Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

This well-worn 7A38-6109, fitted with a non-original Seiko bracelet was listed in the early hours of this morning by a US eBay seller. FWIW, it was being offered through eBay's dysfunctional GSP program. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192793290341

Vintage Seiko Sports 150 Chronograph Quartz Good Cosmetic & Working Cond. w/ New Seiko Bracelet

Original Bracelet was damaged and replaced with new Seiko SQ Bracelet fits up to 7.5" wrists only!

Case and Crystal shows normal signs of wear or scratches, but in good overall cosmetic condition

Watch in good general condition, shows signs of wear & tear due to its age!

What you see is what you will get.

$3.95 shipping via USPS and within USA only!

It sold a few hours later as Buy-it-Now for the not such a bargain price of $79.95.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192793290341

Hello.

I’m new to this forum.

I was looking for a new (at least to me) watch and came across this thread, as I really like the watch the thread is about. I currently have a Seiko Sports 150 gold-tone dive watch that I purchased new sometime around 1992. It has gold-tone case, face, and band, and has day/date display. The watch has served me very well, still keeps great time, and is still watertight. I just decided I would like to get something new since the band keeps failing me, most of the watch and band are no longer “gold-tone”, the bezel is free-spinning, etc. I thought of having it refurbished, and have not explored that option yet, but kind of got bit by the “new watch bug”. I have found it difficult to find a “new” quartz dive watch, gold-tone, with day/date, that I like (I do not want an automatic). I considered the solar options, but not sure I want to go that route.

I really like this watch but have been unable to find any place to purchase one except E-bay and the only one I see there right now is for $480, which seems exorbitantly high for the item, especially based on the content in this thread.

I wanted to ask if anyone knew of other places I might look to find one of these watches at a decent price.

Thanks in advance.

Claude

Hello, Claude.

Please complete your member profile, per the link I sent you - then you'll actually be 'new to this forum' rather than just an 'anonymous' poster. Thank you.

I know exactly which 7A38-6109 you are referring to by:

'the only one I see there right now is for $480, which seems exorbitantly high ....'

It's this one, which I hadn't bothered mentioning again, when it was re-listed by the incompetent Japanese 'proxy' re-seller fe-shop-japan on 24th January this year. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273670808283

I strongly suggest the re-listing is BOGUS. It was fraudulent when it first appeared.

May I recommend you re-read the previous page, starting with my post dated April 16th 2018 (that is the same watch), taking note of my posts dated November 24th 2018 and 3rd January 2019, when the watch was sold by the bona fide YJ re-seller.

Quite incredibly, when the above 30-day re-listing ended, the incompetent Japanese 'proxy' re-seller fe-shop-japan re-listed the ex-badingski, ex-swotlab 7A38-6109 once again. Eventually they seem to have realized the futility / their own stupidity and ended the latest re-listing earlier this week, because of an alleged error in the listing. Apart from the ludicrous asking price, the main error was fraudulently listing the thing in the first place. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283393127860

I hadn't bothered adding this (nor any ot their other recent BOGUS listings) to my eBay watching page. I was just relieved that it wouldn't be coming up in my saved searches any more. But then yesterday evening I had to do a double-take !! 

A Zero-feedback US eBay seller listed a 7A38-6109, using a phone screen capture of their recently ended re-listing as his primary image ! It's a 7-day auction listing with an opening bid price of $112, or the option to make a (lower) offer. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153416352968

sekio vintage 7A38-6109 Diver Chronograph 1980 perfect condition. Condition is Pre-owned. Shipped with USPS First Class Package.

As you can see, this illiterate seller can't even spell SEIKO  - managing to get it wrong in both his title and description. If you fancy risking dealing with a Zero-feedback seller (who by insertion of that $480 screen print, evidently believes his watch is worth more than $112), I should point out that his 7A38-6109 is not in 'perfect condition' as he incorrectly states. Although, at first glance, it appears to be in reasonably decent condition, like many used examples, it's missing the 'ears' from both sides of the bracelet first joining links. 

