# Seiko 7A36 Surf Timer On The Bay



## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

Was anybody else watching the 7A36-7010 on eBay in the States, which finished in the early hours of this morning ? :lookaround:

Very rarely found outside Japan (being a low volume production JDM model); this was the first time I'd seen one on eBay.

But obviously of limited appeal to most 7Axx collectors, because it sold for only $110. 



> *VINTAGE SEIKO SURF TIMER AQUA BLUE CHRONOGRAPH WATCH*






























Nothing, if not over-enthusiastically described by the eBay seller:



> This is a very rugged yet stylish VINTAGE SEIKO SPORTS SURF TIMER swimmers CHRONOGRAPH/DAY-DATE watch, reference number 7A36-7010. It is in OUTSTANDING condition from the 1970's. I got this last week from a dealer who is going out of business and recently found this in a store room. It has some shop wear on the caseback and crystal but the watch is really hot for the age. In order to err on the side of you I will say it is in OUTSTANDING condition throughout. The watch is great looking, and works perfectly. It is 100% GUARANTEED authentic and accurate as written but does not come with box or paperwork.
> 
> CASE: 42mm stainless steel and rubber case, with fixed blue bezel lighter aqua blue crowns. Water resistant.
> 
> ...


In fact, although the leather strap was 'new old stock', it was nothing like the original Seiko fitment. :thumbsdown:


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... this was the first time I'd seen one on eBay.


But I had come across them before, so I knew what it was - effectively a plastic coated 'cut-down' 7A38,

using the same movement as a 7A38, with a Day/Date complication but without the 1/10s subdial / hand.

A thread dating back to December 2004 from the old SCWF: Seiko "Surf Timer" model 7A36 need info from anybody ???

I did some googling on them a year and more back, and found what appeared to be a N.O.S. 7A36-7010 for sale in Japan:

































That one is still shown for sale on 'WatchShop-L's website, with an asking price of Â¥68,000 Yen. 

That's equivalent to Â£515 Sterling or $844 US, which makes the eBay one look an absolute bargain,

.... despite the scratched crystal and case-back, and being fitted with that non-original leather strap.

Product sales code for the Blue/Green-faced 7A36-7010 was SKP012.

Incidentally, Google's translator reads the last line of the Japanese text as 'CONDITION: DEAD STOCK'.


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## watchking1 (Nov 14, 2007)

Saw it and passed.

Kinda fugly and fem looking. My brother's would never let me live this down IF I wore it


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> But I had come across them before ....
> 
> .... December 2004 from the old SCWF: Seiko "Surf Timer" model 7A36 need info from anybody ???


Indeed, if you look at that thread, the OP was referring to another variant of 7A36 Surf Timer:



> Hi, In the mid 80's I got a Seiko "Surf Timer" watch. It is a chronograph, with a *yellow face and a black* case. The case looks like it is made from hard plastic. It also has the date. On the back it is engraved with the model # *7A36-7000* AD and serial # 541207 It's really a very nice design. I got it from a commercial film director comming back from Japan. I looked everywhere to get info and just can not find anything on this watch ! Can anyone help me on this ....


Indeed, I'd found a reference to this particular variant on the currently defunct GMT+9 watch blog. :read:

IIRC, it was from one of their monthly auction watch threads .....

and included 3 photos (which I saved) of a NOS (with tags) 7A36-7000, which went unsold on Yahoo Japan.

Funnily enough, the very same 7A36-7000 (using the same 3 photos) was listed again on Yahoo Japan only yesterday.

See: http://page5.auction...ction/e83584270



> *ã‚»ã‚¤ã‚³ãƒ¼ 7A36 ã‚µãƒ¼ãƒ•ã‚¿ã‚¤ãƒžãƒ¼ ãƒ‡ãƒƒãƒ‰å"/ã‚¸ã‚¦ã‚¸ã‚¢ãƒ¼ãƒ­ ãƒ€ã‚¤ãƒãƒ¼*






























As you can see from the seller's photos, the sales code was SKP019, and the original retail price was Â¥35,000.

Current asking price for this one is even higher - Â¥79,800 Yen - equivalent to Â£606 Sterling or $991 US. :shocking:

So I guess it will be going unsold again.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

There was one of these Black and Yellow 7A36-7000's offered for sale on Watch-U-Seek, in January 2010.

See: http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-seiko-surf-timer-349502.html



















Like the 7A36-7010 which just ended on eBay, it was fitted with a non-original (rubber) strap - a bit easier to match in black.

I did see it at the time, and saved the full set of 5 photos, purely out of academic interest :schmoll: but didn't note the asking price.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Product sales code for the Blue/Green-faced 7A36-7010 was SKP012.





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... the sales code (for the Black/Yellow-faced 7A36-7000) was SKP019 ....


Looking at Seiko Oceania's database there was a third version of the 7A36 Surf Timer:










7A36-700A SKP018 - with a Black dial - no idea what colour the body /strap / pushers were though. 

No pictures of one to be found anywhere.  Maybe it was *Orange*. One for Shawn perhaps ?









Interestingly, the parts list for the 'SKP0181' includes a 'Leather Band' p/n GL29A. :umnik2:

Note also that the dial face colour for the Yellow-faced 7A36-7000 SKP019 is incorrectly shown as 'BROWN'.

That's a common data entry error across the whole Seiko Oz database - first found on the 7A38-701B Vulcan.

