Now the term "grail" - conjours up thoughts of £10k+ watches in me usually. It's a term I never use as I've become a bit of a serial flipper. I think it takes you to buy and sell (or just buy, buy, buy) to discover what hits your spot so to speak.
I've tried a few angles over the years. Spend more, get more?
Yeah, that worked in ways - but then the odd "bang for buck" watch puts those types of watch into question for me. Perhaps if I had more spare cash, it wouldn't be an issue - but it is.
These are the highlights in my value for money stakes....
I tried vintage - a refinished Orfina/PD chrono bought direct from Orfina. Near £2k worth of perfection... and I was gutted the day I dinked the PVD!
Its taken nearly 10 years - but I now realise that for me, I enjoy my watches if there's a connection - or a story behind the watch. Sucker for marketing?.. no - I dont mean that. The "keepers" in my watch box are watches with significance to events in my life or bought by people close to me. THOSE.. form a special collection for me.
So - after starting low, spending up, getting low again... floating in the mid range... I have reverted to the watches that first caught my eye as a teenager. I recall falling head over heels with a black faced Seiko Chrono. I bought a 7T32 6A5A for myself in 1989. I still have that watch today and had it brought back to form by Steve Burrage of Ryte Time a few years ago:
Whilst that was my 1st watch - I rarely wear it now. It wears small and doesn't translate well to today's size tastes. The more I've read about movements, the less I like the 7T32. Plastic fantastic. In saying that, its almost 30 years old and still working well, so perhaps it isn't THAT bad.
Add the obligatory birth year watch - an electronic balance wheel EL370 from my birth month and year in 1971. I found it online in a Tokyo vintage watch dealers for a very reasonable £135! NOS and never worn. I keep it as some kind of sick experiment to own something the same age as me... which doesn't age!
So... the point of my thread and apologies for the ramble. Been one of those days/weeks/months.
The 7A38.
Of course, dig into the 7A38 at all and you'll find Paul over at seiko7A38.com - an ever growing resource on this fantastic moment in Seiko's timeline. Quartz was king... yet craftmanship still mattered just as much. The thing that I love about the 38's is that despite their 80's roots, they have aged SO well. Case sizes are a tad chunkier than on my old 7T32. Its the flat faces of the lugs in some models - they give the feeling of a larger watch, yet they're not really that big.
It's thanks to TZ that I have been able to chop and change and enjoy my road thus far. In fact, 2 of my 3 7A38's came from SC. They really are a wonderful thing to own...
I'd been hunting for a long time now for a "Sports 100" black 7A38 to add to my modest collection. They're hard to find in good condition these days. eBay has plenty.. but there are so many Frankens and battered examples. Its a minefield.
So - last Friday... eBay notification pops up for a saved search - 7A38 7070. Its in the UK.... a private collector with great feedback... best offer... YES!!
And here we have it - my "grail". I simply LOVE it! Its bigger than my other 38's - quite tall really. The 60 click bezel is very precise. The chrono pushers feel REALLY nice - as if its been serviced well or had little use. Its certainly in better form than my other two. The anodised coating is in great shape on the case. Less so on the bracelet, but a small circular motion with a grey garryflex bar mimics a light bead blast rather well.
I was about to say "I'm done"... but you know the form... we're never done are we?
I'll finish with the pics of today's arrival. As with all things eBay... I took a chance and am happy with it - even if I were to find out some things aren't quite original - but i THINK it seems like its all original. Yobokies do a new insert, but the pip on this makes me think its the original. Caseback wear is minimal. Bracelet stretch/sag is virtually non existent. Clasp... I think thats ok too. Happy to hear otherwise....
(Now... who has a JDM 7A28 Speedmaster clasped model... gathering dust somewhere!!!!)
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