[thetimelord]

Hello all,

I've already posted about this on the Heads Up! thread, but it got locked as the new month began, so not sure if it's been missed. Or maybe I'm just stating the obvious (I'm new to Automatic watches!)

I bought the Rider M002 Bauhaus-style Watch when it went on Sale to $60 recently (worked out around £47 in GBP).

I know there are reviews about the movement being noisy (eg, the "tickticktick" is a bit more noticeable than others I have) but there has been a change in less than two weeks.

It's suddenly started sounding jangly and rattles on my wrist - even when I type this! It's not had any drops or falls (I take it off at night) so I'm not sure if the rotor screw is coming loose or there's a part inside there - not that I can see, anyway.

Seagullwatchstore offer a one year warranty, though I'm assuming the purchaser has to return the watch themselves (bit annoying as the watch is still very "new" to me, but okay).

To their credit, seagullwatchstore got in touch within 2 hours of me emailing them (!) with this reply:

It is normal for the mechanical watch to have sound of the movement. The M002 watch has a little louder sound than other watch. It is not a fault if the watch can keep good time. You do not need to worry about that.
Thanks for your kind support.

There are very short video clips as examples, here. You might have to turn the volume up, as the clips were recorded on my phone, but I want to know if this noise is to be expected? The fact that it's different from when I received it is concerning. And to be honest, it's just plain annoying to now be constantly aware of it on your wrist, jiggling away.

Thanks for any replies

 

[Monkey_like_watch]

That ain't right at all!

No watch should sound like that unless they put a few 1 mao coins in the case before it was shipped from China.

 

[thetimelord]

That ain't right at all!

No watch should sound like that unless they put a few 1 mao coins in the case before it was shipped from China.

The response from seagullwatchstore basically says to me, You're stuck with it. I did reply and ask if they had watched/listened to the video clips (with the volume up!!)...Really disappointing as I was so pleased with this watch.

 

[SinoWatchLover]

The response from seagullwatchstore basically says to me, You're stuck with it. I did reply and ask if they had watched/listened to the video clips (with the volume up!!)...Really disappointing as I was so pleased with this watch.

Does the watch have an ST25 movement? If so, they are all noisy.

 

[thetimelord]

Does the watch have an ST25 movement? If so, they are all noisy.

ST1701.

But it's the fact it has got noticeably noisier, so much so it's annoying to wear? It jangles everywhere I go now, whereas before it wasn't a problem.

 

[SinoWatchLover]

ST1701.

But it's the fact it has got noticeably noisier, so much so it's annoying to wear? It jangles everywhere I go now, whereas before it wasn't a problem.

I haven't heard of this problem with the ST17. Apart from the loud ticking, I think there may be something wrong inside as you suspect. I've had a couple of ST movements come across my desk with noises and/or stopping. In nearly all the cases, there were screws loose. In one of them, an ST25, the movement mounting screws had come loose and one kept jamming the balance. In another, the screw on top of the autowinding rotor had started to loosen and the weigh was rubbing on one of the plates. I sounded like a tin can with loose marbles in it!
If you are stuck with the watch, any competent watchmaker can take care of it.
The ST1701 is a fairly good quality movement so if you can get it taken care of, you will have the good quality watch you bought.

 

[thetimelord]

I haven't heard of this problem with the ST17. Apart from the loud ticking, I think there may be something wrong inside as you suspect. I've had a couple of ST movements come across my desk with noises and/or stopping. In nearly all the cases, there were screws loose. In one of them, an ST25, the movement mounting screws had come loose and one kept jamming the balance. In another, the screw on top of the autowinding rotor had started to loosen and the weigh was rubbing on one of the plates. I sounded like a tin can with loose marbles in it!
If you are stuck with the watch, any competent watchmaker can take care of it.
The ST1701 is a fairly good quality movement so if you can get it taken care of, you will have the good quality watch you bought.

Thanks, I appreciate it. seagullwatchstore are now deadly silent...(unlike my watch, ha!), so I'm guessing the One Year Warranty doesn't apply in my case.

 

[steve_AU]

I had this happen to a Seiko 5 the screw holding the rotor came loose, it eventually got worse and stopped auto-winding (which on a seiko 5 is a big deal cause you can't manual wind) but it was an easy fix to open the case and tighten the screw.

 

[thetimelord]

Thanks. Now I know what I'm dealing with and that it's abnormal, I can look into doing something about it. We all have our favourites and this was going to be one of mine, but I've fallen slightly out of love with it at the moment (lover's tiff only, hopefully).