Of further interest to me is the top line: 7A36-7A10. Totally different product code SEJ027 and 7A20X914 dial. Hmmmm. :lookaround:


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## Davey P (Sep 9, 2010)

Not so keen on the blue one. Yellow looks quite cool, but doesn't look like 600 quids worth to me.


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

Had that on my watch list.

I'd have punted Â£50 for the 'quirk' value, but the Â£80ish quid still looks cheap for a fun watch.

Quite a rarity too.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

kevkojak said:


> Had that on my watch list. I'd have punted Â£50 for the 'quirk' value, but the Â£80ish quid still looks cheap for a fun watch.


I put in the first bid (under $20) purely out of interest, but then couldn't be bothered to follow through. :schmoll:



kevkojak said:


> Quite a rarity too.


Very much so - but limited appeal. Thought it might have gone a lot higher because of the (extreme) rarity factor.


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> That's equivalent to Â£515 Sterling


that looks like someone stuck a screw from their shed in a hole to fill it. Not my idea of fine engineering (that said, i don't like screwheads showing on any watch, Cartier and AP included)


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

scottswatches said:


> That looks like someone stuck a screw from their shed in a hole to fill it.


Seiko used the same self-tapping screw 'design feature' on the Arnie and Tuna shrouds if I'm not mistaken. :artist:


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> kevkojak said:
> 
> 
> > Had that on my watch list. I'd have punted Â£50 for the 'quirk' value, but the Â£80ish quid still looks cheap for a fun watch.
> ...


Price was probably an off-set between the large appeal as a collectable watch, but limited appeal as a wearable watch. (although I've got a couple of summer shirts it'd go with!) 

Still went cheap.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Nothing, if not over-enthusiastically described by the eBay seller ....














> CRYSTAL: Looks to be scratch resistant crystal but it is pretty scratched up from shop wear. Looks great though. :rofl2:


In case whoever bought the eBay 7A36-7010 happens to read this thread ....

I wish them good luck in finding a replacement crystal - Seiko p/n 320W50HU03. It's unique to this particular watch. 

Seiko Oceania's parts lists for the 7A36's include a crystal gasket p/n 86566880, which is common to the 7A28-700x Aliens, 7A38-704x family and various 7T32's, 7T62's, etc.

So assuming the edge of the crystal is nothing too elaborate under that shroud, perhaps a generic 32.0mm Ã˜ will fit.


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## new2the7A38 (Oct 6, 2010)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> > Nothing, if not over-enthusiastically described by the eBay seller ....
> ...


Every day I'm amazed at the time and detail you put into your posts. Thank you. :notworthy:


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## 7A28lvr (May 19, 2011)

watchking1 said:


> Saw it and passed.
> 
> Kinda fugly and fem looking. My brother's would never let me live this down IF I wore it


I am likely a member of the demographic that Seiko was targeting with this line of watches as I lived and surfed in east central Florida at the time. I don't think that it would have appealed to me in any configuration (too much plastic), although I recall wearing a Bulova diver (a gift) on a velcro strap. I had a friend who surfed with, and almost lost, a Rolex Submariner on a velcro strap. Had he lost that watch, it would have been a case of "easy come, easy go", as he had found the Rolex in a rental car.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Was anybody else watching the 7A36-7010 on eBay in the States, which finished in the early hours of this morning ? :lookaround:
> 
> Very rarely found outside Japan (being a low volume production JDM model); this was the first time I'd seen one on eBay.
> 
> ...


As a footnote - that same 7A36-7010 re-surfaced on Yahoo Japan Auctions yesterday.

See: http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m90312651



> *ã‚»ã‚¤ã‚³ãƒ¼ãƒ»ã‚µãƒ¼ãƒ•ã‚¿ã‚¤ãƒžãƒ¼ãƒ»7A36ã‚¯ãƒ­ãƒŽã‚°ãƒ©ãƒ•ï¼ˆã‚¸ã‚¦ã‚¸ã‚¢ãƒ¼ãƒ­7A28*





















Looks like the seller has had a go at polishing the scratched crystal, and fitted a Seiko diver strap.

But the serial number's the same - 550062.

This isn't the first time that I've noticed this seller 'Yamanoteeede2006' re-selling watches bought on eBay on Yahoo Japan.

There's got to have been at least half a dozen I've witnessed over the last couple of years. :umnik2:

The most recent was that Franken 7A38-705A. See: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=53526&st=120

His opening bid price is only Â¥1000 Yen, so it'll be interesting to see what profit he makes on the $110 purchase price.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> > Was anybody else watching the 7A36-7010 on eBay in the States, which finished in the early hours of this morning ? :lookaround:
> ...


HI I LIKE SEIKOS A LOT BUT THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE A BOYS IMO, IS IT A SMALL SIZE ALSO SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR THEM TO ME ALL THE BEST WOODY77


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

woody77 said:


> HI I LIKE SEIKOS A LOT BUT THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE A BOYS IMO, IS IT A SMALL SIZE ....





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> > CASE: *42mm* stainless steel and rubber case, with fixed blue bezel lighter aqua blue crowns.


NO NEED TO SHOUT WOODY :clapping: We can hear you. Try turning off the CAPS LOCK !!


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> As a footnote - that same 7A36-7010 re-surfaced on Yahoo Japan Auctions yesterday.
> 
> See: http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m90312651
> 
> ...


Looks like there is a profit, albeit sometimes a very marginal one, to be made 'carrying coals to Newcastle'. :lookaround:

That Yahoo Japan auction ended earlier this afternoon, after 27 bids at Â¥11,000 Yen - equivalent to $136 US.


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