# Seiko With Eastern Arabic Numerals



## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Good afternoon

Hi. I have purchased a Seiko watch with eastern arabic numerals. I am sooo excited.

As I am a complete novice, I would appreciate any information you are able to give me on this watch, or the best place for me to source any information?

The back plate reads:

SEIKO

water resistant

st.steel

+ base metal

V701 - 2D20 R1

JAPAN

6D6900

Thank you for your kind attention.

Regards

Gill


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

Not wishing to burst your bubble, but Seiko consider the (V701A) quartz movement in your watch to be disposable:

http://www.watchuseek.com/seikocitizen/SeikoTechnicalManuals/V700A_V701A.pdf


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> Hi. I have purchased a Seiko watch with eastern arabic numerals.


Could you post a photo of the dial with the eastern arabic numerals?

I presume the watch looks something like these:


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks for your reply.

The numerals are in arabic (middle eastern) script, no regular numbers, batons, or roman.


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 13, 2012)

Looks different.

I have never seen a watch with anything but Numerals or digits.


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Errr starting to get a little concerned .... I understood that it was made in Japan for marketing in middle east.

I purchased it on ebay and am waiting for it to arrive (there is a 14 day returns policy from the seller).

I have tried to research it but am drawing a blank. Only thing I have found out is the logo above looks like galaxy model?

If anyone can add anything .....


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

SNAKEBITE said:


> Looks different.
> 
> I have never seen a watch with anything but Numerals or digits.


They're not that uncommon. Here's a Seiko 5 with Thai numerals, that was FS on SCWF last year.


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## SNAKEBITE (Feb 13, 2012)

Looks nice, I suppose now I know they exist I'll be seeing them all the time!


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> Errr starting to get a little concerned .... I understood that it was made in Japan for marketing in middle east.
> 
> I purchased it on ebay and am waiting for it to arrive (there is a 14 day returns policy from the seller).
> 
> ...


Don't get too concerned at this stage. It may well be a genuine Arab market variant of V701-2D20 - as opposed to a re-dial.

Look closely at the bottom of the dial and you'll see printed JAPAN V601 3F20. That dial number is in the right ballpark. 

You are also correct about the Galaxy logo. Odd though, that Seiko used it on this, and not other V701-2D20 model variations.

If you read what Pawl_Buster wrote in the Seiko Branding Dictionary thread on WUS, in his posts #1 and #5, it all ties in:

http://forums.watchu...tml#post1489540



> I don't think the GLX is related to the older Galaxie or Galaxy models at all. They were a low end entry and usually quartz.
> 
> The distinguishing feature they had was the logo which is quite similar to the current Credor logo.





> The Galaxy was a line of inexpensive funky, dress watches; most of which were gold plated.


What was the eBay item number, if you don't mind me asking?


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Thank you soo much for this information and the link. I can see I have so much to learn.

The ebay ref is 150861163275.

I have emailed seiko in japan for any info as I cant find any on the net. Unless I am looking in the wrong place?


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

Hmmm. Well, the auction listing seems kocher enough. You certainly couldn't accuse the seller of hiding anything in small print. 

I wanted to see the photo of the caseback for myself, and sure enough, it is stamped more or less exactly how you had written:

ST. STEEL

+ BASE METAL

which isn't what I'd expect to find on an all-over gold plated watch like this. In my experience, they're normally stamped:

*SGP* (Steel Gold Plated) *ST.STEEL BACK* or *BASE METAL ST. STEEL BACK*

The way your watch is stamped makes me wonder if it was originally a Stainless / Gold two-tone (like the R.H. image in post #3)

which someone has gone to the expense of having all over gold plated. It also looks rather yellower in most of the seller's photos than normal.

Other than that, if you don't mind my saying, you appear to have paid over the odds for it.

You could have bought a NOS Seiko V701 for that price, and a NOS Lorus or Pulsar equivalent for less than half that.

But they wouldn't have had that Arabic dial, which I suspect is the reason you wanted it.









