or additional problems may have been caused by the previous repair attempt. If the issue is associated with your watch's charging circuitry, then the service level that will diagnose and definitively correct this problem is complete kinetic watch repair service.
Our basic service will ONLY install a new LI energy storage unit, it will not correct a dirty gear train or failed circuitry.
Your watch will be diagnosed for the proper service level when it arrives, provided you have included the required repair/shipping authorization form.
Your watch may require additional service, such as intermediate and/or complete, or a new crown or pusher. We will email you an invoice of the proposed repair total. If you refuse the invoice for repairs, a $25 repair decline fee will pay for our accurate diagnosis and to ship your unrepaired watch back to you.
What gaskets require replacement in my Seiko Kinetic watch, and how do I know you are replacing them?
Please take a look at photos from watches serviced in our facility, which clearly demonstrate what is involved when servicing crown, pusher and caseback gaskets in your Seiko Kinetic watch.
The photo on the left shows both generic and genuine factory crown and pusher gaskets. Gasket #1 is typical of what the competition puts back in your watch - IF YOU ARE LUCKY. We only install gasket sizes #2 and #3, which cost significantly more than #1. The photo on the right depicts an actual pusher gasket on a watch that has NEVER been serviced. Note that it has RUST! This RUST got there all by itself with no help from someone who 'wiped the gasket channel.' All it took was sweat (water & salt), skin oils, dirt/grime and TIME. Yet dishonest competitors will tell you otherwise.
The photo on the left shows the SAME rusted pusher AFTER ultrasonic cleaning - No more rust. Note how the original, factory gasket is flat and compressed. The photo on the right shows the SAME pusher with a new, factory gasket installed. Note the correct CURVED profile of this gasket. Seeing is believing.
Left: The pusher channel has to be hand cleaned with sharpened peg wood, then (right) the reconditioned and pre-lubricated pusher assembly is replaced. No 'corners being cut' here.
The c-clip is replaced using the proper tool. Next, the crown and stem are cleaned, inspected and a new factory gasket is fitted. This is the quality of work you can expect if you allow us to repair your watch.
Competitors claim that your caseback's gasket channel can't or won't rust unless someone fails to clean the caseback. This is misleading. We see casebacks with factory-installed gaskets that have never been opened by anyone, which are RUSTED due to the simple fact that your body's sweat, oil, skin cells, and dirt WILL find its way into this caseback-gasket area and can cause rust to form - as is clearly depicted in the photo on the right. Again, NO ONE opened this watch to cause this surface rust, and it is usually easy to remove by proper cleaning during any of the service levels we offer.
A new caseback gasket is lubricated and fitted and then the caseback is properly torqued.
The properly cased and sealed watch is then dry-pressure tested to its water resistance rating. This is how we service the gaskets in a Seiko Kinetic watch. We hope you have enjoyed these photos!
How much does it cost, and what payment methods do you accept?
For information on current pricing for service levels, please visit our Service Levels Page here. We accept all major credit cards and Paypal through our secure service cart (no checks of money orders.) We diagnose most watches received for repair quotes to require one of five service levels. To check current prices, subject to change without notice, please visit our Service Levels Page. To determine what service level your watch might be diagnosed to require, visit the FAQ "What service level might my watch be diagnosed to require?"
*NOTICE - Special pricing can change depending on our sales/promotions, and does NOT include shipping and handling charges which are calculated during check out. A $25 charge is assessed on declined repair quotes.
If your kinetic watch was "repaired" within the last year at one of the "kinetic repair rip-off shops," and is now failing to hold a charge, the basic service will NOT fix the problem. If installing a new capacitor did not correct your watch's initial problem (failing to hold a charge), then simply installing another new and fully charged capacitor will not correct the real problem. The problem may be associated with a evaporated gear-train oil, or contaminants in the gear train introduced during the prior shoddy capacitor replacement. Both of these problems are diagnosed and repaired with our intermediate kinetic watch repair service, and/or additional problems may have been caused by the previous repair attempt. If the issue is associated with your watch's charging circuitry, then the service level that will diagnose and definitively correct this problem is complete kinetic watch repair service.
