Tuna show off

[learningtofly]

More angst for the Tuna wannabees ;)

[Ryan1984]

More angst for the Tuna wannabees ;)

Looking good that Tony, I've gotta say I much prefer the silver bezel insert to the black one :D

Ryan

[Tai Mi Shu]

The black inserts looks crud.

[HuckingFell]

Crud, great word! Great photos of a cool watch by the way.

[Ryan1984]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

[learningtofly]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

They look alright on the vintage jobbies.

[Ryan1984]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

They look alright on the vintage jobbies.

True :)

Ryan

[Tai Mi Shu]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

They look alright on the vintage jobbies.

True :)

False. They look crud.

[learningtofly]

[quote=Tai Mi Shu]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

They look alright on the vintage jobbies.

True :)

False. They look crud.[/quote:kskywgvv]
Go and have a lie down.

[Tai Mi Shu]

[quote=learningtofly]

The black inserts looks crud.

Succinct Vic :lol: :lol:

Ryan

They look alright on the vintage jobbies.

True :)

False. They look crud.

Go and have a lie down.[/quote:35rf8hsy]

I already am. ;)

[Ryan1984]

I know this thread has been done to death, but I couldn't resist the chance to 'show off' my SBBN017 with it's new Marinemaster Ratchet Clasp attached 8)

I love it :D

Ryan

[learningtofly]

Done to death? Don't be ridiculous...



PS That's rather nice, Ryan!

[Ryan1984]

Done to death? Don't be ridiculous...



PS That's rather nice, Ryan!

Don't know what I was thinking :lol:

Yours is looking pretty good too mate :D

Ryan

[dicky8588]

Nice pics!

I picked up an SBBN015 on Saturday and am over the moon with it. Also bought a digital camera so will post some (poor) pics at some point.

The SS bezel is stunning but I personally love the black one on mine and wont be changing it.

Initially I didnt see what all the fuss was about with tunas....then became obsessed with acquiring one after hearing so much praise and am glad I persevered. It is watch that can only really be appreciated in the metal. Some of these pics are amazing but on the wrist it just ticks all the boxes for me.

Anyway just some more Tuna love from me :D :D

[jamjeow]

Here's mine. Cheers :wink:

[learningtofly]

Now on it's nice new bracelet, fresh from an SBBN015...

[vRSG60]

Just added a NATO to mine (I know the bezel isn't to everyones taste)-



I'm not keen to be honest. The NATO is far to flimsy for a rugged watch like the Tuna. To thin. Worn twice but I can't bond with it, I'll offer it up FS when I'm back off my holiday in 2 weeks.
Gunmetal grey with black PVD fittings, 22mm wide.
A braided NATO would be better. Or maybe a 4 ring Rhino.

[Tai Mi Shu]

A lot of love for the Tuna lately :D

Ryan

Sell me yours Ryan and I'll love you long time! :shock: :D

No more selling for me I'm afraid Vic, I'm trying to build up a nice little Seiko collection :D

Ryan

:lol: :lol: :roll: :bom:

8) 8) 8)

[bmwrover]

Here's mine. Cheers :wink:

Very luvvverly

The Gold Tuna 1000 is my Grail Watch, but I need to get up to 25 to place a WTB post for a Gold Tuna 1000 :lol:

[Sharky]

Quick snap, just taken of my new (old) arrival!

7549-7010 from 1983



Mark

[gregory]

This is my old one that I bought bak. The one I unwrapped earlier. ;)



Not for sale this time. :)

^^^^^^^^ Firkin excellent!! :wink:


I've just taken arrival of my lumpy today and have that exact same combo on my wrist.

Bang for buck, it's the best purchase I've made watch wise. It's nice when something can still excite you, I've always looked longingly at Tuna's, took the (relatively inexpensive) plunge.. and now have one on my wrist.

The lumpy just elevated it into Godliness territory!! :)

[learningtofly]

Strange, isn't it? I get as much pleasure wearing mine as I do my Zenith... yet I used to think it was the ugliest watch I'd ever seen in my life. There really is something about them.

