Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Just arrived from the UK today---7A38-7000 -------VERY NICE---Had to swap out band- too short with only 18 links--Thanks Nancy.

This has a very complicated finish--Brushed-Polished-Sand blasted--Would be very hard to refinish Lucky this one is mint

That is my watch! - minus a few bangs caused by decades of bashing it on aircraft.

Spring is in the air, the sun is shining and the crocuses are in bloom.  My 7A38-701B SAA005J 'Vulcan' with matching yellow dial.

Note to self - remember the hand cream next time.

PS - I'm working on my 'jeans pocket' technique, Achim. 

Unfortunately, one of the downsides of owning a sizeable collection of 7A38's is trying to keep them all showing the correct date. 

Particularly when a short month like February rolls into March. So I'm quick-setting a few this afternoon, starting with my favourites.

Yema Spationaute III Aragatz N8OP96 on Fleurus blue shark strap.

Back up against my usual brick wall background at the side of the house. 

Yeah, boring I know, but you try finding somewhere convenient to take photos without gettting reflections off a domed crystal. 

This morning I've been wearing one of my favourite (and very subtle) Frankens - my modded 7A38-7070 with the all black 709L dial ....

Possibly for the very last time in this guise. So I'm looking longingly at it, as I write this and deliberating. Should I or shouldn't I ? 

7A38-7029  Franken  "light"  Gold inner chapter ring. Sapphire crystal.

Wearing my Columbian 7A28-7000 today:

Checking a collection box that I'd had out earlier this morning, I found another watch showing the low-battery indicator 'double tick'. 

Looks like I'm going to need to buy 'a few' 10 packs of # 394 batteries very soon. Chickens coming home to roost and all that. 

Anyway, better late than never, here's this morning's wrist shot from me - the lesser spotted gold-tone 7A38-728A SAA130J.

Another blingy one that I've had in my Yema N8 collection for a few years, that has lain fairly neglected of late, my original N81W43.

I wrote about it at the bottom of page 3 of the Please introduce yourselves - by replying thread, responding to Rob who'd sold it me.

Welcome aboard also, Rob. 

Yes, of course I've still got your little Yema N81W43 - and the photos you posted of it on RLT back in July 2009 still on file, naturally:

I'd replaced Rob's strap with a new unused glazed tan 'mock croc' Seiko 18mm strap that had come to me fitted on a 7T32 way back.

Although a relatively 'cheap imitation', I'd always liked the lovely warm colour of the strap, so never thought of changing it ....

.... Until last month, when I spotted this NOS 18mm Yema strap on eBay listed by a French seller based in Besançon.

It's not the right strap for the watch, obviously, but it does have that desirable 'period correct' Yema wire loop buckle. 

It arrived today, and I've just given the case a quick polish with a soft cloth and fitted it. Not entirely convinced it's an improvement. 

I have only one of these----sleeve wear see through on high areas -no bumps---Well worn and loved-  7A38-7280.

New crystal this morning and light touch-up on case top These are VERY comfortable on the wrist

Only one, Don ?  But I can see you're working on that.  Yes, indeed I find these are probably the comfiest 7A38's to wear on a daily basis - once you've replaced the original short clasp. This one's on a 25mm 5-hole adjustable. One of my two lightly modded 7A38-7280 SAA119J 'beater' daily wearers - like the other one, this has been fitted with a Sternkreuz white nylon crystal gasket:

7A28-7029 on a sunny California afternoon 

Although this colourful little Racer branded Orient J39908-70 came to me NOS, last August, fitted with the original Orient oxblood coloured ribbed leather strap, I thought I'd try and find a better match. Last September I found a Swiss eBay seller listing what I was looking for (19mm lug width straps aren't that easy to come by) and bought 3 - in black, tan and dark green 'moc croc' - which I fitted.

My signature Seiko 7A28-7079 --All gray Sports 100 

In a similar vein to yesterday morning's wrist shot - and a little later than planned (in more ways than one) ....

The ex-Tickdong Racer J39908-70, now shod with one of those Certina 19mm ribbed 'mock croc' straps, but  in black, to match the Tachy ring - hopefully looking rather more as Orient Watch Co. originally intended, fitted with what I believe are the correct hands. 

Paul, to my un-trained eye--> black chapter ring goes with black hands --Maybe not lumed though. 

Don. If you'd read the relevant parts of the admittedly long Racer J39 by Orient thread and digested my ramblings, you'd know I'm still not certain whether that black / gold Tachymeter ring is 'correct' and original to the watch (which had certainly been messed with).

My other three J39908-70's (both Orient and Racer) all have white Tachymeter rings with dark green lettering - but they also have that exact same hand set.  I believe that the parts which were robbed from this Racer J39 ended up in this other Turkish 7A38 franken.

I've waited 6 months already, hoping for another J39908-70 with the same J392 908x dial to pop up somewhere - even just a photo, which might confirm my suspicions, one way or another. Decided it was long enough. Time will tell whether I was right or wrong. 

If you didn't like my last effort, Don - you'll like this even less. 

This is my basket case resto' project Orient J39002-70 that I started to write up yesterday in a new thread (I've not finished yet). 

Tried it on briefly this morning, but it's back in pieces again at the moment. I'm having a re-think. 

That Orient J39002-70 has a glued in crystal (as does the J39908-70). Hard to tell from that photo, because it has a small bevelled edge which gives the impression of a clear nylon gasket fitted. It reminded me of a question new member Terry (Lead47) had asked earlier in the week in the Crystals & Gaskets thread to which I'd replied:

No, glued in crystals are another thing altogether, Terry. When a crystal is glued in, there is no gasket involved - it's bonded directly to the case or bezel. I think I can safely say (without checking) that all Seiko 7Axx's use the 'tension fit' method with a nylon crystal gasket. But if you ever get around to looking at other re-branded 7Axx's (besides Kamatz) you'll encounter glued in crystals in some of the Orient and Racer J39's and Cartier Ferrari Formula Cal. 531's, etc.

As I need to replace the crystal in that Orient, it prompted me to get this Cartier Ferrari Formula Cal 531. out to have another look.

Tricky photo to take, because I wasn't trying to capture the watch in it's best light. Primarily to show the absence of any crystal gasket, but also that the crystal has a tiny chip right on the edge near 400 on the Tachymeter scale, which I noticed when I first photographed the watch 2½ years ago. Ideally it needs it replacing, but knowing what a pain it is to get right, I've put off tackling it many times and it's become another of those round-tuit jobs. 

Crystal Glue or two-part epoxy ? Mineral or Sapphire ? I think it deserves Sapphire  Thats a very small chip-is there scratch that goes with it.