Hi,
Looking forward to perusing the forum (particularly the archives) in time. I've got a small collection of mechanical watches from various manufacturers (including Seiko), and have just jumped into my first quartz purchase.
I have a lot of respect for the early Seiko quartz movements and designs- and finally took my first plunge with this 7A28-701A. This one from December 1982, and in what I would call pretty mint condition for a watch that is 39 years old!
It is such a nicely balanced design- 38mm, short lug-to-lug of 42mm, nice and thin; with that 3-level stepped racing dial. Top that off with the sandblasted finish with subtle polished chamfer, and that funky 80's bracelet- and I'm in love. All the little details are so good- and 39yrs later, the movement is working perfectly; the second hand landing precisely on each dial marker.
The crystal has a few chips- and the only thing that bothers me is a slight 'smudge' on the underside (very hard to photograph)- almost looks like it could be very faint condensation but not sure. I may leave it crown open facing up in a sunny spot for a while just in case- but otherwise if need be, is it not too much of a stretch to pop off the crystal to tidy it up?
Thanks for an interesting forum!
Remi
New to me 7A28-701A
Re: New to me 7A28-701A
Very nice, Remi. Congratulations on your acquisition. Welcome aboard and thanks for your contribution to the forum.
Before I ultimately decided that I was not going to collect Seiko 7A28's, but concentrate purely on 7A38's (and their so many other-branded derivatives), the 7A28-701A SAY018 was probably right at the top of my list !
When you get around to browsing the old archived forum, you may find this thread amusing (with regard to that model): Am I finally losing the mental battle ? What's your favourite 7A28 model ?
Before I ultimately decided that I was not going to collect Seiko 7A28's, but concentrate purely on 7A38's (and their so many other-branded derivatives), the 7A28-701A SAY018 was probably right at the top of my list !
Re: New to me 7A28-701A
If you decide to replace the chipped crystal, it's Seiko p/n 330W26GN00. I haven't checked availability, but I suspect they're scarce nowadays. Failing that there's the Sternkreuz p/n XMF330.928 replacement available from Cousins UK. Beware of money-grabbing eBay sellers like watchfan700uk, who'd have you pay £17.99 for a cheaper generic crystal.remi wrote: ↑Thu Aug 12, 2021 12:17 pmThe crystal has a few chips- and the only thing that bothers me is a slight 'smudge' on the underside (very hard to photograph)- almost looks like it could be very faint condensation but not sure. I may leave it crown open facing up in a sunny spot for a while just in case- but otherwise if need be, is it not too much of a stretch to pop off the crystal to tidy it up?
If you suspect your watch is suffering from moisture ingress, I would do rather more than leave it in a sunny spot with the crown pulled out. I'd rapidly remove the dial / movement from the case and put it somewhere warm (I personally use the airing cupboard above my hot water tank) to dry out properly.
Re: New to me 7A28-701A
Thanks- it's very hard to know what the mark is; only visible under certain light. Looks more like an oily smudge to be honest. Do you know whether it's a tricky job to pop off the crystal on these?
Re: New to me 7A28-701A
It could be an oily smudge, Remi. I've found it quite a few times on NOS 7A38's (and Yema N8's, particularly the Flygraf and Spationaute III), where they've been left a long time with a flat run down battery. Before they start leaking fluids, dead batteries will sometimes 'gas'. The fumes filter through the movement, dissolving the oil from the jewels, leaving a greasy deposit on the underside of the crystal. It's easy enough to wipe off from inside the case, with paper towel.
Yes, assuming you've used a crystal press before, it's simplicity itself. Some people recommend removing the bezel first. I don't do it that way (with this style of case, with fixed bezel - 'Divers' are another issue, depending whether the bezel overlaps the crystal), because the white nylon case to bezel gasket is notoriously easy to damage. I press the crystal out from inside the watch case (with the bezel still attached). The important thing being to make sure you've selected a nylon press die that comfortably fits inside the inner diameter of the plastic Tachymeter ring. Failure to do so is a mistake you'll only make once.
Yes, assuming you've used a crystal press before, it's simplicity itself. Some people recommend removing the bezel first. I don't do it that way (with this style of case, with fixed bezel - 'Divers' are another issue, depending whether the bezel overlaps the crystal), because the white nylon case to bezel gasket is notoriously easy to damage. I press the crystal out from inside the watch case (with the bezel still attached). The important thing being to make sure you've selected a nylon press die that comfortably fits inside the inner diameter of the plastic Tachymeter ring. Failure to do so is a mistake you'll only make once.
Re: New to me 7A28-701A
Thanks- that's very helpful. I don't need to replace the crystal itself, the few chips don't bother me so much - so it sounds like I could just wipe that mark off from the inside of the crystal. Happy to do some searching, but assuming removing the movement/ dial is not too tricky to get access to the inside of the crystal? I have some basic watchmaking tools so won't have trouble getting the back off etc.