Seiko 7A38 - by the numbers

As background, here's a copy and paste of the post I made on Saturday, in the Rare and unusual 7T32-xxxx variants spotted thread:

Originally posted (by myself) May 10, 2014 at 8:45 AM

Remember how I started off this thread ?

It's a couple of years since I've bought any Seiko 7T32's on eBay, and with the size of my 7A38 collection nowadays, nothing I'd ever consider doing again. As Dirty Harry said: A man's got to know his limitations. I hardly ever wear my couple of 7T32's (nor my 7T59).

But it doesn't stop me casually looking. The vast number of diverse 7T32 case model variations produced seems to be endless ....

I have an admission to make. I've suffered a very slight relapse.

You may have read about the couple of Racer branded Orient HFAxxx 7T32 Breitbling clones that I'd spotted on the previous page and noted that I'd resisted the temptation, despite my attraction to them - and their obvious similarity / lineage to the Racer branded J39026-70 and J39027-70 7A38's I've recently acquired. Plus, as demonstrated elsewhere, there's the Orient / Racer connection.

Well, a week or so ago, I'd spotted an Orient HFA 7T32 Breitbling clone, listed on eBay in the UK - in my home town.

It was titled simply: Gentlemans ORIENT Chronograph Watch with attractive two tone Metal Wristband

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201079492952

Opening bid price was £25. I added it to my eBay watching page and then forgot about it. It went unsold. The seller re-listed it ....

When I looked again, yesterday evening, the seller had reduced the opening bid price to £15. I simply couldn't let it go at that price.

The reduced starting price attracted the interest of a couple of other bidders, but I still managed to win the auction for only £17.77. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201083768582

Half an hour after it ended, I drove round to the seller's house, which was only a couple of miles away and paid cash, saving postage.

For now here's the seller's listing photos - neither of which do the watch justice:

I will admit that when I first saw this watch my immediate thoughts were to buy it simply to break up for parts,  to rob for the bezel, crystal, crown and pushers - and to use them to improve my recently acquired 'beater' / restoration project Racer J39026-70 '7A38'.

I could still do that. Without stripping the watch, or measuring anything it certainly looks like they're common parts and will all fit.

But although it's a bit grubby, it's actually a nice watch in it's own right - in a blingy sort of way. The silver dial is really quite attractive.

So later today, I'm going to give it a good strip and clean. The bracelet currently fitted is obviously an after-market adjustable one-size fits-all type. It's approx 18mm wide tapering to a 16mm clasp. Athough the two-tone 'Jubilee' style suits the watch nicely, I simply can't abide that sloppy kind of fitment, so it's got to go. Typically the lug width (as on many of the Orient / Racer J39's) is that odd 19mm.

Nearly forgot. The Racer 7T32 Breitbling clones on the previous page were (Orient) model numbers HFA018-70 and HFA019-70,

so logically, I was expecting this Orient branded sibling to be something like HFA017-70. It's not, it's actually stamped HFA001-70.

Well, I did strip and clean the watch at the weekend, but I didn't get around to re-building it (or taking any photos) until this morning. 

The dial is a flat silvery grey colour, with plenty of gold-plated bling - mounted as you'd expect on a typical Seiko 7T32 plastic spacer.

You can probably read it better in the previous photo but the Orient dial part number markings, hidden under the Tachymeter ring, are SI (standing for Seiko Instruments) HFA07017-001. Note what I'd written in my previous post about expecting the case-back number to have been stamped HFA017-70. 

Ignore the ORIENT WATCH CO. LTD. rebranded HFA000 back-plate stampings and you'd be looking at a Seiko 7T32 (or Y182) movement.

I suspect the previous owner (who was a watch enthusiast) changed his own batteries. As purchased, it was fitted with an incorrect under-sized Renata # 395, which I replaced with a new Maxell SR927W (larger # 399 equivalent). The case-back seal fitted wasn't correct either. There was a thin O-ring stretched around the threads. Luckily I found a useable correct-sized O-ring in a scrap Orient J39 case. For future reference (mine) the O-ring needed measures 32.60 I.D. x 0.80mm thick. ISO Swiss do something very close. 

The label inside the case-back should look very familiar to anyone who's ever replaced a battery in their Seiko 7T32.

