Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

I do like experimenting with different straps. 

But there was still one method of attachment I hadn't yet tried on a Yema Spationaute III - the Nylon / Kevlar + Velcro option.

Remember my second post from the previous page ? 

Seiko7A38 at January 28, 2012 at 8:26 AM

It seems to have been 'de riguer' to wear a blue-faced Yema Spationaute III on a matching dark Blue calf or Navy Shark leather strap. That's certainly how most of the Spationaute III production appears to have left the Yema / C.G.H. Besançon factory. But apparently 'certain people in high places' have used other means of wrist attachment. Here's one on Yellow Kevlar, with Velcro fixing:

French astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien followed what had become 'space convention', the precedent having been set 20 years earlier by the Apollo crews, and for the 'Aragatz' Soyuz TM-7 mission wore his Yema Spationaute III on a nylon / velcro strap similar to this:

More ramblings on the original Yema Spationaute III worn on the Aragatz mission, to follow in this newly created thread:

http://www.seiko7a38.com/apps/forums/topics/show/8109499-what-became-of-jean-loup-chr-tien-s-yema-spationaute-iii-

When I made that post - and going by the date, it must have been one of the very first threads I started in this forum section ....

I had only just begun my research (in the thread linked in the above quote) into the space-flown versions of the Spationaute III.

Indeed, I didn't start writing that up until September 2012, so I've probably added that link as a post-edit, some time afterwards. 

This line, which I wrote at the time is a bit vague:

.... and for the 'Aragatz' Soyuz TM-7 mission wore his Yema Spationaute III on a nylon / velcro strap similar to this ....

Having obsessively studied various photos of Jean-Loup Chrétien and the Russian cosmonauts wearing them on the mission, I now know that their Spationaute III's were actually worn on a black Kevlar / Nylon + Velcro strap, with a white Yema logo printed on it, as had previously been supplied on the Spationaute II worn by Patrick Baudry aboard space shuttle Discovery in 1985.

Recently I'd managed to get hold of one of those blue Yema logo'd Kevlar / Velcro straps, which looks very similar to those used on the 7T32-based Yema Antares, but in the correct (22mm) width for a Spationaute III's lugs.

I was initially quite chuffed when it arrived, but a few days later, when I tried it on a watch, not only did it look far too bright a shade of blue, but the connection at one end, using a loose fitting press-stud popper seemed a little tenuous and didn't exactly inspire confidence. So for the time being, I've consigned it to the 'nice to have, but for display purposes only' accessories drawer. 

But despite my disappointment, it had renewed my interest in this type of strap - and to (re)use a favourite saying of mine ....

As I've written before, I'm not averse to plagiarism, particularly if I think something looks 'right', (even if it's technically wrong).

I was browsing LeBonCoin yesterday and came across this slightly unusual listing:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/568221147.htm?ca=1_s

Bracelets de montre polyamides 22mm

Needless to say, I homed straight in on the plain dark / navy blue straps on the far left and in the centre of the first image:

Whether these are the same velcro straps as in that image of a Spationaute III (in quote above) which I'd saved from LeBonCoin back in June 2011, I'm not sure. But they're Fleurus (same make as my favourite brand of Shark straps), so quality is assured. The labels show a price of 70 Fr, which would equate to 10 Euros - prior to 2000. So they're kind of 'vintage period correct' anyway. 

Needless to say those two dark blue Fleurus velcro straps will be winging their way across La Manche to Chez Moi any time now. 

Before I go any further, I need to add a couple of quick belated updates - the above Fleurus velcro straps turned out to be something of a disappointment. Not only was the quality rather poor (one end was open - unstitched  ), but the examples supplied were nearly 25mm wide - as opposed to the 22mm stated by the seller. Despite my reporting the seller to LeBonCoin, he is still re-listing them from time to time - so be warned - don't waste your money as I did. 

The other update concerns the Graf 22mm Shark strap that I originally briefly fitted to my ex Yahoo Japan Yema Spationaute III ....

Seiko7A38 at January 28, 2012 at 6:44 AM

However, in December, I gave in to an impulse buy on Yahoo Japan Auctions and bought myself yet another Yema Spationaute III ....

