Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

As things have been quiet Yema N8-wise lately (certainly on eBay, LeBonCoin and Yahoo Japan), I've been casting my net wider. 

Last week I stumbled across a comparatively bargain priced Yema Spationaute III (with manual) on a Belgian free advertising site:

http://www.2ememain.be/bijoux-montres/montres/montre-pour-homme/montre-yema-spationaute-3-182393723.html

If you click on that link, all you'll get now is this:

But this is how it looked when I first saw it. Incredibly it had already received 92 views and no-one had even made an offer. 

The two included photos weren't the best quality:

With a little googling I found the seller had also listed it on another Belgian free website:

http://www.kapaza.be/nl/sieraden-en-horloges/montre-yema-spationaute-iii-82475646.htm

Again, that listing has since been removed, but the same two photos in that advert were slightly better, in terms of size and clarity:

Apart from price, it ticked all the right boxes for me: Mission Flags dial; original Yema Navy leather strap and that elusive manual.  

So as I write this, it's winging it's way across La Manche to Angleterre - chez moi ! 

When I say 'comparatively bargain priced', I'm comparing it to the likes of this Yema Spationaute III advert, posted at bottom of page 7:

Seiko7A38 at January 11, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Not that I'm in the habit of perusing French dating websites you understand. 

I belatedly stumbled across this expired advert from the end of last year, purely and simply by searching on Google - honestly. 

http://www.onseconnait.com/petite-annonce/sans-lendemain/ile-de-france/departement-75/montre-yema-mission-aragatz_670636.html

montre YEMA mission ARAGATZ

 

Montre ( ORIGINALE) de la série réalisée pour la mission franco soviétique ARAGATZ sur un cahier des charges du Centre national d' études spatiales ( CNES). Jean Loup CHRETIEN portait une de ces montres pendant ce vol sur SOYUZ U2.

Modèle SPATIONAUTE III / Caractéristiques techniques

Boîtier titane très léger mais surtout très résistant aux variations de température de l'ordre de 100°.

Verre réalisé en hésalite, une matière spéciale, incassable.

Fonction chronographe 5/100e de secondes.

Fonction chronographe permettant la lecture d'un temps intermédiaire sans interruption du chronométrage, rattrapage du temps écoulé pendant cette lecture, mesure par accumulation du temps écoulé, mesure continue du temps de deux concurrents.

Compte à rebours.

Fond de boîtier gravé : "Vol longue durée ARAGATZ, CCCP France".

Portée quelques fois, très bon état, pile à changer. A prendre à Paris.

Faire offre jusqu'au 10 12 2013 (par mail avec N° de mobile pour rappel) à partir de 500€. Les offres inférieures ne seront pas examinées. Merci

Dernière modification : 2013-11-29 17:23:23

Contacter cette personne

France

75 - Paris PARIS 17EME ARRONDISSEMENT

As you can see in the description the seller wasn't prepared to accept any offers below 500 Euros - so nothing unusual there. 

What is slightly unusual about this example is that it has the early production mission flags dial - the third one I've seen recently.

So perhaps they're not quite as rare as I'd first imagined. 

The same advert came up in my google searches on two other French dating websites incidentally:

http://www.etplussiaffinites.net/rencontre/sans-lendemain/ile-de-france/departement-75/ipkili/montre-yema-mission-aragatz.html

http://www.tolere.com/petites-annonces-rencontres/sans-lendemain/ile-de-france/departement-75/wbtwjw/montre-yema-mission-aragatz.html

 

Also here, which is presumably the Small Ads website that syndicates these adverts to the various dating and adults only sites:

http://g-trouve.fr/670636_annonce_fr_montre-yema-mission-aragatz.html

Needless to say, that one, nice as it may look, posted on another obscure free advertising website(s) still remains unsold. 

I did actually make contact with the seller. Not only wouldn't he budge on his pie-in-the-sky asking price of 500 Euros .... 

Quote: The watch YEMA ARAGATZ is not sold yet because this watch is to be payed with Euros (500) in Paris where I live.

But the only way he'd sell it was by a face-to-face meeting in Paris (that's when he's actually there) - for cash. Dream on. 

I'm still kicking myself for not bidding on the Yema Spationaute III on Ebay US back in November 2013. It was NOS and sold for $235.00 US    I had just started to collect 7A's and did not know how scarce this French watch was.  

