Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Seiko7A38 at May 5, 2019 at 10:32 AM

Seiko7A38 at January 11, 2019 at 6:14 PM

Another 7A38-7140, used but evidently in lightly worn well-cared for condition was listed by an Italian eBay seller earlier this evening, with a typically over-optimistic Buy-it-Now price of 810 Euros, or the option to make an offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123590307636

I offer no apologies and am not making excuses. Not that I need to do either. 

With so many Buy-it-Now format listings on eBay and a good percentage of them ludicrously over-priced, some re-listed ad nauseam, with sellers constantly frigging around with their pricing, it's sometimes as much as I can do to keep my own eBay watching page updated, let alone remember to post updates here. Case in point ....

Hence the reason: I hadn't forgotten, I simply hadn't had the time to add a couple of updates to this thread.

Back in February, the Italian eBay seller had increased his already highly optimistic 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price from 810 Euros to 890 Euros. He ended that listing in the second week of April, because the item was allegedly no longer available. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123590307636

He re-listed it later that same day, with the Buy-it-Now price now rather dramatically reduced from the previous 890 Euros to a somewhat more realistic 590 Euros - still with the option to make an offer. It sold this morning, but for even less than that reduced Buy-it-Now price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123728064736

WatchCount.com's Look-up tool reveals it finally sold for a best offer of 400 Euros.

Less than half the original Buy-it-Now price. 

Apologies for the double quote, but I'm just carrying this over to the next page.

When I made that quoted post, I'd assumed that was the last we'd seen of this particular 7A38-7140. But this morning, the Italian eBay seller re-listed it once again, this time with the Buy-it-Now price reduced from 590 to 490 Euros, though that doesn't appear to have adversely affected the outcome. It sold a couple of hours later, again against a best offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123769786804

WatchCount.com's Look-up tool shows it sold for a second time for 400 Euros.

Or perhaps NOT sold - because it's back on eBay, re-listed again this afternoon !!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123779313658

That recurring 7A38-7140 appears to have sold once again, earlier this morning, for somewhat less than the current 490 Euros Buy-it-Now price and a fraction of the Italian eBay seller's highest 'pie-in-the-sky' figure of 890 Euros.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123779313658

WatchCount.com's Look-up tool reveals it sold for only 290 Euros this time around.

Seiko7A38 at July 3, 2018 at 2:10 AM

I had a feeling that might not be the last we'd seen of that suspicious re-sprayed 7A38-7140. It re-appeared in my saved search notifications this morning, listed by a would-be profiteering UK eBay re-seller ancutza_seven2009*, with an absolutely ludicrous 'pigs-might-fly' Buy-it-Now asking price of  £850 !!

Once again, in this seller's photos, note the wear to the black chrome plating of the crown and pushers. Similarly, the amount of apparent stretch and sideways slap between the bracelet links, yet oddly absolutely no loss of plating to the edges of the bracelet or clasp, or even signs of them becoming shiny. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263779265829

That certainly wasn't the last we saw of it.  It may have taken him nearly a year, but it would appear that stubborn persistence has finally paid dividends for greedy profiteering UK eBay seller ancutza_seven2009. Sunday afternoon, last weekend, after umpteen re-listings at the same ‘pie-in-the-sky’ Buy-it-Now price of £850, he eventually managed to lure a mug punter into buying his re-sprayed 7A38-7140. As the second buyer, off eBay Germany, he himself had over-paid 385 Euros for it, in June last year. But he still managed to make a very nice little profit. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264337498985

WatchCount.com's look-up tool reveals it finally sold for a best offer of £636 !! 

Seiko7A38 at January 12, 2019 at 5:39 PM

Earlier this evening, another Italian eBay seller listed yet another NOS 7A38-7140, with a 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of 1100 Euros, or the option to make a lower more realistic offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303027655071

Subtitled: More Midsummer Madness, or just a sign of the times ? 

The would-be Italian eBay seller of that NOS 7A38-7140 subsequently reduced his 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Price from 1100 Euros to 'only' 900 Euros. He then re-listed it 3 times at the same price. After 5 months, to my utter disbelief, it appears to have finally sold earlier this afternoon for that 900 Euros Buy-it-Now price !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303124821281

Because it was a private listing - buyers' identities protected, the eBay Purchase History wouldn't show (even in encrypted ID form), the buyer or the amount they actually paid. However it does show that the seller received a number of offers, against this most recent re-listing and either declined or allowed them to expire.