But I'd decided, long before it had arrived that the patent croco strap had to go. Despite being fitted with a Yema signed buckle, it clearly wasn't original to the watch. As it happened, I already had a Graf 22mm Navy Blue Shark strap in stock, ready and waiting.

It's not a bad match, and fairly close in appearance to an original Yema strap, but I thought I might try a couple of other alternatives.

I went on to write (in my 3rd post on the first page, dated 28th January 2012):

Although, as I said, it was a fairly reasonable match, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the Graf Navy Shark strap, so I started casting around for alternatives.

That Graf 22mm strap went back in my spare strap drawer and had laid unused for over 3 years. 

I'm not sure what it was about the strap, but I just didn't like it. For what was supposedly Echt Haifisch (genuine shark) and not inexpensive handmade strap, the grain somehow managed to look remarkably artificial and the colour wasn't 'right' to my eyes. 

Anyway, for want of anything better, I finally decided to use it - in July this year.

Here's a copy and paste of my post from page 54 of the WRUW thread, which I probably should have posted here in the first place:

(Originally posted by myself on July 5, 2015 at 11:14 AM)

Subtitled: A tale of two Spationaute III's - and the same shark strap.

Yesterday, I was wearing this one, which I've posted many a time before, fitted with a very blue Fleurus shark strap.

For obvious reasons, my pet name for this watch is Grande Bleu.

The trials and tribulations of how I finally arrived at that particular choice of strap is documented in this thread:

My newest incoming Yema Spationaute III .... and strap changes !

Today, I'm wearing another 43mm Spationaute III, with the same 'minimal printing' dial,  but not in quite such pristine condition.

I picked it up relatively cheaply on eBay France about a month ago (item # 17180682913). It was described as non-funtional - for spares or repairs. My original plan was to break it up for parts, to use the dial and hands in one of my 38mm 'reduced' N8A066's.

But it was such an easy fix - gunged up pushers and bent setting switch lever, that I took pity on it. It came as a 'head only', without a strap (or the strap fixing pins). Not a problem - I still had that NOS Graf 22mm strap, which I'd first tried (and rejected) on 'Grande Bleu', back in January 2012, lying unused in my spares strap drawer. In hindsight, it doesn't look so bad on the wrist, n'est-ce pas ? 

I probably should have stopped buying 43mm Spationaute III's when my once 'small' collection of them reached double figures. 

But apart from the fact that they're my favourite 'Seiko 7A38', I can never resist a bargain - especially 'fixer-uppers' like the last one.

Indeed I've just bought yet another, which is currently winging it's way across 'The Pond' from the States (rather than La Manche).

Again for expediency's sake, here's a partial copy and paste of my recent post from page 16 of the Yema N7 / N8's Spotted thread:

(Originally posted by myself on August 16, 2015 at 8:33 AM).

Whereas I'll be the first to admit: I really didn't need another 43mm Yema Spationaute III ....

I'm never averse to the odd bargain fixer-upper. I spotted this somewhat vaguely titled listing on eBay in the States last weekend:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252052038916

This watch is in good cosmetic condition. May show signs of wear from moderate to heavy use. Sctratches on face. Needs new batteries and/or inspection for repairs. Comes As-Is and not known if working. Please view photos carefully and feel free to ask questions concerning this item.

I was intrigued by the strap. Over the years, I've seen a number of later production Yema Spationaute III's fitted with this 'double jonc' ribbed style strap (sometimes in Shark grain, others plain blue leather). Often as not, despite the seller's claims of originality, they've been fitted with replacement ZRC straps (which I'd investigated on page 6 and later purchased one myself -see this other thread).

But look closely at the seller's 5th photo. This strap is embossed Yema - so presumably it's the original. Might well explain why many owners had fitted the ZRC - as the closest appearing suitable replacement strap.

Which brings me back round to the subject of ZRC shark straps - and something I wrote at the bottom of the previous page ....

Seiko7A38 at November 1, 2014 at 6:50 AM

An email from a forum member earlier this morning, asking a fairly basic question about straps for Yema Spationaute III's, reminded me I was delinquent in adding another update to this thread. One style of strap I hadn't mentioned previously was the 'Double Jonc' style favoured by many French owners. If you scroll throug the Yema N7s and N8s spotted on eBay, LeBonCoin and Yahoo.jp thread you'll find a number of images saved from eBay and LeBonCoin listings showing this style of strap, with their distinctive double ribs. Indeed, I've purchased a couple of Spationaute III's (both 43mm and 38mm 'reduced') which came with them fitted, but they were too worn out and dirty to ever consider re-using.