They're not exactly scarce Don - or at least those NOS Yema Spationaute III's from eBay seller izeldor weren't (at the time). 

If you page back through this thread, you'll find several references to them, going back as far as August 2012, like this post:

Seiko7A38 at October 22, 2012 at 4:04 AM

The same eBay seller (who once was the US importer / distributor for Yema) listed another of those NOS Spationaute III's last week:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120999947808

It sold in the early hours of this morning for the opening bid price of $225.

Seiko7A38 at September 29, 2012 at 6:02 PM

If any member is interested in one of these NOS Yema Spationaute III's, the price is now down to $225 + shipping.

They're also available on the early style (very) dark blue shark skin strap:

Drop me a PM for further details of how to order - and get them shipped elsewhere (outside CONUS).

Can't guarantee whether the dial lume may be aged / yellowed, and limited quantities only remaining.

But what are comparatively scarce is the very early production version with the 'Mission Flags' dial, like the one I just bought. 

Not exactly difficult to spot this Yema N8 OP896 'Pseudo Plongeur' listed overnight by Korean eBay seller smith_speaks (Kwonbax) thanks to his inclusion of 'Seiko 7A38' in his listing title. (No mention of the actual Yema model # other than the case-back photo).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301143006456

Not exactly rare (see page 5 of this thread, when there was a spate of them), nor is particularly a surprise to see one of these turning up in the Far East - per my observations in this thread. Also regarding dial printing variations: note this example has simply YEMA printed on the dial (no PARIS or QUARTZ). However it is unusual to find them in such good cosmetic condition as this example, still fitted with the original (but typically faded) Tan leather strap. Pity about the recalcitrant chrono' sweep second hand. 

This Yema N8 Flygraf in rather less than ideal condition was listed by a seller based in Saint Luce, Martinique yesterday evening.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281300902331

The seller's brief description merely states:

YEMA FLYGRAF 25 years old scratches in the glass and inside new battery everything works except seconds from the chronograph!

He doesn't say anything about the moldy lume on the hands and dial batons - a sure sign of moisture ingress in the past. The paint on the 1/10s subdial also appears to be lifting. While nothing like as bad as those two horrid Indonesian examples on the previous page:

Hardly worth pointing out, other than to stress the fact that these watches patently don't thrive in hot humid climates ....

Unless the reserve is set sensibly low (which I very much doubt), probably one best left - there are plenty better examples to be found.

Seiko7A38 at December 8, 2013 at 9:05 AM

Sunday afternoon seems to be a favourite time for listing items on LebonCoin.fr. So I just had a quick looksee and what should be the first item at the top of my search result ? Yet another optimistically over-priced Yema Spationaute III. Maybe it's one we've seen before:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/583897412.htm?ca=1_s

Yema spationaute 3

Mise en ligne par gilles le 8 décembre à 13:55.

 Prix: 450 €

Ville: Landaul

Code postal: 56690

Description:

Yema Spationaute III Mission Longue Durée Aragatz.

La montre fonctionne parfaitement.

Le changement de pile et l'étanchéité viennent d'être effectué.

A noter une légère rayure sur le verre (a peine visible) qui doit pouvoir s'effacer avec du polywatch ou autre.

Quelques micros rayures d'usage.

Le bracelet en cuir est en trés bon état.

Produit original en aucun une contrefaçon.

Re-listed on LeBonCoin.fr earlier this evening - price now reduced to 'only' 340 Euros. 

Seiko7A38 at March 29, 2014 at 5:20 PM

Spotted this optimistically over-priced Yema N81W63 listed on LeBonCoin early this morning:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/641909684.htm?ca=1_s

Montre bracelet yema etat impecable

Mise en ligne par cola le 29 mars à 06:57.

Prix: 199 €

Ville : Strasbourg

Code postal : 67000

Description :

je vends cette montre rare YEMA PARIS 

super etat, fonctionne parfaitement. 

Entretien fait cette annee, pile aussi changée. 

la montre a 20 ans environ. Est ce du plaqué or? je n en sais rien, elle est toujours comme me premier jour, brille comme de l or. 

Livré avec son carnet, sera livré dans boite originale pour seiko. 

Parfait etat. 

telephonez avant 19 heure au 06 51 51 51 07

possibilité d'echange contre autre chose, par exemple un iphone ou samsung ou velo ville ou autre chose de petite taille, pas encombrant.

