Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Seiko7A38 at October 1, 2016 at 6:36 AM

If anybody fancies a 'resto' project, this non-working Yema N81W43 'Head Only' has been listed on eBay France for over a week, with no interest so far. It might be a quick and easy fix - or possibly not - there's that needs new battery / no seller's guarantee gotcher. Sourcing a new strap for it should be easier than most dressy N8's - this model has an 18mm lug width, whereas most others are 19mm. I did think about going for it myself (for the watch case), but it has the usual plating wear on the lug ends. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162214685545

A slightly belated eBay auction result. That Yema N81W43 resto' project sold on Monday for a mere 16.50 Euros after 3 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162214685545

This was something I'd meant to write up at the weekend, before my self-imposed curfew on posting - due to the impending conversion of the site to a new software revision, which still hasn't happened, 48 hours later. 

It was a bit of a late spot on my part anyway - a Yema N71X32 listed by a French eBay seller. From his listing title, he appears to have made the Seiko connection, but not the N7 to 7A28 one. Bidding was well under way when I first spotted it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131959653666

Vends très belle montre Yéma chrono quartz homme occasion, couleur blanc

la pile et le verre sont neufs, fonctionne très bien

le bracelet en cuir noir dans l'ensemble est très propre

diamètre avec la couronne fait 3,7cm X épaisseur 0,8cm

envoie très soigné, très bonne enchère à tous.

The auction ended yesterday morning, selling for 71 Euros (approx. £64) after 14 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131959653666

Or should I correctly say it was bid to 71 Euros, but doesn't actually appear to have sold.  Because it's back again, re-listed.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131968778848

I spotted this US eBay listing for a Yema N8 Flygraf a few days ago, but deliberately refrained from posting anything in this thread until after the auction had ended, because, when I checked it again, the following day, I recognized the new high bidder ID as belonging to a fellow forum member - and so didn't want to draw unwanted attention to it. 

It appears to be quite a decent example and still fitted with the original Yema leather strap. From their brief description, the seller didn't know a great deal about the watch, because of course, on any Yema N8, the days of the week are in both French and English.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152272771367

Working.

Day of the week needs to be set.

The day of the week is in French.

The auction ended a couple of hours ago, selling for a mere $105.50 (approx. £86.50) after only three bids. Nice catch, Don. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152272771367

Here's one I missed yesterday. Came home from work late - tired and couldn't be bothered to run my usual searches.  

I belatedly spotted it this afternoon, running a search on ended listings for 'Seiko 7A38' (checking if I'd missed anything).

Not that I needed another example of these dressy Yema N7's. 

It was another N81W43, but in very nice little worn condition, albeit sold as a non-runner.

The listing has still only received 15 views, so I suspect it didn't hang around very long. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201693597235

YEMA Paris

Gold Plated Chronograph Seiko 7A38 Movement 

Selling some of my favorite vintage watches from my collection.

Bought this watch at Selfridges in 1998 as a shop display model. I was given a Tissot box to take it home in. There are no papers, Selfridges described the watch as 'Shop Soiled'. I've worn it only a couple of times and the condition is pretty much mint BUT, it's been unused for 18 years, the battery has died, I took it to a local jeweller and they put a new battery in but it didn't work. It needs to be reset by a jeweller who knows about these models. The movement is perfectly clean.

This would make a great addition to any watch collection.

Condition is stunning and this is a rare model.

PICTURES SHOW THE ITEM ON OFFER

Will be carefully packed !!! 

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK

Couple of points. Although the seller bought it in 1998, the 2 prefix serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1990.

Although eBay deceptively shows it as having sold for the Buy-it-Now asking price of £125, I had my suspicions ....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201693597235

Checking Goofbid's eBay History tool, shows it actually sold against a Best Offer for a rather more realistic £75.

Seiko7A38 at October 12, 2016 at 5:40 AM

The auction ended yesterday morning, selling for 71 Euros (approx. £64) after 14 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131959653666

The re-listed auction for that Yema N71X32 ended in the early hours of this morning, this time selling for 72 Euros (approx. £64.24) after 7 bids. Which just goes to show the price was probably right first time around - if for the wrong reasons*. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131968778848

*Out of curiosity, I checked the bidding history on the two auctions. The previous one appears to have been blatantly shilled. 