That 7-day auction for a 7A38-6109 didn't attract any bids. The Zero-feedback US eBay seller re-listed it for another 7-days. That auction finished a few minutes ago, with the 7A38-6109 selling for $124.50 after 3 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153424697528

This blingy gold-tone (not gold filled) 7A38-6109 'Dress Diver' was listed in the early hours of this morning, by a Mexican eBay seller, with a laughable 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of $499, or the option to make a much lower more realistic offer. It may be in generally very good cosmetic condition (apart from the badly scratched case-back), but it's still a 7A38-6109 - an rather unloved model. The would-be seller clearly has no idea of the disparity in pricing across the 7A38 model range. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293136229294

I swear it's a conspiracy. Seems there's always someone out to prove me wrong, lately. OK, so maybe I'm an opinionated SOB, but these are only my opinions.

The Mexican eBay seller revised his listing late yesterday evening ....

.... Reducing his previous 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price from $499 to 'only' $399.

- Presumably at the behest of a potential buyer, as it sold less than 3 minutes later.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293136229294

The eBay Purchase History shows that no (lower) offers were made prior to sale.

$399 for a used 7A38-6109 is an exceptional price, in my opinion, especially one selling as a Buy-it-Now in under 24 hours. Perhaps it's just a sign of the times.

This well worn 7A38-6109 was listed in the early hours of this morning, by Filipino eBay seller badingski, as a 7-day auction, with an opening bid price of $9.99.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303254589212

Looking at his photo of the movement, the pitting around the circumference of the anti-magnetic back-plate points to this watch having suffered a serious battery leak at some point and having been rebuilt. Note also the rotary step switch is missing. But there was something else wrong with this watch, I spotted that made me smile.

On the first page of this thread, I'd posted this photo of my original 7A38-6109 (now long since sold). The photo was one I used in my eBay listing, back in March 2010: 

I'd made the classic newbie mistake.  Bought the very first one I ever saw, listed on eBay in January 2010. In my defence, the photos were small and rather dingy. But the lume on the dial batons was discoloured - never a good sign. Indeed, it turned out that the watch had suffered a serious battery leak. The movement was toast. I found a replacement donor movement and took it to my watchmaker, to do the swap. I didn't do anything like that myself in those days. He refitted the dial and hands, but got the 30 minute counter and the constant seconds (which is shorter to suit the smaller diameter sub-dial) the wrong way round. I didn't notice until I looked at the photos long after I'd sold the watch. Hence my earlier comment:

Spot the (not-so) deliberate mistake in those photos - and indeed in the previous set above ?

In re-fitting the hands, badingski has made exactly the same mistake ! 

The above 7-day eBay auction for a well-worn 7A38-6109, by Filipino eBay seller badingski ended in the early hours of this morning, selling for $86 after 14 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303254589212

Looks like profiteering YJ re-seller swotlab is still up to his same old tricks. Earlier today, he listed what is obviously the same well-worn ex-eBay badingski's 7A38-6109, which he paid $86 for, less than two weeks ago, as a 1-day auction, with a risible opening bid price of 28,000 Yen, or the option of a 'Prompt Decision' (Buy-it-Now) price of 32,000 Yen. To save you looking it up, that's equivalent to approx. $262.50 (bid) or almost exactly $300 (BIN). He pulled exactly the same stunt in May 2018 (with badingski's previous 7A38-6109) and it took him nearly EIGHT months to sell it. That sorry saga (with a few amusing twists) starts halfway down the previous page and eventually concludes higher up this one.

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t670534253

Google translates the Japanese description as follows:

Seiko chronograph made in 1988 Overseas model 7A38-6109 Diver bezel.

7A38 is a high-end model of 7A28, which was released as the world's first multi-functional analog quartz watch in 1983, which was also the base of the Giugiaro model .

The chronograph (split measurement is also possible) calendar and the best performance at that time.

Rotate bezel.

Pull the crown one step to correct the day and date.

The day of the week will be displayed in English and Spanish.

Body size: Side 39x length 42mm, thickness 12mm.

Band is the original band is attached.

Arm circumference About 16cm.

Nekoposu will be free shipping.

Nekoposu is with a tracking number, but in the unlikely event it will be lost and will pack as much as possible, but the maximum compensation amount in case of damage is within 3000 yen. Please note that we can not guarantee any loss during shipping in Nekoposu .

If you wish, you will receive a shipping fee, but will be shipped by Sagawa Express.

Condition

**************************************************************

Appearance: There are threads on the bezel. I think that others are in a relatively good condition for the old ones.