Our basic service will ONLY install a new LI energy storage unit, it will not correct a dirty gear train or failed circuitry.
Your watch will be diagnosed for the proper service level when it arrives, provided you have included the required repair/shipping authorization form.
Your watch may require additional service, such as intermediate and/or complete, or a new crown or pusher. We will email you an invoice of the proposed repair total. If you refuse the invoice for repairs, a $25 repair decline fee will pay for our accurate diagnosis and to ship your unrepaired watch back to you.
What gaskets require replacement in my Seiko Kinetic watch, and how do I know you are replacing them?
Please take a look at photos from watches serviced in our facility, which clearly demonstrate what is involved when servicing crown, pusher and caseback gaskets in your Seiko Kinetic watch.
How much does it cost, and what payment methods do you accept?
For information on current pricing for service levels, please visit our Service Levels Page here. We accept all major credit cards and Paypal through our secure service cart (no checks of money orders.) We diagnose most watches received for repair quotes to require one of five service levels. To check current prices, subject to change without notice, please visit our Service Levels Page. To determine what service level your watch might be diagnosed to require, visit the FAQ "What service level might my watch be diagnosed to require?"
*NOTICE - Special pricing can change depending on our sales/promotions, and does NOT include shipping and handling charges which are calculated during check out. A $25 charge is assessed on declined repair quotes.
What "service level" does my Kinetic Chronograph (Sportura, Arctura, etc.), Seiko Auto Relay or Perpetual Calendar Watch require?
We can service your kinetic chronograph and perpetual calendar movements; however, we do not have a specific service level for the 7-series kinetic chrono movements. The Seiko Sportura and Arctura Kinetic Chronograph Coutura, perpetual calendar and auto relay watches operate on the same technology as the basic kinetic watch. However, these kinetics also include additional electronic and/or mechanical components which operate separate/additional functions (chronograph, perpetual calendar, sleep modes, etc.). Due to the additional complications, the fact that these watches retail for prices of $700 (and up), the need to service the additional complex components, these watches require additional, highly-skilled WORK, and most of them are diagnosed to either require complete or complete plus service.
What may cause my Seiko Kinetic watch to stop working, and/or fail to hold a charge?
ANY (or a combination) of the following can cause stoppage or failure to charge:
1. Defective, leaking and/or exhausted original-style capacitor.
2. Defective or exhausted Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit.
3. High consumption of your watch movement.
4. A 'graduate' or 'expert' from the Internet or 'fix-it-fast' place repaired it.
Keep reading for a detailed explanation of each of these repair issues.
- 1. Defective, leaking and/or exhausted original-style capacitor.
The photo on the left shows a 5M43A Seiko Kinetic movement with its rotor and capacitor bridge removed. The red arrows are pointing to the border of the original-style, genuine 'capacitor' (surrounded by a red insulator) to point out the leaking capacitor "gew" which is both fluid-like and solid. The photo on the right shows the capacitor and insulator removed to reveal the capacitor gew and its proximity (closeness) to the charging and time train gears (under the area marked in yellow). Should ANY of the capacitor gew migrate under this bridge and into the tiny gears, the watch will experience problems with either charging, or timing (run slow or stop) or both. Many competitors claim that few of the kinetics they work on require anything more than "replacing the capacitor." However, leaking capacitors are a VERY common problem in older Seiko Kinetic watches. This means that these competitors are leaving (at the very best), some of this gew in your watch, as it is sticky and very difficult to clean out of the watch. No foreign particles of ANY size can be left in a kinetic/quartz movement if it is expected to operate as intended. The only way to know that the movement is free from this contamination is to completely overhaul (disassemble and clean) the parts.
