Seiko Service Center USA Repair Review - Our Experience

[@OnTheScout]

Sent a SARB035 in for its first 5 year service and movement upkeep. Came back with several scratches on the dial and chapter ring and a lot of grit and lint visible. Called and complained and they paid for the shipping label back and did it over again and they did it correctly the second time: $250 total for that misadventure with the Seiko Jersey Service center. 5/10.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I'm so sorry about your watch and experience. This story seems to be consistent across the board. The Seiko Service Center shouldn't be trusted with watches that hold any value to you. I'm sure that location is their training center or something, except they use customer watches. Of course, I can't prove this, just a hunch based on all the low-quality work that comes out of there.

[@jum3lies]

I have a 6A32 that I’ve had for many years. The first time I sent it back for service it was satisfactory. The second time I sent it back shortly after I got it back there was condensation inside the watch shortly after I got caught out in the rain.

[@sandytulenko9103]

Hi. Just watched your video and you are so right about the service center. Being from NJ we used to go to the service center for our watch repairs and could usually wait 20 to 30 minutes while someone did the repair. The charge was minimal. We just sent a CBO5061 for repair and a new watch band. The total charge was $357.16 with the band costing $182.18. We received the estimate by email and agreed to the price. We also paid using a cc. Three weeks later we called to find out what happened to the watch. They said they were waiting for approval. We explained that we agreed and paid. The representative then said they would fix the watch and send it back within the week. The watch was returned, well wrapped and in good condition with a new band. Unfortunately the band is too big and needs links removed. They could have shortened it there or called to ask about the length. This would not be an issue other than the fact that it is a complicated band and the old band was damaged by a jeweler attempting to shorten it. Now we need to find a reputable person to shorten the band. Any suggestions? We are in Venice, Florida. Thanks.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

Thank you so much for watching! Please like and subscribe, and don't forgot to comment about your experience with the Seiko Service Center below!

[@ninetysicks]

Hello, very interesting video. Have you heard of anything more recent (good or bad)? I’m interested in your sources for servicing my SARB035. Some more local watch repairers consider this a “modern” Seiko and denied me. Thanks

[@carlosalvarado1796]

Hello! I sent my SKX007J for service and adjustment, it was running fast (about a minute a day) so I sent it to them. I got the initial email acknowledging receipt on Oct 19. I missed their email requesting my authorization to proceed, once I did they sent another communication informing me the watch was now with a watchmaker on November 9th and that was the last communication. A week later my watch arrived and it was really well protected, same box as you show in your video but the watch was inside a plastic bag and wrapped in paper, and covered by the packaging peanuts. My experience was good, the watch is keeping time accurately and including my postage, taxes and the S&H from them I spent $170 and all worked out great. Sorry so many others are having a totally opposite experience.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

That's great! I'm happy you had a positive experience with them. I wonder if they are better with newer watches than pieces from the 60s and 70s.

[@jeremyrockler246]

Great video sorry to hear about your experience! I'm a big Seiko fan so I'm very sad to see this. Where do you recommend sending these for service?

[@vintagewatchhunter]

There are definitely a few good watchmakers for Seiko. I would stick with someone who specializes in Japanese watches. I would contact Tyler at Thompson Watch Repair. He's a buddy of mine and done some great work.

[@markpernice4702]

I have a similar case. They swapped out the internals of my father's heirloom and very rare 6139-6005 and replaced them with frankensteined junk drawer parts without my knowledge. They are refusing to take responsibility saying they received the watch in that manner. Something really shady going on over there. Would love to speak further with you about how and if you resolved this. Thanks!

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I don't think there's any way to resolve it with Seiko. There's no way to hold them accountable. I got lucky that they refused to service my watch. I'm sure you know this now, but I would just stay away from their service center. Find a reputable vintage Seiko specialist is my only recommendation.

[@aashimamathias548]

I have a women’s stainless steel Seiko Solar 100M purchased in 2000 or so. It has stopped working. I think water got into it as I opened the back and the gasket was broken. The number 170572. It also needs a new battery V187-0AC0. Where can I get it repaired? I looked for a replacement battery on Amazon but, could not find a matching number? What do you suggest? I live in Vancouver BC, Canada.

