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Thread: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Is it time to lay the Vulcan Seiko to rest?

    There has always been speculation that there existed a yellow faced Seiko 7A38 that was used by Vulcan bomber crew but never any official documentation.

    Here is one that was sold yesterday on ebay from Vienna in Austria on its original bracelet, which I would not be surprised if it were to subsequently turn up on a Nato strap with a ''new'' history of belonging to an old Uncle who flew Vulcans or it was bought from an Army and Navy store after being found in some old flight overalls pocket.

    Unless of course one of the planes crash landed in Vienna and a local lass helped the pilot to escape the burning inferno and as a measure of his gratitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .etc etc. . . :?

    Personally I think this shows that this yellow dialled Seiko 7A38 was just an ordinary commercially available watch, albeit a scarce one.

    Anyone any thoughts?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

    item number 200406861356[attachment=0:22ifx6xh]Vulcan seiko.jpg[/attachment:22ifx6xh]

  2. #2
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I used to buy decommissioned MoD watches from a division of Anchor Supplies and got quite friendly with the staff. One day I received a call from the supervisor asking my advice on a watch they just received in a parcel from the MoD. Yes you guessed it, it was a yellow dial "Vulcan" Seiko.

    I had only seen one before and that was new old stock in a plain brown cardboard box with a military stores label and the watch was wrapped in waxed paper, no NSN on the case back. I could have bought this one for £250 in 1999 but I declined as the Seiko RAF chrono could be quite easily found for £100 at this time.

    Long story short, the Vulcan Seiko from Anchor Supplies made over £700 on eBay in 2003/2004.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  3. #3
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    It is a great looking watch and I did bid on it, but it went beyond my budget, however I doubt if this particular one has ever been flying.

    Dave

  4. #4
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne
    I used to buy decommissioned MoD watches from a division of Anchor Supplies and got quite friendly with the staff. One day I received a call from the supervisor asking my advice on a watch they just received in a parcel from the MoD. Yes you guessed it, it was a yellow dial "Vulcan" Seiko.

    I had only seen one before and that was new old stock in a plain brown cardboard box with a military stores label and the watch was wrapped in waxed paper, no NSN on the case back. I could have bought this one for £250 in 1999 but I declined as the Seiko RAF chrono could be quite easily found for £100 at this time.

    Long story short, the Vulcan Seiko from Anchor Supplies made over £700 on eBay in 2003/2004.

    Eddie
    Hindsight is beautiful thing though Eddie...

  5. #5
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by BigD
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne
    I used to buy decommissioned MoD watches from a division of Anchor Supplies and got quite friendly with the staff. One day I received a call from the supervisor asking my advice on a watch they just received in a parcel from the MoD. Yes you guessed it, it was a yellow dial "Vulcan" Seiko.

    I had only seen one before and that was new old stock in a plain brown cardboard box with a military stores label and the watch was wrapped in waxed paper, no NSN on the case back. I could have bought this one for £250 in 1999 but I declined as the Seiko RAF chrono could be quite easily found for £100 at this time.

    Long story short, the Vulcan Seiko from Anchor Supplies made over £700 on eBay in 2003/2004.

    Eddie
    Hindsight is beautiful thing though Eddie...
    Yes, hindsight is always 20/20 :wink: .

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  6. #6

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    £250 :shock: Considering what a Gen 1 can fetch nowadays....and there were 11 THOUSAND of them made!

    23 bids and still only made that :?

  7. #7
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by dave.charlton
    ............

    Personally I think ........ that this yellow dialled Seiko 7A38 was just an ordinary commercially available watch, albeit a scarce one.


    I agree. There are also these earlier ones to watch out for. They can be found for around £100 if you can wait long enough.

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  8. #8
    Master
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Nice watches and remarkably thin, too.

    Br,

    AP.

  9. #9
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by A.Pottinger
    Nice watches and remarkably thin, too.

    Br,

    AP.
    I've had both versions, both with black dials. The no-date with a revolving bezel and the day/date with a clean bezel (with no writing at all). “Thinness” wasn’t an element that first came to mind. I suppose they are thin in relation to today’s ETA 7750s, etc but those days most chronos were manual. I would have described the thickness … as about right, rather than thin.

    john
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  10. #10
    Master
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    John, I worked on Vulcans at Cottesmore and Waddington for three years in the late 60's and have no recollection of ever seeing a yellow-faced watch on any aircrew. Although I wasn't horologically inclined at the time, I would probably have noticed.

