Yeah the case back gasket can get twisted and pulled out of its track like that as it is tightened. Happens when they tighten it without gasket lube. A little silicone grease helps here. If its not too streched out, you can lube it properly , and add a little silicone grease to the case back flat where it contacts the gasket. Slowly re tighten the case back, and re-test it. Make sure its dry first too though.
I bought one of those quite a few years ago as a "beater" for about £30 from Debenhams. Gave it away to a mate last year. He's still got it, and it's still running perfectly. Cheap as chips, and after all, you get what you pay for. Sekonda make decent budget watches, just don't expect too much, and you (probably) won't be disappointed !!
Nice video, I’m from Canada so I didn’t know about this watch brand…. Looking for a cheap diver style watch ? Look no further than Casio….. for less money you can buy a Casio Duro which is a much better watch overall, a real 200m water resistant watch with a “ screw down crown “ Look even Bill Gates wears one ! Thank you
Such a shame with sekonda the quality is just laughable at times. However I think Accurists are interesting now with their rebrand and newer ranges. So may pick one up for review this year!
That's why some just a little lubricant should be smeared on the rubber ring.. Otherwise they move and may tear when the back is closed.. Anyway, QC aligned with the price.. Keep it up the great work, Cheers from Italy!!!
I think a comparable, close price wise, would be the legendary Casio Duro....might be nice for a head to head test if you feel like doing a cheap diver comparo.
Correction ! Sekonda did not start out as a watch manufacturer. Their watches were made in the old Soviet Union and branded as Sekonda. I believe this was the case until the collapse of the Soviet Union in around 1992. Early Sekondas will all usually have made in USSR at bottom of the dial. Most Soviet watch collectors will know that Sekondas were made by several different manufacturers in the Soviet Union and you will find many Soviet Union brands which are identical to Sekonda branded watches.
Quite correct,one of the few affordable mechanical watches you could buy in the late 80s,early 90s.good watches,I've got 7or8 I bought at the time,still wear them now and then.
Sekonda USSR watches are a different kettle of fish, compared to the 1980s UK offering. The Strella watches are highly desirable. Perhaps its about time you explored Sturmanskie, Poljot, Luch, Pobeda or Rateka brands. These are affordable vintage watches that are well made.
Have you tried the radiator and ice test on a watch before you do the pressure test to see how much condensation appears before the Herman test? Thanks for the video
I still have 2 quartz Secondas, one of which I wore every day for over 20 years. Bit battered now but still working. The other I never wore much but do like the look of it's internal bezel. Both bought in the usual half price Argos sales.
Just a thought from a science nerd: The oils and lubricants of mechanical watches are meant to perform within a pretty well defined range of temperature. The optimum is when they are close to body temperature, but subjecting it to a heat source for a prolonged period may cause the lubricants to 'run away' from their oiling points. A quick Google search seems to place the temperature extremes for mechanical watches at 32F (0C) to 140F (60C). 140 is only slightly higher than most home water heaters are set at, and I can imagine that a radiator could get hotter than that,
Gary, thank you so much for filling this void and reviewing affordable quartz watches. Now all we need is to find quartz watches in the 36-40mm range. With small quartz movements, it's a mystery to me why companies tend to make such large diver style watches, ie duro as another example.
I'd like to see you try the Invicta 9311 pro diver in Herman. I got a used one and I love it but always wonder about the wr. Very nice watch for the price
I've got 4 of them. My own were bought for me by my parents and they're 25-30 years old. The other two were my mum's and they must be 40 years old. Fond memories - "it's a Seconda Mrs Williams".
I remember my dad having a Sekonda he used to wear when he was gardening! Yes, I think that misplaced gasket caused the problem. However 200m with a push-pull crown? No chance. A very maximum of 100m as with the new Seiko 5 watches, but mostly 30m or 50m would be on the dial. I've actually gone swimming and shallow diving with my Seiko SRPD51, but only to a depth of 5 or 10m. I'd never chance more with it, but maybe a Herman test on a Seiko 5 would be interesting! I've only ever used 200m watches when going deeper. If the Seiko can survive to 60m in Herman it would be a perfectly safe watch for most recreational scuba diving activities.
I have a Sekonda chronograph with Roman numerals. I bought it in Dublin in 2008 and it still runs although I had to replace the battery a few times and the strap isn't original any more. The subdials may not be very precise but the watch looks beautiful.
Slightly fond Sekonda memories. After the pop swatches of my youth my first 'proper' watch was a 1990s Sekonda quartz chronograph. I keep seeing them popup on ebay for 30 to 40, tempted but I know it will feel terrible and just sit on the shelf...but still...should I....
I was thinking Accurist, or maybe Smiths (like a modern late 80's re-brand) But the brand in question, I didn't even know was British. Many thanks. I like to learn things like this.
