So I just got my zodiac serviced little under a month ago with a new cannon pinion, but i notice it runs a minute fast every 12 hours or so, and continues until i reset the time.  I called the jeweler that repaired my watch and he told me it was normal for a watch 40 plus years old to run a little fast or slow. is this true or is he just "blowing smoke" 

+/- 2 min. per day is good.

If it's consistant +2 minutes every day it just needs to be reregulated. If it's inconsistant, then it's a sign of wear, and it will not get better without a major overhaul. I like mine within 1 min., preferably 30 seconds, but I'm a realist about cost and parts availability.

Than you for the info guys, i am about +1 everyday and thats after my overhaul, feel much better knowing the info i received was accurate  :)

2 minutes per day is good?  Wow, I got my Olympos SST overhauled when I bought it.  I gain less than a second a day now.  I think I need to send my watchmaker some flowers or something now! haha

You guys make me work for this. Fast answer. I have several like that as well. Check the SST section for what an SST was DESIGNED to do and backed with a warranty to make it live up to that expectation. Depending on the number of times it has been serviced, OR NOT, over the past 30-50 years, the amount of wear on ALL the parts, you getting where this is going yet? And then, I have a lot of watches and usually do not wear any for more than a day anyway...

+/- 2 min. is good.

I also find winding the watch 20-30 times improved the accuracy of the watch once a day. Either a night before bed or in the morning, thanks butch for that info!

Agreed, hence the top sticky in this conference.