Operation: Battery life is not guaranteed but it is operating.

Even if there is no problem at the time of exhibition, if a defect is found, it will be written in an additional note, so please read the sentence to the bottom of the explanatory note of the additional note.

● Caution ●

Appearance conditions are listed as far as possible. Since I think that there is also a part overlooked, please be sure to ask the more nervous one in a state before a bid.

Since it is an old thing, please give me the claim when not operating at all within three days after goods arrival.

Please understand that any claim will not be accepted if more days have passed.

Please see the self-introduction regarding the date that can be shipped.

If you have made a successful bid, please reply within 36 hours after contacting us here in dealings Navi.

Please make the transfer within 48 hours on weekends and holidays.

**************************************************************

Since various other products are exhibited, please have a look.

I notice, with great amusement, that would-be profiteering YJ re-seller swotlab has re-listed the ex-badingski 7A38-6109 earlier this morning, as another 1-day auction (currently retaining the same YJ item number).

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t670534253

He's already dropped his opening bid / BIN prices to 'only' 19,000 / 24,000 Yen.

I'd suggest that 9,500 / 12,000 Yen might be closer to the mark.

Apologies for the slight delay in updating this thread, but I've been otherwise distracted and failed to notice that this 7A38-6109 had dropped off my returned search results on Yahoo Japan. Seems profiteering re-seller swotlab had the last laugh - somebody bought it two days ago - for the 19,000 Yen opening bid price ! 

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t670534253

For the record, that's equivalent to approx. $176.26 USD / £142.60 GBP; more than double what he'd paid for it, two weeks earlier. Sometimes, the mind truly boggles at the apparent total lack of due diligence on the part of the buyer.  

This 7A38-6109 Salesman's Sample Case, with a partial bracelet (missing the clasp), was listed this afternoon by a US eBay seller, as a Buy-it-Now for $50.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143519748485

Seiko Chronograph Men's Watch Salesman Sample 7A38-6109

NO MOVEMENT 

For sale here is a watch case and partial band with no movement. These were used by Seiko sales people as they met with jewelers. They never had a movement in them and today could be good for you if you are looking to update a case where you may have the appropriate movement. 

The case dial and crystal are excellent. 

The band looks excellent also although it is not 100% complete - See photos.

It sold a couple of hours later for that $50 Buy-it-Now price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143519748485

I suppose I should own up - I was actually the buyer of that 7A38-6109 salesman's sample case. The eBay seller was blocking buyers form outside USA, so once again, I had to avail myself of the most excellent forwarding services provided by ever-obliging forum member PHK ('Paul in Vegas'). The re-addressed package arrived in the post on Monday morning.

I should also probably admit to already having two examples of the decidedly blingy 7A38-6109 in my collection. But neither are quite mint. Judging by the seller's photos, this sample case was in really nice cosmetic condition and @ $50, the 'price was right' in my book. My original plan had been simply to swap the dial / movement from one of my other examples into it. But, No - that would be too easy. I'm going to build a third one, by 'motorizing' this sample case.

In years gone by, I've bought a couple of 7A38-6109 sample cases from US eBay seller 49ronnie (the late Ron Canda). But they were just 'head only' without any bracelet. This is the first almost full 7A38-6109 salesman's case I've treated myself to. Like other similar examples I've seen listed on eBay over the years, this one has a full length bracelet, with 4 removable adjustment links on one side and 5 on the other. Unlike some other 7Axx sample cases, the ends of the bracelet haven't been deliberately butchered (by Seiko, to prevent resale). It's just missing the entire clasp assembly. I say 'just' .... 

But you try finding one. The Seiko p/n for the clasp assembly is Z1473G-BK1G. Believe me, I've looked. That short non-adjustable SEIKO logo'd gold-plated clasp cover, which measures 18mm wide (internally) x approx.12mm long is what makes it unique in this application. The stainless Z-fold underneath is probably common to dozens of other Seikos. I suspect the same 18mm clasp cover may be used on other models, but I haven't sussed out any yet.

My first thought as a possible suitable replacement, was the SQ-logod 18mm 5-hole adjustable clasp found on the gold-tone 7A34-019, Seiko p/n G1312G-BK1G (or Z1453G-BK1G). My search for those proved equally fruitless. Just as well, as it turns out, in hindsight, because I'd over-looked something pretty basic. 