 

[thetimelord]

I got another reply from seagullwatchstore (I do appreciate them replying) but I'm quite insulted by this one..basically saying that I'm fixating on a problem that isn't there?! I've had it on my wrist for two weeks. I read reviews diligently whilst waiting for its arrival and was aware of the "noisy movement" from reviews but initially satisfied myself that it all it was, for me, was quite a noisy tick.

Nearly two weeks later, I put it on my wrist in the morning and wonder, Where is that noise coming from?! I didn't want to believe it was actually my new watch, at first.

I am sorry that our watch actually has some noise. It is normal.You may pay too much attention to the noise so you believe that it is become noisier than before.
Sorry for the noise from the watch.

Now I have this thing jiggling and jangling as though it has a few pennies stuck inside it! Before it was absolutely fine (I have only a few Automatic watches but they don't make a racket like this has suddenly decided to).

There's a part of me now so annoyed with the contrary customer service I'm getting, I feel like throwing the thing in the bin!

Unfortunately I'm at a disadvantage because my mobile's microphone isn't great, so you have to turn the sound up! This thing jingles and jangles like I have bells wrapped round my neck! https://youtu.be/lLJcw7sb3oE

 

[Chascomm]

Hard to make out much from the clip, but I'm wondering if the entire movement and dial have got loose in the case. Are there any problems with hand-winding, auto-winding or setting?

 

[thetimelord]

Hard to make out much from the clip, but I'm wondering if the entire movement and dial have got loose in the case. Are there any problems with hand-winding, auto-winding or setting?

Yeah, if I had a more professional camera/mic set up it would be louder. But I can hear it clear as day on my wrist..I was just p*ed off last night.

No problems hand-winding or setting. Unsure if the auto-winding is still effective, though, as I noticed it had completely stopped after a few hours off my wrist, for the very first time, last night. That may suggest some issue with the rotor.

I'm going to get a more expensive (well, for me, anyway) watch strap adjusted as I don't want to risk scratching it up, so I'll ask the guy there to look at this Rider M002 and see what he thinks.

Edit: I wound it last night before bed, had it on my wrist till about midday and it's stopped again (2.15pm UK time). I have emailed seagullwatchstore again, but I don't think they're responding now.

 

[thetimelord]

(Today I'm wearing my Xiaomi Youpin W001M, as I'm not sure I can trust the timekeeping of the Rider M002 - I'm hoping to take the Rider M002 to a watch repair place, couldn't make it yesterday).

Well, seagullwatchstore do offer support, if you count email replies, but that seems to be as far as it goes.

Good day!
The watch is Mechanical watch.It need to get enough power from winding or wearing more than 8 hours every day.The rotor need to turn along with your arm.If you do not have enough amount of activity, it cannot work normally.
So please kindly wear enough time everyday to see.
Thanks for your kind attention.

I wouldn't call myself an expert where Automatic watches are concerned - which is why I came on here asking why my watch is so noisy and what could be the culprit - but I do have some idea how they are supposed to operate? My watch now keeps stopping, and wasn't before - all I can assume is the screw on the rotor is getting looser over the days and it isn't auto-winding.

Maybe there's some sort of language barrier in my emails (giving them the benefit of the doubt, hugely) but it's like dealing with an Ali seller. Seems seagullwatchstore's "one year warranty" doesn't exist?

 

[caktaylor]

If you like the watch and want to keep it, you should probably stop wearing it until you can take it to a local watchmaker for repair.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thetimelord]

I got to the bottom of the mystery. I waited for the infamous Sticky Ball to make its way to me from China, and couldn't get the caseback off! But another tool did the trick (boyf couldn't undo it with the Ball either).

As soon as the back was off, the rotor screw was actually attached to the glass! At first I thought the screw was glued/welded inside it but it wasn't. This watch has a tiny rotor screw (compared to, say, a Seiko 5) so tightening it has been postponed till I can find a flathead screwdriver small enough. But the screw was so loose it came off the rotor straight away.

Edit: Actually, I bought a "Cut It Out" Hobby Knife Kit from Poundland earlier, and used the tip of one of the blades to gently tighten the screw. It seems to be winding, ticking and fingers crossed, keeping time. And the horrible rattle has gone!

No sign of any tiny metal shavings or anything worrying inside, mercifully.

This Youtuber, James Patton, suggests that Seikos are prone to loose rotors (news to me)

I can wear my Rider M002 watch with pride once more. But I doubt I'll buy from seagullwatchstore again.