[@xibfwbtxawjvaag8854]

Can I send in my seiko for repair? I have about 3 watches need to replace the glasses.

[@latifreid515]

Great Video. I had a similar experience with Jomashop - returned Seiko chronograph for repair under warranty - did not fix and returned damaged. Makes me leery of shipping my watch for service. Is there anyone in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area that you can recommend?

[@Miguelito63No1]

greetings, great information, I have 20 seiko and not a problem with any one, here in chicago i have a mexican watch maker, really good and very profetional, shalom

[@digitalundergrnd13]

I went through the exact same experience they said the watch a Seiko turtle 6309 manufactured in 89 was to old to repair. As for their customer service I give them a 0!

[@MarilynAndersen]

Hello. I have a vintage Seiko Melodies in Motion wall clock that needs repair. Do you know of any good repair shops in the Chicago area for this? Thank you!

[@billrichardson6620]

Thanks for uploading this... this is incredibly disappointing to hear.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I don't want anyone to waste their time with Seiko USA. I appreciate you watching, and I'm glad this was helpful. I still love Seiko, just won't use this service =]

[@Conundrum191]

Interesting to see this -- I haven't ever sent one of mine in, but when Googling the official Seiko service centre in Toronto, Ontario (might serve all of Ontario or even all of Canada) has very similar reviews to what you saw. My guess would be they are about the same.

[@miken2076]

That is truly a horror story! I have used them for GS and Seiko Springdrives, with good results although I did have problems with them repairing my SNR001 under warranty (around 2009). After several returns they fixed it properly. In the future, though, I think I will photograph a watch from all angles prior to getting it serviced.

[@alperyu13]

hi I from Turkey alper, I make vintage watch repair ı follow your videos

[@cliffcox7643]

Where should a Seko be sent for good repairs.?

[@solstar4778]

I’m in Houston Texas who would you recommend for watch service here ?

[@vintagewatchhunter]

Unfortunately I don't know any local watchmakers in Houston, but I can definitely refer you to some watchmakers I work with. You would have to ship your watch though. Not sure how comfortable you are with that.

[@solstar4778]

Vintage Watch Hunter - ok where and who!

[@Shazman30]

Was thinking to ship my S800 - Diver's chronograph. Speaker doesn't work, and needs overall servicing. Now I am thinking twice to send.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

They definitely wouldn't be able to change the speaker, I think. They don't seem to have any parts from watches no longer in production. Probably like my watch, they would decline to service the watch because they didn't have the parts to fix the speaker, possibly. You can always send it though. If they aren't able to service it, you won't be charged anything. IF you need a rec. to service your watch, let me know.

[@Shazman30]

@@vintagewatchhunter Thank you. I'll give them a try and let you know.

[@adenval7]

mine is running 18 sec slow a day.....grand seiko only 2 years old..........IDK if I trust them to send it to them for regulation....(its even under warranty)

[@billrichardson6620]

After watching this video and seeing all the negative reviews I don’t think i would risk sending a Grand Seiko to these guys

[@billrichardson6620]

Unfortunate too cause you would think they would be the best at this type of service since they’re also SEIKO!

[@adenval7]

@@billrichardson6620 yeah giving someone i don't trust my GRAND SEIKO.....its even under warranty and I don't think i want to...

[@vintagewatchhunter]

If it's a spring drive, I believe they send it to Japan for service, but otherwise, I would send it to a knowledgeable watchmaker somewhere else.

[@JadeGeminiM390]

Same I got a brand new SRP turtle and it is running 2 mins slow a day from factory. Called but am afraid to send it in due to fear of them scratching the watch or misaligning of the chapter ring.

[@ELDuderino415]

Thanks for the review. I won’t be sending my dads 6831 UFO there for service / repair. Would you happen to know a decent place I could send it in the Northern California area?

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I don't know of anyone in California, but I work with a few watchmakers around the country. I'm gonna plug my buddy, Tyler at Thompson Watch Repair. He's done some good work for me in the past.