  11. #11
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by xpatUSA
    John, I worked on Vulcans at Cottesmore and Waddington for three years in the late 60's and have no recollection of ever seeing a yellow-faced watch on any aircrew. Although I wasn't horologically inclined at the time, I would probably have noticed.
    The yellow dialled Seiko wasn't available for another 20 years after you worked on Vulcans :wink: .

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  12. #12

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by charliechuckles
    I have a Vulcan Bombers with box and NSN numbers will post pictures of the box and nsn numbers tomorrow
    Well done Charly ;-) glad you posted.
    I thought I told you to let me find one cheap before you laid
    Down the evidence :cry:

  13. #13

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Baden H
    Quote Originally Posted by charliechuckles
    I have a Vulcan Bombers with box and NSN numbers will post pictures of the box and nsn numbers tomorrow
    Well done Charly ;-) glad you posted.
    I thought I told you to let me find one cheap before you laid
    Down the evidence :cry:
    As far as I know, he never did post the pictures of the box etc . did he?

    Any way, until some hard evidence emerges, it will remain a myth.

    Here's mine by the way.



    I must get that SEIKO logo straightened up one day. :)

    Kind regards
    Dave

  14. #14
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  15. #15

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath
    http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21075
    Thanks for the link, but like I said, he never did post pictures of the box and nsn. Why is that do you think?
    Or, if he did post some proof of provenance, since I own a "Vulcan" I'd be be absolutely delighted to know.

    KInd regards
    Dave

  16. #16

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveS
    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath
    http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21075
    Thanks for the link, but like I said, he never did post pictures of the box and nsn. Why is that do you think?
    Or, if he did post some proof of provenance, since I own a "Vulcan" I'd be be absolutely delighted to know.

    KInd regards
    Dave
    He is a she :wink: and i'm sure she'll come up trumps.

  17. #17

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Nice looking 7A38. The myth continues though about the "Vulcan"... :roll:

  18. #18

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Baden H
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveS
    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath
    http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21075
    Thanks for the link, but like I said, he never did post pictures of the box and nsn. Why is that do you think?
    Or, if he did post some proof of provenance, since I own a "Vulcan" I'd be be absolutely delighted to know.

    KInd regards
    Dave
    He is a she :wink: and i'm sure she'll come up trumps.
    Irrespective of gender "charlie chuclkles" posted his/her comments (below) in January 2009. He/she said:

    I can assure you that my story is true I have the watch at home at the moment so will post marking's ect tomorrow

    Like I said AFAIK the promised posting never materialised. Call me an old cynic but after 22 months waiting, I'd surprised if he/she comes up trumps. I'll be highly delighted to be proven wrong.
    Kind regards
    Dave

  19. #19

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I saw Charlotte today i'm sure she'll deliver :wink: her boss had put it in safe keeping for her and he keeps forgetting to bring it in.

  20. #20
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Wow!!! Really??? Guess that proves it then!!

  21. #21
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    well we never did get to see the pics on mwr either.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  22. #22
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    #tumbleweed**
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  23. #23

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I'm with 'vulcanbob' :

    "Can I destroy a myth? I flew Vulcans from 1975-84. The yellow-faced Seikos were apparently purchased by the MOD in 1983. I read that some 700 were bought. By 1983, there was only 1 Vulcan squadron left (No 50, based at RAF Waddington) with just 50 aircrew officers.

    Unfounded rumour has it that the yellow-faced Seikos were purchased because they were easier to see in the dim Vulcan cockpit. The Vulcan cockpit was `jam-packed` with black instrument dials of various shapes and sizes. There was always more than enough light to see them, AND our black-faced aircrew watches.

    The Vulcan came into service in 1958 and the last squadron was disbanded in April 1984. It is illogical to think that the MOD would make a special purchase for watches in the last year of the aircraft`s military life.

