Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

This afternoon, another watch from the same collection box. One I haven't posted in the WRUW thread before. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit, I probably haven't worn it in the last 2½ years. Which is a pity, because it's quite an attractive watch. My 7A38-726A SAA102J.

This is one of the first 7A38's I bought on eBay, where I encountered the easily remedied 'displaced finger tension spring' fault.

It's the one that started me off on my 'rant' thread on RLT: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=53474

A Rant About High Street Watch-Botchers - A common problem with Seiko 7A38's - easily fixed !

But what do you do when you've just rattled off a few photos, and can't decide which to post in the WRUW thread ? What the heck ! 

PS - To prevent any further recurrence of the absolutely pointless duplication of images in this thread (as on the previous page) ....

May I take this opportunity to remind you: http://www.seiko7a38.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7168820-please-don-t-quote-me-

I didn't think that spring sunshine would last.  Another grey day. 

And another from that same collection box that I haven't posted before - nor can I remember when I last wore it. 7A38-7260 SAA098J.

In fact, I have two of these, both on identical grey lizard straps, sat languishing next to each other. The bezel on this one isn't so good.

Lovely, lovely spring day here. It feels like a good day for a 7A38-7000 again somehow. This is the one with a sapphire crystal.

So it must be worth at least $900 these days. No complaints about extra reflections because of the sapphire here Paul!

Nah. Yours must be worth a good $1000 (compared to Manic Martina's), with the 'added value' of that sapphire crystal, Harry. 

Unfortunately it's still grey and overcast here. So I'll carry on in 'light grey mode' with the third of my grey-faced two-tone 7A38-7260's.

All my other 7A38-726x's are fitted with lizard leather straps (of varying colours). So I deliberately made this one look slightly different.

It's fitted with a non-original N.O.S. Seiko p/n Z1623C bracelet, so that it resembles a cross between a 7A38-7240 and a 7T32-6A59:

See: http://timekeeper.co.nz/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2340&start=45

Now, that is what I like! 

Speaking of the 7A38-7240 SAA108J, as I was, it seems I've been remiss in not posting a wrist shot of mine in this thread before ....

Another grey day (in fact it's spitting with rain, here in the UK), so please excuse this Q&D photo, complete with tiny raindrops:

The bracelet on this watch is the correct original fitment, Seiko p/n G1285C, which James complained about in his own wrist shot post.

See top of page 6 and quote: "My major gripe is the quite shoddy gold parts of the bracelet which are a bit loose around the ends".

It's poorly designed - particularly the point of attachment; cheap and nasty, even by mid-80's Seiko folded link construction standards.

Here's a photo of my 7A38-7240 alongside my slightly modded 7A38-7260 fitted with the Z1623C bracelet, that I took three years ago:

Apart from the ill-fitting end pieces and tenuous first joining link of the 7A38-7240, another interesting comparison is their dial colours.

In my photo, both watches appear to have a slight silvery sheen to the dial. But in reality, they're both a flat almost identical light grey.

According to Seiko Oceania's database, both dial colours are described as 'GRAY', but they actually have different dial part numbers:

Fifty shades of Grey and all that.  It's all a bit too subtle for me.   

Goes nicely with the weather (dull grey sky, dropping temperatures, wind blowing) and my mood: 7A38-7080. Winter be gone!

Great photo Harry, given the weather conditions you described.  Stepping outside into natural daylight makes a difference, eh ? 

I gave up trying to do another wrist shot this afternoon .... it never stopped drizzling.  Let's see what the weather brings tomorrow. 

This one 7A28-7030 has cost me a great deal. NOS crystal, NOS bezel, all new original gaskets, donor movement, repairs in England and in Holland and still I hate it because of the mouldy hands that I couldn't source anywhere. Why don't I wear the one that is perfect?

How am I supposed to follow that, Harry ? 

Oh well, another dull grey, wet and miserable day in UK. Wearing one of my Orient J39001-70 beaters. Excuse the tiny raindrops. 

Prompted by the recent lunatic listings of deluded would-be eBay re-seller 'Mad Martina' martinachertok  ....

I thought I'd dig out my gold-tone 7A38-7289 SAA112J and give it an airing. Mine's in mint, almost N.O.S. condition. 

Going by Martina's current ridiculous Buy-it-Now asking price of $750  this one has got to be worth at least  $2000. 

A franken today, a 7T34 that came from the States (originally as a 7T34-6A0H), in an all gold finish that was just too blingy.

I like the jubilee style bracelets, and this one works well I think. This really is made up from 'several' watches though 

Built for space, but it even works fine in Holland: my Yema Spationaute III.

Not exactly 'Vorsprung durch Technik' this Sunday morning - Junghans V906 (7A38) powered High Tech Chrono model # 24/4610.

A much better 7A28-7030 today.

Another cold day here in the UK, and another 7T34 for me, this time an unmolested 7T34-7A10:

Nice one!

Excuse the very Q&D wrist shot - because Damn, it's cold outside !  Puma Y19301-70 beater for me, this very chilly morning.

" I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure."

7A28-7009 day for me:

Today, another very cheap ex-eBay battered beater, closely related to the Puma Y19301-70, I posted yesterday ....

Indeed, they sit right next each other in the same collection box, when not being worn in rotation. My Orient J39725-70: