Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Hi all, I am not even a week old into the SEIKO collectors fever, and have already posted regarding my troubles with my late father's 7A34-7010, which at the moment of this writing, is still under "resurrection".

Nevertheless, looking at those beautiul collections some of you have around, I am deciding to start my own.

It is actually a very bold move for me to start a collection of any sort, let alone watches, since I was never quite "into" watches until I "restarted" repairing and restaurating my father's SEIKO.

Reading though about the passion you guys put into restoring these wonderful timepieces, sparkled in me the small flame of "collection-frenzyness". I do not know if it is going to last long (I hope it does) but I will never know if I don't start.

So my question to you follow members is this:

With which model should I start? 

Consider I will repair to working condition my father's 7A34-7010, but then I will place it on a shelf. I do not want to "use it", more than it was by him when he was alive, so I need one for myself. Another member is offering the same case (it is a sample case) so I could even think of buying that one, getting a perfectly working caliber and build a complete watch to wear on a daily basis, honoring my father's memory but still preserving the real watch from further damages that occur on a normal hectic life.

This idea of the "clone" is really tempting and I am seriously considering to go this way, but I would need first of all a caliber to put inside the empty offered case.

Now comes the second "problem": a collection is usually made of more than 1 piece... And here, I accept all suggestions provided that:I have limited funds and have absolutely no idea of how much will this "journey" cost. I want to spend the right amount of money for the right pieces, and not wasting time buying junk laughable copies.

Hope to get your "start up lists"

Garacs1

George.

Most of us would probably agree that the classic collectable / wearable 7A38's are (all) stainless with black or dark coloured dials.

Might I suggest you consider any of the following: 7A38-706A, 7A38-7020/9, 7A38-7070 or 7A38-7270 (which I myself started with).

All of them turn up on eBay Germany quite frequently. It's just a matter of finding a decent example for a reasonable price. 

Then again, if you fancy something slightly larger - and a bit different, might I suggest you grab yourself a NOS Yema Spationaute III

.... while they're still available.

If i got it right, NOS means "Non Operating Sample", am I correct?

YEMA is a "sub-brand" of SEIKO?

NOS means

New

Old

Stock

Ah ok... got it. Thanks Nova.

BTW I found also this 7T32-7E28 on Ebay:

Can it be considered a "valuable" watch?

GeorgeClarkson at January 7, 2013 at 9:39 AM

If i got it right, NOS means "Non Operating Sample", am I correct?

YEMA is a "sub-brand" of SEIKO?

Yema was a sub-brand of Seiko from 1988 to 2005 (as part of their Compagnie Générale Horlogère subsidiary).

During this period, most of the quartz chronographs produced by the Yema brand (also Jaz and others) used Seiko-Hattori calibres. 

So you'll find Yema's with (re-branded) 7A28, 7A38, 7T32, 7T62, N945 (etc. etc.) movements.

George, 

I've been 'collecting' Seiko 7Axx watches for almost exactly 1 year.

It's been a pretty amazing (and expensive!!) journey but one with very very few regrets.

I think you will find that your 7A34 is just the tip of a very big iceberg .

Have fun (with us) 

If you only want to collect very good (even NOS) condition watches then you will have to pay 200 euro+ (unless you get very lucky - something every collector dreams of). Some of the more rare watches will sell for 400 euro+

As you've already found with your 7A34, watches of this age suffer and need repairing. Most spare parts cannot be purchased easily or at all. So, buying poor condition watches to break up and act as donor watches is normal. The only problem with this is that it is easy to end up with many watches in a state of 'repair' (which actually means they are disassembled and in pieces!!).

Sir Alan at January 7, 2013 at 11:07 AM

George, 

I've been 'collecting' Seiko 7Axx watches for almost exactly 1 year.

It's been a pretty amazing (and expensive!!) journey but one with very very few regrets.

I think you will find that your 7A34 is just the tip of a very big iceberg .

Have fun (with us) 

If you only want to collect very good (even NOS) condition watches then you will have to pay 200 euro+ (unless you get very lucky - something every collector dreams of). Some of the more rare watches will sell for 400 euro+

As you've already found with your 7A34, watches of this age suffer and need repairing. Most spare parts cannot be purchased easily or at all. So, buying poor condition watches to break up and act as donor watches is normal. The only problem with this is that it is easy to end up with many watches in a state of 'repair' (which actually means they are disassembled and in pieces!!).