[@maxpaws3977]

I got a brand new Seiko and it got condensation on the glass just from an outing in the cold weather. I sent it to an official Seiko service centre in the UK and they missed the condensation stain on the hands and there is now dust in the dial which is really annoying. Seiko is overrated and not the best brand out there.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

A can't speak for current Seiko...They're probably not that great, but vintage Seiko is incredible. And I would never recommend their service center, it seems to be unreliable and often causing more damage than repairs. I hope they resolve this dust issue for you. Your watch should not be left in that condition.

[@MrZZooh]

Thanks. I just got my new automatic chronograph watch delivered to them for a time adjustment as well as possible parts replacement on the case. This video is very worrying to me.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

Is it a vintage Seiko? You may have a great experience with them, though. Please let us know how everything turns out when you get the watch back. Every bit of information greatly helps the community.

[@MrZZooh]

@@vintagewatchhunter thanks for the reply. No it's not vintage. It's a Seiko Prospex Transocean Automatic Chronograph. Kinda rare. I love this watch. And when I called they told me it's 1300 something dollars to replace the case! I said that's not why I sent it in. I want the accuracy fixed and restored back to factory settings and possibly replace the caseback as well as the metal plate on the side of the case. Those two parts shouldn't cost more than 50 bucks each. So I am hounding the customer service with my emails and let them know that I put everything in the notes. They're supposed to call me back by Monday. I sent in my Hamilton auto chrono for a simple bezel change and they not only did that but they changed the dial, the hands and the crown too as well as doing a complete overhaul on the movement all for free! I mentioned that in my email. I said I am going to make a video about this and it better be a good experience because I am going to compare this with the service I got from Swatch in LA. And if they disappoint, I am probably going to sell this and return my other Seiko turtle that's on the way now and NEVER buy Seiko again. I make sure people know about this on KZbin and reddit.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

@@MrZZooh I'm glad you're making sure you get the service you deserve. If you're looking to have your watch serviced without replacing parts like the dial, hands, or case, I would never send it to the manufacturer. They want all of their watches to look new, so they tend to replace everything. This is super dangerous, especially with vintage pieces as it will tank the value of the watch. I'd find a reputable watchmaker and have them do all of your servicing. They generally know not to mess with the watches.

[@MrZZooh]

@@vintagewatchhunter I am gonna crucify them on KZbin if they leave extra scratches or not adjust/regulate the time keeping correctly. I am so stoked. I am gonna show the difference between a real warranty of a company like Swatch that stands by their word and honor and cheapskate thrifty companies like Seiko. I told them I want you to prove me wrong. So I'll have to see. Thanks for the tips again.

[@action55jackson]

Did you share this video with the service center and if so, what was their response?

[@vintagewatchhunter]

No, I don't think anyone there would care. Judging by their less than 2-star rating on Google and Yelp, they don't give much thought to customer service or quality of repair. I just wanted to make this video to give caution to prospective customers, especially those with vintage or costly timepieces.

[@hooch1111]

I had similar (if not worse) experience with a Tissot watch, also NJ service center. BTW my Tissot literally broke within 3 months of light use, bought new from AD, came back with scratches all over, just sold it for a loss.

[@mapmanlxii1715]

Hey thanks for the tip I was looking into getting a 7T34 serviced as the 1/5 of a second stopwatch hand has stopped running and won't reorient to 12 o'clock. Other than that this 27 year old watch is running great maybe I'll wait until another complication dies before I think of service. Hey it isn't like I'm trying to time Usain Bolt with this mechanical timepiece!

[@K20-h5n]

The 7t34 isn’t mechanical. It’s quartz

[@HHIto]

Did you ask your Seiko Authorized Dealer (how they get repaired)? How about sending it to Japan for Worldwide Service Center, Hodinkee? I'm hoping this doesn't happen with Rolex, JLC, Omega, etc....

[@frankmiller95]

The service people in Japan will likely refer you back to the one here in US, as did to me.

[@sgssgssgs]

The Movado factory service center in NJ is just as bad, if not worse. One would think improving the service experience would help sales.