    The explaination that there are no military markings on the watch "because they were the subject of a "local purchase order" does not ring true. Supply Officers` cash limits for local purchases were highly-regulated and very limited. The cost of 700 Seikos would undoubtedly be well-beyond any "local purchase" limits.

    As to the photographs in Charlie`s message. This is a modern-day watch and, unfortunately, I do not think that it has anything to do with the military, despite the stamped numbers on the back. I see no reason why the MOD would purchase an attractive coloured faced watch such as this one. An RAF Supply Officer I know has checked for me and, apparently, there are no such watches anywhere on the MOD inventory.

    Sorry folks!"


    But that doesn't mean to say they aren't nice watches, sometimes, like the Benrus 'CIA' or the Seiko 'Contra' the myth becomes just a red herring to an otherwise interesting watch in its own right.

  24. #24

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Baden H
    I saw Charlotte today i'm sure she'll deliver :wink: her boss had put it in safe keeping for her and he keeps forgetting to bring it in.
    Still no box pic after 2 weeks or more.

    In January 2009 charlie chuckles posted on MWR http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21075 claiming that she had bought a "Vulcan" watch and that it came in a cardboard box marked with nsn number. She stated on 16 Jan 2009 that she would post photos tomorrow. Tomorrow never came.

    On 10 Nov 2010 Miss Chuckles posted on this esteemed forum that
    "I am a proud owner of a Seiko Vulcan Bombers Yellow face complete with original issue box"
    and later in the same thread
    "I will post the Vulcan box at a later date as I have to retrive it from my loft"

    On 11 Nov 2010, Baden Harrison told us
    "I saw Charlotte today i'm sure she'll deliver her boss had put it in safe keeping for her and he keeps forgetting to bring it in."

    It (the box?) seems to have moved from Miss C's loft to her boss's place of safe keeping in a day or less. Or perhaps........

    Now, fellow WIS, I'm not the most patient of men but that's not the point; I'm not getting any younger! In a few short years I'll have reached the allocated 3 score years and 10, so........... is it possible do you think, that Miss Chuckles could put us all out of our misery before the grim reaper reaches my name on his list ?

    I am forever an optimist

    Dave

  25. #25
    Master Nalu's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    ^ PoD! :D

  26. #26
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne
    Quote Originally Posted by xpatUSA
    John, I worked on Vulcans at Cottesmore and Waddington for three years in the late 60's and have no recollection of ever seeing a yellow-faced watch on any aircrew. Although I wasn't horologically inclined at the time, I would probably have noticed.
    The yellow dialled Seiko wasn't available for another 20 years after you worked on Vulcans :wink: .
    Eddie
    duh!

    A thought occurs . . . back in the eighties, the military fashion was tending to sterile watch dials, at least in the USA. Now picture our intrepid Vulcan aircrew member floating down to the desert (assuming he had managed to successfully climb out the entrance door and jump - yep, only the pilots had ejector seats!!). He is immediately surrounded by munts who yell "shufti watch, John" . . . bang!!

  27. #27

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by xpatUSA
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne
    Quote Originally Posted by xpatUSA
    John, I worked on Vulcans at Cottesmore and Waddington for three years in the late 60's and have no recollection of ever seeing a yellow-faced watch on any aircrew. Although I wasn't horologically inclined at the time, I would probably have noticed.
    The yellow dialled Seiko wasn't available for another 20 years after you worked on Vulcans :wink: .
    Eddie
    duh!

    A thought occurs . . . back in the eighties, the military fashion was tending to sterile watch dials, at least in the USA. Now picture our intrepid Vulcan aircrew member floating down to the desert (assuming he had managed to successfully climb out the entrance door and jump - yep, only the pilots had ejector seats!!). He is immediately surrounded by munts who yell "shufti watch, John" . . . bang!!
    Hmm. Interesting theory Ted.
    I bought mine on Ebay in May 2007 from a lady in the USA. The watch was simply described as "SEIKO 3 DIAL CHRONOGRAPH TACHYMETER OLDER WATCH YELLOW" There were no references in the auction to Vulcan or any military connection. It wasn't cheap but I didn't pay "silly money", although I was probably prepared to at the time.