Sir Alan,

Actually I am quite aware that what you call "NOS", new word I learnt today, can be pretty expensive. This is generally the route I do not want to take. Of course, if I do find the "rare" occasion, I will grab it, but I am more of the second type: I like repairing stuff and bring them to a new life.

I already do this with my "area of expertise" products: computers. I like to fetch old computers and rebuild them, after careful check/repair to a new life, giving them yet again funcionality and eventually selling them/giving them for free to who can still use them. I do not collect used computers, apart from a very small collection of prototype computer parts I designed myself for some companies I worked for in the past. But these are, like I said, prototypes, and I keep them inside a glass vitrine with the matching hardware products. But that is work.

As per the watches, this is something more personal: I would like to collect "worn" pieces, that may have a story behind, and bring them back to life, keeping their "age" stains intact. Just like my father's 7A34-7010.

I am on a very tight budget, though, so whatever I will buy for my collection, will be carefully planned for. It will take time, I know, but in the meantime I would also like to get the hands on some "beaten up" watches to try and restore them, just to learn how to do it, which tools I need, how much time and effort must be tossed at the project, and so on.

I am quite meticulous and patient, so I don't mind waiting to get the "bingo!" watch. And while waiting for it, I will just have fun. Isn't it all about fun, after all?

Following the path of my last reply to Sir Alan, I was wondering if you guys think it would be a good idea to get a mechanical watch to tinker with, too. Seiko, as far as I understand, does have some mechanical/automatic models that can come at rather low prices, am I correct?

I do prefer chronograph models, but at least I could learn how an automatic/mechanical watch works!

Can it be considered a "valuable" watch?

In a word - No ! 

I thought you started this topic to solicit opinions on Seiko 7Axx's George ? 

There is a vast variety of 7T32 dial and case / bracelet designs to choose from - literally hundreds of them.

Some, like that one you posted are quite attractive. However 7Txx mechanicals are far less robust / reliable than the 7Axx calibres.

See: http://www.seiko7a38.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7496305-the-seiko-7txx-series-movements-expendable-or-repairable-

Seiko7A38 at January 7, 2013 at 11:38 AM

Can it be considered a "valuable" watch?

In a word - No ! 

I thought you started this topic to solicit opinions on 7Axx's George ? 

There is a vast variety of 7T32 dial and case / bracelet designs to choose from - literally hundreds of them.

Some, like that one you posted are quite attractive. However 7Txx mechanicals are far less robust / reliable than the 7Axx calibres.

See: http://www.seiko7a38.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7496305-the-seiko-7txx-series-movements-expendable-or-repairable-

I fully understand your "NO!" reply  and I back my initial point: start a collection of valuable/reliable SEIKO watches, using my father's 7A34 as the "ignitor" for this new flame/passion.

The collection will, in my idea, be not only centered on 7Axx's, though. What I want is to learn, too. And to learn means to see both the good and the bad examples.

Getting back in topic, I started already searching the web for 7Axx's in good/fair condition at honest prices. As soon as I get one, I will post it here for your comments/suggestions.

Garacs1

Ok I took a decision: for my "new" watch I will go with a franken Seiko, like the one Paul did (I really like how it turned out):

This will in part honour my father's watch, which I will still restore and put back in "working" conditions, and give me something more comfortable, and exclusively mine, to wear.

Andre already offered a dual tone 7A34 case, and I am looking forward to getting it. You'll get the development of this small "Franken-Saga" soon!

George. I thought you said the 7A34 sample case Andre had offered you was a gold-tone, like your late father's watch ? 

Yes I did and now the dual tone

As a matter of interest, Andre .... are these complete 7A34 sample cases with full or partial bracelets ? 

Yes Paul, he did: I turned down his offer for the full golden tone case, since I decided to keep the watch as original as possible, and asked Simon to purchase the missing parts (without the dial ring which you told me in the other thread is unavailable at Cousins).

In turn, Andre offered a dual tone case with a generic clasp and a 7A38-7100.

I did a quick search and the 7A38-7100 turns out to be a black dial model. He promised to send in pics, which at this point, I ask to post here, so that this becomes more of a "community project", than a solitary trial and error. This way I could take advantage of you experts

You have a PM (or two) regarding an alternative suggestion. 

Got them, and replying to them.

Ok Simon and I agreed that he will place the order for the spare parts I need, and hopefully I will get them next week.

Meanwhile, I will continue learning, reading all what there is to learn. 

While I wait for the order Simon placed for me over at Cousins, I confirm that I bought the 7A34-7019 Dual Tone case from Andre:

I bought only the case, since the dial belongs to another watch and Andre mounted it just for the sake of the picture.