Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Seiko7A38 at July 11, 2015 at 6:21 AM

Welcome aboard, Brian.  Thanks for taking the trouble to write an introduction. Much appreciated .... although I immediately knew where your nickname originated from.  A poignant reminder of those hard times. Gissa job - I can do that. Gissit ! 

Thanks for that, it is true they were hard but enjoyable times. I have worked in many countries for periods of a week to 4 months, and nearly always met someone from Liverpool, I suspect being a major port resulted in hard pressed folk leaving for better prospects. When I worked just outside SanFransico, at the docks, as you walked towards one of the old main areas where ships arrived and left for Liverpool, there was a huge sign bridging the entrance saying "welcome to Liverpool" as you left the USA, so the people traffic went both ways! I left Liverpool due to my work over 40 years ago, but still visit friends and family often.

Forgot to mention in my intro, that my children new of my love for the 7A38 I had worn for years, so the watch they bought me was the Seiko 5J22-0839, and for some time, if I left it off, I would be asked what was the matter, do you not like it? One of the reasons I lost the habit of wearing my 7A38.

Hi, I'm a military watch collector, and I've just bought my first Seiko, a 7T27 7A20.

Cheers.

Hi, I'm Sam from Sydney, Australia.

I got bitten by the watch bug around 2 years ago, though before that I have a few fashion watches and a simple quartz casio three hander my father gave me for my 15th birthday, so over ten years now.

Up until now I mostly collected 'quirky' Chinese and Russian watches, I often fall for their outrageous looks and 'character' compared to the more refined Japanese and Swiss watches. Three common themes run though my collection - unique design, interesting function or a good story, which brings us to the 7A28/38.

It ticks all the boxes. Great looks, a chronograph to fiddle with and the story of  being the 'first analogue quartz chronograph' which Seiko built to last.  I wanted an uniquely iconic watch with minimum fuss (compared to mechanicals) to wear (and be confident wearing day to day), collect and...cherish, and I think I found it.

Last week I bought my first Seiko, a 7a28-7060, which was advertised on another watch forum. I paid $175 for it which I hope was ok. I can't wait to receive it. 

Welcome aboard, Sam - and thanks for taking the trouble to write an intro'. 

Hi! I'm Sam from Finland. Got bitten by the Seiko bug this year and a while ago I found out about the 7Ax8 Quartz watches... I fell in love instantly Now Iäm hunting down my first (and probably not last) 7Ax8.

I am also from Annapolis, small world huh?

I am trying to find a gen 1 RAF as that watch really sets my heart on fire.

Greetings,

I hail from Ballard a bit north of downtown Seattle.  I love Seikos and got to know Noah Fuller many years ago.  He taught me a ton about them.

I love Titanium auto and smooth sweeper quartz.  I also have a very nice older Bullhead that Noah helped me find NOS parts to complete a restoration.

Hey guys. you guys can call me admiral. I'm from Sweden and just recently got into these vintage 7axx seiko watches. I obtained a 7a28-702a just a while ago but I'm still on the hunt for a 7a38 for the day and date. Preferrably the 7000 which i failed to buy recently on ebay. Didn't realize how nice it was until it was sold. I just got 30 years old and i got a watch i wasnt comfortable with. The plan is to get a 7a38-7000 from 1985 when i was born. Not sure why it just feels right.

Any ways. posting my watch.

Hello Everyone, I am Lau. VIntage seikos are a new interest for me. I joined 7A38 to get a better understanding of what I should look for when buying, and  also for information regarding maintenance and restoration. At the moment the only watch I own is a modern seiko chronograph (don't know the serial number) whose chronograph no longer resets or functions properly. I am hoping to replace it with a 7a28-703b whenever I can locate one in good condition.

Hi everyone ! Look at this 7A38-6000 is it rare ?

Wanted to say hello and to share my long lasting Seiko project...

Been putting this piece together for a long time,

Sreaching for the right parts and ETC

And now its finally finished and ready for sharing !

I posted this post this on main page I then i reliezed it wase't the right place ! 

Seiko7A38 at January 28, 2012 at 4:48 PM

Hello, my name is Paul, and I am a Seikoholic - addicted to collecting 7A38's at least. I bought my first, a stainless 7A38-7270 (SAA093J) back in January 1988, IIRC, and I still have that same much-travelled watch, complete with all its accumulated wabi:

I started collecting 7A38's, some 20-odd years later, towards the end of 2008, partly by accident, looking on eBay for a spare parts donor for my original watch. Eventually I ended up with three of this particular model (my original 7A38-7270 is on the left):

Although I still have a very soft spot for this watch, I now have other favourites. In truth, probably my most favoured 7A38 variant isn't actually a Seiko-made 7A38 at all, but its French N8 cousin from across The Channel - the Yema Spationaute III 'Aragatz' (43mm).