I don't expect that all of them will have that assembly mishap. Disappointing to be sure and bezel is bad, but good size and movement, better assembled ones will last a long good while.
For some reason I always think of Seconda as a Russian brand. I think this looks ok, but at this price something like the steeldive quartz hulk is much better
should have done the ice cube test before pressurisation to see, as these watches are sometimes put together in a humid environment. AND then compared with after the pressure test
Not a bad disposable watch. I have noticed on their website a facility to specify a number of the parameters giving your bespoke watch for about £70. I have a hand wind from the 80s still going strong and telling the time. Inherited a couple of quartz ones, one has died the other with the worst bezel I've ever seen gets used when its likely to get a hard time.
They are pretty good value for their price. I had a Sekonda beater watch for 15 years, but I've noticed the chronograph element of the watch has died, which is unfortunate. It is a very comfortable watch (metal bracelet) and looks good. I'd say this model looks pretty awesome. The brush effect on the case is nice.
I remember seeing these for sale at airports and in the Argos catalogue when I was a kid, definitely not the greatest quality even at this price point. I wonder if Argos still stock the range ...
It looks as if Sekonda spoiled the ship for a halfpenny's worth of tar - that caseback gasket appears as if it’s too thin & probably wasn’t greased/lubricated
Yes I have the NK3347 as a beta watch . Great for work . Put it on a leather strap because the one that came with it was pants . Overall not to bad though.
Nice looking watch, but when an owner opens it that movement looks puny! Herman strikes again 😁 I don't know why manufacturers use those thin O rings, they need greasing and are fiddly to install. Vostok solved this 50 years ago with their design and massive gasket.
oh they're BRITISH?.. I thought they were Russian or Eastern European tbh, had a Sekonda...my very first watch.. fell to pieces after a week, the hands fell off, the crystal fell out, then the pin fell out of the strap and I lost it :(
@@ilikewatches nothing Gary I'm sending you a message signaling a possible user posing as you, saying that I have won the watch and to contact him, on another message and pay shipping, but they keep canceling it
@@ilikewatches maybe I understood why, in the message I put what kind of famous messaging app and the address very similar to yours with the same avatar and then youtube automatically deleted it, in any case I sent you an email, the one from the competition, to report the matter
Why buy cheap watches? My "beater" watch i bought in -86 was my first expensive quartz diver, Heuer (not Tag Heuer,just Heuer) I thought it will last few years as real diving. Now 35 years later it have been serviced free last two times in Switzerland, last time there was a note they rarely see such a worn watch :) It's been probably something like +5000 hours down in the sea, as my backup watch beside my diving computer. But it's just work, work work and work. Only thing I'm concerned is that will there ever be another backup watch for me or do i retire with this soon 40 year old Heuer....
Yeah the case back gasket can get twisted and pulled out of its track like that as it is tightened. Happens when they tighten it without gasket lube. A little silicone grease helps here. If its not too streched out, you can lube it properly , and add a little silicone grease to the case back flat where it contacts the gasket. Slowly re tighten the case back, and re-test it. Make sure its dry first too though.
I bought one of those quite a few years ago as a "beater" for about £30 from Debenhams. Gave it away to a mate last year. He's still got it, and it's still running perfectly. Cheap as chips, and after all, you get what you pay for. Sekonda make decent budget watches, just don't expect too much, and you (probably) won't be disappointed !!
Nice video, I’m from Canada so I didn’t know about this watch brand…. Looking for a cheap diver style watch ? Look no further than Casio….. for less money you can buy a Casio Duro which is a much better watch overall, a real 200m water resistant watch with a “ screw down crown “ Look even Bill Gates wears one !
Thank you
Such a shame with sekonda the quality is just laughable at times. However I think Accurists are interesting now with their rebrand and newer ranges. So may pick one up for review this year!
Those Sekonda ads are comedy gold! Madness and Ronnie Barker - takes me to a happy place.
That's why some just a little lubricant should be smeared on the rubber ring.. Otherwise they move and may tear when the back is closed.. Anyway, QC aligned with the price.. Keep it up the great work, Cheers from Italy!!!
I think a comparable, close price wise, would be the legendary Casio Duro....might be nice for a head to head test if you feel like doing a cheap diver comparo.
Casio Duro is legendary for a good reason. 😃
My Duro crown action feels worse than this Sekonda (very ‘loose’) I do prefer the Duro’s design and the bezel action, which is crappy on the Sekonda.
A Casio Duro doesn't cost much more and will not let you down when it comes to water resistance.
The only watch I still have from my grandad is a Sekonda!