Instead, I decided to find a cheap generic clasp and after a quick browse through Cousins UK's vast selection, I plumped for a p/n C46459 (rather than p/n C53014). It looked like it should fit the bill.

I'd been putting a few odd parts in my shopping basket since December last year. I added one of these clasps and checked out. Cousins UK's package arrived in this morning's post and the first thing that popped out of the box was the clasp. At first, I was pleased with my choice. The clasp appears to be of good quality (for the price) - even the Z-fold is plated, and although it might not appear so in my flash-lit photos, the semi-matt brushed gold plated finish is almost a perfect match for the bracelet. Literally two minutes later, I'd fitted it to the sample case bracelet.

Except it didn't fit quite how I planned. What I'd completely over-looked and not taken into account was that although the Seiko p/n Z1473G bracelet uses an 18mm clasp, its links with their ornate double curved ends are actually 20mm wide. So my plan of storing the 'surplus' of adjustment links under the clasp cover went straight out of the window. This cover of this generic Cousins clasp is approx. 35mm long (compared to 12mm of the original fitment), so without removing any bracelet adjustment links, you end up with a wrist size that would fit a baby gorilla (about 9").

The gap at the other end of the clasp, where the bracelet joins the Z-fold was initially bugging me too. You don't see that with the original short 12mm clasp.

Fortunately that was dead easy to solve. Thankfully the clasp cover / Z-fold pivot pin wasn't a solid bar (as they often are), but a short bead spring bar. So it was a simple matter to move it back from it's normal default position to the next pair of holes, which are effectively meant to be the first pair used for bracelet adjustment.

Resulting in a tidy fit at both ends. 

So, there you have it. A cheap quick and dirty solution to the 7A38-6109 salesman's sample case. Or for that matter, anyone in dire need of adjustment links, wanting to extend a short bracelet. Or for someone with gorilla sized wrists. 

PS - I won't actually be using this clasp on this sample case, when I come to 'motorizing' it. I'll be robbing the proper Seiko clasp off one of my two lesser examples. That'll get fitted with this 'make do' clasp arrangement. 

It's not often you see one of these blingy US market 'diver's offered for sale on this side of the Pond. This 7A38-6109 in average worn condition, typically missing both 'ears' from the bracelet joining links, on either side and in need of a replacement battery, was listed earlier this evening by a UK eBay seller, as a 7-day auction, with an opening bid price of £100, or the option to make an offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164125739600

Seiko Rare Divers Chronograph Sport 150. 7A38-6109AO. Condition is Used. Dispatched with Royal Mail 1st Class. 

Authenticity is 100% guaranteed. 

I am selling as it was given to me by my father years ago. However, I prefer a silver watch. 

Please note the watch needs a new battery. 

There is gold tone wear on the bracelet. 

Please look at pic's as this is the actual item you are buying and the pic's are a part of the description of the item up for sale. 

Features: 

Brand: Seiko 

Bezel Function: Rotating 

Case Material: Base Metal Stainless Steel - Gold Tone 

Dial Color: White 

Date Position: At the 3'o clock position 

Bracelet Material: Gold tone metal 

Clasp: Seiko signed 

Movement: Quartz

Water Resistant: Yes - 15 BAR (150 m or 500 ft) - Watch has not been tested.

Please Ask Any Questions You May Have Before Bidding or Buying. I will be GLAD to answer them.

This familiar looking well-worn 7A38-6109, fitted with an instantly recognisable non-original replacement Seiko bracelet, was listed earlier this evening, by a Moldavian eBay seller, with a risibly over-optimistic 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of $200 - and currently without the option to make a (much lower, more sensible) offer - like around $75 or less.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124122391026

DESCRIPTION

Rare quartz chronograph. Watch in working condition. Not original bracelet. 

WARNING: As a vintage watch though unfortunately there are no guarantees!

Please study the photos and description carefully!!No box & no papers. Sold as is. 

SHIPPING

Worldwide shipping 12$.

In case you didn't recognise it as quickly I did, as yet another case of Déjà Vu - just scroll back up to the top of this page, where you will see it was previously sold on eBay by a US seller in January 2019 for $79.95.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192793290341

Needless to say, the case-back number 7N0155 matches. 

