7A38-6070 SAA073J re-listed on eBay today

[Seiko7A38]

I had promised myself that I wasn't going to continue any of the three dozen or so previously existing 7A38-xxxx model specific topics (from the old forum) in a similar manner to the way I'd sometimes mis-used them before - critiquing or criticizing current eBay listings. Unfortunately there were a couple of threads that ended with 'unfinished business'.

One such was the 7A38-6070 SAA073J thread, which stalled inconclusively, halfway down page 3.

In mid-January, an Italian eBay seller had listed a well-worn 7A38-6070, fitted with a rubber dive strap, as a 10-day auction, with an opening bid price of 100 Euros. Here's the eBay link (which still currently works), a screenshot of my original post and for now,* 4 of the seller's 5 original photos:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 4834028926

7A38-6070-Divers-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-Post-1.png (137.78 KiB) Viewed 18758 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-1.jpg (114.37 KiB) Viewed 18754 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-2.jpg (105.03 KiB) Viewed 18754 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-3.jpg (116.54 KiB) Viewed 18754 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-4.jpg (121.98 KiB) Viewed 18754 times

He subsequently joined the forum as new member Brillante, obviously with the sole intention of promoting his eBay listing, which he subsequently ended after only a couple of days. I followed up with this post (partial copy thereof).

7A38-6070-Divers-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-Post-2.png (138.23 KiB) Viewed 18758 times

In fact my assumption was incorrect. He hadn't sold it, but simply withdrawn it. He then quoted my original post in full (more than once to my annoyance). Here's just his reply (without the quote) above my last tongue-in-cheek post.

7A38-6070-Divers-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-Post-3.jpg (116.5 KiB) Viewed 18758 times

[Seiko7A38]

Note he'd written that he was planning to re-list it 'next week'. That was nearly a month ago now and I was beginning to wonder what had become of it. This morning I got the answer ! He's re-listed it as another 10-day auction, but now with an opening bid price of 750 Euros !!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 4866364553

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-Re-Listing.png (193.42 KiB) Viewed 18742 times

Here's the first half a dozen of the 12 listing photos:

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-1.jpg (151.19 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-2.jpg (125.88 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-3.jpg (129.94 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-4.jpg (108.76 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-5.jpg (161.93 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-7.jpg (162.03 KiB) Viewed 18740 times

I won't bother uploading the two wrist shots, in the interests of page loading times; they're a bit dark / grainy anyway.

[Seiko7A38]

I'd also wrongly interpreted his statement: 'next week I will receive the original bezel' as meaning that he'd managed to locate a NOS bezel and was awaiting its arrival. Wrong !! Disregarding the same well-worn condition of the bezel thumb grips, if you compare the condition of the bezel insert with the photos his previous listing, it's something of an improvement, but still a LONG way from perfect - and certainly NOT NOS. It looks like it has been resprayed (badly).

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-6.jpg (202.97 KiB) Viewed 18735 times

While the bezel / insert was away for refinishing, seems he also had the original scratched crystal polished:

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-11.jpg (116.97 KiB) Viewed 18730 times

[Seiko7A38]

As far as his: 'and a strap very similar to the original'. What can you say ? It's got dummy perforations, if nothing else.

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-10.jpg (139.66 KiB) Viewed 18729 times

This may not be the best illustration, but here's how the original Seiko p/n ZPA22D perforated leather strap should look:

7A38-6070-Divers-BlackBlack-SAA073-1987CatalogueIllustration.jpg (29.9 KiB) Viewed 18728 times

Rather plainer - the same strap is used on the sister model 7A38-6060 SAA071J, per Mithra's NOS example on Instagram:

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-LeatherStrap-Instagram-Mith723-(MithraNeuman)-3.jpg (151.5 KiB) Viewed 18727 times

I'm not sure what material his strap is made of, difficult to judge from the photos, but I'd suspect it's probably Lorica - a synthetic leather-look microfibre, favoured by certain Italian manufacturers. It also appears to be a 20mm strap that's been squeezed to fit the case's 18mm lug width fitting, whereas the original ZPA22D matches the width of the case end.