I'm going to post a fuller introduction in the Blog section presently, but if new members could take 5 minutes to reply to this thread, pretty soon we'll all know who's who. 

Hi Paul, and as its New Year's Eve, happy new year. I thought I was one of a very few people who liked Seiko's, how wrong I was. Why am I here, good question. I'm the extremely proud owner of. 7T32-7E70 model, four push buttons and a crown. I know it's not a MOD issue watch, but, having spent 15 years at flying stations it appears very very similar to what the aircrew wear. Not comes the tears. At some point about 7 months ago, I went to move the hands, and no moving. Down to the jewellers only to be told that the movement is shot and I need a new one. Brilliant £150 approx. As I loved it so much I said yes only 3 weeks later to be told Seiko don't make them anymore. Tears and more tears. So, how can this site help? I've managed to buy what I thought was a donor watch, 7T32-7F70, as I thought that it was the same apart from the F for the E. Only to find it only has 2 buttons and a crown. Is there anyone who can do a swop of movements for me for which I am quite willing to pay. I'm not worried if only 2 buttons work.    

Ian Wilkins

Scunthorpe

Hello, Ian. Welcome aboard and Happy New Year to you too.

Firstly let me apologise for having rejected your initial application to join the forum on Christmas Day.

It was simply your choice of username: 'Poacher' that got you the thumbs down, first time around. I don't always have enough time to properly vett new membership applications, so when I'm in a hurry, anything that looks vaguely spurious gets rejected. What's wrong with 'Poacher' you may ask ? Simply that I don't like people poaching photos and information from this website.

I have already replied, yesterday, to your query that you sent me via the Webs contact form. I suspect you have either not properly read what I wrote (including the links), or not understood. However the point you've raised about the 'two pusher' 7T32-7F70 intrigues me. It may be another 7T32 / 7T62 Fake - possibly fitted with a genuine Seiko 7T62 movement, which will not work in a 7T32 case.

I have started a separate new thread in the 7Txx Discussion area section, with a view to hopefully resolving this matter:

7T32's with only 2 pushers and one crown - are they Fakes or mis-identified 7T62's ??

It does not offer you the immediate fix for your defective 7T32-7E70 that you seek, but we can possibly sort that out later.

See this other thread (which I had already emailed you a link to), regarding alternative sources for 7T32 movements:

Need a replacement 7T32 movement ? Some alternative options ....

Hello there, my name is Amer and I'm from Sarajevo.

I've been watch collector for a few years now, but my love for watches started when I was really young. Still remember my grandfathers pocket watch. Vintage watches are my main area of interest and automatic Seiko chronographs. I didn't really have any interest in quartz watches before, until I saw 7A38-7070 and 7A38-706A that  my friend got for small bucks.

Two days ago, I stumbled upon 7A28-703B on the local market, bought it for 10 euros, in non working condition. One pusher is missing and crown is not original. I hope I can track them with info from forum members.

Serial for this watch starts with 2Dxxxx, that means this is one of the first 7A28 watches around. Really lucky to have it.

I think I will start new thread with more photos and info. 

Hello Paul - thanks for the membership!

Intro for the benefit of the forum: I am a collector of watches with an interest that waxes and wanes - although I always come back to Seiko. From a horological point of view, Seiko have something for everyone. My interest started with mechanical movements and I have a few of these from Seiko (7s26 to King Seiko). My interest in quartz watches has been recently kindled and I am particularly interested in HEQ/HAQ. I've just started picking up some interesting models that I consider to be underappreciated - Seiko really pushed things in the 70s.

I don't own any 7A38/28 but these are also interesting movements and I'm keen to add one to the wardrobe. I'm still familiarising myself with the models but I usually keep things simple (and I'm not a dinner plate sort of bloke) so I'm hoping to pick up something like a 7a28-7270 or 7280 in steel.

Seiko7A38 at January 1, 2016 at 5:16 AM

Hello, Ian. Welcome aboard and Happy New Year to you too.

Firstly let me apologise for having rejected your initial application to join the forum on Christmas Day.