Correction ! Sekonda did not start out as a watch manufacturer. Their watches were made in the old Soviet Union and branded as Sekonda. I believe this was the case until the collapse of the Soviet Union in around 1992. Early Sekondas will all usually have made in USSR at bottom of the dial. Most Soviet watch collectors will know that Sekondas were made by several different manufacturers in the Soviet Union and you will find many Soviet Union brands which are identical to Sekonda branded watches.
Quite correct,one of the few affordable mechanical watches you could buy in the late 80s,early 90s.good watches,I've got 7or8 I bought at the time,still wear them now and then.
Sekonda USSR watches are a different kettle of fish, compared to the 1980s UK offering. The Strella watches are highly desirable. Perhaps its about time you explored Sturmanskie, Poljot, Luch, Pobeda or Rateka brands. These are affordable vintage watches that are well made.
Have you tried the radiator and ice test on a watch before you do the pressure test to see how much condensation appears before the Herman test? Thanks for the video
I have and I now have a good understanding of what to expect from a watch that passes and fails..
Even if I'm not interested to buy this, it's a very interesting video!
Thanks for sharing, Gary!
I still have 2 quartz Secondas, one of which I wore every day for over 20 years. Bit battered now but still working. The other I never wore much but do like the look of it's internal bezel. Both bought in the usual half price Argos sales.
Just a thought from a science nerd: The oils and lubricants of mechanical watches are meant to perform within a pretty well defined range of temperature. The optimum is when they are close to body temperature, but subjecting it to a heat source for a prolonged period may cause the lubricants to 'run away' from their oiling points.
A quick Google search seems to place the temperature extremes for mechanical watches at 32F (0C) to 140F (60C).
140 is only slightly higher than most home water heaters are set at, and I can imagine that a radiator could get hotter than that,
Gary, thank you so much for filling this void and reviewing affordable quartz watches. Now all we need is to find quartz watches in the 36-40mm range. With small quartz movements, it's a mystery to me why companies tend to make such large diver style watches, ie duro as another example.
This watch would make a good candidate for a oil filled case mod. Make it a 1000m+ WR. Then it can be called Waterproof!
It’s interesting to hear other people’s nostalgia for something I have never heard about before.
Me neither. Never heard of them and I’m an amateur horologist.
Cheap or not 200m WR and gets defeated by an ice cube 🫠 for shame sekonda for shame fix up .... Accurist for the win 🏆
lulz
I'd like to see you try the Invicta 9311 pro diver in Herman. I got a used one and I love it but always wonder about the wr. Very nice watch for the price
I've got 4 of them. My own were bought for me by my parents and they're 25-30 years old. The other two were my mum's and they must be 40 years old. Fond memories - "it's a Seconda Mrs Williams".
I remember my dad having a Sekonda he used to wear when he was gardening! Yes, I think that misplaced gasket caused the problem. However 200m with a push-pull crown? No chance. A very maximum of 100m as with the new Seiko 5 watches, but mostly 30m or 50m would be on the dial. I've actually gone swimming and shallow diving with my Seiko SRPD51, but only to a depth of 5 or 10m. I'd never chance more with it, but maybe a Herman test on a Seiko 5 would be interesting! I've only ever used 200m watches when going deeper. If the Seiko can survive to 60m in Herman it would be a perfectly safe watch for most recreational scuba diving activities.
I think it’s more a case of if anyone bothers to complain to customer services about their £20 watch “ it failed?! I’m so sorry- here’s another one 😊”
If it hadn’t passed the iso test they couldn’t advertise it with 200m…
I have a Sekonda chronograph with Roman numerals. I bought it in Dublin in 2008 and it still runs although I had to replace the battery a few times and the strap isn't original any more. The subdials may not be very precise but the watch looks beautiful.
I have a few Accurist vintage watches with swiss made on them . If you look on eBay they still command decent money if they are the automatics .
Slightly fond Sekonda memories. After the pop swatches of my youth my first 'proper' watch was a 1990s Sekonda quartz chronograph. I keep seeing them popup on ebay for 30 to 40, tempted but I know it will feel terrible and just sit on the shelf...but still...should I....
Yes…you should…and leave it on your shelf…nice to see it every time you look over
I was thinking Accurist, or maybe Smiths (like a modern late 80's re-brand) But the brand in question, I didn't even know was British. Many thanks. I like to learn things like this.
I've never heard of this watch brand but this is my definition of the perfect beater watch. Great looks, great specs and most importantly great price.
I don't expect that all of them will have that assembly mishap. Disappointing to be sure and bezel is bad, but good size and movement, better assembled ones will last a long good while.
For some reason I always think of Seconda as a Russian brand. I think this looks ok, but at this price something like the steeldive quartz hulk is much better
I guessed correctly, as a Sekonda was the first analogue watch bought for me many years ago.