One last thing. If you plan on replacing that ill-fitting suede strap - the lug width is 17mm, not a particularly common size.

Try watchbandcenter.com - they've got a pretty good selection.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> I have emailed seiko in japan for any info as I cant find any on the net. Unless I am looking in the wrong place?


I'll be surprised if you get any reply from Japan. Self help is usually the order of the day, with discontinued Seikos.

http://service.seiko...1456:Go:NO:RP::

Type V701 in the Caliber field and 2D20 in the Case No field, and hit the search button. Have fun !!


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks DeeDubya

Nooo - I didnt pay the asking price on ebay. I negociated with the seller and paid half the asking price. You are correct - the arabic style numbers was the attraction for me.

I have received a reply from Seiko Japan too to my surprise! Here is a copy of the email:

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your patronage of SEIKO products.

In reply to your inquiry, we are unable to give the exact production date,

but we can inform you that the watch (case no. V701-2D20) was produced

from 1996 to 2000. Your watch was the men's analogue quartz watch, 3 bar water resistant and marketed

in Asia and Middle East.

We hope this answers your inquiry.

With best regards,

M. Takano, CS Dept.

SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

*********************************************************************************

Information supplied by our customers will only be shared within the SEIKO

organization and its associated entities.

The above is just our response to the sender of this inquiry and should not

be presented to any other person(s) and entities.

*********************************************************************************

I will put a new strap on it when it arrives as the one supplied is rather tatty. I quite like the moc croc effect and will use watchbandcentre as you recommend.

Thank you once again and I really appreciate your advice and assistance.

Gill


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> In reply to your inquiry, we are unable to give the exact production date,
> 
> but we can inform you that the watch (case no. V701-2D20) was produced from 1996 to 2000.


Did you not give them the serial number Gill? 6D narrows it down to *D*ecember 199*6*.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> I will put a new strap on it when it arrives as the one supplied is rather tatty. I quite like the moc croc effect and will use watchbandcentre as you recommend.


May I be as bold as to recommend something a little more exotic than common-or-garden mock croc?

If you fancy splashing out a bit, that is. How about Ostrich Leg? WBC stock a rather nice Barington strap in 17mm.


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

DeeDubya said:


> You could have bought a NOS Seiko V701 for that price, and a NOS Lorus or Pulsar equivalent for less than half that.
> 
> But they wouldn't have had that Arabic dial, which I suspect is the reason you wanted it.


How about eBay 350582815784 for you next purchase? Check out the strap! :lol:


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Oohh. Yes. That is a nice strap. Good choice.

I did send Seiko the serial number - its part of their online request form to complete. Also sent them the photos but thats all they returned back. I am happy they acknowledged it I suppose.

I can see this watch bug biting my pockets already. I am already selling my Radley watch on ebay to add to the fund.

Thanks once again


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Let me take a peep at that one on ebay ....

Thanks once again


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

DeeDubya said:


> DeeDubya said:
> 
> 
> > You could have bought a NOS Seiko V701 for that price, and a NOS Lorus or Pulsar equivalent for less than half that.
> ...


Lol. See .... You know me too well already. Just fits in with my mentality too. Well spotted. lol


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> Lol. See .... You know me too well already.


Possibly, Gill. But do you just Talk the Talk, or can you Walk the Walk?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0ShN1QTtfo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0ShN1QTtfo


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## SEIKO7A38 (Feb 12, 2009)

niley said:


> Oohh. Yes. That is a nice strap. Good choice.


I've got a couple myself - in 18mm width, in that mid-brown / tan colour and also in black, fitted to a pair of small-ish gold-plated watches.

I think they work rather well. It's also available in a darker brown and dark blue in 17mm width fitting - but WBC don't list it in 17mm / black.

Might be worth asking them, if you fancied it in black.


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## niley (Jul 16, 2012)

Just waiting for it to arrive .... Eta 3 aug.

Ive spent quite a bit of time in Egypt so Ive certainly walked the walk. Lol


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