[Tai Mi Shu]

Looking forward to receiving my new one on Thursday. 8)

[gregory]

Looking forward to receiving my new one on Thursday. 8)

Vicky. I think you're just plain old greedy. :) :bounce:

[gregory]

Strange, isn't it? I get as much pleasure wearing mine as I do my Zenith... yet I used to think it was the ugliest watch I'd ever seen in my life. There really is something about them.

If ever there was a 'to own one is to love one' watch then this baby is the one.

However ltf, a little bit of lumpiness today did elevate it a little more dude. :)

[Tai Mi Shu]

Looking forward to receiving my new one on Thursday. 8)

Vicky. I think you're just plain old greedy. :) :bounce:

I've only got two! Some of these guys have heaps more... :twisted: :evil:

[gregory]

[quote=Tai Mi Shu]

Looking forward to receiving my new one on Thursday. 8)

Vicky. I think you're just plain old greedy. :) :bounce:

I've only got two! Some of these guys have heaps more... :twisted: :evil:[/quote:1drfm6ol]

ONLY two????

** shakes head ** One for each arm.. surely enough!!?? :roll:

Do you have enough to sell me a spare set of hands?? :lol: :lol: :wink:

Mine's looking especially naked without a second hand. :(

[learningtofly]

Strange, isn't it? I get as much pleasure wearing mine as I do my Zenith... yet I used to think it was the ugliest watch I'd ever seen in my life. There really is something about them.

If ever there was a 'to own one is to love one' watch then this baby is the one.

However ltf, a little bit of lumpiness today did elevate it a little more dude. :)

Glad you're happy with it Greg - Tuna and lumpy go together like :scratch: well, two things that go together really well!

I very nearly bought a vintage job recently from my man in Jakarta. THAT close, I was.

[gregory]

In fact.. my next watch is gonna be another Tuna.

I never thought I'd do that my life. Replicate.


Puts up the white flag!!! :|

[Tai Mi Shu]

Do you have enough to sell me a spare set of hands?? :lol: :lol: :wink:

Mine's looking especially naked without a second hand. :(

:shock: :shock:

:cry:

Sorry... deleted the PM and couldn't remember who sent it! T'was you.
Can't help anyway I'm afraid.

[gregory]

Do you have enough to sell me a spare set of hands?? :lol: :lol: :wink:

Mine's looking especially naked without a second hand. :(

:shock: :shock:

:cry:

Sorry... deleted the PM and couldn't remember who sent it! T'was you.
Can't help anyway I'm afraid.

LMAO! No worries... all is good! :)

[Tai Mi Shu]

:bounce: for my newly arrived Toshi. 8)

[learningtofly]

:bounce: for my newly arrived Toshi. 8)

I'll see your Toshi, and raise you a waffle rubber...

[bmwrover]

Hi Vicky, nice Toshi on the Darth Tuna, what clasp does it have?
Looks stealth like on the second pic.

Good that the spider robot wasnt wound up :lol:

[Tai Mi Shu]

Hi Vicky, nice Toshi on the Darth Tuna, what clasp does it have?
Looks stealth like on the second pic.

Oh it's stealth alright. 8)



It's a 24mm satin/PVD in black.

[gregory]

Nice Ganesh by the way tai. :)

[dkpw]

Eddie - please kill this thread now. It's doing no favours to my sanity and is likely to do serious damage to my bank balance.

Lovely pics everybody!

[Ryan1984]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

Ryan

[learningtofly]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

Ryan

It's lovely - I just couldn't bring myself to take off the bracelet I paid a fortune for! Enjoy, mate.

[Ryan1984]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

Ryan

It's lovely - I just couldn't bring myself to take off the bracelet I paid a fortune for! Enjoy, mate.

