Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

Over the last decade, I've seen a good many of the more desirable red-dialed Cartier Ferrari Formula Cal. 531 variants listed for sale on eBay and Chrono24, with what I personally consider 'silly' asking prices, sometimes over €2000 (Euros). I've documented several sightings in the old forum's Ferrari Formula Fever - when the Red Mist comes down thread. However those sort of 'silly' asking prices have usually been reserved for the red dialed variants - at least until today.

This Cartier Ferrari Formula chronograph, with probably one of the least attractive dials, came up overnight in my eBay saved search results, listed by a deluded Brazilian seller, with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of $2000 !!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cartier-Ferr ... 4799711957

Cartier For Ferrari Formula Chronograph Day-Date Quartz Vintage 41mm case measuring 41mm scratched mineral crystal lens the watch is exactly as in the pictures the watch is working perfectly.

The watch appears to be in generally good used condition, although the scratched case-back has suffered needlessly for want of a suitable 14-sided removal tool (such as this). The grey shark strap is the correct original factory fitment and the watch is a bona fide variant, shown here, bottom left, in this catalogue illustration as model # F660.44.83.


If the quirky dial design looks familiar, it's probably because I posted a wrist shot of my 7A38-7060 based Franken, which employs it in the WRUW thread only a couple of days ago. (My Franken doesn't use the same short grey sub-dial hands). Here's a photo from the German eBay listing where I bought the NOS dial for a mere €20.50 Euros, in February 2011.

In fact, almost exactly a year later, in February 2012, I went on to acquire an almost identical version of the proper Cartier Ferrari Formula watch, fitted with the same grey shark strap, but the variant with the black ion plated case, which is model # F659.44.83 (shown top left in that catalogue illustration). The German eBay seller not only didn't accept PayPal, but was unwilling to ship 'Ausland'. So to circumvent his parochial-minded intransigence, I enlisted the assistance of a couple of 'middle men'. I posted it in the old forum's Show and Tell - Your newest incoming 7A thread about a fortnight later. Here's the same two photos and a slightly later wrist shot from the old forum's WRUW thread.


Checking my records, I paid 306 Euros in winning that German eBay auction for my almost NOS condition example. Yes, granted that was over 9 years ago and Seiko 7A38 prices have increased dramatically since then. But $2000 for a rather less than desirable Cartier Ferrari Formula Cal. 531 variant ?? I'd opine that if the deluded Brazilian seller were to add the option to make an offer, he'd be lucky to get one for $500.

Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:11 amThis Cartier Ferrari Formula chronograph, with probably one of the least attractive dials, came up overnight in my eBay saved search results, listed by a deluded Brazilian seller, with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of $2000 !!

Remiss of me, I'd overlooked to add an update to this. Over the course of a week, the deluded Brazilian eBay seller had made a number of revisions to his listing. These included 6 reductions to the Buy-it-Now price, eventually to only $700.


He ended the listing a couple of days ago, in the time-honoured fashion, as allegedly no longer available.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124799711957

Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 10:09 amI'd opine that if the deluded Brazilian seller were to add the option to make an offer, he'd be lucky to get one for $500.

Presumably he accepted a 'back door' offer, off eBay, for less than $700.

If you've read my last update to the 'Ferrari Formula Madness' thread, then you'll already know that eccentric Austrian Ferrari Formula collector, a.k.a. eBay seller ferrari_formula_montre recently appears to have finally managed to sell off the remaining bulk of his collection in a job lot auction listing. Evidently he still has quite a lot more still to shift.

Early this morning, he uploaded another 20 or so eBay listings - mostly ladies Ferrari Formula watches. Not that I regret one iota, having deliberately passed on the dubious opportunity of buying any of his Cartier Ferrari Formula Cal. 531's, I'd incorrectly assumed they'd all gone (included in that job lot sale).

In an amusing turn of events, transpires he had one left - and it's the same fugly model I have already: a F659.44.83.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferrari-form ... 3662737843

AND SOLD - 15 minutes ago, for an undisclosed best offer.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferrari-form ... 3662737843