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=131959653666

The "0" feedback Yema Flygraf. It was well packaged.   Paul, thanks for holding off until the auction ended. 

Definitely a nice catch Don. Besides Paul 'doesn't need another Yema Flygraf' 

I don't really need another 43mm Yema Spationaute III Aragatz either, Paul  - but I'm currently the high bidder on another one. 

This example, in need of some TLC (and probably a complete movement rebuild) was listed earlier this week by a French eBay seller.

Other than the current low bid price and the fact it has the desirable early production 'Mission Flags' dial, it hasn't got a lot going for it - even the visible area of the dial is slightly water damaged. Besides the rusty hand bosses, rust can be also be seen creeping around the edge of the dial, from under the Tachymeter ring, between '90' and '130', in the seller's close-up photo of the dial.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262699048628

Ce chronographe fonctionne en heures jour et date. 

la fonction grande trotteuse est inopérante, en effet cette trotteuse est collée a l'aiguille des heures et tourne en meme temps, les aiguilles sont a démonter et apres nettoyage de celles ci, a replacer.

il me semble voir des traces de corrosion en dessous de cette aiguille, pas au mouvement qui est resté a son etat d'origine. le chronographe en lui meme est en tres bon etat, donc a vérifier ces aiguilles.

je ne sais pas faire !

I'm counting on somebody out-bidding me soon ! 

This two-tone 38mm 'reduced' Yema Spationaute III (model # N80A696) fitted with a ghastly green and black NATO strap  was listed on eBay earlier this afternoon by a French seller. Whereas I have seen prices of 300 Euros asked for mint examples on the original Yema shark strap, I don't think this one warrants that much - nor anything like that. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262707680144

Montre ancienne YEMA SPATIONAUTE 3 mission ARAGATZ avec Jean-Loup Chrétien

Mission ARAGATZ (1988)

Il effectue un second vol spatial à bord de Soyouz TM-7 (26 novembre au 21 décembre 1988), au terme d'un nouvel entraînement de deux ans à la Cité des étoiles. Il participe au programme des expériences de la mission scientifique et technique franco-soviétique ARAGATZ à bord de la station Mir. Le 9 décembre 1988, il effectue, en compagnie d'Alexander Volkov, une EVA (sortie extravéhiculaire) de près de six heures (5h57, alors record de durée d'une sortie dans l'espace2). 

Boitier et fond acier en trés belle couronne et poussoirs d'origines

Lunette tournante

Calibre SEIKO 7A38 jour date d'origine fonctionnement heure jour date et chronomètre

40MM hors couronne

Bracelet NATO 20MM

cadran et aiguilles d'origine en parfait état

8€ pour la France

13€ pour l’Europe

24€ pour le reste du monde

Although the French seller goes into some detail of the Aragatz mission (easily copied off the Web), it was not this watch, but a prototype of the 43mm diameter full size version (model # N80P76) that was worn by Jean-Loup Chrétien. He also (over)states the diameter as 40mm, when they're actually only 38mm. A nice dress watch - not something that should be worn on a NATO.

That French eBay auction for the Yema Spationaute III in need of a little TLC ended about 15 minutes ago, in something of a snipefest, selling for 66 Euros after 20 bids. I did think about it again - for spares and would probably have pursued it, had it not been for the condition of the dial and hands. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262699048628

Bit of a late spot this one, with only a couple of hours remaining before the auction ends. In fact, I'd missed seeing it altogether, until forum member Don messaged me the eBay item number, asking if I'd seen it. It's a Yema model # N71X33, which was listed by a US eBay seller latter part of last week. Offered through the GSP programme, which adds $46.50 to the $100 opening bid price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232132121295

Direct From an Estate: 

An excellent Yema Paris Dress Chronograph Tachymeter with brown Teju lizard strap by C. Muller, Italy. In excellent condition & running order. 

Watch face 1 1/8"

Watch case 1 1/2"

We do an excellent job with protective packing so this item will arrive in perfect condition so you can buy with confidence.

Payment is always expected within 48 hours of the auction completion. We will only accept PayPal for payment and will only ship to the Verified PayPal address. We always ship ASAP. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions whatsoever. However, please do not ask us what the reserve is or to end bidding early. 23% BP factored in & will not be added on. 