    After the watch had been delivered I asked the lady seller if she had any history of the watch. This was her unedited reply:

    "History over 5 years ago bought a large collection of watches from at a military show in Raleigh NC which is very close to Ft Bragg, it included this watch with no history other good watch in the group was a Omega first man on moon (original), my guess is as most of the watches were military or private purchase military that they were collected around Ft Bragg and thanks for the purchase it is a nice watch"

    Anyone any idea about military shows in Raleigh NC or what type of facility is/was at Ft Bragg?

    Kind regards
    Dave

  28. #28

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Fort Bragg is the home of the Airborne.
    http://www.bragg.army.mil/
    The Lady proberly went to a NAWCC show they can be large shows that sell clocks and watches and tools for watch and clock repair.

  29. #29
    Master
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Perhaps this is it! ebay 170570679040.I have no connection with the seller or the watch.Bob.

  30. #30
    Master Nalu's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Quote Originally Posted by DaveS
    Anyone any idea about military shows in Raleigh NC or what type of facility is/was at Ft Bragg?

    Kind regards
    Dave
    Bragg has been the home of the 82nd Airborne Division since 1946. It is also home to a number of SF units, including 3rd SFG(A) and 7th SFG(A). Bragg is adjacent to Pope Air Force Base, which has a huge airlift capacity (= pilots and aircrew).

  31. #31
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I suspect (but remain hopeful....) that this is a 'unicorn' of the watch world.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  32. #32

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Just to add a little more controversy to the yellow seiko. I heard another story from a gentlemen who has been supplying ex mod equipment for 35 years including watches as he has had the mod contracts for many years now.

    Basically over the years he has received several of these yellow dialled seikos in batches of watches and he told me that the ones he received all came from naval bases. He has actually toured the mod store rooms in several bases and witnessed many watches getting destroyed and placed in sealed oil drums and disposed off.

    Anyway back to the yellow dialled seikos when he enquired about them he was told they were used by submarine crews. So who knows hey!!!

  33. #33
    Master chrisb's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I know one ex Vulcan pilot who says he used to wear a Hamilton chrono (like the PRS5) and a Seiko Bellmatic on the other wrist. He used the Seiko as a tactile warning for the first turn point(or something like that), he couldn't hear it but could feel the alarm as the watch was under is flight suit. The Bellmatics were not issued, the pilots supplied them theirselves.

  34. #34

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Drum roll :wink:

  35. #35

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    For some reason Charlotte couldn't post on this forum? So here is a link to her new Vulcan watch box thread on watch talk.http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=147621

  36. #36
    Master RABbit's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    Yes. It is a myth.

  37. #37

    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    I have posted this in the watch talk thread too as Charlotte cant access this forum/
    I have been to Anchor to see Charlotte and they had a few of these in a few years ago all with there boxes and her boss swears they came with a order letter saying Vulcan, sadly without the letter its hearsay.
    Her boss still has a few watches with there matching boxes with matching serial numbers fact.

    I contacted one of my customers who works in the military stores for the Army in Nottingham and gave him all the details listed by Charlotte on the box.
    After a few days research he called me today and his conclusion was one of 2 possibilities.

    Firstly the good news he was pretty certain these where purchased by the MOD he has seen these type of boxes before

    Thats where the good news wavers a little
    My customer in the MOD stores has seen similar boxes especially for civilian purchases for MOD, he said the MOD purchased quite a few seiko LCD stop watches a few years back that never had a stamped NSN number. At anchor they have some LCD seiko stop watches with no NSN that came from the MOD hmmmmm.

    This leads to the theories.

    Both of these theories have been discussed by mod stores and long serving military personnel.

    Theory 1. These where purchased as a commemorative item for vulcan crews and never used. He felt this was a very big possibility.

    Theory 2. They where intended for use with vulcan/RAF personal and got shelved and forgot.

    Either way they where shelved by someone in the MOD and by his reckoning its quite normal for this to happen.