[@d.holder595]

Sadly, poor service from an authorized Seiko Service Center is not restricted to the U.S.A. I live in Panama and I took my SRPF03 for repair because I accidentally popped off the crown and lost it. After five days, they finally got back to me saying that it will take 6 to 8 MONTHS to fix my watch! This is unbelievable! This is the 21st century; even if they had to send for a new crown all the way to Japan, FedEx could fly it back in one, at most, two weeks. Seiko makes beautiful watches for a wide range of budgets but it seems that they’re not interested in repairing them. This makes me think long and hard before I decide to but another Seiko watch.

[@solstar4778]

Yes they are inexpensive and fast but they don’t have all the parts available unable to get a gasket seal for my Seiko automatic! Same experience for me too ! I would made the same video!

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I don't think they have any parts in stock for watches no longer being manufactured. They'll keep your watch for a month and then send it back because they didn't have a gasket lol.

[@FunWithAJ]

I just sent them a sarb033 with an unhealthy movment. If they send my watch back shipped like that I'll be asking for a full refund

[@vintagewatchhunter]

Let me know how it arrives. I doubt it will be packed any better.

[@FunWithAJ]

@@vintagewatchhunter got my watch back today. Was moderately well packed, including a small box, packing peanuts, dust cover, plastic zip bag and strap retainer. Definitely wasn't as bad as the experience in your video. Cons though; pretty sure they scratched my bezel a bit, the service order said online that they'd water test my watch for free yet the service receipt in my package says not needed next to the line item..odd. as for the reason I sent it in...it was really off on time outside of stated spec. They claim to have serviced the movement I'll only be able to confirm after 24 hours or so.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

@@FunWithAJ I'm sure they serviced it. Hopefully they did a pressure test on it, oddly enough, from a normal watchmaker, a pressure test can be quite expensive when done alone. I've been quoted $70 just for a pressure test from some watchmakers. Hopefully the watch is running on time. Thank you for letting everyone know your experience.

[@orlandodizo5097]

What is their address?

[@vintagewatchhunter]

I believe they're in New Jersey somewhere.

[@randycox798]

How do I contact you? No contact information.

[@vintagewatchhunter]

[e-mail]

[@justmeeagainn]

You get what you pay for. Just saved you 13 minutes of your life. You’re welcome.

[@graysonmcoy6633]

It's probably because of the pressure testing, bro

[@hazratumerkz3fv]

your country brother

[@skzion2]

OMG. I would never send a cheap Seiko there, let alone a Grand Seiko.

[@hammalamiri12]

I sent my GS to the Seiko service centre here in the UK, It came back good as new, packed in a GS travel case sent by special delivery back to me. The UK service centre seems to be much better reviewed than the US

[@walther9161]

I can an tell you watch servicing is a huge and horrible task and experience. They literally hide from the public and only work with jewelers. I can do some servicing but not such a complicated piece so what can you do..

[@michaelsears4687]

Reach out to me. I have many vintage Seiko watches to be worked on

[@FT4Freedom]

Nothing good out of New Jersey. Never.

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

Bob Dylan says: "In Jersey anything is legal, as long as you don't get caught." Tweeter and the Monkey man ( Wilburys)

[@petehamada7073]

F--k watches........, thay are never worth the headache of having one. Overpriced junk that needs maintenance

[@vintagewatchhunter]

There is definitely an argument there; however, I'm on the other side of it. The alternative to hand-made timepieces that require care to operate is the disposable culture we have adopted as of late. Everything has become cheap garbage that isn't meant to last more than a few years.

[@frankmiller95]

You are far too polite. The people at Seiko Service USA are assholes, from top to bottom. lt's unlikely anyone is interested in my particular complaint with one exception. ln my case, no pun intended, they sent a repair authorization with no mention of the proper seals to ensure watertight integrity to original specs being unavailable. Upon receipt of the repair, the invoice empathically stated "water resistance not guaranteed," with no further explanation. My intention is find a good independent watchmaker and never buy another Seiko, good as they are.