The 7-day UK eBay auction for a 7A38-6109, in average worn condition, subject of my penultimate post, ended a few moments ago, selling for £127 after 6 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164125739600

It's time I added a couple of updates to this thread, with regard to the status of my own small collection of 7A38-6109's. I'm not entirely sure I should publicly admit to now owning 3½ of them  - and also to confess to a couple of earlier purchases. 

If you've read all the way through this thread, you may remember a 7A38-6109, listed by a US eBay seller back in December 2018, which appeared to be in pretty good cosmetic condition (apart from a twisted bracelet joining link on the 6 o'clock side). The full details of the listing are towards the bottom of the previous page.

I wrote at the time: Unfortunately the seller is unwilling to ship outside USA. 

Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent the parochial CONUS mentality. I simply changed my shipping address to one in Las Vegas, NV, home of forum member Paul (PHK).  This allowed me to win the auction for the opening bid price. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273599766594

Paul (PHK) kindly shipped it on to me and it arrived just after Christmas (2018).

The US eBay seller had stated in his description (besides 'I ship to the USA only'.):

The watch is running but I'm not really sure what the side buttons are for. 

I replaced the battery a couple months ago.

As received, the watch was showing exactly the same time, day and date as in the eBay seller's photos. In a subsequent email, Paul (PHK) confirmed he'd observed the same thing, when he opened the box to check it. After an acrimonious exchange of messages, where the eBay seller kept insisting it was working and a subsequent later offer to return it for a refund (he didn't realize the watch was now in the UK), I swallowed hard, decided to keep it and left him the negative feedback he deserved.

I stripped it down and cleaned the case and bracelet. All the chronograph functions worked fine, but even after fitting a new battery and an occasional flickering of the sweep second hand, the time was as good as completely dead. From memory, all I did at the time was to rob it of a bracelet adjustment link. which I fitted to my first one, to make the bracelet on that a more comfortable fit. Unceremoniously boxed up in a plastic takeaway container, I added it to my ever-growing stack of 'I'll get round to it one day' projects and left it, completely neglected for over a year. 

Buying that very nice NOS condition salesman's 7A38-6109 sample case, with almost complete bracelet, at the end of January reminded me that I ought to do something about this other non-runner. I'd made no headway into that stack of 'projects', so I started sending those which were obviously in dire need of a full movement service off to Simon ('Sir Alan'), a couple at a time. Simon did the honours on this 7A38-6109 a week ago. Hopefully, this link will allow me to share his 45 photos of the strip and re-build. The watch had suffered from a minor battery leak at some point and although the PCB was fine, the corrosion to the battery positive connector caused one of its arms to fracture.

While the watch head was away, I turned my attention to the bracelet. Straightening that twisted joining link on the 6 o'clock side was simple enough. However, I'd also discovered other evidence of botching, when I'd first stripped it down over a year ago. The joining link on the 12 o'clock side was also stretched internally. Someone had presumably lost the original pin and tube and replaced it with this (over-sized) fixed bar, forcing it into the case drillings. Note the original pin is also slightly bent.

Although I'd sent that 7A38-6109 off to Simon in it's original watch case, I'd been toying with the idea of fitting the freshly serviced dial / movement into my recently acquired NOS condition sample case / bracelet - as a shortcut to 'motorizing' it.

You may have noticed I wrote in my most recent WRUW post two days ago:

I've been messing about with my three blingy 7A38-6109 SAA114J's this afternoon, swapping parts around between them.

This is where it starts to get a little more complicated, because I also need to own up to having bought another 7A38-6109 recently - the one which sold on eBay UK last week. In hindsight, at £127, I paid well over the odds for it - especially as the seller had reduced his original opening bid price from £100 to £85 after 3 days. I did place a bid on it; had second thoughts and later retracted it. But then I looked at it again and decided that it might serve as a useful donor. Despite paying too much, I'll admit taking great delight in out-sniping a closet cross-dressing member of the watch collecting community to win the auction.

That 7A38-6109 arrived two days ago. It was grubby and rather more worn than it appeared in the seller's photos, but I wasn't too concerned, because once I'd fitted a new battery to it, checked the chronograph functions and timing overnight, I was happy to use the dial / movement as is. Whereas the gold plating of the bracelet was quite worn (and the 'ears' were missing from the first two joining links), the clasp itself was in better condition. So you can probably figure out what those components were now earmarked for - my NOS condition sample case / bracelet.