    He said when it came to military surplus the MOD where never sentimental if it gathered dust it got sold and usually the simplest answer is the right one.
    The MOD stores carry everything from socks to tank engines so maybe our passion is a little lost on these guys lol
    I suppose we like to think every new recruit just cant wait to get his hands on a watch but alas they have more manly urges on there minds or possibly a pair of socks without holes in. Sadly in 2010 our heroes are more worried about kevlar than pulsar
    Maybe we feel that this is such a grail watch that we forget it was a simple decision that shelved the watch!
    Devenport 1984
    "err John did you hear they've disbanded the vulcan squadron!" "bugger I've just ordered 300 watches for them guys they where complaining the dials where too dull" "bung em in a box John we'll find a use for em"

    We might be having this same discussion in 20 years time about ark Royal 0552 watches I think there wrist watches might be the last thing on there minds during the defence budget cuts

    Well for me its a bloody loverly watch that was good enough to be purchased by the MOD even if it was for Royal Navy lolly pop men I havent got one and if I can buy one for the right price I will snap it up just encase I find a picture of Michael Heseltine wearing one getting into a westland helicopter with a folder marked Project Vulcan "top secret" tucked under his arm!!

    Oh and one final thing he said just because the box says Devenport it doesn't mean they where purchased by them things got shifted quite a bit by the MOD.
    on that note he did say I try looking down the navy/coast guard route makes sense.

  38. #38
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    Seiko Vulcan

    Hello lads,

    Ok so I read the thread and really wanted to get all your views on the attached.

    http://www.chrono24.com/en/seiko/vul...-id2767210.htm

    Personally I think it looks legit and as these "Vulcan" Seiko's are covered in mystery they do have an extra layer of appeal them.

    Cheers

  39. #39
    Master Seiko7A38's Avatar
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    Re: Is it time to lay the 'Vulcan' Seiko to rest?

    One would have thought so, by now - right ?

    Apparently not - according to Julian Hogg (one-time director of Anchor Supplies, effectively the instigators of 'the Vulcan myth').

    Yesterday evening a rather nice condition 7A38-701B 'Vulcan' was listed on eBay.

    The description includes all the same old bull churned out once again for the benefit of gullible punters:


    Seiko Air Crew Quartz Chronograph.
    Near perfect condition, British Military issue, always believed to be Vulcan Bomber air crew issue, although some forums now dispute this. This particular timepiece was a direct release from the MOD, and has been kept immaculate, only worn a few times, still has the original box, instruction manual, even the spare links for the strap.
    I believe only 700 of these were made, whether it is Vulcan or not, it is still a very rare genuine Military watch.
    Out of the 700 made, I cannot believe you could find a better example of this superb watch.
    Reluctant sale to help fund a new project, starting bid of £500.
    Advertised elsewhere may remove if sold.
    Note that it comes supplied with a period Seiko box (not a waxed cardboard 'MOD' box) - and the WRONG manual. Doh !


  40. #40
    In going to the 44 Squadron memorial service at Waddington in November. I'll keep my eyes open to see if I spot any.

  41. #41
    Craftsman
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    I don't know who was supposed to get them or why but they were available I saw them at HMS Heron and HMS Daedalus. I'm convinced they were purchased by the MOD (how else could they be in stores?) but why is anyone's guess.

    Just a thought! but isn't the MOD/RN shore mounted nuclear reactor for trials and training called Vulcan?

    Just checked, HMS Vulcan in Scotland was the location of the trials reactor, still called Vulcan. It'd make a lot more sense for these watches to have been issued there than on the Vulcan aircraft. It would also explain why they appeared at RN stations.

    At the time these Seiko's were in production a new reactor was being installed for trials
    Last edited by James K; 11th October 2014 at 20:18. Reason: additional information

  42. #42
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Anchor Supplies used to have (and still may have) a trade depot on the outskirts of Nottingham where they sold in bulk and also stored the larger items of ex-military kit. I visited a few times and bought a few Smiths militaries, Hamilton, Precista and Newmark chronos and became quite friendly with the storeman.

    One day he phoned me and asked me what I know about a yellow dial Seiko as he'd just received one in a parcel of watches from the MoD. I had heard of the "Vulcan" Seiko and previously seen one so I told him what I knew and advised him that it was a rare watch, especially as his came wrapped in wax paper inside a cardboard box with MoD stock numbers on it. He put it on eBay and it made over £700, and that must have been at least 15 years ago.

    I know tha debate will continue but I can only report what I personally witnessed.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  43. #43
    Craftsman
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    HMS Vulcan

    Here's a MWR conversation that went on a couple of years ago. Look at Post #18.

    http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showt...ght=HMS+Vulcan

    HMS Vulcan gets my vote.

