Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Probably, then I have another odd thing. The original case, what was replaced, states 7A28-7020, and is all gold colored, the same as the new 7029 case. As mentioned before, the bracelet is all gold. The only thought I had was that probably someone just replaced the case back with another one, but if there would have been anything wrong with the case back, Seiko would have told me. In addition, the watch was bought first hand, so I doubt that this happened.

The SN of the old case starts with 39, also 1983 / September.

O.K. You know what's coming next .... Could we see a photo of that old case-back, please. 

Sorry, took longer.

As you can see from the picture, the gold plating was fading, that's why I have had it replaced.

Thanks for that. As you can see, once again I've edited your post and re-hosted your image in my Photobucket - instead of trying to figure out how to correctly link it from xtupload.com (this time). Hint: try using Photobucket next time - it's much easier. 

Hmm. Interesting. I thought there might be a difference.

Note how this 7A28-7020 case-back is stamped: SGP ST. STEEL BACK (SGP = Seiko Gold Plated) ....

Compared with your 'new' replacement 7A28-7029 case-back: BASE METAL ST. STEEL BACK.

Seiko7A38 at November 21, 2013 at 2:05 PM

See this thread (which is discussing a Franken):

http://www.seiko7a38.com/apps/forums/topics/show/9249187-a-rare-7a28-variant-or-another-deceptively-described-franken-

A 7A28-7020 can be all stainless with a white dial (SPR007) or two-tone with a dark metallic black-ish coloured dial (SPR010).

The 7A28-7029 is always gold-plated all over with a gold dial (SPR014).

The 9 on the end of the case number designates a US market model.

I'm just quoting myself here, to save referring back to the previous page. 

Here's a quote from the thread I linked in that post:

The problem we face, in condemning it as such, is knowing that some 7A28 product data is missing from Seiko Oceania's database.

All that is listed for cal. / case 7A28-7020 are the SPR007J (stainless / white dial) and SPR010J (two-tone / black-ish dial) variants.

As you can see from the table above, on paper at least - according to Seiko's database, your gold-tone 7A28-7020 never existed.

Whereas the gold-tone 7A28-7029 most certainly did:

Another point I made at the bottom of my quoted post is: The 9 on the end of the case number designates a US market model.

This '9' rule generally holds true. The majority of any Seiko 7Axx-xxx9 model that you'll see, turn up on eBay in the States, whereas their 7Axx-xxx0 equivalent (if one exists) usually show up in Europe / Asia / Rest of the World, or as JDM (Japan domestic) variants.

I'm no expert on 7A28's - I try to specialize in 7A38's. Over the last few years, I've probably seen hundreds of gold-tone 7A28-7029's listed on eBay in the States - and occasionally in other countries. Likely I've just ignored them and / or presumed they were -7029's.

Thanks for putting us straight.  

Sorry, struggling a little bit with the image upload...

Ok, so as I understood, the 7A28-7020 Gold Plated version exists (I guess quite rare), and the 7A28-7029 is also ok (just a US model).

Probably not that rare - just rather less common than the very common-or-garden 7A28-7029. So let's call it 'comparatively rare'. 

Over the last few years, I've probably seen hundreds of gold-tone 7A28-7029's listed on eBay in the States -

Sometimes they're impossible to avoid. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190978456386

Interesting recent thread over on SCWF - highlighting another slight anomoly with John Gauch's Seiko production date calculator. 

http://www.thewatchsite.com/21-japanese-watch-discussion-forum/189050-7a28-701a-question.html

The subject being a very early 7A28 with a 2Oxxxx serial number, (manufactured in October 1982).

Belated Edit: Since then, quite a few JDM 7A28-701A's and 7A28-7010's with 2Oxxxx serial numbers have turned up on Yahoo Japan.

It's taken me nearly 7 years, but I think I can now shed some light on (if not state consclusively that I've finally managed to find an answer) to SuperJ's question about his watch's rather unusual case-back serial number. 

Just to recap, the watch was originally a gold-tone 7A28-7020, with a 'conventional' 39xxxx case-back serial number, manufactured in September 1983. He sent it to Seiko for some work and they fitted his dial / movement into a similar gold-tone 7A38-7029 'NOS' (service exchange) watch case with a 'unique' serial number of 150007, which implies it was manufactured in May 1991 - well beyond the Seiko 7Axx range's regular production 'End of Life'.

Transpires that SuperJ's serial number is not unique.

Yesterday evening, a UK eBay seller listed an otherwise unremarkable 7A38-7180, which has been fitted with a non-original replacement Pulsar black chrome bracelet.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153970569622

The seller includes the following statements in his description:

The rear case is screwed shut and bares the typical Seiko details as expected. 

This is the bracelet fitted when it returned from Seiko after a service.

He probably doesn't realize (it's not stated in his description) during that service, the watch was fitted with a service exchange watch case. Its case-back is stamped with the same serial number 150007.