This WatchCount.com search on completed items confirms it sold for 900 Euros:

Some things never change.  Here we are, nearly 7 years on from when I first started this thread, with yet another stupidly over-priced NOS 7A38-7140, listed by an(other)* Italian eBay seller - one with an all too familiar looking profile. This latest example was listed this morning with a typical ludicrous 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of $2000, or the option to make a much lower more sensible offer. It may be allegedly 'NOS' (in the best Italian tradition), but if it's supposedly only been worn ½ a time for test, it begs the question why the case-back is so badly scuffed and that 4 removed bracelet adjustment links are supplied loose.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273959784842

ORIGINALE SEIKO VINTAGE 7A38-7140 SPORT 100

NEW OLD THE STOCK

NO MANUAL

TAG

BOX

PERFECT ORDER WORKING

very very rare find

WEAR 1/2 TIME FOR TEST ONLY

PAYMENT: PAYPAL

SHIPMENT: WORLDWIDE BY AIR MAIL EXPRESS

FOR QUESTION ASK I REPLAY SOON

DIRETCLY ACCEPT

nothing return nothing refaund

*This particular eBay ID vintagedesign78 may not have featured in this thread before, but it's not difficult to unmask the indentity of the Italian seller behind it. Their location of Firenze (Florence); the stupid asking price in US dollars (rather than Euros), the poor quality mostly 'hand-held' photos, large red type description, in poor English, complete with spelling mistakes (if not his customary GOOD LUKE) and the seller's other items for sale, including stupidly over-priced vintage clothing and CASIO LCD watches all point to this being none other than our 'old friend' Alberto Ulmi. Here's something I'd written earlier in this thread ....

Seiko7A38 at November 18, 2015 at 4:50 PM

After umpteen re-listings, several price reductions and two eBay ID changes* Alberto Ulmi's NOS 7A38-7140 still went unsold !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181907762532

*Here's a copy and paste of something I wrote in another thread, this morning:

The seller's eBay user ID oldantiquestyle may be unfamiliar to some, but you only need to check their location of Firenze (Florence) and glance at the badly composed semi-literate description in bold red type to figure out that this is, of course, none other than our old friend Alberto Ulmi (of crazy prices notoriety), who previously went under the user more familiar ID's of goffre78 and valentinasex.

Here's the history on this user ID: http://contact.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ReturnUserIdHistory&requested=oldantiquestyle

It looks like goffre78 has retired (read banned): http://contact.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ReturnUserIdHistory&requested=goffre78

I may have come across this eBay ID before (as one of Alberto's previous aliases), but I honestly can't remember what it was originally.

http://contact.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ReturnUserIdHistory&requested=vintagedesign78

I note with amusement that yesterday evening, Italian eBay seller vintagedesign78 (Alberto Ulmi's latest eBay alias) had reduced the Buy-it-Now price of his allegedly 'NOS' 7A38-7140 from $2000 to 'only' $1500. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273959784842

This well-worn 7A38-7140, fitted (and I use that word advisedly) with an almost equally well-worn non-original replacement bracelet, was listed early this evening, by a Bulgarian eBay seller, with a 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of $399, or the option to make a lower more sensible offer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183988657714

Really Rare, Vintage Seiko Watch 7A38-7140 Quartz Sports 100 Chronograph 1985 Giugiaro Design.

Perfect working-15 jewels. No box or paperwork.

Yes scratches, an rubbing on PVD ! Glass /mineralcrystal/just really minor signs.

Any questions you will like to ask?

For the condition,best look the photos!

The bracelet iz not original!

What is it with the Italians, 7A38-7140's and risibly speculative over-pricing ? 

Yesterday evening an Italian eBay seller listed this 7A38-7140, in no better than average well worn condition, with a 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of 899 Euros. There is the option to make a much lower more realistic offer I suppose, but the seller's description sounds rather discouraging. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123944774641

Seiko Sport 100 7a38 7140 Giugiaro. La condizione Usato. Segni di usura sul cinturino e sul vetro. Perfettamente funzionante tutto originale. Orologio molto raro e ricercato da appassionati e commercianti. Orologio che viene venduto con formula visto e piaciuto. Percui invio foto a richiesta e a ogni vostra domanda fissero il mio prezzo ma ascolterò anche eventuali proposte a condizione che siano pertinenti con la rarita dell' orologio non so bene l anno di costruzione ma se può essere utile sotto la sigla dentro un quadratino ci sono le lettere ao.

Al polso e una figata.devi averlo assolutamente.

The penultimate lengthy sentence translates as:

Therefore I send photos on request and with each of your requests I set my price but I will also listen to any proposals as long as they are relevant to the rarity of the watch.

Somebody should probably point out to him that they're not actually particularly rare - especially in Italy ! 

Having only received (and summarily declined) just one solitary offer for his risibly over-priced allegedly 'NOS' 7A38-7140 over the last 3 months, Italian eBay seller vintagedesign78 (a.k.a. Alberto Ulmi) ended the listing earlier this evening, because of an error. Presumably the error was in the pricing. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273959784842

A minute later, he re-listed it as a 7-day auction, with an opening bid price of $50, or the option to make an offer (which has already been cancelled by the first bid).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274070411929

If you're planning on bidding - the usual warning about Italian eBay auctions and often blatant shill bidding applies. Alberto Ulmi is an old hand. I believe that was the reason his original eBay ID goffre78 was eventually banned (not before time).

This used 7A38-7140 was listed by a US eBay seller early this morning, as a 7-day auction, with an opening bis price of $350, or the option to make an offer. The seller has only uploaded the one photo, but it appears to be in decent cosmetic condition.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274096008927 

Seiko x Guigario Chronograph: Ref. SAA051J | Cal: 7A38-7140 | c. 1985. Condition is Pre-owned. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.