Not so sure about the impeccable / perfect condition claimed by the seller. Zooming in on his first two (upside-down) photos:

The bezel has plenty of small nicks around its inner edge; the (hacked) crown appears to be missing its cabouchon and the strap looks like a 20mm squeezed to fit the 19mm lug width. I suspect that one will be re-listed a good few times over the coming months.

This post probably better belongs in the eBay Craziest Prices thread. 

Spotted this 38mm Yema Spationaute III listed yesterday by a French eBay seller, with a ludicrous B-I-N asking price of 1499 Euros. 

http://www.eBay.co.uk/itm/261453150023

Superbe Yema Spationaute III.

Montre fabriquée en 1988 pour la mission spatiale Franco-Russe Aragatz. (Vol spatial + séjour dans la station Mir). 

Jean Lou Chretien, spationaute français, portait ce modèle. La montre est gravée "Vol spatial longue durée - CCCP - FRANCE". 

Description: Montre avec fonctions jour, date et chronographe au 1/10e de seconde. Excellent état, révisée. 

Cadran: Blanc et or. Chronographe trois compteurs à 3, 6 et 9H. Jour et date à 3H. Lunette tournante.  Boitier: Acier 316L. 

Mouvement: Original: Seiko 7A38 - Shimauchi Ltd. V906 - 15 Rubis

Bracelet: État neuf cuir de requin marron, boucle à ardillon en acier inoxydable.

N° de série: YEMA 2 - 270

Dimensions : Epaisseur 12mm. Largeur hors couronne: 38mm 

Plus de photos sur : Montre-Luxe-Occasion.com

Here's the link to the watch on their website: http://www.montre-luxe-occasion.com/vente/montre-yema-spationaute-iii/ 

As I expected they might, the additional photos looked all too familiar. Here's where I clearly remember seeing them before:

http://www.1placevendome.com/produit_spationaute_iii.html - back in November 2009. Note that it's now marked as 'SOLD' there. 

The very same 38mm Yema Spationaute III, serial no. 2 270 was also first listed on eBay in November 2009 by 1placevendome.

I wrote about it here in an old thread on RLT back in May 2010. At that time, 1placevendome was asking a ridiculous 750 Euros. 

If you compare their websites: http://www.1placevendome.com/ and http://www.montre-luxe-occasion.com/ header / layout / content ....

it's patently obvious that they're the same people. So their logic is obviously: if you don't manage to sell a watch for 4 years, because it's stupidly over-priced; create a new website and double the already ridiculous asking price and hope no-one will notice. Failed. 

http://whois.domaintools.com/1placevendome.com  (original) registrant: Philippe Le Bas - current owner Jacques Decavata.

http://whois.domaintools.com/montre-luxe-occasion.com  Administrative Contact: Decavata Youri. (a.k.a Jacques Decavata).

http://www.wengo.fr/shopping/mode/1placevendome-jacques-decavata-commercant-collectionneur-1331944.htm

Footnote: Before I'd done that quick bit of googling (to prove my point) yesterday evening, not only had I searched back through my email folders and found old correspondence from both Philippe Le Bas and Jacques Decavata, dating back to December 2010 ....

(I was interested in knowing what the strap fitted was - it's a NOS (older design) Fleurus - very similar to the original Yema fitment) ....

But I'd also sent a cheeky message to the new (zero feedback) eBay seller montre-luxe-occasion-com:

Bonsoir. 

Vous êtes la même personne que Jacques Decavata de 1placevendome ? 

Cordialement, Paul.

I received a reply this morning:

Bonjour, 

J'ai effectivement créé 1placevendome. 

A qui ai je l'honneur ? 

Cordialement, (no name given).

Anyway, I just happened to click on the link to the listing in the eBay message to see that they've since reduced the price slightly ! 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261453150023

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemRevisionDetails&item=261453150023

Note also that the photo has been changed to the 'head on' shot used in the original 1placevendome eBay listing of 4 years ago. 

If they knocked another 550 Euros off the new ridiculous asking price, bringing it down to 399 Euros, they'd be getting a bit closer. 

donwatch at March 5, 2014 at 7:48 PM

Paul , how would one get this ---not speaking French and how would one pay for it ? I was at America Cup in SF in Sept.2013 AND shot this photo  

It's a pity you didn't follow up on that previous LeBonCoin listing for a Yema N71Z36 America's Cup, Don - 'cos that example was an absolute steal @ 120 Euros. The listing was still live for quite some time after we last posted (I'm talking weeks). But it's gone now. 