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2. Defective or exhausted Lithium Ion Energy Storage Unit - Your lithium ion energy storage unit (LI ESU) is at the end of its serviceable life (approximately 4-7 years), was improperly conditioned, and/or is defective, and requires replacement. Your watch may have come with the 'new' lithium ion ESU in place of the original-style capacitor. The LI ESU behaves differently that a capacitor in that it takes longer to reach higher charge levels. However, it can hold more 'power reserve' (time to discharge) than the original capacitor. Of course, this assumes that your watch does not have high 'consumption,' which will quickly drain the new LI ESU, and/or cause it to become defective. See more on high consumption below.
- 3. High consumption of your watch movement - The gear train (wheels that turn your watch hands) and their respective pivots and bearing points have either dried up or evaporated oil or an obstruction, and the "consumption" of your watch (a measure of the energy requirement to drive the circuit, train of wheels and watch hands) exceeds the ability of the energy storage unit to keep up with this demand. This condition, depicted in the photo below, can only be repaired with our intermediate or complete service levels. For more information on how we VERIFY your consumption level, click HERE.
- 4. A 'graduate' or 'expert' from the 'Internet' or 'Fix-it-Fast' place repaired it. Go ahead, ask the competition how they will remove the old, dried grease from you kinetic autoquartz movement. Lots of work involved to get to and clean those parts - honest hard work that they want nothing to do with. But they will take your money and swap that battery, pray your watch will run for one year, and then tell you that you did not keep it charged if it fails to run for that year. Avoid these scam artists. They 'graduated' from a two-day class in how to remove your caseback, oscillating weight, two screws and replace your capacitor and caseback gasket, then add some silicone gew to your stem to 'seal' it. And they hope you are impressed with the words 'ultrasonic' and 'spring bars' and 'ETA Graduate.' Did you get a piece of candy or your old parts in a tiny bag when you received your watch back in the mail from these scheisters? Candy, a 'watch with shiny scratches' or old parts returned in a baggie won't make your kinetic auto-quartz watch run properly.
Yes, there are. But thankfully VERY few. In spite of having an A+ rating with the BBB, and properly servicing thousands of Seiko kinetic watches over the past 10 years, we do run into the occasional 'bad' customer, and we have become very adept at spotting them. We routinely refuse to service watches for anyone who:
- Refuses to complete and sign our shipping/repair authorization form.
- Insults us, demeans us, threatens us, is in any way rude and/or cops an attitude in a voice mail message or an email.
- Behaves like a jerk.
- Files fraudulent complaints or chargebacks against our company.
I tried to replace the capacitor/battery myself. But I could not fix it. Can you repair it?
Yes we can. Your watch will require at least complete service. No exceptions.
How do I know you received my watch? I have not received any notice from you yet!
Provided you sent your watch with 'tracking' information, such as USPS which offers free tracking of your parcel, you will need to track your watch on the carrier's website. We are unable to respond to inquiries requesting this information. If your tracking inquiry with the carrier states that we have received your watch, then we have received it, and are preparing the invoice to email to you. Please check your email inbox for our repair invoice. Generally we process new repair invoices once a week, on Monday or Tuesdays. If your watch arrived on Wednesday, then it will be invoiced the following Tuesday. Please be aware that your email inbox SPAM filter may have intercepted our email repair invoice, and placed it in your email's 'trash' folder. Please check your trash or spam folders. If you would like to have us resend the repair invoice, please send us an EMAIL. Thank you for your patience.
How do I send my Seiko Kinetic watch for repair?
You are only one click away. Go to our shipping instructions page (CLICK HERE). Sorry, but we do not allow drop offs of kinetic watches for repair. Please do not call to ask this question. Mail it first class for under $3.00.
I lost my original owner's manual.
You may obtain an electronic copy of your original owner's manual, or find questions concerning the operation of your Seiko watch at the manufacturer's website, located at THIS LINK.
KineticRepair.com
BestFix Watch Company, Inc.
704 Pennsylvania Dr.
Denton, TX 76205
1-940-208-1635
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Seiko, Arctura and Sportura are the registered trademarks of Seiko Corporation of America.
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All Repairs Performed By
John W. Safranek, CMH - Swiss-trained, Certified Professional Watchmaker