Please follow us as we are an estate liquidation company and have many other great items to sell.

That Yema N71X33 didn't sell - back again re-listed, with the opening bid price reduced to $90 (+ GSP charges for outside USA).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332025661247

Here's another Yema I nearly failed to spot, through not running searches often enough. It's a dressy model # N81W53, which was listed by a US eBay seller mid-week. Just 16 hours of the 5-day auction to run. It's a 'head only', without strap - in average condition, unfortunately with the usual nasty graunches on the case-back. Not much information in the seller's (standard) description. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311737371864

Vintage YEMA Paris DAY/DATE N81W53 Mens Gold Tone Watch

All items are typically cleaned, polished and in excellent condition(given the age of the piece) older items(antique) are cleaned and polished by hand with a cloth to preserve its age. Please, see pictures for condition details, and as always contact us with any further questions.

The above eBay auction for a Yema N81W53 ended in the early hours of this morning, selling for a mere $30.67 after 9 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311737371864

Seiko7A38 at November 6, 2016 at 12:21 PM

This two-tone 38mm 'reduced' Yema Spationaute III (model # N80A696) fitted with a ghastly green and black NATO strap  was listed on eBay earlier this afternoon by a French seller. Whereas I have seen prices of 300 Euros asked for mint examples on the original Yema shark strap, I don't think this one warrants that much - nor anything like that. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262707680144

That French eBay listing for the Yema Spationaute III 38mm 'reduced' on a NATO strap ended a couple of days ago, unsold, as I'd expected. The seller re-listed it at the same 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of 300 Euros, soon afterwards. I  didn't think anything of it, and duly added it to my eBay watching page. Checking it, this morning, I noticed the re-listing had ended yesterday evening - sold, according to eBay, for the 300 Euros asking price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262722249727

I found that difficult to believe, so I checked it myself using Goofbid's eBay Best Offer History tool ....

.... which shows it actually sold against an offer (the only one received) equating to 250 Euros, rather than the full asking price.

Another 43mm Yema Spationaute III Aragatz was listed by a French eBay seller earlier this week. Overall condition is nothing to write home about. It's fitted with an ill-matched non-original tan leather strap and suffers from a typical horribly butchered case-back. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142186560864

The seller's description simply reads:

Fonctionne parfaitement 

bracelet bon etat

I suppose I should concede that the strap does appear to be in good condition - even if it's completely wrong for the watch ! 

Not seen very much (at all) in the way of Yema N7's or N8's listed on LebonCoin, recently ....

Other than the same two Spationaute III's, mentioned earlier in this thread, which are still being re-listed.

However, earlier this week, I did spot a couple of new listings. Though neither were anything to get excited about.

Firstly a 38mm 'reduced' Spationaute III, model # N80A696 fitted with a non-original stainless bracelet:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/1054238088.htm?ca=1_s

No, price stated - merely 'Make Offer'. 

Then a N8 Flygraf, with a typically ludicrous pie-in-the-sky asking price of  580 Euros !! 

http://www.leboncoin.fr/montres_bijoux/971273597.htm?ca=1_s

Couple of points to note with that one (if the price ever comes down to anything like realistic) ....

Firstly, just me being the nit-picking pedant: The correct model number for a N8 Flygraf is N80Q16 (not '00' as typed) ....

But more importantly, this watch has been fitted with a non-original screw-down crown (which we've seen on a few other examples).

Seiko7A38 at November 8, 2016 at 3:02 AM

That Yema N71X33 didn't sell - back again re-listed, with the opening bid price reduced to $90 (+ GSP charges for outside USA).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332025661247

Once again, that Yema N71X33 went unsold and was re-listed at the same price, $89.99, predictably with the same outcome. 

It was then re-listed with the opening bid reduced to $79.99, still remaining unsold - and again last week with the opening bid further reduced to $74.99, by which point it had finally attracted a bidder.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332040054668

I assumed, from the previous lack of interest, that was probably how it would finish, but as the auction ended yesterday evening, a second bidder sniped it in the final seconds to take it for $82.88.

Just checking my eBay watching page, I noticed the French eBay seller of that Yema Spationaute III had ended the listing yesterday afternoon - a couple of days early. Very careless of him (see reason given).  More likely, in truth, sold off eBay for a lower offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142186560864