    Terry

  44. #44
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    I've had both versions, both with black dials. The no-date with a revolving bezel and the day/date with a clean bezel (with no writing at all). “Thinness” wasn’t an element that first came to mind. I suppose they are thin in relation to today’s ETA 7750s, etc but those days most chronos were manual. I would have described the thickness … as about right, rather than thin.

    john
    There are three versions - there was also a moonphase version for the really serious night bomber pilots, the 7A48. I have poked around inside a 28 and a JLC mecaquartz and I know which I think is the better movement. I have been hoovering the buggers up in any spec and condition for the last fifteen years, A) because there are so many cool versions and B) one day someone is going to realise that it's the finest quartz chronograph ever made and the price will head West quite suddenly.

  45. #45
    Master Seiko7A38's Avatar
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    More than you might think

    Quote Originally Posted by M4tt View Post
    There are three versions - there was also a moonphase version for the really serious night bomber pilots, the 7A48. I have poked around inside a 28 and a JLC mecaquartz and I know which I think is the better movement. I have been hoovering the buggers up in any spec and condition for the last fifteen years, A) because there are so many cool versions and B) one day someone is going to realise that it's the finest quartz chronograph ever made and the price will head West quite suddenly.
    There are 'a few' more besides just the 3 basic Seiko versions (7A28, 7A38, 7A48) which you refer to Matt. Apart from those better known variants of the Seiko 15J quartz chrono' caliber there are the 7A07 (stopwatch), 7A34, 7A36 ('Surf Timer') Lassale 7A54 (pocket watch) and 'Swiss Made' Jean Lassale Thalassa 7A74.

    Then you've got the re-branded versions: Shimauchi Ltd. V905 / V906 (used by C.G.H.: Yema, Kamatz, Jaz, YSL, Loris Azzaro, Fred Joaillier, etc. plus another 'unbranded' V906 used in the Junghans High Tech). Orient J3820 / J3920 used by Orient / Racer; Jepic Corp. Y19 used by Puma (but also built by Orient), Ferrari Cal. 531 / 532 used in the Cartier Ferrari Formulas. And so on ....

    That's just to name what I can rattle off the top of my head. Sooo many cool versions in fact.

    PS - I realized that quite some time ago.
    Last edited by Seiko7A38; 20th October 2014 at 09:29.

  46. #46
    Master Seiko7A38's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    He put it on eBay and it made over £700, and that must have been at least 15 years ago.
    Regardless of the Vulcan myth, 'over £700' still looks like a good number for a pristine example:


  47. #47
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seiko7A38 View Post
    There are 'a few' more besides just the 3 basic Seiko versions (7A28, 7A38, 7A48) which you refer to Matt. Apart from those better known variants of the Seiko 15J quartz chrono' caliber there are the 7A07 (stopwatch), 7A34, 7A36 ('Surf Timer') Lassale 7A54 (pocket watch) and 'Swiss Made' Jean Lassale Thalassa 7A74.

    Then you've got the re-branded versions: Shimauchi Ltd. V905 / V906 (used by C.G.H.: Yema, Kamatz, Jaz, YSL, Loris Azzaro, Fred Joaillier, etc. plus another 'unbranded' V906 used in the Junghans High Tech). Orient J3820 / J3920 used by Orient / Racer; Jepic Corp. Y19 used by Puma (but also built by Orient), Ferrari Cal. 531 / 532 used in the Cartier Ferrari Formulas. And so on ....

    That's just to name what I can rattle off the top of my head. Sooo many cool versions in fact.

    PS - I realized that quite some time ago.

    Humbled! Thanks for the knowledge!

  48. #48
    Master inspector gadget's Avatar
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    Julian Hogg has another ....


  49. #49
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
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    My personal view is that the MOD may have procured them, but without the military markings on the back didn't issue them, if they were proper contract issue watches they would have these wouldnt they? After all, there are lots of other Seiko chronos of the same era with all the markings..

  50. #50
    Having spent all of of last sunday in the company of former Vulcan air crew, not one of them was wearing a Seiko like this.

    I'm not in the slightest bit surprised

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