Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

O.K. So maybe this is a bit  but I couldn't let it pass without giving it a mention.

In the 1990's, Ana-Digi quartz chronographs - where the time is displayed conventionally (with hands) and the stopwatch, day / date and other timing functions are in various LCD displays, became all the rage - and are still commonplace today. Just think Breitling Aerospace. Other manufacturers like TAG Heuer retained conventional analogue chronograph sub-dials, combining them with smaller LCD displays, for example in their S/EL - Sports Elegance model (as worn by Ayrton Senna). 

When I'm doing my various eBay searches on other brands, I occasionally come across unfamiliar calibres.

But I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before ! 

I stumbled across this listing for an unidentified NOS Orient quartz chronograph, by a Spanish eBay seller, this afternoon.

It has 'conventional' round shaped chronograph sub-dials at 12, 9 and 6 o'clock, but they're actually LCD digital displays !! 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332128808286

RELOJ ORIENT WATCH COLECCION XERNUS VINTAGE HD8219-00CS

24KARAT GOLD PLATED JAPAN 

ESFERA: 4CM 

LA CORREA ESTA ALGO GASTADA Y DETERIORADA DEBIDO A LA ANTIGÜEDAD

SE ENVIA RELOJ, CAJA GENERICA E INSTRUCCIONES 

NOTA INFORMATIVA: LO RELOJES ORIENT WATCH SON LOS DE LA MARCA ORIENT QUE SE VENDIAN EN ESPAÑA PENINSULAR DEBIDO A PLEITOS QUE TUVO LA MARCA Y EL DISTRIBUIDOR Y LOS VENDIAN CON EL NOMBRE DE ORIENT WATCH , XERNUS.... 

ARTICULO TOTALMENTE NUEVO A ESTRENAR

According to the case-back stampings, it's a HD8219-00CS (as stated in the seller's description), but the possibly generic instruction booklet shown in one photo, which is included in the sale, is for Series D 229.

There's nothing like either listed where I'd expect to find them: http://www.orient-watch.com/support/manuals/

The additional information included by the Spanish seller is interesting (and correct, as far as I've been able to establish). Note that the watch is branded 'Orient Watch', rather than just 'Orient' on the dial and 'Orient Watch Co. Ltd.' on the case-back. This means it was produced after Orient broke from Racer (their previous Spanish market branding) and thus may not have been manufactured under the larger Seiko-Epson umbrella. Which makes me suspect it may be a Citizen / Miyota calibre (rather than re-branded Seiko).

Coming to think of it, the dial / display looks more like a Casio clone. Anybody fancy a stab at identifying it ? 

Incidentally there was a Seiko D229 calibre, but it's a conventional (completely) digital quartz alarm chronograph.

(Borrowed image of a D229-5000 courtesy of forum.pocketcalculatorshow.com)

Before anyone uses the F*** word (Fake), I was reminded that these particular Orient watches, branded 'Orient Watch' have been discussed in this forum section before, back in October 2013 - half-way down page 2 of this thread. The (first) watch I posted there had a different case-back model number, not dissimilar in format - HA8124-00CS. It also had very similar case-back markings.

That watch was offered by a Spanish eBay seller - as have been all other similar 'Orient Watch' branded watches I've seen. Their quality doesn't appear to be quite up to the same (Seiko-Epson) standards, but whereas before I partly concurred with Lawrence (Konkordski), now I'm inclined to believe that they were legitimately produced for Orient's Spanish market subsidiary.

Although, technically outside the scope of this forum (and my own interests), being an ana-digi chronograph, I was intrigued by this watch - but not interested enough at the seller's opening bid price of 79.99 Euros to consider buying it - even for its 'curio' value. Apart from the asking price and being an 'unknown quantity', it was the badly mis-aligned and age-yellowed sub-dial displays that put me off, more than anything. Nobody else fancied it either; it went unsold. The Spanish seller subsequently re-listed it, not as an auction, but as a Buy-it-Now for 89.99 Euros. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332132762368

This morning I was running my usual searches on Orient (looking for J39's, naturally) and saw he'd listed another ! 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332133993049

It's the same Orient Watch model number - HD8219-00CS, but this one has a dark green dial and matching mock croc' strap.

The sub-dial LCD displays are still badly yellowed, but at least they're somewhat better aligned than the previous example. 

Curiosity got the better of me, so I messaged the eBay seller (in Spanish, using translation software) asking if he could kindly tell me the manufacturer / caliber # of the movement inside - and ideally upload a photo to his listing. He first replied yesterday apologizing that he couldn't get the (snap-on) case-back off and was worried about marking the case. However, he's just sent me another message saying he'd subsequently managed to !  

Unfortunately there are NO identifying marks whatsoever on the movement back-plate, so I'm really none the wiser.  Whatever it may be, It certainly doesn't appear to be up to the normal Seiko Corp. / Orient Watch Co. Ltd. quality standards. Note the use of crude cross-head screws. Perhaps it's another of those inferior Chinese made clones, as Lawrence inferred in the other thread. 

Incidentally, I note the seller has since reduced the Buy-it-Now on this one (not the blue dial version) from 89.99 to 79.99 Euros.

I suppose I should add a footnote to this thread. Although I'd decided against buying one, I left both these Orient H8219 Ana-Digi's on my eBay watching page. Earlier in the week, I noticed the Spanish eBay seller had offered an 11% discount on them.

Both sold yesterday morning, for the same reduced price of 69.41 Euros - to the same buyer, within seconds of each other.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332132762368

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332133993049

I ran a quick google search on the Orient case-back model mumber 8219-00CS this morning. There's nothing much in the way of results, besides this thread. But if the buyer ever does the same, there's always the chance that he might possibly post something here. I'll admit I remain mildly intrigued by them. I'd still like to see a YouTube video of those digital chronograph sub-dials running.