Seiko 7S26 Watch Service. Assembly Tutorial Part 2 - Calendar Works

Hello and welcome to my Channel. This video is part 2 of a Seiko 7S26 Watch service where I assemble the calendar side works, dial and hands on a Seiko 7S26A movement. I will guide you through each part placement and where to oil. The aim is for the viewer to follow along if they are trying this for the first time.
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[@MyRetroWatches]

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[@pmv4787]

Thank you 🙏🏻, excellent service work

[@stevecole5003]

I have to say, Ive been fooling around with a 7s26 for a bit. Im a beginner and this guy is all the help Ill ever need. Thank you, sir.

[@HandyHomestead]

Thanks for all your hard work. This video is helping me with a similar Seiko and your attention to detail is great, as you explain each step and show the “mishaps” love that part. Other channels chat along and don’t mention the detail you do,like oil choices and similar. Thanks again for your straight forward approach it’s just super. 😊

[@MyRetroWatches]

You are most welcome. It’s fantastic to receive such appreciative feedback

[@rossphares9984]

I have enjoyed all your videos, BUT I fought with this re-assembly because the first silver "Plate" around the calendar wheel has to go under the day wheel drive fingers. (This is the one that has to sit still without any screws) Just a tweak in sequence as the next part of the process shows the second "Plate" screwed down with those teeth positioned over the first plate. Thank you for your contribution to all this hobby. Cheers RP

[@rodd555]

thanks for this. dont know how many times I watched these before attempting my second watch. just managed to complete it with your videos. did try a cheap ebay watch first which taught me how easy it is to lose parts, which is still in the bits that are left.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Glad I could help!

[@jlr8356]

Awsome…. Super illustrative. Im a fan of yours already.

[@bobjoe4909]

This is helping me a lot. Thanks again Mike!

[@MyRetroWatches]

BoB Joe thank you Bob I am happy to hear this video is of use to you.

[@ianmargetts4940]

Cooolio Mike great second part to this interesting movement service!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Ian Margetts Thanks Ian. See you Sunday !

[@dbzamora]

Very inspiring! You make it look easy :) Thanks Mike!

[@smitmachinale8281]

Thanks Mike, I enjoyed that. In fact I'm starting to collect Seiko because of your video's.

[@greggaxiola]

As usual a gr8 vid Sir - thank you for your fine video production.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Your welcome. Thank you for watching. This one is an old video

[@tasteapiana]

I've owned two Seiko 7S26 watches over the last 16 years. The first began to behave erratically around the 10 year mark (2017) and I adjusted the speed with the two little knobs on (I believe) the regulator for just over two years before it finally went +/- a minute or more a day. To be fair, I had put it through its paces as I am an active individual and tend to only take my watch off to shower or work on the car (yes, most times I sleep with it on). The second has performed flawlessly since it replaced the first in mid 2020. For about US $65-$70 a pop, I say they can't be beat overall. I am NOT a watch repairman or builder or anything similar. I've watched your 3 videos in this series to get an idea of what is going on inside them. It seems that Seiko could easily have designed this model to last several Xs longer but chose not to, which is acceptable to me for the price and performance. It appears that the OEM budget oil has a lot to do with these being rather ''timed to fail'', they just know it will collect mechanical debris from wear and begin to tell the owner ''Hey, buy another, I'm about to die'' lol. As long as I am 99% confident that I will get 10 good years out of a $70 watch - I will, in fact, buy another. $7 per year for a non-bother watch is a bargain, in my opinion. Other brands I had before becoming a Seiko fanboy all let me down within 1 to 2 years. $7/yr for some solid confidence Vs. $30+/yr for unreliability = yeah, I'm pretty much Seiko for life at this point.

[@tasteapiana]

Also, so you know, my experience is this model - right out of the box, both that I've had - are about +/- 1 to 1.5 minutes (both of mine have been +) every 2 weeks. 4 to 6 seconds a day is fair, in my opinion, for a general purpose wristwatch that doesn't require battery replacement, charging like a phone or hand winding. Heck, I'd rather have a fast watch than a slow watch any day. Thinking you have time remaining when you don't WILL cause problems but if your watch is fast you're always ahead of the game lol.

[@MyRetroWatches]

The reality is with any mechanical watch just like cars is you need to service them. I have 40-50 year old seikos performing to factory specs but not without cleaning and re-oiling. The 7S26 is not perfect as it uses too many plastic parts in my opinion but will only last 6-7 years before it need new oil. It does not take much to stop these things and its nearly always gunk and dried oil in the pivot bearings which I would assume has happened to yours. The cost of a service professionally usually is more than the watch worth so people just buy new ones unless it has sentimental value. Sadly though Seiko prices today are rocketing up so in time this might not be the case so much.

[@AwesomePotassiumK]

Thank you so much for this video. Almost done with fixing my Seiko! But that correction at the beginning just killed me. Time to disassemble and reassemble!

