Seiko SQ clasp help

[joedevivre]

Hi all,

Hoping somebody can please help, and sorry in advance for any incorrect terminology.

I've been wearing my 7a38 7280 (daily) with a SQ clasp that I transplanted on to replace the standard clasp - I know this is a fairly common swap.

Recently, one of the spring bars in the clasp failed. Specifically, it's the one that goes at the end of the signed clasp, attaching it to the middle piece of the z-folding parts. I took it to two watch repair shops but neither had a replacement bar that could fit.

Does anyone know what size spring/clasp bar I need to buy to put this back together? It would be a pain to have to buy a whole new clasp and put it on again.

Many thanks for any help!

Joe

[Seiko7A38]

Hi, Joe.
I sent you an email this morning, telling you that you ....
'Ideally you need to measure the bore of the hole in the end of the Z-fold pivot tube - exactly'.

Later Seiko clasps (from the 1980's) used solid pins for the clasp cover to Z-fold pivot. Earlier ones used spring bars of either 1.2mm or 1.3mm diameter. Either way, you're going to need 16mm 'Short Bead'.

Cousins-ShortBead-SpringBars.png (95.38 KiB) Viewed 7308 times

[joedevivre]

Thank you, I’ll try to measure it and order the correct one from Cousins.
How do you fit the solid ones if they don’t have a spring?

[Seiko7A38]

Hard to explain (I'm not about to make a video - see below) and even more difficult to photograph.

SeikoClasp-16mm-Solid-Pin.jpg (215.14 KiB) Viewed 7294 times

The bead ends (0.9mm diameter) are very short - almost the same as the thickness of the clasp cover's edge. Fitting them involves using gentle force. You slide the pin into the Z-fold pivot tube; locate one bead end in the clasp's pivot hole; push down and twist the Z-fold until the other bead end aligns with the opposite hole. If you're lucky, it'll snap into place first time. Incidentally, I just measured that pin. Overall length is 17.0mm (including the locating beads) by 1.25mm diameter.

I've been wearing my 7a38 7280 (daily) with a SQ clasp that I transplanted on to replace the standard clasp ....

If you still have your original short clasp from your 7A38-7280, you'll probably find one inside the Z-fold pivot.

[joedevivre]

Really helpful, thanks so much.
Looking forward to getting back to wearing it.

[Seiko7A38]

Later Seiko clasps (from the 1980's) used solid pins for the clasp cover to Z-fold pivot.

So did you solve your problem by fitting the solid pin from your watch's original short clasp, Joe ?

Earlier ones used spring bars of either 1.2mm or 1.3mm diameter. Either way, you're going to need 16mm 'Short Bead'.

I was going to offer to send you a short bead spring bar, but to my surprise, when I checked my spring bar box I didn't have any - and it looks like I'd never bought any before. All I had (in 16mm length, with short bead) were 1.5mm Ø diameter - as used to attach the end (12 o'clock side) of the bracelet to the clasp.

So I tacked a packet of each onto my Cousins UK order, which arrived this morning.

rsz_p1700061.jpg (153.93 KiB) Viewed 7167 times

So if you haven't sorted it, email me your address and I'll stick one of each in the post to you.

[joedevivre]

Hi,

That's really nice of you, thank you.

Unfortunately, I actually ordered exactly the same pair, one bag of 1.3 mm and one of 1.2 mm diameter short bead bars... However, neither fit properly. In each case, the spring section was too narrow and still stuck out through the hole in the side of the clasp.

I also couldn't find the original clasp with the solid bar in it. I did find another Seiko clasp which I think is from the same era, but the equivalent bar in it (not sure if it was original) was too thick, possibly 1.5 mm. Now I'm not really sure what to do besides trying to get hold of a whole new clasp.

Do you think I should try and order a 17 mm solid pin?

Thanks for all your help,
Joe

[Seiko7A38]

Hi, Joe.

Yesterday I tried both Cousins' 1.2mm Ø and 1.3mm Ø 16mm short bead spring bars in a loose spare SQ clasp cover. Both worked fine for me, though it has to be said, the shoulder flanges on the 1.3's are not particularly well defined. So are the pivot holes in your clasp cover enlarged slightly (by wear) ?

Don't know where you're going to find a 16mm / 17mm solid pin with reduced diameter stepped ends (per my photo). The solid pins that Cousins stock are just plain. I can send you a used one, if you like. Though it won't be the nice new shiny one in my photo. If so, email me your address. I thought I might have to go to the Post Office this morning - to return those erroneously supplied O-Ring gaskets to Cousins. But they've replied saying they don't want them back. Besides it's chucking it down here. So it'll be early next week sometime.

[joedevivre]

Yes I think they must have got enlarged somehow. I was able to fit another spring bar in there without the ends protruding, but it was a much thicker spring bar that I couldn't fit through the tube of the clasp.

That would be fantastic if you don't mind sending me a used pin for me to try. I'll e-mail you my address now, thank you.

[joedevivre]

Hi Paul,
The pin arrived today and snapped in very easily! So good to be wearing my watch again.
Thank you so much for digging that out and sending it to me, I had all but given up and was about to buy a replacement clasp.
Really appreciate it,
Best wishes,
Joe

[Seiko7A38]

Glad it worked out, Joe. When I dug out my packet of used solid pins, there were two 16mm. I measured them and found they were completely different diameters. One was just under 1.20mm Ø and the one I sent you was 1.28mm Ø. The newish one I'd measured earlier (and photographed) was 1.25mm Ø. Bearing in mind what you'd written about the Cousins short bead spring bars protruding through the clasp pivot holes, I gambled and sent you the thickest of them.

[Seiko7A38]

Joe recently posted a photo of his much-loved stainless 7A38-7280 on WatchUseek, in this 3-watch SOTC thread.

7A38-7280-Stainless-WhiteFace-WatchUseek-Joedevivre.jpg (242.89 KiB) Viewed 321 times

[joedevivre]

I did clock that you had liked the post!

Much loved indeed. When it comes under harsh light, I can't believe how much I have scratched it up! Still looks great though.