Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Those of you that know me will also know that I'm not a fan of 'NATO' straps. Quite the reverse. 

IMHO, there is only ONE 7Axx that should ever be fitted with one - a 7A28-7120 RAF Gen 1 - and then in the regulation Air Force grey, though according to this authoratitive article, even grey NATO's aren't technically correct for a RAF 'Gen 1', but the later 7T27 Gen 2':

http://home.earthlink.net/~nederick/SeikoChronoRevuVulcF.htm (scroll down to: A WORD or TWO About Straps)

Nor am I a fan of 'military' watches and 'the military thing' in general. 

Sellers who make false claims of a watch's military association, in an effort to get more interest in their auctions, annoy me intensely.

In fact, this p!ssed me off so much, that a year or so back I started reporting any such listings with 'Military' in their titles to eBay. 

I did manage to get a few listings pulled, too. 

So you can imagine my displeasure and revulsion, when I came across this aberration attatched to a 7A38-7010 on eBay Germany:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290768097035

Seltener Seiko Chrono 7A38 7010 Tri-Compax Anzeige Militär - / Flieger -Band

Now tell me honestly - isn't that the most ridiculous mis-matched strap you have ever seen ?  Pass the sick-bag, please. 

Believe it or not, last night, I spent wasted some considerable time wading through this website: http://www.gasgasbones.com

I was actually thinking about having a dark blue 'GasGasBones' (in the NASA style) made up for my newest Yema Spationaute III. 

So it might have ended up looking something like this ....

French astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien followed what had become 'space convention', the precedent having been set 20 years earlier by the Apollo crews, and for the 'Aragatz' Soyuz-Mir mission wore his Yema Spationaute III on a nylon / velcro strap similar to this:

But now, seeing that abortion aberration I've decided it's going on a Navy Blue shark strap - just like the 'civilian' version should. 

This one takes some beating, and probably deserves its own thread - the topic title reading something like ....

'Horrible Hack Job in the name of Native Red Indian American culture'.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200842223687

Seiko Quartz Chronograph Sports 100 W/Sterling Silver Northwest Design Band

This is a Seiko Chronograph Sport 100 with a set of thick sterling silver band connectors in a Northwest Ethnic design ....

Still, it could serve as a dial / movement donor for a '49Ronnie' 7A28-7079 sample case, or a water-damaged non-runner like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330819661913

1990s Seiko CHRONOGRAPH Gents Sports 100 Stainless For Parts/Fix N/R!

This US eBay seller not only deserves a special award for fitting a totally unsuitable 'Pulsar Spoon' bracelet (he calls it a 'slotted monaco stainless steel band'), but the sheer unabashed cheek / total bullshit of his 'Bad Ass' listing description for a 7A38-7270:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251223525867

Weirdest thing is, if you look at his 5th photo of the case-back, it shows the watch fitted with the correct original B1615S bracelet. 

This topic was updated long time ago....but luckily to ebay......there is always something to share

Let me present this "beauty"

Apart from the ugly strap the watch case is well overpolished, the lume and hands are dead.

Anybody tempted to win it?

That looks nearly as bad as when I tried my 'beater' 7A38-6060 on a dark blue croco' grain leather bund strap, Arpad. 

It was so awful I didn't bother taking any photos, and whipped it off a bit quick. See thread: Failed Strap Experiment # 99 

Speaking of bund straps, this one fitted to a 7A28-5000 Giugiaro 'steering wheel' has got to be right up there with the very worst. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-SEIKO-GIUGIARO-SPEEDMASTER-QUARTZ-CHRONO-7A28-5000-RARE-/350873839562

If as I suspect it may, this aberration listed on eBay overnight belongs to a New Jersey based forum member, I make no apologies for flagging it in this thread. You have only yourself to to blame. Not only for the hideously inappropriate bund strap fitted, but for the stupid price B-I-N price of $695 that you're asking.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191130660146

Seiko 7A38-7289

Serial no: 7N1194 

In excellent shape. Please view the magnified pics as the best source of description.

Comes from my personal collection. On a black bund strap. 

Please check my feedback. Everyone has been pleased with my Seikos that I've sold.

Indeed, the watch head looks in nice condition, but the notched hooded lug case patently doesn't work with a bund strap. 

Looking back at my opening post of this thread, I'm not sure which I dislike more - NATO's or hideously inappropriate bund straps. 

Reminded me of a stainless 7A38-7280 offered for sale on TZ-UK back in June 2011. Seller thought it looked fantastic on a NATO. 

Fortunately that one also came supplied with its original (albeit short) Seiko p/n B1627S bracelet.

This certainly deserves a mention, if not a prize for the biggest brownest bund strap fitted to a 7A38, seen so far ....

A tatty 7A38-702H (or possibly 7A38-702A) listed overnight by a US eBay seller.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391805744044

Almost 10" long mind you ! That warrants at least one chorus of Macho Man by the Village People. Altogether now, sing ....

Question is, exactly what is securing the watch head to that big brown bund ? Just a badly cut-down 10mm wide strip of leather ?

Another 7Axx aberration - in the name of Native Red Indian American culture.

Spotted this non-running 7A38-7029 listed by a US seller a couple of days ago.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254104129738