It was simply your choice of username: 'Poacher' that got you the thumbs down, first time around. I don't always have enough time to properly vett new membership applications, so when I'm in a hurry, anything that looks vaguely spurious gets rejected. What's wrong with 'Poacher' you may ask ? Simply that I don't like people poaching photos and information from this website.

I have already replied, yesterday, to your query that you sent me via the Webs contact form. I suspect you have either not properly read what I wrote (including the links), or not understood. However the point you've raised about the 'two pusher' 7T32-7F70 intrigues me. It may be another 7T32 / 7T62 Fake - possibly fitted with a genuine Seiko 7T62 movement, which will not work in a 7T32 case.

I have started a separate new thread in the 7Txx Discussion area section, with a view to hopefully resolving this matter:

7T32's with only 2 pushers and one crown - are they Fakes or mis-identified 7T62's ??

It does not offer you the immediate fix for your defective 7T32-7E70 that you seek, but we can possibly sort that out later.

See this other thread (which I had already emailed you a link to), regarding alternative sources for 7T32 movements:

Need a replacement 7T32 movement ? Some alternative options ....

Hi Paul, I see what you mean about my name/handle. It's not what it seems. I spent nearly 15 years in the 2nd Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment prior to moving to the RAF. My battalions nickname is "The Poachers", this comes from our previous regiments forebears The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, who were also called The Poachers after their regimental quick March, The Lincolnshire Poacher. Our regimental motto is "Once a Poacher, always a Poacher"

Hi everyone!  I found this forum when I was looking for more info about a beautiful white dial seiko chronograph the 7a28-7020 I had seen on the internet.
After looking for a while I ended up buying a 7a28-702a with a black dial. I don't look at my self as a collector, but I have been bitten by this watch bug. In addition to the 7a28, I have a Seiko SKX007, a couple of Vostok Amphibians and some other quartz watches from the era before the watch interest start growing.

Hi. My name is Fadli.
Maybe not an interesting story for you guys, but here it is.

I'm not a collector, or even close to it (at least for now), as my watch in the past is just something like humble Alba, entry level class Casio, or even unrecognised brand that i pick randomly, just because i need it and it's happen that is what i found available easily.

So after close to 2 years of live service, few weeks ago, my watch died on me.
I don't bother try to service it, as it's just another cheap and dirty watch.

This time, i decide to to find something of a more decent.
I always facinated with mechanical chronograph watch, but then find out i just can't justify the expenses for a new one on that type without hurting my bankroll. Vintage mechanical chronograph is an option, but i don't thik i have enough knowledge to know if i made a good or bad purchase on second watch. So i put that on the back of my head and turn my sight to quartz chronograph that i can reasonably justify to buy.

Few little research here and there, and i'm just about to purchase on Solar Prospex or Sportura, but then I stumbled upon this beautiful watch, a Vintage Seiko 7A38-7280. It just capsize me, the more i look it, the more i like it.

Upon my research to avoid bad purchase on this vintage watch, and find out if it's a real one or just a knock out, i stumbled on this website (courtesy of google). Very helpful and hefty information, thank you admin and all contributors.

I think it's on the WRUW thread? that I found the picture of that type of watch and compare it to the one on sale.
It looks pretty much identical, although the one on sale not as shiny the one on the thread here.
But... as far as my un-initiated and untrained eye can tell comparing the two picture, it's original, seller also vouch so.

Of course i can't be sure (even if i do actual physical check).
I'm trying to dig more info and search for dedicated thread on that specific type but can't found one, and with member approval still pending, i can't ask around.

I really like the look on that watch, looks simple and elegant. It just so beautiful and i don't want to miss it, so i took the chance, and now this watch is on my possession

Love it.
I don't have the chance yet to take more detail picture, will try that later.

OK. That's it for my unremarkable, and sorry to hurt your eyes

Welcome Fadli, your excitement is not unfounded     Your "first" Seiko 7A with that silver dial is one good looking chronograph       I have one and I like the way the light reflects off the hour markers    

Hi guys, Warren here.

I have only really been in watches a bit more seriously in the past couple of years, so far I have picked up a few new Seiko's and found a few vintage 80's/90's  ones as well, really like the older / vintage stuff!

This is the watch that brought me to this site, my first 7A38 

In great shape but needs a strap, went with cheap option to start, the blue silicon with white stitching that I have seen used on here.

Anyway, I'm off to look at the rest of the site. 

Warren