If you've never bought a 7Axx salesman's sample case, here's what to expect when you unscrew the case-back. Unlike 7Txx sample cases (which usually contain a deliberately destroyed movement), there is no movement in a 7Axx sample case. The rim of the underside of the dial plate is held in place by 4 or 5 small pieces of green PVC tape. There is more green PVC tape on the back of the dial plate, which holds 4 small machined spigots in place, on which the hands are mounted, plus 2 more pieces of tape which hold the dummy sections of Day / Date window in place. In my experience, without exception, these are always WED and 2.

I've read somewhere that the crowns are supposed to be glued in, but I've never had any difficulty pulling one out. I suspect they're just held in by their O-rings. There is no crown stem. Nor, in my experience of sample cases, is there usually any case-back gasket fitted. The pushers come 'ready to go', complete with springs, washers, O-rings and circlips fitted. However, I always dismantle them and apply a little silicone grease to their shafts - just as a precaution / good practice.

Sometimes the 35 year old PVC tape can leave sticky residue on the inside of the watch case. Don't waste your time trying to clean it off with Rodico. It quicky wipes off with drop of lighter fluid. The next stages in 'motorizing' a sample case would be to carefully pull all the hands (noting in this particular instance, that the constant seconds sub-dial hand is shorter than the other two); remove the rest of the tape off the back of the dial plate, discard the dummy hand mounting spigots and fit it all to an ideally NOS or serviced 7A38A movement. Instead, I took a shortcut or two. 

Here's my NOS condition 7A38-6109 sample case / bracelet - now fitted with the dial / movement from that eBay UK donor, along with the correct bracelet clasp. Incidentally, I've deliberately retained the [SAMPLE] stamped case-back. 

Here are a couple of slightly different side-by-side shots of my three 7A38-6109's that I took this morning, having just finished assembling the sample case watch.

They are, Left to Right: my 'original', owned for 10 years; the one I bought off eBay in the States in December 2018 (whose movement was recently serviced by Simon) and my NOS condition sample case (now fitted with the dial / movement from the eBay UK donor). Those photos were artificially lit (not particularly well, admittedly) and although the effect is somewhat exaggerated, it's noticeable how much lighter (and more matte finish) the gold plating is on the one in the middle - particularly its bracelet. Therein lies my problem - and hence why I'd written earlier that I'd been swapping parts around, since Tuesday. Here's a slightly different wrist shot of my 'second string' 7A38-6109, to the one I posted in the WRUW thread. Note how the bracelet still doesn't sit quite properly on the 6 o'clock side - the straightened joining link evidently still requires more tweaking. 

Its watch case isn't bad - almost unmarked. But there are a number of small dings and loss of plating on the inner rim of the bezel. I thought I had a ready solution up my sleeve - in the form of the two empty salesman's sample watch cases that I'd bought from US eBay seller 49Ronnie (the late Ron Canda) back in 2010, which were still both sat unused in my spares stock. However, when I tried swapping the dial / movement in to them, there was a distinct mismatch with the matte finish of the bracelet's plating. Obviously they've polished up from handling over the years, but their gold colour was also noticeably darker. 

So what I'll probably end up doing, is to keep the original (lighter colour) watch case and swap a better condition bezel from one of those 2 sample cases over onto it. That's when I manage to figure out how to pull them, without marking the case or distorting the bezel. They're on bloody tight !!

Anyway, niggles with that one aside, I was rather more pleased with my efforts on the pristine sample case build. Here are a couple more slightly different wrist shots to the one I posted in the WRUW thread this afternoon. The second one's nice.

Here are the few parts left over from that build, including the Cousin's generic clasp that I'd been so chuffed with earlier - now surplus to requirements.

Here are the currently discarded surplus parts left from eBay UK donor. (Hence my earlier comment about now owning 3½ of them).

It had occurred to me that if I were to chuck a 7A38 movement into the mix, I could cobble together another lesser example (fitted with the Cousins clasp) and flog it on eBay. But I don't think so. Judging by the example set by a few unscrupulous eBay sellers, I'd probably do better by listing the (7) removeable bracelet adjustment links, separately, on eBay, asking a Tenner apiece.