[@MyRetroWatches]

AwesomePotassiumK I do apologise... I’m not the polished article . You get to see all my mistakes and if following along you make them also.. Appreciate your comment and good luck with your watches.

[@MrEEShooter]

Yep, I put that in just as you did following your video. Thankfully its pretty easy to switch back.

[@MyRetroWatches]

yeah sorry about that!

[@flippinfinsaquatics]

Thank you so much for this video. I just fixed my Seiko SKX0033 and its now working.The stem wouldn't move in the two positions so i took it apart whilst watching this vid. Very happy that not only my watch is now working, but i did it myself.

[@MyRetroWatches]

This is great news. Always so rewarding to fix something by your own hand. Happy you found this video useful.

[@dannycosby5242]

This was a very good video, as well as several others of yours that I have watched on KZbin. I caught a small thing that you may have noticed later. The minute hand was off a little, to where when the minute hand was centered on the 12 o'clock mark, the hour hand wasn't. Anyway it's nice to see the excitement for watches that I have, in someone else. With many of your videos to help, I may try to do some of these things myself. Thanks

[@MyRetroWatches]

danny cosby thank you for watching . As for the hand I cannot remember now but probably would have noticed it. Problem I have is when filming the camera obscures my vision so I have to work from an unusual angle which can sometimes be why I will be struggling with some screws etc. Hand alignment is important to get nice and accurate and can take a few attempts to get it right

[@MONTY-YTNOM]

Really interesting. Thanks

[@martinward7239]

Yet again a brilliant tutorial. Absolutely fanbloodytastic

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you kindly!

[@4427126]

DAMM MIKE!!! I'LOVE YOUR VÍDEOS, BECAUSE I CAN SEE PERFECTLY WHAT I DO, WHEN WORK IN A MOVIMENT. Because some times, I put a part in site, not for i can see it, only put for i remember the place. My rigth eye don'y work good… I'can see, how you enjoy this moments, working with the scrap!!!! regads Marcelo

[@MyRetroWatches]

Marcelo Perez thank you kindly . This was my first 7S26 and I videoed it so you get to see my mistakes. I do not edit them out..

[@CraigandJoan]

Thanks for the great video, my first service of a watch is running!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Great to hear!

[@sharfansha7604]

Thank you MR.mike Really useful video 😍😍

[@MyRetroWatches]

Your welcome

[@42Hertzer]

Brilliant, thanks! Got a orange monster that need some TLC, perhaps this makes me try some basic maintenance. :)

[@GenWivern2]

Excellent job once again Mike: watch repair and videography both. I'll be particularly interested to see how you tackle the amplitude. Many thanks.

[@MyRetroWatches]

GenWivern2 thanks. For Amplitude I will just remove the balance , clean and re-oil the pallet and then the shock jewel in the balance. This most likely will be enough.

[@4427126]

@@MyRetroWatches YES, THIS IS THE POINT.If you find an interesting movement, but the seller said "don't work", you make an offert, reducing a prize ,becouse "...haaa, this is not a watch, is only scrap inside a case... well , I give you the 60%..." if you make a deal, some times you find, grat watches with only the pawl lever desgasted!!!! or somethig like this.And you pay 45$ for a watch you can sell for 100$, and buy another superior. It's the deal.

[@zs1dfr]

Thanks very much Mike, I have this exact movement, missing the oscillating weight, and I was wondering whether there were any other moving parts under the weight which are missing, but it appears not. eBay will be my friend and supply me with a replacement weight! For a tinkerer, mate, you're very professional! If I were videoing myself, my hand would be shaking so much, the job would take 10 times as long!! Thanks again, for a very professional tutorial. I have of course watched all three parts!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Are you in the UK Dave?

[@zs1dfr]

@@MyRetroWatches No Mike, I live in the most beautiful Cape in the world - Cape Town, South Africa! Unfortunately, that means everything is at a distance, and exchange rates make our monetary units worthless, so everything costs more! No problem - we manage, and it is worth it for the climate!

[@a.aguilar]

"If you want to see more ..." Yes of course we do!! One more Seiko movement I think I'm prepared to tink with following your videos, job is starting to accumulate haha. I think that two or three drops of oil on the teeth of the 2nd reduction wheel wouldn't do any harm, I use to put some oil there.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Agustin Aguilar more coming ! I have plans for a Swiss movement and some other ideas. Your right I usually oil the second reduction wheel teeth or the pawl ends . I missed it on this one this time. Other videos I’ve done I oiled them.. Thanks for your support.

[@davymckee6290]

Brilliant easy to follow tutorial. I have always wondered where to get replacement screws as Seiko wont sell parts to the public .I have a 7548 quartz which has a battery clamp screw missing.

[@MyRetroWatches]

+davy mckee thanks for the complement and glad the video was of use to you. Replacement screws... the only way I have amassed screws is by buying donor watch movements over the years, Seiko I find use around 5 different size ones so eventually you find something that fits. You can buy little kits of watch screws and sometimes get lucky with one fitting . Sorry but I can’t advise any more than that to help you.