Funnily enough, I'd considered fitting something along similar lines, to one of my 7A38-6070's a few years ago:

Morellato-22mm-Race-Lorica-MtKCx4909-C18-schw20rN.jpg (84.99 KiB) Viewed 18721 times

It's a 22mm Morellato Lorica strap (which would have required notching) - still available from WatchBandCenter.

[Seiko7A38]

*Incidentally, his photo of the watch's case-back in this new re-listing is the same as the 5th image from his previous listing, which still shows it fitted with the rubber dive strap. Hence the reason I didn't upload it in my first post.

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-RubberStrap-eBay-Jan2021-5.jpg (141.83 KiB) Viewed 18709 times

[Seiko7A38]

This was probably a foregone conclusion. Two days ago, for reasons best known to himself, the Italian eBay seller had revised his listing, reducing the duration from a 10-day auction to 7 days. But it didn't even manage to last that long, because he subsequently ended the listing a day early, yesterday evening, allegedly because of an error.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 4866364553

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-Ended-Error.png (46.6 KiB) Viewed 18698 times

As to the nature of the error, was it the resprayed bezel, the choice of strap or possibly the pricing ?

[Seiko7A38]

I had promised myself that I wasn't going to continue any of the three dozen or so previously existing 7A38-xxxx model specific topics (from the old forum) in a similar manner to the way I'd sometimes mis-used them before - critiquing or criticizing current eBay listings. Unfortunately there were a couple of threads that ended with 'unfinished business'.

Speaking of 'unfinished business' ....

Late yesterday evening, deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike finally got round to re-listing his 7A38-6070, in a job lot pairing with an average / well worn 7A38-6060, fitted with a NATO strap - as a 7-day auction with an utterly ridiculous opening bid price of 1000 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2Raro-Orolog ... 5258484430

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-NATOstrap-eBay-Dec2021-Listing.jpg (181.62 KiB) Viewed 18001 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-NATOstrap-(JobLotPair).jpg (92.03 KiB) Viewed 18001 times

It was almost certainly pre-destined to be ended in the usual manner; i.e. because of an error. Apart from the pricing, there were also two fairly obvious bloopers in the title. Looks like he spotted his other gaffes earlier this morning.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255258484430

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-NATOstrap-eBay-Dec2021-Ended-Error.png (58.18 KiB) Viewed 18000 times

[Seiko7A38]

Regarding the Italian eBay seller's continued highly over-optimistic pricing, one should bear in mind that when he first listed it on eBay, back in mid-January (see photos at top of the page), his opening bid price then was only 100 Euros. Some may consider this a slightly unfair comparison (in that this other example hasn't had its bezel insert repainted or crystal polished), I'd spotted another well-worn 7A38-6070 listed on the Italian classifieds site Subito in November, with an asking price of 220 Euros. A fortnight later, it remains unsold:

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-Subito-Nov2021-Summary.png (50 KiB) Viewed 17989 times

https://www.subito.it/abbigliamento-acc ... 342817.htm

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-Subito-Nov2021-Listing.jpg (167.32 KiB) Viewed 17989 times

[Seiko7A38]

The revised re-listing with correct model numbers (and sales codes) appeared on Sunday evening, once again as a 7-day auction, with the same wildly-over-optimistic opening bid price of 1000 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 5274878329

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Re-Listing.jpg (199.18 KiB) Viewed 17859 times

rsz_7a38-6070-divers-black-leatherstrap-7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-rubberstrap-ebay-dec2021-1.jpg (244.38 KiB) Viewed 17853 times

rsz_7a38-6070-divers-black-leatherstrap-7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-rubberstrap-ebay-dec2021-3.jpg (239.8 KiB) Viewed 17853 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Description.png (8.47 KiB) Viewed 17859 times

The Italian description translates as follows:
Lot 2 Seiko 7A38 6070 - 7A38 6060 Vintage. In perfect working order with slight signs of wear, all as shown in the photos. It is not possible to separate them, they are sold together. Collectible watches. The red Seiko has the original bezel but reprinted as the original. greetings.