I've always assumed that the original Yema straps were supplied by Fleurus. Apart from being a French watch strap manufacturer, their current designs and construction are similar to the originals. They also produce a 'double jonc' version of their shark straps. But I try to keep an open mind about these things - and remembering what I've seen over the years, I wouldn't mind betting that Yema used another major French watch strap manufacturer - ZRC ( Zuccolo, Rochet et Cie) as a second source. The reason I say that is that certainly the earlier 'Fleurus' style straps carry only Yema branding, whereas straps which I believe were manufactured for them by ZRC have no markings - neither on the underside nor on their buckles. This shrivelled up thing in came fitted to my very first Yema Spationaute III - a 'parts watch' (nearly 5 years ago). I kept it for a good reason: future reference; the seller told me it was the original strap. Buckle is a clearly a ZRC, but without their logo.

That cheap 'fixer-upper' Spationaute III from the States arrived in the post on Monday and its condition was pretty much as described. I fitted a new battery and it fired up straight away and everything works fine. It'll be getting a stop-gap replacement (Cousins subsitute) crystal tomorrow, but I'm still mulling over various ideas of which strap to fit - so that it's not the same as any of my others.

I'm also now rather less convinced that the strap fitted was supplied (to Yema) by ZRC. 

It certainly is the original fitment.

Why am I so sure that it's not a ZRC strap ?  

Remember this quote from November 2014 ?

This shrivelled up thing in came fitted to my very first Yema Spationaute III - a 'parts watch' (nearly 5 years ago). I kept it for a good reason: future reference; the seller told me it was the original strap. Buckle is a clearly a ZRC, but without their logo.

Well it wasn't the only shrivelled up old strap I kept for future reference.

To the right of the strap referred to in the quote, in the new photo above, is a 'double jonc' ZRC 22mm shark skin strap - looking very much like their part number 588 'Predator', which I subsequently removed from another Spationaute III. Don't ask me which one !

It may have acquired a somewhat faded green-ish hue over the years, but this strap was once navy blue - still evident from the blue stitching and painted cut edges. Obviously the 'double jonc' stiffening ribs of the ZRC are far less prominent. If you compare the two straps in detail, as I have, it soon becomes apparent that their stitching patterns and construction are quite different.

As I already had a plain dark blue ZRC part number 553 'Abyss' 'double jonc' fitted to one of my Spationaute III's (see bottom of the previous page), I'd ideally have liked to fit their p/n 588 'Predator' navy blue shark skin version to this one. Not so easy it seems. 

As I'd discovered much earlier (copy and paste of a post from page 6 of the Yema N7s and N8s spotted thread):

Originally posted by myself on October 16, 2013 at 5:11 PM:

I did a little more research into those French ZRC straps later in the evening. Here's their online catalogue if anyone is interested:

http://www.zrcbracelets.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ZRC-2013-SBD.pdf (It takes a while to load).

The plain Navy Blue strap on the Spationaute III above appears to be a 553 'Abyss'. ZRC also do a shark version - the 588 'Predator'.

However, according to the above table, the 22mm size (which you'd need for a 43mm Spationaute III) now only comes in black. 

But worse still, when I checked the page(s) for the 588 Predator again in the latest 2015 online version of the ZRC catalogue ....

Athough ZRC have kept the same part number 588 and 'Predator' name, they've completely changed the design ! 

I'll admit I wasted some considerable time last week, prior to the watch's arrival, googling 'ZRC 22mm Requin' - and just about every possible permutation, in both English and French, in a fruitless attempt to find one. The nearest I came across was this now old style 'double jonc' NOS 22mm ZRC 588 Predator which was advertised FS on ForumaMontres asking 30 Euros and later listed on eBay:

Unfortunately it's black.  So back to the drawing board ....

Of course this 'Double Jonc' ribbed design of watch strap, which is something of an acquired taste, is very much a French thing. 