The case-back was thankfully devoid of slipped tool marks - just a bit scuffed around the edges, so didn't really warrant re-finishing.

Unfortunately the crystal had a couple of nasty scratches, so I've yet another replacement to find, in due course. 

The Tachymeter ring is a contrasting matt mid-grey colour, which quite honestly doesn't do the watch any favours. 

The family resemblence of the Orient HFA001-70's watch case (at least) to my Racer J39027-70 should hopefully be obvious:

As I'd suspected, like it's Racer J39 Breitbling sibling the case has a 19mm lug width. If this had been another J39, I might just have been tempted to put it on one of those heavily padded Meyhofer 'Lanark' 19mm leather straps (from Watchbandcenter) I'd fitted to my Racer J39027-70. But apart from them not doing one in grey, there's the cost. How could I justify spending 18.95 Euros (+ postage) on a strap for a watch that cost less ? So for now it's back on it's suitably blingy two-tone one-size-fits-all 'Jubilee' bracelet.

Just to show that I'm not shy to show you my cheapo 7T32, here's 3 slightly contrasting wrist shots for the price of one ! 

Seiko7A38 at March 11, 2012 at 5:08 PM

I don't have a decent photo to upload of my white / navy 7T32-7F80, and I need to clean it up first.

I might get around to cleaning up my other lightly modded White / Navy 7T32-7F80 soon, and maybe post some photos next weekend. 

I'll post up some pics of that 7F80 soon Paul ......

After you, Simon. 

I will admit to the occasional memory lapse.  Oh well, better (2 years) late than never. 

In fact, what prompted me to get my 7T32-7F80 out and dust it off (and replace the long since dead flat battery) was one coming up in my eBay saved favourite search notifications this morning. Must remember to delete that one.  So here's that wrist shot, eventually.

Today I'm wearing my new-born 7T32-F060 Titanium.

The titanium fun just continues!

Today I'm wearing my another favourite 7T32...the Titanium 7T32-6F20.

After a long pause, here I am again with my newest 7T32-7E10...

The glass needs replacing, and the case and band have seen better days, but a clean, a new glass, and some love, and this baby will see a new life!

Well here is about half of my 7T32 collection. The other half are still being brought back up to standards.

Could these be some of the rarest 7T32 branded models ever? I was first introduced to this model watch the 7T32-6K19 when I recieved one in a batch of parts watches. The bright color dial caught my eye and I bid and won several useful Seiko's for very little money. I was most interested in the yellow dialed 7T32. As soon as I picked it up I was confused as it only has one stem and two pushers but the back case was stamped 7T32-6K19. I opened it up to find what I expected a 7T62 inside. I assumed it was a parts watch but it still nagged me due to being such an unusual case with an unsual finish that someone was able to find a caseback that by all appearances looked like it belonged to this watch. Time goes by and a listing comes up for a 7T32-6K19 on eBay. Pictues clearly show one single stem and only two pushers. This was a running watch. I purchase this. I receive it and it is 100% identical to what I though was a franken watch but this one works. Now I start digging. On eBay i find a listing for a 7T32-6K19 watch. Pictures clearly showing two stems and three pushers? The seller wanted big money so I do not bid. About a month later another listing for the 7T32-6K19. This is being sold as running but not all functions work. Once again clearly one one stem and two pushers and a case back stamped 7T32-6K19. I win this auction also and once again an identical match for the other two watches. Furthur investigation yields several eBay listing for 7T32-6K19 watches all with two stems and three pushers. A lot of research later and I find the true number that the case back shoudl have been stamped with. 7T62-0CL0. Still to this day I have yet to find a model 7T62-0CL0 stamped as such. Here are two of them.

Michael.

I had already read the thread you posted about these yellow-dialed 7Txx's on SCWF in December last year:

http://www.thewatchsite.com/21-japanese-watch-discussion-forum/138858-more-seiko-rear-case-numbers-weirdness.html

I'm sorry to say, but like the other posters who replied, I'd be inclined to agree - that they are fakes - albeit very high quality fakes.

For the same reasons - fonts used for the case-back engraving, etc.

It's not the first time I've seen something like this. Going back maybe 5 years or so ago, when I had more time to look at 7Txx's and was still posting regularly on the UK RLT forum, I came across some expensive 'high quality' fake Seiko quartz chrono's on eBay. I can't remember now if they were 7T62's or V657's, but I remember they had distinctive green and blue dials and looked pretty convincing - apart from having Swiss Made printed at the bottom of their dials.

