The ONE and ONLY WRUW thread - Part Deux !

[Seiko7A38]

Seeing as it's Thanksgiving Day in the States, I've dug out some US market bling to celebrate. Wearing one of my three gold-tone 7A38-6109 SAA114J's this morning. This example has been in my collection the longest - since January 2010, although it's not as originally purchased, having benefited from a dial / movement swap into a salesman's sample case.

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PS - I've never thought of this model as being particularly scarce, but checking my records it's been over a year since I last saw one for sale (on eBay in the States, or anywhere else).

Belated Edit: Sod's Law - only a couple of days after I wrote that, finally one was listed on eBay in the States. Not the best of examples, with twisted and botched bracelet joining links (both typically missing their 'ears') and some plating wear. Regardless, it sold for the $149 Buy-it-Now price in just over 10 minutes.

[Seiko7A38]

It's Black Friday and I'm wearing this almost NOS condition 7A38-7080 SAA033J.

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[Seiko7A38]

Wearing my much loved 7A38-6000 SAA039J 'Dinky Diver', fitted with vintage Seiko Beads of Rice bracelet, on this distinctly chilly blue SATurday morning.

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[Seiko7A38]

Today is the 35th anniversary (Saturday 26th November, 1988) of the launch of Soyuz TM-7 mission to Mir EO-4 / Aragatz. I was hoping for some better light on this chilly morning, but was not to be. So apologies for this lacklustre shot of what previously was Jean-Loup Chrétien's flown Yema Spationaute III Aragatz prototype.

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[Seiko7A38]

It's perversely annoying how some watches photograph better than others in poor ambient light conditions. I'm wearing this almost mint 7A38-7029 SAA013J (salesman's sample case re-build) this dull overcast morning.

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[Seiko7A38]

Wearing this almost mint 7A38-7070 SAA031J this morning. It's a later production example with the white painted hands.

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[Seiko7A38]

Bit late in the day for taking wrist shots. I've been wearing this two-tone 7A38-702A SAA012J 'beater' today.

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[variosan]

HI impressive collection. I don't see the 7a28 7089 titanium...why is that?

[Seiko7A38]

Because I don't collect 7A28's - only 7A38's.

[Seiko7A38]

Wearing my recently acquired Puma Y19201-70 this morning - my first '7A38' of 2024 (and the first in a long while).

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Apart from sorting out the deflected centre seconds finger tension spring, which I did yesterday afternoon, it's more or less in 'as received' condition. There's some minor corrosion around the bezel rim / watch case flange which I need to sort out, once I've established what's causing it. Tried dabbing at it with Rodico to no avail.

[Seiko7A38]

Old habits die hard. Wearing this almost mint Yema Spationaute III Aragatz on this bright blue SATurday morning.

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[Seiko7A38]

Wearing this stainless 7A38-7000 SAA007J this morning. Bought off eBay in the States, in March 2009, this almost mint example has been in my collection for fifteen years. Couldn't decide between these two photos, so here's both of them.

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[Seiko7A38]

Haven't posted a wrist shot in ages, so here's a couple to make amends. My almost mint 7A38-7029 SAA013J, which I rebuilt many years ago using a salesman's sample case and NOS bracelet.

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[Seiko7A38]

It's been exactly one year since I last posted a wrist shot in our WRUW thread. My, how time flies and shame on me.
That doesn't seem to have deterred visitors - this thread has now received well over 400,000 views !

It just so happens that I've recently purchased a 7A38 - the first in a long time. It's another 7A38-7000 SAA039J 'Dinky Diver'. It came fitted with an incorrect replacement Seiko bracelet (see full story here). For the time being, at least, I've fitted it with an 18mm Yema dark blue leather strap.

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[Seiko7A38]

Wearing my favourite self-built 'franken mod' on this sunny Sunday morning. I've verbally dissected it several times before in this thread, but I guess one more time won't hurt. It's based on a re-finished 7A38-7020 watch case. The 709L dial is from a 7A38-7070, but with deliberately contrasting white day and date wheels. The hands are from a 7A28-7040. The matching Seiko p/n Z1020S bracelet is normally found on a 6309-5750 Seiko 5.

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[Seiko7A38]

Just trying on this delightful example of Orient J39908-70 which arrived from Japan in this morning's post. Whenever I describe these (and other dressy watches), I'm sometimes tempted to use the adjective 'little', which in the case of the J39908-70 would be wholly incorrect, because they're actually 39mm diameter.

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[Seiko7A38]

Something plain and simple today. I'm wearing this stainless 7A38-7280 SAA119J, one of a few in my collection, for the first time in ages. This watch used to be one of my daily wearers when I was still working. It's the first example of this model I ever bought. It was listed on eBay UK in January 2009 and I bought it from the auction winner a week or so later. Checking my records it cost me £65. The more observant of you may notice the apparent lack of crystal gasket. That's because it's fitted with a white nylon Sternkreuz gasket - a subtle mod I've used on a couple of these.

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[Seiko7A38]

Wearing this NOS condition Yema Spationaute III on this sunny bleu Saturday morning.

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[Seiko7A38]

Thought I'd wear a Yema N8 Flygraf for a change. This one's lacquered wooden box just happened to be on the top when I opened my cupboard. It's the third one I ever bought, in NOS unworn condition, in March 2013, from a US eBay seller.
See the old archived forum thread for the full story: I really didn't need another Yema N8 Flygraf ....

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[Seiko7A38]

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 !

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