You don't see many other European strap manufacturers offering them nowadays. In fact, I could only remember one other company who produced a 22mm double jonc shark skin strap: Fleurus. Which is kinda where I came in.

So I had a quick search on eBay France and funnily enough one of the first listings I came across was by the seller *chronographe* whom I'll admit to having purchased a couple of Fleurus shark straps from, going back a few years - before I'd properly researched them. I was mildly amused to see that his pricing was still reassuringly expensive. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361370355383

He only sells the heavily padded 'Breitling' style Fleurus straps. But here's another French seller listing the 'Double Jonc' version:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm//191553798751

You'll notice that neither of these French sellers exactly go out of their way to state that their straps are manufactured by Fleurus.

Trust me on this - I know what I'm looking at. 

The last couple of 22mm Fleurus shark straps that I'd purchased were sourced through Henrik de Keiser of www.horlogebanden.com

His pricing was slightly more reasonable. Henrik didn't normally keep the heavily padded 'Breitling' style in stock, but I remembered he did once stock the Fleurus 'Double Jonc' shark strap in three widths and a couple of different colours. However, he seems to have since discontinued holding them because they're now on sale:

http://www.horlogebanden.com/Echt-Haaienleer-Horlogebandje-Blauw-Fleurus-type-Breitling-p-16354.html

Unforunately he now has only the mid-blue left in 20mm width. 

But it's surprising what you can find if you search a little closer to home. 

http://www.ukwatchstrap.co.uk/Fleurus-Shark-Skin-Dark-Blue-H7.html

Exactly what I was looking for.  They also stock the mid blue version:

http://www.ukwatchstrap.co.uk/Fleurus-Shark-Skin-Blue-H7.html

Not only those, but also the same 'Breitling' heavily padded version - for less than half the price *chronographe* are asking:

http://www.ukwatchstrap.co.uk/Fleurus-Shark-Skin-Dark-Blue-H3.html

http://www.ukwatchstrap.co.uk/Fleurus-Shark-Skin-Blue-H3.html

But if spending nearly 20 Quid (including postage) on a decent quality replacement genuine Shark strap goes against the grain ....

Purely by accident, while searching eBay last week, I came across a ZRC 22mm strap which could be an even cheaper alternative:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141083730436

The pun was intended.  Not actually genuine shark skin, but shark grain finished leather. 

Construction and overall appearance is very similar to that Graf 22mm 'Echt Haifisch' strap which I recently belatedly fitted to my previous 'fixer-upper' Spationaute III, but perversely the grain on this strap looks far more realistic and the colour just about spot on.

As you can see from the label, the ZRC part number is 7470806. Although 747 is higher than many of the pattern numbers in the current ZRC catalogue, I don't remember seeing it before. So I suspect this is discontinued old stock, rather than a new design.

Not sure if I'm going to fit it to my latest acquisition - if I do, it will only be as a stop-gap till the Fleurus 'Double Jonc' arrives.

Anyway, before the next round of strap swapping begins, here's a Q&D 'as received' wrist shot of my latest bargain 'fixer-upper'.

Seiko7A38 at April 21, 2014 at 10:41 AM

Just a couple of words of warning to anybody who may be considering buying one of these Fleurus straps ....

Remember that Shark leather is a natural material and that dye colour and grain can vary considerably (as I learned).

Secondly, although they look the part, these straps are nothing like as soft or comfortable as the original Yema straps.

Their rubber internal padding / reinforcement is nowhere near as flexible and will take some considerable time to break in.

Bloody marvellous innit ? 

I dole our such 'pearls of wisdom' (based on past experience) - and then turn round and totally ignore them myself. 

So I shouldn't really be surprised when my own salutary warnings come back to haunt me. 

Last weekend I ordered a few 22mm straps - including not just one, but two of those Fleurus 22mm 'Double Jonc' ribbed shark straps - one in the Dark (Navy) Blue and the other in the mid Blue - on the basis that both looked pretty good in the seller's website photos.

When I first took them out of their packets, I immediately noticed how much more flexible they felt, compared to the heavier padded 'Breitling' style Fleurus straps I'd bought previously. However my initial anticipation turned to disappointment when I examined them closely in daylight. I concede that I've completely failed to capture their true colours in this Q&D shot I took of them on Friday morning.

