Shocking Seiko - The Disappointing Prospex Glacier

[@superdad4324]

I have 4 watches with the 6r35 movement, they perform a lot better when worn. If you just wind it and put it down, my willard runs about 30s slow a day, however, if I wear it, it will run just fine from +/-5s. I have 10 further seikos with 4r or 7s26 movements (dont tell the wife) and most of them run better when worn rather than left in a static state. Seiko also recommends winding it with 40 turns for start and winding it with another 20 each morning. I have used seiko warranty service before and my watch came back with a full report, however I approached them directly. It would be interesting to see how does it perform if you wear it for a week solid.

[@LastWatch]

I hope to bring you good news… my wife knows about all my watches but she is quite forgetful

[@dyslexicbien]

I got the same model. Its beautiful. I got my accuracy +6 per day on the first weeks. After a year i got +2/-2 per day, i love it. The problem i got is the misaligned bezel. Not a big problem to me but its a shame for an expensive watch.

[@dyslexicbien]

@@ezeztztztz +5 is a jackpot accuracy in a 6r movement imo lol. Some has +10/-10. Its so sad that having a nice 6r movement is a luck based purchase

[@justmeeagainn]

Seiko should change their advertising to “Seiko: you don’t just buy a watch; you buy a project.”

[@LastWatch]

Still on the shelf

[@lanceorventech6129]

Sadly Agreed to this one💯, I spent more than what I should have on mine.

[@dunderhay9169]

Sorry to hear this, there seem to be many reports of problems with 6r movements. My daughter has a Presage with a 4r35 that would stop over night, she sent it back, the new movement is better, but I was surprised to see 1mS beat error and it is running pretty fast. Strangely, the two nh35 I have had from AliExpress have been running much better. My San Martin sn0116 arrived with the nh34 running +5 with 0.0mS beat error!

[@LastWatch]

The NH35 is a pretty solid workhorse

[@RabbitWatchShop]

My experience too. Every NH35A movement I’ve owned and currently own runs within spec - often around -5 to +5. Bad experiences with Seiko movements. Quite amusing. Perhaps those Malaysian factories take more pride in regulation than Seiko themselves.

[@PINKFL0YD-s2h]

I've given up on seiko due to the QC problems I've been experiencing. I bought a San Martin 62 mas instead of the seiko and I'm very happy with it. Another one is a SanMartin 62 mas chronograph. Seiko did not make a chronograph so it is an original in my opinion. I use an app as a time grapher and it is spot on. It's called watch accuracy meter.

[@LastWatch]

I used various apps but opted to buy a timegrapher rather than give money to the tax man, its a legitimate tax write off

[@CarJacka]

I was hoping you were going to document your experience with Seiko service centre themselves as I sent my SPB315 off a couple of weeks ago because it's slowed down to around -25 per day from a decent +5. This 6R35 is a lemon. If I could have swapped in an NH35 I'd feel happier about my purchase instead of worrying if or when it's going to die.

[@LastWatch]

I’m a fan of the slim turtle, I hope you get a good result

[@Koishishibaman]

Sorry to hear all the problems with the movement. I have almost bought that watch a few times. Handsome watch. I have a bunch of 6r movement seikos. Most work fine. Have an alpinist i took to a local watch repair shop to regulate because it was running 40+ seconds a day. Think it frustrated them. They said the movement should be replaced, didnt charge me. These are older expert repair people. The alpinist is actually running quite well now after they tried to fix it. They aslo regulated a brand new nivada Gretchen for me. From +50 to +7 seconds. Happy with that. Sent in a new high beat seiko in for warranty service. Plus 14 sec a day. Just within specs, but for me, unacceptable for a $6800 watch. Why doesn't seiko regulate 8L movements? It is in Japan being serviced right now.

[@LastWatch]

I hear the wait from Japan might be long, lets hope it comes back in as new condition, which Nivada Gretchen did you get

[@Koishishibaman]

@@LastWatch it was the tropical dial on leather. Handsome watch

[@DaveButcher-e8k]

I’ve the same spb301j1. It’s currently with Seiko for repair. It’s quite a depressing review. Is your watch better with wearing . Mine “improved” to minus 20 seconds a day with constant wearing. How is yours now?.

[@LastWatch]

I have yet to do the review but the accuracy is all over the place

[@carl-johankrooks9966]

My Citizen ny0040 runs 2,5 to -1 seconds a day after wearing it for the first month on my wrist. My King Turtle is almost as accurate. I was considering a Seiko Sumo with the same movement but after watching your video, I will go for something else.

[@martinweyden40]

Loved your video. Unbelievable. Nou is think i am not going for seiko enimore. I wanted the same watch .

[@LastWatch]

I am torn

[@ultimaetsolder]

I would have just stayed with the Steel Dive...

[@LastWatch]

Can’t argue with that

[@justmeeagainn]

What a genius you are. How is it you haven’t cured cancer yet?