Note: 'Reprinted' rather than repainted (or resprayed), which might explain the 'pixelated' edges of the bezel numbering in one of his earlier close-up photos.

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LoricaStrap-eBay-Feb2021-(Jan2021-re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-6.jpg (202.97 KiB) Viewed 17854 times

[Seiko7A38]

The 7A38-6060, which previously appeared albeit briefly fitted with a NATO is now fitted with a secondhand looking rubber dive strap. It wasn't immediately obvious from the original side-by-side pair photo, but apart from the bezel being in generally worn condition, the hour and minute hands are suffering from badly degraded lume:

7A38-6060-TitaniuimCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(JobLotPair)-1.jpg (243.77 KiB) Viewed 17851 times

7A38-6060-TitaniuimCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(JobLotPair)-3.jpg (207.89 KiB) Viewed 17851 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-rubberstrap-ebay-dec2021-joblotpair-5.jpg (244.1 KiB) Viewed 17851 times

By an amusing coincidence, another 7A38-6060 in generally overall better cosmetic condition, but suffering from some coating loss, fitted with a non-original replacement notched leather strap, had been listed by another Italian eBay seller at Sunday lunchtime. It was also a 7-day auction, but with a low start opening bid price of only 1 Euro. Bidding has since rapidly climbed past 300 Euros

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-raro-s ... 5061708120

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Listing.jpg (155.53 KiB) Viewed 17855 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-leatherstrap-ebay-dec2021-1.jpg (244.58 KiB) Viewed 17847 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-leatherstrap-ebay-dec2021-2.jpg (244.29 KiB) Viewed 17847 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-leatherstrap-ebay-dec2021-4.jpg (239.62 KiB) Viewed 17847 times

[Seiko7A38]

Bidding on that 7A38-6060 has since reached 400 Euros. However, any comparisons between their conditions (and hence respective values) became academic, when deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike ended the re-listing yesterday evening, after a little over 2 days, because of yet another error.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255274878329

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap+7A38-6060-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Ended-Error.png (54.75 KiB) Viewed 17844 times

[Seiko7A38]

By an amusing coincidence, another 7A38-6060 in generally overall better cosmetic condition, but suffering from some coating loss, fitted with a non-original replacement notched leather strap, had been listed by another Italian eBay seller at Sunday lunchtime. It was also a 7-day auction, but with a low start opening bid price of only 1 Euro. Bidding has since rapidly climbed past 300 Euros

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-raro-s ... 5061708120

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Listing.jpg (155.53 KiB) Viewed 17790 times

Bidding on that 7A38-6060 has since reached 400 Euros.

FWIW, that other Italian eBay auction for a 7A38-6060 ended a few moments ago, selling for 500 Euros after 32 bids.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175061708120

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Ended-Sold-500Euros.png (46.21 KiB) Viewed 17791 times

[Seiko7A38]

So predictable.

In his latest gambit, yesterday evening deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike re-listed his 7A38-6070 and 7A38-6060 separately, both as 5-day auctions with an opening bid price of 400 Euros. Assuming he doesn't end the listings early, because of yet another unforced error, they're scheduled to end after 9:00 pm on Christmas Eve.

The 7A38-6070 re-listing uses a small selection (one cropped) of photos from the previous job lot pair listing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 5286957406

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Re-Listing.jpg (163.15 KiB) Viewed 17779 times

Although they don't really show it in any better light, the 8 photos he's used in the 7A38-6060 re-listing are all new.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-raro-s ... 5286782396

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Re-Listing.jpg (167.51 KiB) Viewed 17779 times

7A38-6060-TitaniuimCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-2.jpg (180.29 KiB) Viewed 17771 times

7A38-6060-TitaniuimCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-3.jpg (194.52 KiB) Viewed 17771 times

7A38-6060-TitaniuimCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-4.jpg (185.89 KiB) Viewed 17771 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-rubberstrap-ebay-dec2021-re-listed-revisedphotos-6.jpg (239.25 KiB) Viewed 17771 times

rsz_7a38-6060-titaniuimcoated-whiteface-rubberstrap-ebay-dec2021-re-listed-revisedphotos-8.jpg (227.97 KiB) Viewed 17771 times

[Seiko7A38]

The 7A38-6070 re-listing uses a small selection (one cropped) of photos from the previous job lot pair listing:

I note that yesterday afternoon, Italian seller desmoxbike has revised his 7A38-6070 re-listing, uploading 9 new photos.

