Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

This morning I replaced the battery in my FRED Force 10 7A38. I'd forgotten how awkward it was to unscrew the case-back with the bracelet in situ. It's not as flexible as you might think. Anyway, now it's good for another 5 years or so.

Thanks for the update. The temporary loss must have been worrying. Funnily enough, I saw the Italian seller re-listed it on 28th June, but then he updated the listing as 'item out of stock'. So I suspected something fishy might be going on. The eBay seller's name ' FENCE SHOP ' doesn't exactly inspi...

It's a bright and very sunny Monday morning - really too bright for watch photography. So I've cheated a little.
Today I'm wearing this Yema Spationaute III Aragatz with the limited edition mission flags dial for Le Quattorze Juillet (Bastille Day). Vive La France !

That 'Pop Art' 7T12-0BP0 SCED041 re-appeared on Live Auctioneers yesterday, to be auctioned again on 26th July. The opening bid price has been reduced from the previous $500 to $350 and the auctioneer's estimate is now $500 - $1200. https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/210875746_seiko-x-giugiaro-ksj...

That said, displaced, bent, mangled or missing finger tension springs are a good indication that a 7A has been handled by a clumsy botcher. Personally I would avoid this Yema Spationaute III (and its seller), like the plague, for other more obvious reasons. Just take a good look at the state of the ...

James. I assume the missing component you're referring to is the chronograph centre seconds finger tension spring (which has been broken off). In fact, in most cases the absence of this part does not prevent the watch from working. It's when it has been clumsily deflected to one side, and rubs on th...

US eBay re-seller rtm127's 7-day auction for his partially working ex-Filipino, ex-Yahoo Japan 7A38-7070 ended last night, selling for $152.50 after 22 bids.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357198530375

Profiteering US eBay re-seller flobaca had re-listed his most recent 7A38-702H for the fourth time in just over a month. Then, on Wednesday, a mug punter placed an opening bid of $275 and he promptly ended the listing early - as sold. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357187609088 7A38-702H-Stainless+Gold-...

Overnight, profiteering US eBay re-seller flobaca listed yet another well-worn 7A38-7069, as a 7-day auction, with his habitual opening bid price of $250. This one also has the option to Buy-it-Now for $325, for anybody foolish enough. :roll: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226843862548 7A38-7069-Stainle...

Your hand doesn't look too bad. I'm sure the tip could be carefully straightened. I wrote that because I remembered having to do it myself once, many years ago. I bought a Racer J39027-70 off eBay Germany in November 2013. It needed a little TLC / good cleaning and restoration. The worst part was t...

No, you're supposed to trim that off - that's how NOS Seiko hands come.

Profiteering US eBay re-seller rtm127 (a.k.a. Watch and Jewelry Exchange, Ryan Marucheau) strategy of sourcing his Seiko 7A38's from Buyee / Yahoo Japan (whether they are JDM models or not), sometimes leaves me scratching my head in bewilderment and occasionally, as in this particular instance, give...

Speaking of flobaca's 7A38-7069's, I'd overlooked posting that his previous example (first listed on 10th May) had sold last weekend for the $250 opening bid price.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226817448469

Readers may have noticed that occasionally I fail to uncover where flobaca sourced a particular watch. :| He almost exclusively buys them off eBay in the States, but it's not always that easy to track his activity. I'm not trying to make excuses, just giving this as an example. Here's what I reckon ...

Common sense (and good taste) prevailed. No bids were forthcoming and the lot was passed.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/209354720

Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:15 amThe Seiko part number for the 7A38-706A sweep second hand is 13SC06LG, though I'm not sure where you'll find one.

Actually Cousins UK have them in stock. Price is £4.95 + VAT.

The Seiko part number for the 7A38-706A sweep second hand is 13SC06LG, though I'm not sure where you'll find one. Your hand doesn't look too bad. I'm sure the tip could be carefully straightened. Yes, correct day / date alignment is achieved as simply as that, although perfectly aligning the hour an...

Yesterday afternoon, profiteering US eBay re-seller flobaca listed a stainless 7A38-7000, fitted with a non-original generic replacement bracelet, as a 7-day auction, with an opening bid price of $350. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357158938807 7A38-7000-Stainless+Black-WrongBracelet-eBay-June2025-(Re-...

Hello and welcome to the forum. I'll use your question as an opportunity to link this sticky thread from the old archived forum: Sticky: How to set the Day / Date on a Seiko 7A38 - and when NOT to do it This is the quote I was looking for: Whenever I've observed them, the day / date changeover seque...

I'd always assumed that the 7A38-701B SAA005J 'Vulcan' was the first 7A38 model produced, because, until very recently, they were the only 7A38's I'd seen with 38xxxx (August 1983) case-back serial numbers. Seems I may need to change the title of this thread, retrospectively. :oops: I was looking th...