Beware of refurbished 7A38-7070's from Italian eBay seller

[Seiko7A38]

This year I started noticing both 7A28-7040's and 7A38-7070's being listed by an Italian eBay seller fabio2737. Generally, their overall condition appears to be 'too good to be true' and their frankly ridiculous 'Buy-it-Now' prices reflect that.

What makes these watches look so good is that they have been skilfully bead-blasted (particularly the clasps) and fitted with Yobokies' repro bezel inserts. The sellers' inclusion of ticks in the title helps draw your attention to the eBay listing. The seller also uploads close to the maximum number of photos - usually between 20 and 24.

The first 7A38-7070 I can remember seeing from this seller was listed in March this year, with a hefty Buy-it-Now asking price of $750:

✔✔TOP CONDITION ! RARE SEIKO 7A38 7070✔✔ (#285754089017)

There's not a lot of point in my belatedly posting loads of (the 22) photos, but what was glaringly obvious about this particular watch, is that it had been fitted with the wrong (longer) pushers from a 7A28-7040 @ 2:00 and 4:00 o'clock.

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-ebay-march2024-11.jpg (240.13 KiB) Viewed 651 times

Their second 7A38-7070 was listed in May this year, with an eye-watering Buy-it-Now asking price of €980 Euros !

✔✔MINT CONDITION ! RARE SEIKO 7A38 7070✔✔ (#285839063364)

That ended listing, which sold on 5th June, is still accessible at present: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285839063364
So I'm only bothering to upload 3 of the seller's 24 photos:

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-WrongBracelet-eBay-May2024-2.jpg (172.69 KiB) Viewed 642 times

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-wrongbracelet-ebay-may2024-16.jpg (242.72 KiB) Viewed 642 times

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-wrongbracelet-ebay-may2024-24.jpg (234.96 KiB) Viewed 642 times

That supposedly 'mint condition' example, 'all original, except for the bezel insert', had been erroneously fitted with the (bead-blasted) wrong Seiko p/n B1075S bracelet off a 7A28-7040 /-7049.

[Seiko7A38]

They listed another 7A38-7070 yesterday afternoon, with a somewhat lower Buy-it-Now price of €635, with the option to make an offer. Given the refurbished (and incorrect) condition, that's still more than double what it's realistically worth.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285989369781 ✔✔VERY GOOD CONDITION! RARE SEIKO 7A38 7070✔✔✔

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-WrongBracelet-eBay-August2024-Listing.jpg (132.77 KiB) Viewed 639 times

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-wrongbracelet-ebay-august2024-1.jpg (244.28 KiB) Viewed 636 times

Note the sizeable ding on the bottom L.H. corner of the watch case, partially disguised by the bead-blasting.

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-WrongBracelet-eBay-August2024-9.jpg (213 KiB) Viewed 636 times

Note the amount of wear visible in the bracelet link hinges, which cannot be disguised.

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-WrongBracelet-eBay-August2024-15.jpg (170.57 KiB) Viewed 636 times

Their 19 uploaded images included no less than 5 photos of the admittedly nicely refinished SQ clasp.

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-wrongbracelet-ebay-august2024-16.jpg (235.56 KiB) Viewed 636 times

rsz_7a38-7070-divers-stainless-blackface-wrongbracelet-ebay-august2024-19.jpg (231.96 KiB) Viewed 636 times

Once again, this watch is fitted with the wrong Seiko p/n B1075S bracelet off a 7A28-7040 / -7049, as opposed to the correct Seiko p/n B1241S. They made the mistake of bead-blasting the underside of the bracelet on this one. Originally it would have been bright stainless, like the back of the watch case, which looks like it was half-heartedly masked.

[Seiko7A38]

That refurbished 7A38-7070 allegedly sold for an undisclosed best offer on 17th August.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285989369781

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-eBay-August2024-Ended-Sold-BestOffer.png (102.14 KiB) Viewed 518 times

Whoever bought it evidently wasn't impressed and presumably returned it. It's back on eBay this afternoon, re-listed as a 10-day auction, with a rather pointless opening bid price of €1 Euro, but with a reserve price set.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286047126928

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-eBay-Sept2024-Re-Listing.jpg (152.68 KiB) Viewed 518 times

Caveat Emptor

[Seiko7A38]

The above 10-day auction for that bead-blasted 7A38-7070 ended yesterday afternoon, with the bidding @ €274 Euros after 42 bids. The winning bidder (feedback 13) placed 10 of those bids, but the auction didn't appear to have been shilled, as Italian eBay auctions often are. The reserve price was not met, so it's back on eBay again, re-listed this morning, as a Buy-it-Now for €420 Euros. I repeat - Caveat Emptor.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286063026510

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-WrongBracelet-eBay-Sept2024-Another-Re-listing.jpg (158.46 KiB) Viewed 481 times

[Seiko7A38]

The above re-listed re-finished 7A38-7070, fitted with the wrong Seiko bracelet (which, incidentally the Italian seller was originally asking a risible €635 Euros for) eventually sold on October 20th for €375 Euros.

Fabio listed another re-finished 7A38-7070 last night, this time without the 'ticks' in the listing title. Perhaps he was hoping I wouldn't notice. Once again, it's stupidly over-priced with a ludicrous Buy-it-Now price of €890 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286193581960

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-eBay-Dec2024-Listing.jpg (140.16 KiB) Viewed 245 times

The photos are nearly all very subtly soft-focussed, which makes it more difficult to detect the level of re-finishing. However the shot of the re-finished clasp is a giveaway. Like I said before, too good to be true.

7A38-7070-(Divers)-Stainless-BlackFace-eBay-Dec2024-10.jpg (130.44 KiB) Viewed 243 times