Cheers Tony, I've never really worn any of my watches (apart from G Shocks) on rubber, so it's a refreshing change 8)

Ryan

[mariod]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

hmm... great watch, great strap, but not the best combo imho

What about a TF retro rubber strap? Don't ask me why, but imho it suits the tuna can much better... just my 2ct of course...

[Ryan1984]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

hmm... great watch, great strap, but not the best combo imho

What about a TF retro rubber strap? Don't ask me why, but imho it suits the tuna can much better... just my 2ct of course...

Not really looked at any other straps to be honest, but I will check out the retro rubber :)

I love the waffle though, it gives the watch a sportier feel :D

Ryan

[learningtofly]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

hmm... great watch, great strap, but not the best combo imho

What about a TF retro rubber strap? Don't ask me why, but imho it suits the tuna can much better... just my 2ct of course...

Not really looked at any other straps to be honest, but I will check out the retro rubber :)

I love the waffle though, it gives th watch a sportier feel :D

Ryan

Not sure what can be wrong with it - a vintage-style waffle on a Tuna? Perfecto!

[Ryan1984]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D

This was Tony's originally but he wasn't getting on with it so kindly agreed to send it my way! Really nice change from the bracelet and VERY comfortable 8)

Any thoughts? :)

hmm... great watch, great strap, but not the best combo imho

What about a TF retro rubber strap? Don't ask me why, but imho it suits the tuna can much better... just my 2ct of course...

Not really looked at any other straps to be honest, but I will check out the retro rubber :)

I love the waffle though, it gives th watch a sportier feel :D

Ryan

Not sure what can be wrong with it - a vintage-style waffle on a Tuna? Perfecto!

Agreed :D

Ryan

[mariod]

I love the waffle though, it gives the watch a sportier feel :D

Ryan

Perhaps it is just me and I should give the waffle a try :D

BTW: Is it the one Will from Canada is selling?

[bparker170]

try an Isofrane on your tunas guys, they really are the hounds testicles...

[learningtofly]

I love the waffle though, it gives the watch a sportier feel :D

Ryan

Perhaps it is just me and I should give the waffle a try :D

BTW: Is it the one Will from Canada is selling?

No, it's from Jake at Dotwatchworks.

[Tai Mi Shu]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D



Any thoughts? :)

Yes. That watch should be on my wrist. :roll: :wink:

[Ryan1984]

My SBBN017 on a waffle rubber :D



Any thoughts? :)

Yes. That watch should be on my wrist. :roll: :wink:

Today is the first time I've worn it in about 3 weeks :shock:

Ryan

[bmwrover]

I am fairly new to the elevated interest in wrist watches and have not been so active in watch forums before.
However a recent development created some material for a write up, I hope you will enjoy it.
Please also excuse the grammar, I am not a native English speaker.

In the distant past:
The little boy received his first watch and he has been into divers and tool watches, without knowing that such a name existed, ever since.
He just enjoyed early No Name Divers or budget Seiko Diver literally:
Daily beaters and they were thrown into the bin once defunct.
The early kiddie ones mostly drowned after the first battery change, in later years they got damaged while spannering on old Army Land Rovers or on motorcycles.
In summary the juvenile watch beater would not be able to recall model names and how long these watches lasted.

Ten years ago:
The grown up bought a Zeno Observer Winder 8558, for work occasions in which wearing a suit became a common, yet not welcome, necessity.
The Zeno had been the first watch he bought with a higher price tag, but the unkind behavior towards watches hadnt changed yet, so that Zeno looks a bit tired now as well.

Two years ago:
The middle aged man bought the first "expensive" watch, the Oris Divers Small Second with the orange dial on a SS bracelet as well as the Oris rubber with deployant.
This has really sparked the interest in watches and changed the way of treating them, e.g. the watch is being removed prior to "spanner work" now.

In addition an ex service CWC G10 went well with the Ex Army Land Rover and helped to keep the Oris nice.
In December 2010 about a liter of used diesel engine oil spilled over the grey G10 Nato strap.
The google search for Nato straps found Time Factor and the TZ-Forum
and the watch interest rekindled and gained momentum again.
The words Rhino and Zulu have been mentioned in the forum and needed further investigation.