Just a quick recap of what's currently listed on eBay and comparative asking prices.

Appearances can sometimes be deceptive, particulary when you're presented with only one (wrist shot) photo of a watch, by which to assess its condition. Hence my earlier comment, yesterday: but it appears to be in decent cosmetic condition.

The watch appeared to have sold yesterday afternoon, against a best offer ....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274096008927

... but the seller evidently cancelled the transaction and re-listed it a minute later.

Initially, the re-listing looked exactly the same as before (with just the one photo):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274096837312

The seller uploaded 5 more photos to the listing around 8:15pm yesterday evening:

It sold again, against another best offer, less than an hour later:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274096837312

Got it! �� The seller posted a few more photos and in a DM told me it was working, and I bought it with a low ball Best Offer. I've posted all the photos here: https://www.thewatchsite.com/showthread.php?p=2850559 Are you sure it's not Giugiaro though? It sure looks like one of his designs. I'll post again when it arrives.

Brad. Giugiaro (who only designed 7A28's) may have influenced the design, but it's most definitely Seiko in house. That isn't the main issue with this watch I'm afraid. As soon as I saw the 5 additional photos that the seller had uploaded I got that horrible feeling of Déjà Vu. This particular 7A38-7140, case-back serial number 560452, has featured in this thread a few times over the last couple of years.

The story begins on page 4 of this thread, where I wrote:

Originally posted by myself on September 15, 2017 at 10:13 AM:

The seller (who is an ex-member of this forum) listed this black chrome coated 7A38-7140 yesterday evening, as a 7-day auction with an opening bid price of 1 Euro and no reserve. Studying his photos, I strongly suspect the watch case and bracelet have been given a blow-over respray. They just look too good to be true for a used example. Especially when compared to the ends of the pushers and crown, in the two side-on view photos, which show considerably more evidence of rubbing wear. There are also a couple of minor dings on the bezel, but strangely no sign of the base metal showing through. The surface finish of the bracelet clasp looks typical of the results that can be achieved using an aerosol can. Notice also how the ends of some of the bracelet link sections don't align properly - indicating lateral wear or stretch in the joining link sections - another tell-tale sign that the bracelet is more worn than its fresh coat of paint belies.

It subsequently passed through a couple of owners' hands before selling for 385 Euros in June 2018, to profiteering UK eBay re-seller ancutza_seven2009, who turned around and listed it with a ludicrously marked-up 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of £850 !! (My post dated July 3, 2018 at 7:10 AM refers). He then re-listed it ad nauseam, for almost a year, without reducing his price. As you can see from my post higher up this page, he eventually managed to sell it in June this year for a surprisingly high offer of £636 (if WatchCount.com is to be believed). Presumably the buyer was the US eBay seller you've just bought it from.

I'd naturally be interested to learn how much the lowball offer you made, accepted by the current seller, was for, because much to my annoyance, it isn't possible to extract the 'true selling price' figure from eBay in these auction / offer situations.

I also look forward to reading your opinion of its condition, once you receive it. 

Brad hasn't deigned to reply, but judging by the way he's waxing lyrical about it over on SCWF (as their resident 'Poet Laureate'), he must be pleased with it. Here's two wrist shots he's posted in their WRUW threads over the last couple of days.

I had to smile to myself. I clicked on that eBay summary of 7A38-7140 SAA051J listings, that I'd posted last week and noticed that Italian eBay seller Alberto Ulmi vintagedesign78 had since further reduced the Buy-it-Now price of his allegedly NOS example to 'only' $700. A far cry from the ludicrous $2000 he was asking back in August when he first listed it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274081336711

Seiko7A38 at January 27, 2019 at 5:44 PM

The deluded 'Spanish' eBay seller (or whatever nationality he is - I really don't care), re-listed his ludicrously over-priced NOS 7A38-7140 again, earlier today. This time, he's reduced his 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price from the previous £1850 down to 'only' £1249. That's now about DOUBLE the price any rational potential buyer might realistically consider paying for such an example. That is, if it were actually running, rather than having been sat with a run-down battery inside it for the last 30 years !!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192805643095

I could just as easily have quoted a couple of my other previous posts, from the preceding page, about this particular NOS 7A38-7140, which was first listed by a deluded 'Spanish' eBay seller, drudticstudio, real name Gabriele, in January this year, with an absolutely ludicrous 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of £2500.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192777504730

Anyway, it's back again this morning, re-listed after eventually having had a new battery fitted. The Buy-it-Now price finally reduced to three figures - £900 to be exact, with currently no option to make an offer. Keep on dreaming, Gabriele.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193226762592

GENUINE VINTAGE Seiko Chronograph Watch 7A38-7140 Sport 100

CONDITION:

Never wear, New with documents and tags.

Battery has been replaced in Nov 2019. Timpson receipt in picture.

SHIPPING:

Ship Worldwide.

Free tracked shipping to EUROPE Country and UK Included.

The majority of the photos are the same used in his first re-listing in January, apart obviously from the one with the dated receipt. IIRC, the reason he hadn't had the battery replaced before, was that he didn't want to risk marking the case-back. So where did he take it to have it done ? Timpsons !!