Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Prolific new 'Store' seller Eccentric Factory listed what appears to be a half-decent looking 7A38-7050 on Yahoo Japan yesterday.

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r149436362

Google translates the seller's pastel hued formatted description as follows:

It's difficult to discern exactly what they mean by 'a small crack in the body' from the smallish photos. As stated, the original Seiko SQ logo'd 7-hole adjustment clasp has been replaced by a shorter SPEEDMASTER logo'd one. Not sure why anybody would want to do that, as it detracts from the watch's originality, unless is was to enhance appeal to Japanese potential buyers. 

The already ambitious opening bid price of 47,800 Yen will be subject to 8% Japanese VAT - making a total of 51,624 Yen - equivalent to $477.80 USD / £338.20 GBP, so I supect like some of their other over-priced 7Axx offerings, this one will be re-listed for a while yet.

Seiko7A38 at February 27, 2016 at 9:47 AM

Seiko7A38 at February 12, 2016 at 5:57 AM

Another speculatively over-priced 7A38-7050 appeared on eBay Italy this morning, listed by a zero-feedback seller:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262287080471

Although the seller briefly describes it as 'perfect', the case-back shows plenty of signs of wear. If I was in the market for another, I'd certainly want to see more than just those two photos, before considering parting with anything like the 520 Euros asking price. 

Meanwhile, that speculatively over-priced 7A38-7050 listed by the zero-feedback Italian eBay seller went unsold and was re-listed:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262297646675 and again yesterday: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262308844648

I note the would-be seller has since uploaded a new primary image - one which doesn't bear too close inspection:

Not only is there a chunk out of the bezel's acrylic inlay, between 50 and 55, but what are those strange nibbling marks on the top L.H. corner of the watch case ?  Certainly far from perfect in my book ! 

And so it goes on - the would-be Italian eBay seller has continued to re-list his less-than-perfect 7A38-7050 @ the same 520 Euros. 

This is the latest current re-listing - note the changed shorter listing title:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262377626802

I think he must have suffered brain fade earlier this morning, because he's apparently listed it again in parallel. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm//262379417416

The description of this second listing actually reads:

Seiko sport 100 by Giugiaro anni 80 introvabile perfetto stato come nuovo 7A38-7050 ref.434538 €. 520,00.

Seiko sport 150 laminato oro tenuto.perfettamente come da foto anni 80 7T34-6A00 ref. 960475 €. 490,00

That said, by paying the indicated Buy-it-Now price you are effectively entering into a contract to purchase, according to eBay's terms and conditions. Somebody ought to take him up on it - and hit that Buy-it-Now button quick, before he realizes his mistake ! 

Tried, wont post it out of Italy. 

Did send question about postage.

Well, he did not answer my questions but did re-list the items.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orologi-rari-uomo-sportivi-/262380211135

Yes, I saw.  Initially he re-listed it yesterday evening with a Buy-it-Now price of 1000 Euros (combined with the gold-tone 7T34):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262380211135

Then early this morning, he deleted the 7T34 from this re-listing and changed the Buy-it-Now price to 520 Euros:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemRevisionDetails&item=262380211135

The upshot being he now has 2 similar, but differently worded listings for the same 7A38-7050 on the go:

Clearly, a very confused would-be seller and (apart from the ludicrous asking price) one best avoided. 

Now listed for a THIRD time, (concurrently with the other two above) - this time as an auction with an opening bid price of 285 Euros.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262381342556

Seiko7A38 at March 30, 2016 at 4:58 AM

The next act of the would-be re-seller of the ex-strega_68 7A38-7050 was to re-list it with an opening bid of $300 and no reserve.

Bearing in mind the previous highest figure it had been bid to was $273, the outcome was predictable - no bids were placed.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182063614720

He re-listed it once again, almost immediately - with the same $300 opening bid price, yesterday evening: 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182071650507

But then that re-listing was ended after only a few hours in the early hours of this morning. One presumes that someone messaged him and made him an offer - putting him (and us) out of his misery. Hopefully that'll be the last we see of it. 

Not quite.  Slightly belated postscript to the long running (and painful to watch) saga of the ex-strega_68 7A38-7050 ....

Meanwhile the third, most recent, of those three (re)listings for that 'less-than-perfect' 7A38-7050 by the would-be Italian eBay seller ended 5 minutes ago. No bids placed. Unsold - even at the reduced opening bid price of 285 Euros.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262381342556

This 7A38-7050 with a tired looking original bracelet was listed overnight by an apparently less-than-forthright US eBay seller.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322211137401

Seiko quartz chronograph with the famous 7A38 fifteen jewel movement. The movement needs service; it keeps time correctly; the 1/10th second hand works correctly; the sweep second hand does not move; the minute hand works correctly; the split second function works. I do not know the service history. The case is great condition; the crystal is excellent. Please refer to the photographs. The watch comes with a box; no papers.