But the Navy strap had a strange sort of purple-ish hue to it and the mid Blue strap was far lighter than shown in their website photos - and the previous Fleurus blue strap I'd kept (and used to good effect on 'Grande Bleu'). I emailed the seller asking if he'd be prepared to exchange them for another pair, but he replied that his Fleurus straps were all from the same batch and so likely to be exactly the same colour. Half an hour after I took that photo, they were packed up and on their way back to UKWatchStrap for a refund.  

But all is not lost (yet). 

When I ordered the cheap-ish ZRC Shark grain strap (p/n 7470806) from UK eBay seller ab-loz (a.k.a. Andrew Webb of Time Out), I'd had a quick scan through his other strap listings and spotted this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200907814194

None of those straps in the primary image look particularly blue, but if you scroll down you'll find these 3 other photos of a very dark blue ZRC 'Double Jonc' strap embedded in the listing description:

So I ordered one of those too. It arrived earlier this week - a day before the two Fleurus straps. It's very dark shade of navy blue.

If that strap doesn't already look familiar to readers, then I suggest you go back to the bottom of the previous page. 

It's the same ZRC 'Double Jonc' strap being sold for double the price by Antique Watch Co - one of which I'd bought ! 

Although the colour isn't the same - it's much darker. Here's the two of them side by side.

The contrast in colours is probably better shown in this diagonal shot (the new strap, at right, is only trial fitted, without pins or tubes).

As you can see from my earlier photo, the very dark Navy Blue Strap is a ZRC p/n 5530806. The lighter one supplied by Antique Watch Co. last year didn't come with any ZRC label attached, so I suspect it was possibly a p/n 5530812 that they supplied, rather than a p/n 5530806 - and hence my earlier comments about the mistakes / confusion on both their website and ZRC's regarding the difference between '06' and '12'. 

Still undecided whether I'm going to keep the darker ZRC 'Double Jonc' strap on it, at the moment, so here's the watch trial fitted (again without pins and tubes) with the other cheap ZRC Shark Grain alternative.

After all, a cheap fixer-upper only deserves a cheap strap ! 

A belated post-script. In the end I plumped for the very dark navy ZRC 'double jonc' strap. It was the cheaper option, after all. 

Famous last words ....

I probably should have stopped buying 43mm Spationaute III's when my once 'small' collection of them reached double figures.

Unfortunately, I've recently succumbed to temptation - once again. 

A couple of weeks ago, a French eBay seller listed a Yema Spationaute III. The crystal and case-back were badly scratched and the strap fitted had virtually disintegrated. It didn't have a great deal going for it, other than a very clean 'Mission Flags' dial - and the fact that it came supplied with the original C.G.H. instruction booklet - which I'd never seen before and absolutely had to have. 

My longer term plans for this watch are to get the hands re-lumed (their lume has typically discoloured, but in different hues) and then fit the dial / movement into a NOS (probably ex-izeldor) or at least another better watch case. But this morning I decided to give it a much-needed quick strip and clean and re-build it 'as is' for the time being. Here's the original strap I removed.

Hard to discern from its current shrivelled state and almost black (sweat-stained) colour, but this was once a Yema plain navy blue ribbed strap - the type they used before switching to the shark version. I do still have one of these 'spare', which came with another Spationaute III (the one fitted with the REWA rally strap), but decided to keep that for later. So for want of anything else suitable in my strap drawer, I decided to fit one of those 'cheapie' ZRC shark grain straps, which I'd previously trial fitted but never used before.

Apologies for the quality of these couple of Q&D photos, but they were taken by flash due to poor available natural light. 

Here's a slightly different wrist shot to the one I posted in the WRUW thread earlier this afternoon.

The strap is remarkably comfortable (compared to the stiffly padded Fleurus genuine shark straps) and didn't need any breaking in. Although it may only be 'faux requin', the graining looks very realistic and certainly a lot better than that Graf 'Echt Haifisch' shark strap, which I started off this thread with 5 years ago. By the way, I haven't worked a minor miracle with that badly scratched crystal - I've temporarily fitted one of those Cousins substitute crystals I wrote about on page 4 of the Crystals and Gaskets thread.