Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

As I've mentioned in a few recent updates to various threads in the 7A38-xxxx model specific forum section, being stuck indoors at home during the COVID-19 'Lockdown', in an effort to alleviate the boredom, in desperation, I've resorted to browsing Instagram. Doing so has actually turned up a few 'gems'. For example, never in a million years would I have expected to find a Fred Force 10 '7A38' on Instagram - but one was posted around 5 weeks ago in the middle of March. 

http://www.instagram.com/p/B9wQozyKQBs/

The Instagram poster horlogerie_dubuis appears to be a small clock and watch repair / sales business located in La Charité-sur-Loire, a commune in the Nièvre department and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France. From their Facebook page, the proprietor is Laury Dubuis - not to be confused with the haute horologist Roger Dubuis.

There's only one close-up head-on photo, so it's not possible to determine whether this watch is fitted with the 10-strand wire bracelet or the optional leather strap. Just in case there might have been any more photos or information, I did check Laury's (business) Facebook page, but his post there is exactly the same as on Instagram:

The only added benefit was that Facebook translated the French caption. I suspect it may well be a customer's watch coming in for service or repair, in which case he's unlikely to divulge any more information. But I'll ask the question.

I'm pleased to say that I've managed to uncover a bit more information about that Fred Force 10 '7A38' which I'd found posted on Instagram, back in mid-March. I'd messaged the French poster horlogerie_dubuis last week. I wasn't sure if he would, but Laury subsequently replied at the weekend and a pleasant exchange of messages ensued. He kindly provided these three photos of the watch:

The middle photo is obviously the same image as the one that he'd posted back in March. Instagram appears to automatically crop photos (sometimes savagely) and resize them to a maximum of approx 1000x1000 pixels. The original photo shows that the watch is fitted with the 10-strand wire bracelet.

I asked him where he'd found it - and indeed it did belong to a client. He said that he'd made them an offer and purchased it, with the intention of re-selling it, once he'd checked it over. Presumably the photos were provided to him by the owner, because Laury bemoaned the fact that he still hadn't received it - it was stuck in a locked warehouse somewhere, because of delays due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In the first photo, the watch is shown in a somewhat inappropriate Kenneth Cole TRÉSOR watch box. Purely by coincidence, I'd spotted another Fred Force 10 presentation box, listed by a French eBay seller in March and added it to my eBay watching page, a couple of weeks ago. I'd considered buying it at one point - but hadn't bothered, as I really didn't need another.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223950331337

Boite Montre Joailler FRED Paris Force 10

Seeing as as he was planning to re-sell the watch, I must have been feeling a bit magnanimous, I gave Laury a link to the eBay listing. It's since been sold. 

This morning, I dropped Laury of Horlogerie Dubuis a quick message via Instagram, enquiring if he had received the incoming Fred Force 10 '7A38'. He had indeed - and promptly replied, kindly attaching these two wrist shots of it.

It appears to be in nice well-cared for cosmetic condition. However, unfortunately, it is still showing the same time / day and date as in the previous owner's photos. Laury added: Hélas je dois réviser le mouvement. He didn't specify whether it had succumbed to a battery leak, or is suffering from 'old sticky oil'. 

This morning, I received a status update on the Fred Force 10 '7A38' from Laury. Not good news. The reason it wasn't running was that it had succumbed to a fairly catastrophic battery leak. It can happen as easily to a Fred Force 10 as it could to a common-or-garden Seiko 7Axx. The PCB is toast - doing a passable impression of a 'Norwegian Blue'. Interesting to note, remembering my experience of stripping one down, in his first photo (bottom RH corner) that the Tachymeteter ring stayed in situ when he withdrew the dial / movement.

Anticipating this might be the problem, last week, I'd sent him a link to that US eBay listing for Kamatz 517000 / Shimauchi V906 movement, but alas he was to slow and it was already sold. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224010041115

It appears Laury has repaired the Fred Force 10 7A38 and has started advertising it for sale on Instagram. He made his first post yesterday morning.

He posted again late yesterday evening, this time in English, embedding 10 different photos (see my next post), but still without stating any price there. 

I suspect it's probably going to be 'reassuringly expensive'.  As the saying goes:

“If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it” ....

Pricey indeed. Laury's keeping one step ahead of me. I hadn't spotted it when I first started composing my previous post, but in fact he'd already listed it on eBay, late yesterday evening, with a 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of 2200 Euros, currently without the option to make an offer. The international postage is a hefty 160 Euros on top !  The set of photos he's uploaded to the eBay listing appear to be almost the same as those in his second Instagram post, with a couple of minor changes.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402285398800

Exclusif : Montre Vintage FRED homme Chronographe Or Acier Force 10 

Montre vraiment tres rare utilisé par Ari Vatanen pour le Paris Dakar 1988 

Calibre Shimauchi v906 , seiko 7a38 

Boitier or 18k poinconné et acier 

État : Occasion, superbe, révisée et garantie 1an , déconseillé sous l’eau ... 

Abroad buyer : please contact me before buying, for check possibilities of shipping.

I just noticed that Laury had revised his listing for that FRED Force 10 '7A38' a few days ago, reducing his 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price from 2200 Euros to 'only' 1800 Euros. The international shipping cost remains a hefty 160 Euros.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402285398800

Checking my eBay watching page, I noticed that Laury had ended his eBay listing for the FRED Force 10 '7A38', this afternoon, as no longer available. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402285398800

Funnily enough, I'd messaged him yesterday evening and asked him if he'd had any interest or received any offers - not a one. He then offered it to me at a generously discounted price. I considered it briefly, but thanked him and declined - on the basis that two FRED Force 10's were enough for even the most obsessive 7A38 hoarder. Being naturally curious, I've just messaged him and asked if he'd actually sold it.  Transpires he's swapped it for a 1940's vintage 18K gold Breitling chronograph (Venus Cal. 150, with radium lume) which is more up his street.