How much for a pressure test?

[Mave]

I've just bought a cheap Seiko SKX off ebay, it was a bit scruffy and unloved so I thought I might get it pressure tested before I do any water sports with it.

Local jewellers wanted £75 to fit new battery and seal and pressure test it. (I did ask if I could get a discount if it didn't need a new battery, apparently its their policy to change it anyway)

Is this a typical price these days? At £75 I thought I should just risk it, and get the movement changed if it leaks...

[trickywoo]

Mave said:

I've just bought a cheap Seiko SKX off ebay, it was a bit scruffy and unloved so I thought I might get it pressure tested before I do any water sports with it.

Local jewellers wanted £75 to fit new battery and seal and pressure test it. (I did ask if I could get a discount if it didn't need a new battery, apparently its their policy to change it anyway)

Is this a typical price these days? At £75 I thought I should just risk it, and get the movement changed if it leaks...

It won’t need a battery because it hasn’t got one.

You could play a silly game and see if they charge for a battery then negotiate the price after they’ve done the supposed work.

[Mave]

trickywoo said:

It won’t need a battery because it hasn’t got one.

You could play a silly game and see if they charge for a battery then negotiate the price after they’ve done the supposed work.

Oh, I know, I guess my post was too subtle The fact she wouldn't give me a price over the phone, looked at it, then quoted for a battery change means I'm not going there.

I'm not going to play silly games with someone who I don't trust not to open it up unnecessarily, potentially damage the seal screwing the caseback on, then get water into the movement pressure checking it....

I was just wondering if £75 is a normal price these days.... Seems stupidly expensive for what I assume is 10 minutes work...

[Debaser]

Maybe she used to work at Timpson?

[Mave]

Debaser said:

Maybe she used to work at Timpson?

I guess that's not a recommendation to go to timpson then 😑

[Debaser]

[Mave]

Ha ha nice. Too right I'll never pay for a watch battery for it again

[r159]

Pressure test shouldn’t put the innards at risk, I’d pop to a local watch repair place rather than a key cutter.

[55palfers]

Debaser said:

About 15 years ago I took Timpsons up on this offer for a Breitling quartz chrono. At the time it cost about £25 - £30 ish

It's had about 4 new batteries since. They send it away and pressure test it each time. Watch runs perfectly and is watertight.

Current lifetime battery and test price is £45. Only £10 more than just one battery fitting.

[Mave]

r159 said:

Pressure test shouldn’t put the innards at risk, I’d pop to a local watch repair place rather than a key cutter.

Don't some pressure testers use water?

The only watch repair place local to me is the one who quoted £75 including battery change....

Edited by Mave on Thursday 9th September 21:25

[r159]

Mave said:

r159 said:

Pressure test shouldn’t put the innards at risk, I’d pop to a local watch repair place rather than a key cutter.

Don't some pressure testers use water?

The only watch repair place local to me is the one who quoted £75 including battery change....

Edited by Mave on Thursday 9th September 21:25

Yes, but what happens is the watch is put under air pressure say 10bar then immersed in water. The pressure on the vessel is then released, if the seal is no good the air that has found it’s way in, finds it’s way out as bubbles in the water. The egress of air prevents the water from getting in, obviously when the bubbles are seen the watch should be lifted out…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wOsnBd_7-k

The watch isn’t pressurised underwater, like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwNFy2A7rmU

Edited by r159 on Thursday 9th September 21:40

[Ligne]

We offer pressure testing but are an hour away (Cirencester). Feel free to DM if you fancy a day trip (or are happy posting your watch).

[Mave]

r159 said:

Yes, but what happens is the watch is put under air pressure say 10bar then immersed in water. The pressure on the vessel is then released, if the seal is no good the air that has found it’s way in, finds it’s way out as bubbles in the water. The egress of air prevents the water from getting in, obviously when the bubbles are seen the watch should be lifted out…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wOsnBd_7-k

The watch isn’t pressurised underwater, like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwNFy2A7rmU

Edited by r159 on Thursday 9th September 21:40

Interesting stuff, thanks

[Mave]

Ligne said:

We offer pressure testing but are an hour away (Cirencester). Feel free to DM if you fancy a day trip (or are happy posting your watch).

If I'm heading up your way I might take you up on the offer

[richthebike]

Before we bash Timpson how confident are we that the watch shown isn't a 7548?

[Mave]

richthebike said:

Before we bash Timpson how confident are we that the watch shown isn't a 7548?

Don't they have a little SQ logo above the "divers" marking?

Edited by Mave on Friday 10th September 08:18

[richthebike]

Mave said:

richthebike said:

Before we bash Timpson how confident are we that the watch shown isn't a 7548?

Don't they have a little SQ logo above the "divers" marking?

Edited by Mave on Friday 10th September 08:18

Not always. Some said quartz under the Seiko branding.
I'm not an expert, but there were plenty of Seiko model variants with quartz movements in an "SKX" case. Before the SKX was an SKX is was a quartz range with a similar platform to the 6309.

[richthebike]

Slight thread derail, but as an example, there are quartz "SKX" gems like these:

[Mave]

Wow! You can still get them from Creation watches for around £250 - I think there's a lot of people chancing their arm on ebay, fuelled by the modding scene.

Edited to add - just checked, I'm sure the cheapest was ~ £230 about a month or so ago, currently the cheapest is nearly £280...

Edited by Mave on Friday 10th September 10:15

[944 Man]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Wow! Mine was £5x in 2007. I scrolled back through all of my PP purchases a few months ago and found it. I think that it was £57 including postage and I avoided any fees at this end. It was a pretty good deal even then: as a bid up auction on eBay US, which ended in the middle of their night: I think that I got it for the starting price of $110 or similar. Buy it now prices were usually $125-150.

Edited to add: £54.99 and I found it in my eBay history rather than my PP history, which only goes back seven years. £34 for an SNKA01, too, which is still available from Creation for £64. That makes the 009 a £125 watch now, which it is.

Edited by 944 Man on Saturday 11th September 18:36