Invicta 8926 - ??

[StoneDog]

I purchased a NIB 8926 (older coin-style bezel) a few weeks ago. It's seems to be running very fast - around +30 seconds a day.

All of the review sites out there say they'll gain or lose up to 10 seconds a day, but in this case I'm 3 1/2 minutes fast at the end of the week!

Is this unusual? Should I try to contact Invicta?

Jon

 

[bigcozy]

StoneDog, that is a little off, I agree. Try leaving the watch in different positions all night. Most autos will speed up or slow down if put in one position for several hours - on the side or face up/down. A Miyota 21J should be good for around 10 seconds a day or better, all of mine have been better. That is a good movement, underrated, and the Invicta's are much better than expected in my experience. I have a Swiss 2648 ETA 21J that is getting just slightly better than 8 seconds a day, and a Invicta I never wear with a Miyota 21J that gets about 5 seconds a day. I paid 10 times more for the Swiss watch.

 

[_mike_]

Like bigcozy said, try different positions on your bed side table at night.
I leave my Seiko Automatic (7S26 movement) Orange Monster on the crown at night. Kind of to simulate being on your wrist pointed down, seems to do pretty well.

Mike

 

[Flying Turtle]

Agree with bigcozy and Mike concerning automatic watch regulation. My Vostok will gain about one sec/hour if sitting face up, and lose about a half sec/hour if placed crown up. Knowing this I'm able to keep it running pretty close.

Geoff

 

[StoneDog]

hmmm, this is my first automatic - I guess they're inherently less accurate than quartz movement? I usually leave it face-up at night, I'll try placing it on its crown and see how it goes.

My initial measurements may be a little off - It may be gaining (only?) 12 seconds a day instead. I'll keep an eye on it just to be sure.

So, do people usually adjust their watches every week or so to keep from gaining/losing too much?

Jon

 

[_mike_]

Stonedog,

If you want accuracy, yeah, quartz would probably be your best bet. But if you want something with a little soul and personality all it's own and a few minutes either way isn't a real big deal for you ------ then an automatic is for you my friend. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Actually, I think there is a little slide within the watch to advance or retard it. But you need to remove the back case cover to do it. Most folks wait a few months to do that though as it may not be necessary once you figure out your watches quirks.

Mike

 

[StoneDog]

Mike, I like this automatic very much. I also have a Citizen Navitach that is very, very nice and has all the features I thought I wanted but it seems to go through batteries every 1.5 years or so. Which means I have to go through the hassle of reseting all of the timezones, etc.

I bought this 8926 hoping for a "set and forget" watch that would never need batteries. But, I now have to remember to reset the date at the beginning of the month and keep my eye on the time it is gaining. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I should've purchased a perpetual calendar eco-drive from Citizen - that may be the closest thing to set-and-forget out there.

Either way I this Invicta is a keeper. In an era digital it's nice to rely on a completely mechanical device like this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jon

 

[bigcozy]

Once you get a mechanical/auto watch, it is hard to go back to anything else. I have long thought the Invicta subs wit the Miyota movements were the best bang for the buck without a close second. The Invicta Swiss subs, with ETA 2824 movements and saphire crystals are pretty good deals too. If anybody wants to learn how to buy Invictas at a good price (I am not selling them), there is a trick to it, PM me.

 

[dg]

If its new, it may settle down after a few weeks of winding and running. But if its still more than 10 seconds fast after 2-3 months, then get it regulated by a watch smith

As mentioned, you don't buy a mechanical for accuracy, and its easy to adjust the time when you next wind it. If you want accuracy and no maintenance then get an Atomic or other Casio.

With a nice mechanical watch, I find that its better to take it off your wrist and reset it at work, or in some other place where other people get to apprecaite it! lol

I dont bother to ritually lay the watch in certain positions either - I just accept that it needs a bit of attention now and again.

Don't fall into the trap of only looking at your mechanical watch when you want to know the time. Its worth more than that

 

[StoneDog]

Winding - I haven't wound it since I took it out of the box. Anything I need to watch out for when winding/adjusting/etc? And, do I need to manually wind it if I wear it every day?

Jon

 

[_mike_]

If you wear it every day, you shouldn't need to wind it, but you still may need to adjust it every once in a while.

Here are few links you might like to take a look at.

Invicta 8926 vs. Seiko Orange Monster The pictures don't work, but the text is informative.

Invicta 8926 review

Invicta related stuff Note at the bottom of this list of links the reference to the Miyota movement.

You know, I nearly got one of these and am thinking about it again. Damn you StoneDog!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Mike

 

[dg]

If manually winding, then be careful when screwing the crown so as not to strip the thread. Just rotate it gently untill the thread engages.

IIRC, it takes about 700 revolutions of the auto winder to reach fully wound. So you may be alright, but if not fully wound, it is easy to find the watch stops soon after taking it off - eg overnight.

However if you reset the time every few days, a wind will not hurt. It can not be overwound.

 

[StoneDog]

Thanks for your help everyoe and _Mike, just buy one already! I prefer the look of the older bezel and found one on eBay for what I assume is a decent price...

Jon

 

[StoneDog]

Well, a small update 6 months after my purchase. The bezel is a little worse for wear (I've scraped the black enamel/paint down to the steel in a few places). And it is now losing time... I leave it pointed crown-down at night like I did initially. I'm not sure why it's losing time but I'm guessing it's between 10 and 20 seconds a day. Guess I just need to keep a closer eye on it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jon

 

[bjn70]

I think it's a crapshoot as far as accuracy. Lots of people would think that 10 seconds a day is acceptable for an inexpensive automatic. You can try regulating it and you might do better.

I have a relatively new Seiko automatic and so far it seems to be about 20 seconds fast per day. I expect it to change as it gets a little older- hopefully for the better.

I'm considering the Invicta myself.

 

[StoneDog]

Not sure what it means to regulate an automatic, but I'm guessing it's either difficult or expensive? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I tested today and it looks like I'm losing just over 10 seconds a day.

Does the degree to which the watch is manually wound affect accuracy? I have periodically given the watch 10 or so full rotations of the crown (probably not necessary). I'm concerned over the last 6 months the watch has gone from 10 seconds fast to 10 seconds slow a swing of 20 seconds. Will this continue?

Jon

 

[Canuckle]

I believe the Miyota movement is uni-directional, i.e., it only winds in one direction.

If the gain you're describing has happended suddenly, rather than gradually, there's a possibility that the watch was somehow magnetized.

Cheers.

 

[StoneDog]

Yes, it is unidirectional. I'm not sure how it could have been magnetized - is this something I need to watch out for in the future?

Jon

 

[Flying Turtle]

Everytime I think I've got my Vostok figured out it tricks me. Sometimes it's fast, sometimes slow. It seems to be the most consistant just wearing it all day, leaving it face up at night, and not manually winding it. Last week I was amazed to find it just ten seconds fast after four or five days, but this week I found it thirty seconds slow. It seems the common trait in inexpensive automatics is "unpredictable variability".

Geoff

 

[bjn70]

I have read that if you have magnetism problems then the watch will be off like several minutes a day.