[@cathdy3736]

skx 171 , rare and often cannibalized for its dial, or modded, now very hard to comeby in all original unmodded condition, i love mine

[@cristobalosuna3106]

Great video. thanks for doing this.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you for your comment. It’s a pleasure to make this content to help others.

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

:) Still working on revisiting all the videos and clicking on the like button :)

[@MyRetroWatches]

You are one of the best subscribers I have!

[@ionzaharia5078]

Thanks for your help !

[@-Dash-]

Good stuff, cheers.

[@MyRetroWatches]

MeesterDash thank you

[@alpenjon]

Crazy helpful, thanks

[@mattdborys]

The conundrum with buying used Seiko's with a 7s26 movement is if they're not running correctly, are they even worth servicing? Your video's are giving me the courage i need to try it myself! Excellent resource you are sir!

[@MyRetroWatches]

A Seiko is always worth saving in my opinion especially the automatics. The 7S26 movement is very well engineered in my opinion despite me liking their older stuff. Thank you for your kind words. Buy some basic tools and have a go its worth trying as the reward you get for taking a broken watch and making it run again is well worth it.

[@matthewwilson8598]

Hi Mike, everything was going great until I installed the hour hand. When I did a function test the date wheel turned with the hour hand (instead of once every 24 hours, it changed once an hour). Any suggestions?

[@markaddenbrooke8189]

Thank you for an interesting and easy to follow video, maybe I missed it but didn't see oil being put onto the bearing of the oscillating weight/rotor, what type of oil and how much?

[@MyRetroWatches]

Mark Addenbrooke hi , I can’t remember if I filmed that or now now. I use 9010 just a drop on each bearing .

[@markaddenbrooke8189]

Thank you.

[@scdevon]

Why don't pallet lever pivots ever get oiled on any movement? I know the argument about "if it rocks back and forth, it doesn't wear as much", but the balance pivots are a"back and forth" type of motion and it's considered vital to oil balance jewels. Does it cause that much friction to oil lever pivots? Should they just run dry?

[@MyRetroWatches]

Seiko service manuals show to oil but if you talk to professionals they will advise not to. The reason for this is two fold. First a hobbyist may over oil these jewels and that excess will find it’s easy down the pinion and can mess up the running / balance of the fork. Secondly the oil over time will congeal or go sticky if not serviced regularly. It really does not take much for a watch to stop and sticky jewels on the pallet will impede the performance drastically.

[@arg2504]

I need a spring a rotating bezel for a Parnis GMT homage. Any ideas where i can find it?

[@jackjax7921]

damn you dude I have to restart it all over again.😂😂😂😂 The crown gear you first showed is wrong. but thanks for the great video

[@MyRetroWatches]

Sorry about that Jack.

[@jackjax7921]

@@MyRetroWatches Yeah but thank you I have a hobby of fixing Seiko 7s26. Truly am grateful

[@artl52]

Hey Mike - maybe I missed it in the disassembly vid or part 1 of the reassembly - did you remove the jewels before you cleaned the parts? I'd be interested in pros/cons of doing that or not doing that. Thx for another great video.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Jewels... well I leave in situ and clean. then on rebuild I remove, rinse in essence or renata before oiling and refitting. Some say to remove the chaton and jewel before cleaning main plate so the hole on the plates gets a good clean. My concern is that on some watches (not Seiko to my knowledge ) have different size jewels which you cannot tell by eye. so if you mix them up it will be a while before you manage to diagnose and then correct. Mark Lovick had this on one of his videos (Watch Repair Channel)

[@artl52]

thx. Yeah, Mark makes it look really easy. I'd be scared of the jewels. haha

[@jonkasch1244]

can i fit any 7s26 movement from a different case to an skx007

[@MyRetroWatches]

As far as I know yes. The SKX is a7S26 movement and there is no difference in the movements other than in other Seiko movements (6119 etc) you have to be aware of the crown position , 4 oclock or 3 oclock . It might seem unimportant but the day / date wheels line up differently depending on crown position so you have to match them both.

[@jonkasch1244]

@@MyRetroWatches thanks for your help

[@Pehr81]

I’ve got a Seiko 5 SNK393 that drops 10 minutes after just a few hours. Do you think it’s adjustable or does it need service?

[@Pehr81]

Actually it loses about 35 minutes per day, so it’s fairly consistent which is good I’ve heard. Question is just if it’s adjustable that much...

[@MyRetroWatches]

this watch has a problem if it is loosing that much time.

[@Pehr81]

@@MyRetroWatches I think I'll try to demagnetise it first, then I'll send it to repair if it's still bad.

[@BoogurTWang]

is this applicable to the Seiko 7S36b also?

[@MyRetroWatches]

My honest answer is I’ve not done a B series. There will be some very small differences but not enough to effect my tutorial. Main thing i say to everyone is to take lots of photos as you go then you have a record of their location. You will be okay , have faith in your own ability

[@newlifeforvintagewatches2732]

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