Browsing through the Zulu offers on ebay.com, suddenly this thing of strange beauty struck:



Edit: I hope Westcoatstime doesnt mind showing that picture, once they later read that I have bought Eddies Rhino instead :lol:

Here and now:
I discovered a diver, as never seen before. I was well and truly hooked that very same minute.
I needed to find out what this SeikoTuna was all about.
Weeks went by, learning about the differences of 7549 7010, 7549 7009, 7C46 7009, SSBS018 and the Darth Tunas.
What would we be without the internet?

I wrote emails to Mr. Higuchi in Japan about a possible purchase of a new SBBN013,
spoke with the German Customs officer and heard with amazement and disbelief that he would seize an incoming Seiko from Japan, so that Seiko Germany can check its originality
and I also pestered TMS of this perish with question pm´s (Thanks for your patience with me).

A no reserve SBBN011 on ebay.uk got withdrawn on the last day of 2010
and all of the other Tuna for sale were on various watch forum threads from the years 2006 to 2010.
Not really a buyers market for Tuna.

In an attempt to get the Tuna out of my head and to have a Christmas present, I have bought the Kemmner Octopus instead.
Very nice watch, but the Seiko Tuna google search still went on almost every evening.
Shall it be a Golden or a Darth Tuna?
I was more drawn towards the Golden, due to the nice color contrast and vintage appeal
and probably being a bit romantic about the above mentioned "Love at first sight" moment.

After missing TMS´s Darth Tuna for sale, a 7549 7009 Golden Tuna 600m on ebay.uk came up.

Comparing the watch dimensions, a 1978 600m Golden Tuna is apparently the same size as the 1986 onward 1000m Golden Tuna.
The most obvious changes:
the shroud changed from powder coated metal to ceramic,
the glass from Hardlex to Crystal
and the quartz movement changed from the 7549 to the 7C46.

I wouldn't mind having the crystal glass and the 7C46 movement,
but the grainy powder coated shroud of the 600m Tuna I do prefer over the smooth ceramic shroud used on the 1000m.

But what makes the watch so special is the fact that the Tuna for sale is one of the very early examples of the first Quartz Tuna 7549 7009.
I assume that the watch is probably from the first batch made for the 1978 release, because the initial battery change is stamped 2nd quarter of 1981.
So while Roger Moore wore his Golden Tuna 1981 in "For your Eyes Only", this Tuna was already old enough for a battery change (according to Seiko every four years). Its a "one owner from new watch", the seller had bought it in 1980 and used it for diving the first ten years before he bought a dive computer.

The ebay pictures of the watch for sale were all a bit blurry and too small.
Realistically the quality of the pictures didnt justify the risk of spending the starting price, one couldn't judge the watch quality at all.
Luckily the seller did sent me the ebay pictures as larger files via email.



The titanium nitrite looked nice and the only scratches visible were on the backside of the watch and if one is very picky,
the upper left shroud screw looks a bit flaky on one of the other pictures sent.
According to the seller, the blurry Hardlex glass and bezel is scratch free in reality
and the watch has been serviced by Seiko UK only 20 month ago, so the battery should be fine for a while as well.

01.02.2011
I placed my ebay bid last night, more on the soft factors rather than technical specs.
The bidding ended in the middle of the night.
This morning I had the email message on the Blackberry: You have won......
I am looking forward to receiving the parcel from the UK with my first vintage quartz Golden Tuna 7549 7009.
Lets see if the Time Factors 4 ring Rhino strap in green, ordered today as well, will arrive at the same time.

I am still nervous if I have done the right thing!
Will the watch be as described?

Nothing I can do about, just have to wait now and listen to Sheena Easton:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BOWrm4xzQ0

To be continued........

The many edits are because I keep finding spelling mistakes