Anyway, here's another - in fact in a job lot of two Yema America's Cup(s), listed earlier today:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/653711327.htm?ca=1_s

2 americans cup YEMA

Mise en ligne par le foll le 27 avril à 13:36.

Prix: 220 €

Ville : Cormeilles-en-Parisis

Code postal : 95240

Description :

2 americans cup YEMA originaux fonctionnent ok

notices boites maillons

colissimo inclus

Before you ask, not sure what caliber the other watch is, but I'd hazard a guess that it's very likely (re-branded) Seiko. 

Paul, I sent an email in French & English---Like I did on the  other one

So what happened, Don ?  No response from the French seller ? 

Anyway, here's another 38mm 'reduced' white dialed Yema Spationaute III, model N80A696 listed on eBay earlier this evening:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261464686831

RARE UNE ANCIENNE MONTRE YEMA SPATIONNAUTE 3 1-913 vol longue duree ARAGATZ CCCP FRANCE N80A696 diametre 3.5 CM bon etat fonctionne tres belle montre.

Fitted with a non-original two-tone bracelet - and as we've come to expect, typically well over-priced @ 500 Euros opening bid. 

Seiko7A38 at April 27, 2014 at 1:49 PM

donwatch at March 5, 2014 at 7:48 PM

Paul , how would one get this ---not speaking French and how would one pay for it ? I was at America Cup in SF in Sept.2013 AND shot this photo  

It's a pity you didn't follow up on that previous LeBonCoin listing for a Yema N71Z36 America's Cup, Don - 'cos that example was an absolute steal @ 120 Euros. The listing was still live for quite some time after we last posted (I'm talking weeks). But it's gone now. 

Anyway, here's another - in fact in a job lot of two Yema America's Cup(s), listed earlier today:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/653711327.htm?ca=1_s

2 americans cup YEMA

Mise en ligne par le foll le 27 avril à 13:36.

Prix: 220 €

Ville : Cormeilles-en-Parisis

Code postal : 95240

Description :

2 americans cup YEMA originaux fonctionnent ok

notices boites maillons

colissimo inclus

Before you ask, not sure what caliber the other watch is, but I'd hazard a guess that it's very likely (re-branded) Seiko. 

donwatch at April 2, 2014 at 10:49 AM

I'm still kicking myself for not bidding on the Yema Spationaute III on Ebay US back in November 2013. It was NOS and sold for $235.00 US    I had just started to collect 7A's and did not know how scarce this French watch was.  

Then perhaps you might like to consider bidding on this one, Don. 

Especially as (in US terms) it's only 'a few hours' drive away - might make it worth a cruise in Mr. B (all the way) down PCH. 

Listed overnight by uconsignit - with only the N80P76 model # in the title. Almost in NOS condition, apart from the case-back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291137457148

YEMA MEN'S QUARTZ CHRONO WATCH, YEMA Paris, Model N80P76 w/ Box, Leather Strap

YEMA PARIS MEN'S QUARTZ CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH  SPATIONAUTE III 

Gentleman's Spationaute III quartz chronograph wristwatch from Yema, Paris 

Model N80P76. Quartz movement, stainless case with stainless steel back. 

New, with tags. 

Sale includes Yema Paris rosewood box, approx 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 3-3/4 inches; and chipboard gift box (the outer box is mildly shelfworn. 

This auction has NO RESERVE, so bid now to ensure that you will be in the running to win this item. 

Be sure to look at our other auctions by clicking on the link below

Naturally, as I have a well-known predeliction for collecting Spationaute III's  you may have to fight me for it. 

Only because I don't have this particular variation of the US market outer cardboard box with the SPATIONATE III label. 

249 miles. 4 hours and 11 minutes travel time for me. 

I'll leave you two gentlemen to haggle amongst yourselves. I too am available for local pick-up!

Paul. 

I'm only pulling Don's leg. I really don't need another 43mm Spationaute III - unless it's one of the prototype space flown versions. 

Let's see: "I really don't need another 43mm Spationaute III"....! Sounds like the title of another thread coming up. 

So.. what's it worth to you to get a US market outer cardboard box?

Paul.