There's an old saying: The early bird catches the worm - and one certainly did, though it wasn't myself, despite having had the brief opportunity. This titanium 7A38-7130 SAA046J in average condition was listed on eBay Germany earlier this morning, about 6:15 am (UK time) with a remarkably low Buy-it-Now price of 89.99 Euros. I'd not long woken up, fired up my PC and there it was in my saved search notifications. I clicked on the link, saved it to my eBay watching page and took a quick screen print (the Buy-it-Now price of 107.99 Euros is 89.99 Euros with 20% VAT added for UK).
I scrolled through the seller's photos, most of which were slightly out of focus and thought to myself 'Nah'. More to the point I reminded myself that already having an almost mint example in my collection, I really didn't need another one - regardless of how cheap it might be. So instead I went upstairs and took a shower (and a sh!t).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-Sports ... 4084256174
I'm not sure what prompted the German eBay seller to price it as low as he did, but in it's day (back in the mid-to late 1980's) this titanium 7A38-7130 was the most expensive 7A38 to feature in German Seiko catalogues @ 1295 DM R.R.P.
Bargain priced Titanium 7A38-7130 sold on eBay Germany
Re: Bargain priced Titanium 7A38-7130 sold on eBay Germany
Needless to say, by the time I'd finished my ablutions and came back downstairs, it had already been sold.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334084256174
With hindsight, I probably should have mashed the Buy-it-Now button the moment I spotted it. Thing is, whereas I'm admittedly notorious for being a 'bit of a hoarder' when it comes to Seiko 7A38's, that accusation really only applies to the models I like particularly. As I already own decent / mint / NOS examples of all the variants in the 7A38-7120 / -7130 / -713A range, in both stainless and titanium, I didn't see the point of buying another, just 'cos it was cheap.
To which I should add, neither am I in the business of buying up cheaper Seiko 7A38's with the deliberate intention of re-selling them for profit (as so many others do, claiming to be collectors). I am just a collector. I buy to keep.
WatchCount.com's look-up tool reveals the listing had only received 2 views in the 25 minutes it was live.
The eBay Purchase History shows it was purchased @ 06:40 am by a buyer with an encrypted eBay ID of m***m.
Unfortunately, by my inaction, I may inadvertently have allowed it to fall into the grasp of one of the regular German eBay profiteering re-sellers like 9495michaelk, m.a.k.2979 or tamers-timepieces.
Incidentally, it may have taken him over four months (and a few re-listings since March) to find a mug punter buyer, but only two days ago, the aforementioned m.a.k.2979 managed to sell an allegedly NOS (it wasn't) example for 385 Euros.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-7 ... 4341816504
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334084256174
With hindsight, I probably should have mashed the Buy-it-Now button the moment I spotted it. Thing is, whereas I'm admittedly notorious for being a 'bit of a hoarder' when it comes to Seiko 7A38's, that accusation really only applies to the models I like particularly. As I already own decent / mint / NOS examples of all the variants in the 7A38-7120 / -7130 / -713A range, in both stainless and titanium, I didn't see the point of buying another, just 'cos it was cheap.
To which I should add, neither am I in the business of buying up cheaper Seiko 7A38's with the deliberate intention of re-selling them for profit (as so many others do, claiming to be collectors). I am just a collector. I buy to keep.
WatchCount.com's look-up tool reveals the listing had only received 2 views in the 25 minutes it was live.
The eBay Purchase History shows it was purchased @ 06:40 am by a buyer with an encrypted eBay ID of m***m.
Unfortunately, by my inaction, I may inadvertently have allowed it to fall into the grasp of one of the regular German eBay profiteering re-sellers like 9495michaelk, m.a.k.2979 or tamers-timepieces.
Incidentally, it may have taken him over four months (and a few re-listings since March) to find a mug punter buyer, but only two days ago, the aforementioned m.a.k.2979 managed to sell an allegedly NOS (it wasn't) example for 385 Euros.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-7 ... 4341816504