The best Raketa/Sekonda has the 2609HA handwinding movement. I have bought several made in the USSR.
should have done the ice cube test before pressurisation to see, as these watches are sometimes put together in a humid environment. AND then compared with after the pressure test
Sekonda UK have a 1st class 10 day turnaround on warranty or servicing. Tissot is 3 months...
Not a bad disposable watch. I have noticed on their website a facility to specify a number of the parameters giving your bespoke watch for about £70. I have a hand wind from the 80s still going strong and telling the time. Inherited a couple of quartz ones, one has died the other with the worst bezel I've ever seen gets used when its likely to get a hard time.
Good review
I remember the time when the Soviets produced great mechanical watches "Poljot" for Sekonda. Those watches were no worse than Swiss ones.
Last time I looked at Sekonda they did a digital GShock clone thing...
They are pretty good value for their price. I had a Sekonda beater watch for 15 years, but I've noticed the chronograph element of the watch has died, which is unfortunate. It is a very comfortable watch (metal bracelet) and looks good. I'd say this model looks pretty awesome. The brush effect on the case is nice.
If the rubber seal had been placed with more care, it would have been fine. I like it, for the money it is good enough!
As it's not a true diver, I'll just fix the bezel with a spot of super glue gel and then you have a great beater watch 🤔
2115 movement.. similar/ same to the Casio Duro movement?
haven't seen one of those in my part of the world
I remember seeing these for sale at airports and in the Argos catalogue when I was a kid, definitely not the greatest quality even at this price point. I wonder if Argos still stock the range ...
How does this compare to a Casio duro? Viable alternative?
Not even close to the duro
@@ilikewatches yeh but good luck getting a Duro under £70 these days
It looks as if Sekonda spoiled the ship for a halfpenny's worth of tar - that caseback gasket appears as if it’s too thin & probably wasn’t greased/lubricated
Yes I have the NK3347 as a beta watch . Great for work . Put it on a leather strap because the one that came with it was pants . Overall not to bad though.
At least it was only a £30 watch with an O-Ring issue and not a solid rocket booster this time…….
Nice looking watch, but when an owner opens it that movement looks puny! Herman strikes again 😁 I don't know why manufacturers use those thin O rings, they need greasing and are fiddly to install. Vostok solved this 50 years ago with their design and massive gasket.
Is this a Seiko Honda collaboration???
My lad has one of these on the bracelet, it’s had a bloody good thrashing at a water park..no issues for less than £30 find me another..
It's not for me but as always great content 👌
The best for the price is the Casino Duro.
Well, you could get another o-ring, lube it and put the case back on the proper way. Then, give it an opportunity to redeem itself with Herman 🤔
to be fair it's not a bad looker ,be ok for working with maybe gardening that sort of activity .as cheap as it is no point risking a better watch
Yes
I bought a cheap one a few years ago as a beater. Even as a beater i couldn't live with the poor quality, and flipped it
It feels a little bit cheap in some places. At £20 I wonder why?
For the price of a takeaway, with the exception of the assembly defect, it's hard to criticize such a cheap watch.
First! Whoop whoop! 🤣
oh they're BRITISH?.. I thought they were Russian or Eastern European tbh, had a Sekonda...my very first watch.. fell to pieces after a week, the hands fell off, the crystal fell out, then the pin fell out of the strap and I lost it :(
Gary why delete message?
What message? I’ve blocking scammers who are pretending to be me
@@ilikewatches nothing Gary I'm sending you a message signaling a possible user posing as you, saying that I have won the watch and to contact him, on another message and pay shipping, but they keep canceling it
@@ilikewatches maybe I understood why, in the message I put what kind of famous messaging app and the address very similar to yours with the same avatar and then youtube automatically deleted it, in any case I sent you an email, the one from the competition, to report the matter
@@albyz7321Scam. Gary never asks for shipping costs or any money from people that won watches.
I'd give it the benefit of the doubt, shame you didn't re-seat the gasket or replace it and try again.
maybe you should stick it on the rad and ice cube it before and after giving it a bath to see how much vapour mist is already there
Never heard of them.
There is a far better British dive watch brand called Scurfa watches
Accurist are making some ok watches, better buy than sekonda.
Bob Monkhouse!
👍👍
second but first to click like
What a shame, come on Seconda, get your act together, don’t be secondary.
Why buy cheap watches?
My "beater" watch i bought in -86 was my first expensive quartz diver, Heuer (not Tag Heuer,just Heuer)
I thought it will last few years as real diving.
Now 35 years later it have been serviced free last two times in Switzerland, last time there was a note they rarely see such a worn watch :)
It's been probably something like +5000 hours down in the sea, as my backup watch beside my diving computer.
But it's just work, work work and work.
Only thing I'm concerned is that will there ever be another backup watch for me or do i retire with this soon 40 year old Heuer....
Some people like to collect watches and they can’t afford to spend much on each watch…