❤ Thing is, attractive as it may be, the 7A38-6000 SAA039J, with its light silvery grey dial and dark blue sub-dials, isn't really a true ('black and white') panda at all. Its comparatively diminutive 37mm diameter (for a 7A38 diver) also means it wears small. Nevertheless it remains enduringly popular with collectors.Almost 10 years ago to the day, I started a dedicated 7A38-xxx model specific thread for this variant on the old forum:
7A38-6000 SAA039J - Stainless small size 'Diver / Panda'. I maintained it religiously and it ultimately ran for 9 years to some 14 pages and more than 270 posts. It encompassed everything from poor well-worn barely recognisable beaters to NOS condition examples. If you didn't follow it in the past, may I suggest that you read through the last few pages, starting at page 11, which will give a good idea of where prices are heading and the reasons why.
Although the 7A38-6000 SAA039J was nominally a worldwide export model, a good proportion of NOS examples continue to turn up on eBay Italy. Italian eBay sellers have frequently asked ridiculously inflated prices for them. Indeed one such was asking $1500 as far back as July 2012 (it eventually sold 6 months later in January 2013 for a more realistic $600).
Over the last year or so, one Italian eBay seller has done more to inflate prices of this particular 7A38 variant than any of his greedy predecessors. He calls himself a 'collector' but from his actions, including some blatantly shilled auctions, he's clearly just another dealer / speculator out to make a fast buck - and indeed lots of them. I am of course referring to oysterdelarge727 (and his various other eBay aliases), a.k.a. Giuseppe. Here's a recent partial quote from a parallel related thread in the 7A28 model section:
He now also holds the additional distinction of offering the most ludicrously over-priced Seiko 7Axx, by a considerable margin, listed anywhere on eBay worldwide.Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:12 amI had intended to write something about these last month, but workload / other important priorities took precedence. Greedy Italian eBay seller oysterdelarge727 (a.k.a. Giuseppe) has long since usurped the dubious honour of undisputed 'King of the Crazy Prices' from Alberto Ulmi.
Supposedly 'Unique in the World' too. 