Please ask all questions before bidding as returns are not allowed. I've made all reasonable attempts to accurately describe this watch. Please don't make offers outside of eBay to buy my watches. Payment is due within 72 hours after the end of the auction. Shipping will occur within two business days after payment is received. Customs duties and tariffs are not included in the price of the watch, they are the buyer’s responsibility. Please do not ask me to falsify the customs documents (i.e. list the item as a “gift”;), this is a crime (perjury) in the USA.

As soon as I looked at the photos and saw those subdial hands, re-painted in that incorrect shade of pastel green, I immediately recognized this watch. I say 'less than forthright', because the seller states: 'I do not know the service history'. Funny, because the person he bought it from, only 16 months ago claimed it was: 'Professionally serviced just recently and New Battery Installed'. 

In case you don't recognize the watch, go back to page 2, which oddly enough I started with ....

Ever get that sense of Déjà vu ?   I do - all too frequently lately. 

.... Then scroll down towards the bottom of the page and my lengthy post dated March 16, 2015, which ended with:

But going back to Edmar's statement: Please see above-shown pictures for they tell thousand of words ....

I believe the correct saying is: A picture paints a thousand words - and there's been an element of painting going on here.

The hour and minute hands look too white in his photos - as if they've been re-painted. The chrono' sub-dial hands most certainly have been, because they're a complete colour mis-match with the peppermint green sweep second hand, which looks original.

There's other refinishing been done besides - the clasp has been re-brushed and the case-back skimmed, to remove scratches.

But the real classic is the photo of the back-plate of his allegedly 'Very CLEAN movement has just been professionally serviced'. 

Apart from the rust / evidence of past battery leakage, the rotary step switch is set to maximum (+) advance. Never a good sign. 

So what are you waiting for ?  RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY - Now ! 

Seiko7A38 at March 22, 2015 at 6:12 PM

Filipino eBay seller mountapo_merchant's auction listing for his not-quite so all original 7A38-7050 ended about 10 minutes ago.

It sold for $213.61 (approx. £143.16) after only 3 bids:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271807443803

That previous listing by mountapo_merchant is still available in eBay history. The current seller's ID bpjester (324) matches the encrypted winning bidder ID j***e (324), as does the case-back serial number 513892. Apart from the primary eBay hosted image, all the Auctiva-hosted photos are still there, including that 'classic' shot of the 'professionally serviced' movement. 

The aforementioned eBay auction for the ex-mountapo_merchant 7A38-7050 ended in the early hours of this morning, selling for $137.50 after 10 bids - rather less than it achieved in March 2015. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322211137401

Here's a rather nicer unmolested example of a 7A38-7050 that was listed a couple of days ago by a novice Danish eBay seller. Going by the condition shown in the photos, he's probably pitched the opening bid price of £150 about right - and it could possibly go quite a bit higher. But the fact that he's currently only got UK (and not the rest of Europe) set as ship to location isn't going to help his cause.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112252214566

This auction is a very nice Seiko Quartz Chronograph Sports 100 (7A38-7050)

Rotating bezel

Seiko stainless steel bracelet

Movement: Quartz

Dimensions: approx. 40 mm

Condition: very good condition

Function: all right

Original seiko box

Everything works as it should

The Danish novice eBay seller ended the listing for his 7A38-7050 yesterday lunchtime - presumably sold off eBay via a 'back door' deal. I'd messaged him yesterday and he told me then he'd already received one offer of £250 from an eager potential US buyer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112252214566

Update: Intrigued as to what the watch might actually have sold for, I sent another message to the Danish eBay seller yesterday.

He didn't reply until this morning:

Hello Happy New Year to you. I got several offers, chose to sell it to a guy from London, for 400 pounds.

He'd also asked my advice on setting a price for another Seiko he was considering selling, so to make sure there wasn't any confusion, I asked him to confirm that we were talking about the same watch. He replied:

Hello Paul

Yes I got 400 pounds with shipping to London for 7A38-7050

Regards Kim.

That's one hell of a good price, bearing in mind the used condition - more than the NOS example that started off this thread ! 

This average worn condition 7A38-7050 'Driver' was listed on eBay earlier this evening by a German seller. Translating the description, it's in need of the battery replacing (so presumably a non-runner) and the seller won't ship outside Germany. 

Seltene Seiko Driver Herrenuhr aus ca. 1980 , wurde wenig getragen und hat wohl meistens in dem Leder-Sammelkästchen gelegen, dass derjenige kostenlos dazubekommt, der ab 4 Uhren ersteigert.

Das Glas hat keinerlei Kratzer, das Original Seiko Uhrarmband weist normale Gebrauchsspuren auf und der Unterboden hat 1 Kratzer vom Batteriewechsel.

Das Zifferblatt ist schwarz und die Zeiger sind weiss und türkis Der Kompass lässt sich trotz der Jahre leicht drehen..