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-1.jpg (130.34 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-2.jpg (143.17 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-3.jpg (199.08 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-7.jpg (135.61 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-8.jpg (171.51 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-RevisedPhotos-9.jpg (119.66 KiB) Viewed 17741 times

[Seiko7A38]

In his latest gambit, yesterday evening deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike re-listed his 7A38-6070 and 7A38-6060 separately, both as 5-day auctions with an opening bid price of 400 Euros. Assuming he doesn't end the listings early, because of yet another unforced error, they're scheduled to end after 9:00 pm on Christmas Eve.

At one stage, I did wonder what might might happen with that re-listed 5-day auction for the 7A38-6070 - whether somebody, slightly under the influence of too much 'Christmas Spirit', might be tipsy enough to go for, it in the final seconds (at the opening bid price of 400 Euros). But deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike effectively put paid to any chance of that happening, when he increased the opening bid price to 550 Euros, late in the evening of 23rd December. He compounded the outcome by ending the listing early, four minutes before the scheduled finishing time, because it had been allegedly lost or broken. I guess that makes a change from 'no longer available', or 'because of an error'.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255286957406

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(Re-listed)-Ended-LostorBroken.png (50.47 KiB) Viewed 17640 times

[Seiko7A38]

He'd also pulled the same stunt with the re-listing for his 7A38-6060, increasing the opening bid price from 400 Euros to 550 Euros late on the evening of 23rd December. He actually let that auction listing run the full 5-day duration, but not surprisingly no bids were forthcoming and it went unsold. He re-listed it almost immediately as another 5-day auction.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-raro-s ... 5295461570

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Another-Re-Listing.jpg (171.98 KiB) Viewed 17644 times

To my disbelief, it appears to have sold earlier this morning for an undisclosed best offer !

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255295461570

7A38-6060-(Divers)-TitaniumCoated-WhiteFace-RubberStrap-eBay-Dec2021-(re-listed)-Ended-Sold-BestOffer.png (44.81 KiB) Viewed 17645 times

[Seiko7A38]

As for the supposedly 'lost' (or broken) 7A38-6070, that was of course still in his possession. He re-listed it once again yesterday afternoon as a 7-day auction with the same unrealistic opening bid price of 550 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ULTRA-RARE-S ... 5298181229

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Dec2021-Another-Re-Listing.jpg (179.58 KiB) Viewed 17643 times

[Seiko7A38]

The above 7-day auction ended on 2nd January, again without any bid placed, unsold. After a hiatus of nearly 4 weeks, deluded would-be Italian eBay seller desmoxbike re-listed it again yesterday evening, exactly as before.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ULTRA-RARE-S ... 5357187036

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Jan2022-Re-Listing.jpg (150.72 KiB) Viewed 17367 times

[Seiko7A38]

Hardly worth mentioning really. Not surprisingly, that latest 7-day auction re-listing by deluded would-be Italian eBay seller desmoxbike ended in a similar manner last Friday, with no bids placed - still unsold. He re-listed it once again, almost immediately, but then ended it early, a little over 3½ hours later, because of yet another unforced error.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255369852368

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Feb2022-(re-listed)-Ended-Error.png (42.52 KiB) Viewed 17293 times

[Seiko7A38]

No great surprise, it was back on eBay again late yesterday evening. This time deluded Italian eBay seller desmoxbike has re-listed it as a 3-day auction with the opening bid price reduced slightly to 500 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ULTRA-RARE-S ... 5396925531

7A38-6070-(Divers)-Black-LeatherStrap-eBay-Feb2022-Re-Listing.jpg (141.25 KiB) Viewed 17177 times