The same findings had been posted on the old Network54 SCWF. If I can find the relevant links to those threads, I'll add them in.

Edit: Here's the thread on the RLT forum from March 2010: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52506

and the earlier Network54 SCWF thread: http://www.network54.com/Forum/78440/thread/1205516532/What%27s+this.....---

Unfortunately I don't appear to have saved any of the photos. 

I'm not sure what the deal is with these watches. They do not match the description of the ones mentioned in the article. The dial is stamped made in Japan and then 7T62-0CV8 which comes back to a Seiko model number 7T62-0CL0. The band is stamped 4604ZG which also comes back to the same model number. All three watches have real 7T62 movements all the correct stampings on the inside of the rear cases and even the protective sticker. BUT I also noticed some quality issues with the dial that I don't think Seiko would have let pass inspection. They are very small imperfections on the dial printing. One is the letter "N" in Japan is slightly cut off by the dial opening for the alarm subdial. The larger indices that are topped with lume that mark ever 5 minute mark are slightly different lenghts on the lume? This watch has to be one of the most expensive fake watches ever produced. All the numbers how up on both Boley's database and watch data with part numbers and all and the parts match the watch and the dial number match what is in the list. I didn't pay much for any of them and they run good because they are running a real 7T62 movement so I don't know what to think.

My very recently acquired NOS Pulsar Y182-7000 - a 7T32 by another name ....

.... purchased for the wrong reasons - with the original intention of using it as a movement donor for my D.O.A. Puma Z7A001-70.

I think it deserves a better fate than that. 

And here I go again... just received this 7T32-6A5A, as Paul I bought it for spares, but after a proper clean, it looks just too good..

I am no fan of gold plated watches, so not sure if I will keep it...

Here is my Seiko 7t32 6a50. My aunt heard from somewhere i was a nut about watches and on her next visit brought this watch as a gift. She told me her husband had not used it for some years. I had the battery replaced and it ran fine but i put it away as i was only into automatic chronographs at the time. Eventually the grab and go nature of quartz combined with the numerous other functions availble on this watch lured me into the world of seiko quartz chronographs.

I'm not shy ! 

Here's a couple of Q&D wrist shots of my 'cheapie' ex-eBay Germany Puma Z7A001-70 Breitbling clone - a 7T32 in another guise.

New arrival, a 7T32-6G10 in very good condition aesthetically, but not working and with crowns and stems missing.

The case is in excellent condition, and so is the dial.

Another resurrection project for me....

What I like about the 7T32 movement is the "sweep" chrono second hand.

My first one was also a 7C60 "panda" fixer-upper (which is still waiting). I since then bought several others...

Let me show you this 7T32-6N10  SDWF81P "Pilot Calculator":

It's a little beat up, but working just fine. This piece is really heavy! The "monster" style bracelet alone weighs a ton. Screw-down pushers & crown are all fake, of course. There was also a black version, SDWF75P.

I have since repainted the bezel and cleaned the bracelet, but left it alone otherwise.

I'll add it as a new post, since my last was so long ago...

This 7t32-7C20 arrived today, after being mis-routed for more than two weeks. The delivery man had the wrong street (sidestreet of mine) and delivered it to the fitting house number...

Here is my 7T32-6A5A. It is well maintaned but recently had an issue with the crown. The crown was stuck, and upon turning it to adjust time while pulling it out to position 2 for date and 3 for time, the crown stem pulled out. I took it to a local Seiko repair shop and they couldn't do anything for me. I asked another watchmaker who serviced one of my Rados and he told me anything could be fixed, it was just a matter of sourcing the parts. The crown stem does not capture the indent or whatever you call it to adjust the hands or date on the watch. What are the possibilities that I may have to replace the movement? I know parts for these watches can be scarce, but I know this forum would  help me in the right direction. I am located in California. 
Thank you.

I recently suffered a minor relapse and treated myself to another cheap-ish Orient 7T32 BreitBling clone. This one's the slightly more understated (mostly) stainless version - model # HFA701-70. It came on an under-sized (18mm width) very dark navy blue strap. All I've done is given it a very quick clean and fitted a suitably cheap 19mm oiled leather strap.