Uhr ist Wasser resistent.

Die Uhr hat keine Original Verpackung und auch keine Anleitung, da sie aus einem Nachlass stammt. Ich bin Nachlasspflegerin und zum Verkauf autorisiert. 

Die Batterie muss getauscht werden.

Verkauf ohne Garantie oder Rücknahme, da es ein Privatverkauf ist. 

Gerne Abholung in Bad Münstereifel oder Versand, nur innerhalb Deutschlands (ohne Inseln) für 5,00 Euro versicherter Versand. 

Am 17.01.17 hat der Verkäufer die folgenden Angaben hinzugefügt:

The above German eBay auction for a 7A38-7050 ended a few hours ago, selling for 239.78 Euros (approx. £206) after 22 bids.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162361816423

This well worn example of a 7A38-7050 was listed late yesterday evening by a Serbian eBay seller, with an over-optimistic opening bid price of $380. Evident from the seller's photos, the Seiko p/n Z1148S bracelet is typically badly worn and stretched.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272877169941

For sale is vintage mens quartz wrist watch SEIKO SPORTS 100 CHRONOGRAPH 7A38-7050 GREEN

-watch is working good and keeps accurate time

-please look pictures for details

-please read description

-new battery

-original Seiko metal bracelet (has signs of wear)

Happy Bidding!

Needless to say that the above eBay auction for a well-worn 7A38-7050 offered by a Serbian seller failed to attract any bids. It's since been re-listed, still with the same 'pie-in-the-sky' opening bid price of $380. 

Meanwhile, last week, it was joined on eBay by another example, listed by an Italian seller. This one's in somewhat better cosmetic condition, but proportionally just as stupidly over-priced, with an over-optimistic Buy-it-Now price of 550 Euros.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263261440934

Raro SEIKO cronografo “Sport 100” ref.7A38-7050 completamente originale ed in ottime condizioni.

La cassa in acciaio è in perfette condizioni; bellissimo quadrante antracite in eccellenti condizioni con trizio su indici e lancette che ancora emette luminosità al buio; vetro originale Hardlex con un paio di sottili graffi.

Il movimento funziona perfettamente e tutte le funzioni cronografiche sono OK; l'azionamento dei pulsanti cronografici è netto e senza esitazioni.

Cinturino completo di tutte le maglie originale e NON aftermarket (!)

È davvero un cronografo SEIKO da collezionare, in ottime condizioni originali: molto bello e attraente sul polso con un look moderno ancora oggi.

Fabbricazione aprile 1984

----------------

For sale a rare vintage Seiko men’s chronograph “Sport 100” ref. 7A38-7050 in all original.

The steel case is in perfect conditions; beautiful anthracite dial in excellent conditions with tritium on indexes and hands that still emits brightness in the dark; Hardlex original crystal with a couple of hairlines.

The movement works perfectly and all the chronographic functions are OK; the chronograph buttons work crispy.

With original strap with all the links!

It really is a Seiko chronograph to collect, in excellent original conditions: very nice and eye-catching on the wrist with a modern look still today.

Manufactured in April of 1984.

A somewhat belated update to this particular thread: I had intended to update it at the weekend, but with Photobucket being down, I couldn't upload the additional photos. Anyway better late than never.

Over the course of the listing, the Italian seller had made a number of revisions, mostly uploading a few new photos, deleting some others and switching the order of them around.

Some were better than others:

The listing ended last Friday, sold not for the full 550 Euros Buy-it-Now price ....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263261440934

But as shown by WatchCount.com's Look-up tool against an offer of 390 Euros.

As confirmed by the eBay Offer / Purchase History:

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBidsLogin&item=263261440934

Seiko7A38 at October 7, 2017 at 4:40 AM

This well worn example of a 7A38-7050 was listed late yesterday evening by a Serbian eBay seller, with an over-optimistic opening bid price of $380. Evident from the seller's photos, the Seiko p/n Z1148S bracelet is typically badly worn and stretched.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272877169941

I hadn't bothered adding any updates on the above well worn 7A38-7050, but over the last month, the Serbian eBay seller had re-listed it 3 times: once more as an auction (same $380 opening bid price), then as a Buy-it-Now for $359 and then again @ $349. It finally sold for that reduced Buy-it-Now price yesterday.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272911285421

This 7A38-7050 in average worn condition, suffering from some loss of matt black paint from the small bracelet interconnecting links, was listed yesterday evening by a Swiss eBay seller ywen7103 (Yves is a member of this forum) with a somewhat over-optimistic Buy-it-Now price of 600 Swiss Francs, or the option to make an offer. (600 CHF is equivalent to approx 520 Euros). Something to bear in mind is that Switzerland is not a member of the EU, so European buyers are potentially liable for VAT.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323071109698

Rare Seiko Quartz Chronograph

Ref 7A38-7050

All working perfectly

incl. Box