[@RabbitWatchShop]

6R35s and 31s are garbage movements. My SBDC101 was -55 seconds. That’s a $1,200 watch! Contains the same movement. It was too heavy and large anyway. People have been complaining about these movements for some time now. Never purchasing another Shitko

[@LastWatch]

Strong words, did you send the watch for repair

[@RabbitWatchShop]

@@LastWatch I broke the case down, aligned the hands, removed dust on the dial and under the crystal, corrected the insert misalignment, regulated the movement, cased it back up, and sold it. The insert’s pip is misaligned - something I couldn’t fix. My nightmare was over after parting with it. The new owner is pleased.

[@RabbitWatchShop]

@@LastWatch also, whilst making adjustments and repairs, I was sad to find “CASE CHINA” was hidden on the inside of the caseback. Plastic movement holder. That’s a JDM $1k+ watch Seiko claims is “Made in Japan.” This was also the case for a SARB035 JDM i returned for QC issues.

[@RabbitWatchShop]

@@ezeztztztz I believe your experience is the norm, not the exception. Most are happy with this model. However, while most receive a good unit, there is simply too many duds others, including me, have received. It seems Seiko has improved on QC, but not enough to prevent consumers from receiving bad units. Even today, I still watch reviewers discussing QC issues with their newly acquired Seiko watches.

[@ytrosk]

All my seiko 6R35 watches run within 7 to 2 sec +/- a day. Major deal breaker if a watch from a jeweler or a retailer doesn't have the case back sticker on it...

[@LastWatch]

A 500 quid discount for no sticker ?

[@superdad4324]

Unfortunately I had similar experience with various 6R35 movement Seikos. I would choose a 4R movement instead all day.

[@TheCdM1981]

I don’t know. I have had the same watch since it came out and it’s had zero issues in almost 1.5 years at this point. But at the price point Seiko is hitting with these watches it starts opening the door for Doxa Sub200T’s or Longines hydroquests.

[@nsrock434]

Iam interesting buying this watch can u update what u discovered after wearing it Tnx

[@LastWatch]

I will be doing the review before the end of the year

[@Mikeleangelo40]

I had only problems with my spb131j1 from the beginning. The quality of the bracelet differs from others at the same price, it has only two micro-adjustment positions and Seiko made sure that it is impossible to change the clasp other than those produced by themselves. My 6r35 has plus 30 seconds per day, but it may still be regulated because it is a fairly new watch. Previously, I had a Balticus Deep Water watch with a Miyota 9015 mechanism and it ran on average plus 5 seconds per day. The Seiko looks much better, but everything else leaves much to be desired. I'm just glad I didn't buy the more expensive Prospex model because I would have probably cried. I won't buy anything from them in the future.

[@LastWatch]

They will lure you back in with something else

[@steelsteez6118]

how accurate is your testing methodology though? You say you dont have a timegrapher and are using an app to measure its accuracy? I don't know man, I would try and get a hold of a timegrapher so you have an accurate measurement. Not sure how accurate those apps are. Would be like donwloading an app to check the oil levels on my 84 datsun? 😂 I dont know, im sure im being too harsh on the app but would be interesting to the see the timegrapher results.

[@LastWatch]

I also compared it to a couple of G-Shocks with atomic time keeping, didnt want to look stupid sending a good watch to Seiko

[@matricious]

Would the warranty still be valid if some local watchmaker regulated the movement ?

[@LastWatch]

That’s a good shout, not sure if Seiko would even know that the work had been done

[@UKNick01]

I got one of these a couple of days ago. All looked good so fully wound it and left it to see how it kept time dial up...was losing about 4 seconds an hour! WAY out of spec! Seiko need to sort out their 6r35 movement, as they are so problematic. I am not going to send it to seiko, so I am torn between sending straight back from where I got it, or have my watch maker take a look at it and hope it may just need regulating, but I'm not so sure about that!

[@LastWatch]

Thanks for sharing, if you send it to Seiko they will just replace the movement

[@Meatbeerboss]

I got the green Willard steeldive and it cost me £60. Can't see myself buying an expensive Seiko ever again

[@LastWatch]

That Seiko branding comes at a premium

[@Bugster987]

You might find when you wear it it’s much more accurate than on the timegrapher.

[@LastWatch]

Let’s hope so

[@jeffreyalbarandorivera8595]

You can buy an NH35 again and load that to your glacier. Use the rotor of a 6R35 and problem solve😂

[@PINKFL0YD-s2h]

Exactly what put me off seiko. Sadly the Chinese homages are far cheaper and at least as good.

[@LastWatch]

I don’t think the finish is as good on the homages but no complaints when you consider the savings involved

[@RabbitWatchShop]

@@LastWatch San Martin comes very close, and in some aspects, their finishing is better than Prospex.

[@pk1342]

​@@LastWatch the finishing us miles better on the SPB willards. I have a black SD1970 and SPB265 Willard. The two watches are night and day in terms of finishing - dial, handset, markers, case finishing etc etc.