Greediest Extortionate 7Axx Spares Pricing Award ....

[Seiko7A38]

Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm beginning to sound like an old record, continually bitching about speculative over-pricing. Although I've been fortunate myself, in having the foresight to amass a decent stock of NOS Seiko 7A38 spare parts, at fairly reasonable prices over the last few years, it annoys me intensely when I see the greed of certain eBay sellers.

Granted, stocks of genuine Seiko spare parts are limited and running out, but that doesn't justify their asking prices. One category that's suffered most are NOS Seiko crystals (where there isn't a suitable generic replacement available). Which is where the greedy speculators start rubbing their hands. I'd already had a couple of run-in's on the old forum with ex-member Christian, before I banned him. Ever the opportunist, he showed his true colours again in December last year, when at the height of the price-hiking 7A38-6000 shillfest fiasco, he listed a NOS p/n 285W26GN00 crystal, with the highest price that I've personally ever seen asked for any NOS Seiko 7Axx crystal - 119 Euros !! Thankfully, common sense has so far prevailed and at the time of writing, 3 months later, it's still unsold.

7A38-6000-NOS-285W26GN00-Crystal-Post.png (123.21 KiB) Viewed 25939 times

[Seiko7A38]

Christian may hold the dubious honour of the highest current asking price for a NOS Seiko 7Axx crystal, but there are a few far greedier eBay sellers out there, dabbling in spare parts. One who's featured in a few threads on the old forum and frequently asked absolutely ludicrous prices for his watches is Indonesian eBay seller fhipe (a.k.a. Jeffry Kartika). The 'special award' for pure unadulterated greed deservedly goes to him. This morning, just out of curiosity, I ran worldwide eBay searches on all 7Axx variants to find the highest current price for any NOS Seiko 7Axx spare part.

He (re)listed this NOS bezel for a 7A28-6000 'Bishop' (p/n 86310343) at the beginning of February, with an extortionate Buy-it-Now price of $575 !!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-SEIKO-7A ... 3280829513

7A28-6000-Bishop-NOS-Bezel-eBay-Feb2021-Listing.jpg (130.87 KiB) Viewed 25921 times

I can remember when you could buy a complete 7A28-6000 'Bishop' for that kind of money (and have some change left) !

Note that I wrote 're-listed' above. Apart from his ridiculous asking price, which should deter almost everybody, Jeffry's evidently not in any great hurry to sell it. A quick google search reveals that he's been listing it for a few years already.

7A28-6000-Bishop-NOS-Bezel-eBay-Feb2019-Listing.png (160.68 KiB) Viewed 25917 times

WatchCount's Look-Up tool reveals the above long since ended listing ran from 28th April 2017 to 3rd February 2019.

7A28-6000-Bishop-NOS-Bezel-eBay-Feb2019-WatchCount.png (56.74 KiB) Viewed 25909 times

Somehow, I don't think the 135% price increase from $245 in 2017 can be entirely be attributed to inflation.

[Seiko7A38]

As an interesting comparison, Italian eBay seller 43rosso (whom I've previously accused of speculative over-pricing, with regard to his Seiko 7A38's) just listed this complete NOS empty watch case for a 7A28-6000 'Bishop', with an almost reasonable Buy-it-Now price of 250 Euros. I bet that won't hang around unsold for as long as fhipe's NOS bezel.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A28-6 ... 3982375163

7A28-6000-Bishop-NOS-Empty-WatchCase-eBay-March2021-Listing.png (210.15 KiB) Viewed 25898 times

[Seiko7A38]

This is kinda 'small potatoes' in the greater scheme of things, but greedy Dutch eBay seller bigvlad86 rightfully deserves a quick mention here, if not a special award. How about $10.80 (+ $10.80 postage) for a single Seiko pusher circlip ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-NOS- ... 4566194856

Seiko-7Axx-PusherCirclip-eBay-April2021-Listing.png (134.85 KiB) Viewed 25875 times

rsz_Seiko-7Axx-PusherCirclip-eBay-April2021-2.jpg (113.02 KiB) Viewed 25876 times

Note the handwriting on the packet shows 3 - 3 50 (presumably meaning 3 for 3.50 Euros):

rsz_Seiko-7Axx-PusherCirclip-eBay-April2021-1.jpg (140.25 KiB) Viewed 25872 times

[Seiko7A38]

Granted, stocks of genuine Seiko spare parts are limited and running out, but that doesn't justify their asking prices. One category that's suffered most are NOS Seiko crystals (where there isn't a suitable generic replacement available). Which is where the greedy speculators start rubbing their hands. I'd already had a couple of run-in's on the old forum with ex-member Christian, before I banned him. Ever the opportunist, he showed his true colours again in December last year, when at the height of the price-hiking 7A38-6000 shillfest fiasco, he listed a NOS p/n 285W26GN00 crystal, with the highest price that I've personally ever seen asked for any NOS Seiko 7Axx crystal - 119 Euros !! Thankfully, common sense has so far prevailed and at the time of writing, 3 months later, it's still unsold.

7A38-6000-NOS-285W26GN00-Crystal-Post.png (123.21 KiB) Viewed 24664 times

Given the scarcity of some obsolete Seiko crystals, particularly p/n 285W26GN00, it was almost inevitable that someone would eventually cave in and pay the asking price, regardless. In fact, the Italian eBay seller contintasca had reduced his original extortionate Buy-it-Now price from 119 Euros to 99 Euros over a year ago. But it took another full year, until yesterday, to find someone willing to pay even that price.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233802724265

7A38-6000-NOS-285W26GN00-Crystal-eBay-Nov2020-Ended-Sold-99Euros.png (35.84 KiB) Viewed 24662 times

The price confirmed by the eBay Purchase History:

7A38-6000-NOS-285W26GN00-Crystal-eBay-Nov2020-PurchaseHistory.png (27.29 KiB) Viewed 24662 times

[Seiko7A38]

We have a new leader in the Greediest Spares Pricing stakes. Last night, US eBay seller everyfirstwatch, a dealer who was already on my radar, due to his ridiculously over-priced 7A38's, listed a NOS empty watch case for a 7A38-7140 SAA051J with a typically greedy Buy-it-Now price of $800 (or $960, including 20% VAT, as displayed by eBay UK).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126621528487

7A38-7140-Black-YellowFace-EmptyWatchCase-eBay-August2024-Listing.jpg (155.69 KiB) Viewed 23337 times

[Seiko7A38]

It's not just NOS spare parts that are being ridiculously priced nowadays. I've noticed quite a few eBay sellers have taken to breaking up lesser condition 7A38's for their case and movement parts. One UK eBay seller who's caught my attention this year is dealer Ian Woodland, a.k.a. Woody's Watches. He's broken up a few watches and listed their parts on eBay.

Sometimes his titles and descriptions border on laughable, for example this coil block: 'Not sure which model it fits'.
Others, like this 7A38A Battery Positive Plate with one contact finger missing (which according to Ian, who is asking £19.99, is supposedly: 'in used good condition tested no corrosion') are clearly not fit for purpose.

In February he had been listing p/n 4002726 coil blocks @ £27.99 - around the same price as seikoparts14 and others.
This morning he re-listed them, but this time asking £100 each !!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167517405453

Seiko-4002726-CoilBlock-eBay-May2025-Listing.png (199.08 KiB) Viewed 21787 times

Hence his well deserved nomination for an unashamed greed award.