# My New Orange Monster



## SimonD (Sep 20, 2007)

Having took an interest again in my watches I was tempted to get an orange monster and ended up buying one on e-bay for Â£62 inc del from Singapore.

It's a grey market one with no box or papers but the price got the better of me.

I love it. Here's a pic with my old fave yellow dial 7T32-7G30(Which I'm waiting for a crown & stem plus a new crystal) and my daily beater 7T32-7F70.

I may change the crystal on this one also as it has a deepish scratch on it.

Anyway a quick pic.










The wife bought me the Armani as a dress watch. I like the classic look of it.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

Which one has a scratch on the crystal?


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

SimonD said:


> Â£62 inc del from Singapore.
> 
> It's a grey market one with no box or papers


I only hope it's for real.


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## unlcky alf (Nov 19, 2006)

Doctor Varney said:


> I only hope it's for real.


It almost certainly will be, that's not an unusually low price for a legit Singapore import, the drawbacks are the lack of warranty and the fact that, if customs spot it, you could be charged the VAT on the full UK list rather than the price you paid. I don't know what position you'd be in if it went missing or was damaged in transit, depends on the seller I suppose.


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## SimonD (Sep 20, 2007)

I knew it would be a real one as the sellers feedback is very good.

It was one of those impulse buys but I'm really pleased as I expected it to come with a customs charge but hey ho.

I'm thinking of getting a black faced diver now and also like the look of the Citizen divers plus the Orient Blue Makos.

The more watches I see the more I want. For sentimental reasons the 7T32-7G30 yellow dial will always be my favourite and I love wearing it.

It was also the first watch that I wanted as soon as I saw it. I have a brand loyalty to Seiko, I can't explain it, I just love them.

Monsters, Tuna cans and Sumos have my attention at the moment.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

SimonD said:


> I have a brand loyalty to Seiko, I can't explain it, I just love them.


Can't say I blame you. I've had one for just a few months. I bought it, not because of advertising or hype, but because everything I'd read about them in reviews, forums, etc, made me more likely to trust them. The divers look good, feel tough and dependable and so far, it's the best watch I've ever owned. Sensibly priced, too and, after handling some watches five times it's price, can honestly say it's worth every penny. I just love the down to earth simplicity in Seiko's designs.

BTW - have you seen Seiko's new one yet? It's called the Kamikazi. Not many people have heard of it, but you'll probably like that, as well.


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## shaun (Aug 4, 2007)

They are great watches. I got my black one from RLT! You can get them cheaper without box and papers but it was a pressie to me so wanted the whole lot, also if you have any problems its a lot easier to send back!


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## SimonD (Sep 20, 2007)

Doctor Varney said:


> Which one has a scratch on the crystal?


The blue dial 7T32-7F70 had a deep scratch. You can just make it out on the original pic, it goes through 12 on the alarm and was a good 15mm.

I've just replaced the crystal on this one. I'd already polished the raised part of the bezel as it was a matt finish the same as the indented parts.

There were a few marks on it. Overall I'm really pleased with it. (I'll clean the 30 on the bezel 'cause I can see polish residue on the pic








)

I'm just waiting on a crystal for the yellow dial and I'm done (for now  ).


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

Doctor Varney said:


> BTW - have you seen Seiko's new one yet? It's called the Kamikazi. Not many people have heard of it, but you'll probably like that, as well.


I forgot to mention, it has seconds marked on the bezel... Perfect for timing your dive-bombing routines, or seconds left to live, after committing Hari-Kiri. The back opens up, to reveal a small compartment, for hiding your cyanide tablet. _Banzai!_

V


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Doctor Varney said:


> Doctor Varney said:
> 
> 
> > BTW - have you seen Seiko's new one yet? It's called the Kamikazi. Not many people have heard of it, but you'll probably like that, as well.
> ...

















Before you joined the forum, a banned former member (we think) calling himself Takhashi, a Japanese tourism student living in Devon, reckoned he had a Seiko belonging to a fighter pilot at Pearl Harbor. There followed a perceptible hush on the thread, until someone (maseman, I think ) said that if the owner had been a suicide pilot he must have been a crap one, or words to that effect.

Takahashi (sadly in some ways) buggered off after making a couple of hysterical appearances on another forum. Hey ho!


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

If anyone is feeling angry towards the actual pilots, I heard there was some evidence the poor buggers were strapped in to their cockpit chairs, fearing to return alive, for the shame and punishment which might greet them on their return.

Very sad indeed.

V


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Doctor Varney said:


> If anyone is feeling angry towards the actual pilots, I heard there was some evidence the poor buggers were strapped in to their cockpit chairs, fearing to return alive, for the shame and punishment which might greet them on their return.
> 
> Very sad indeed.
> 
> V


Nice watches, shame about the (previous?) barbaric culture. Get the feeling that its sooooo different now. Until I see one of their 'endurance' TV programmes. Then the worry starts again.


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## Doctor Varney (Jul 21, 2007)

I think we just have to accept that this is the way they are. It was a regime - just a product of the time, in the same way as Germany went through it (and so too has Britain). An outsider, looking in at the West, might well have reservations about our morality, when I'm sure the average person knows intrinsically, right from wrong and is reasonably altruistic, at heart, yet most of us take some delight in movie violence, to some degree.

Personally, I love Japanese business models. I believe it is a myth they've copied our tech, just to minaturize and sell it on. They manage to innovate and with Japan being a set of broken up islands, with the need to tunnel through mountains, in order to send trains, it's little wonder they have such fine engineers. The history of Japanese art, metallurgy and craftsmanship fascinates me, also. My father keeps a collection of Bonsai trees. I read the history of Seiko watches and the want and need to improve on Swiss movements and offer the common man in the street a fine automatic watch at a nice price, suits me just fine. One day, I hope to visit Tokyo to soak up the culture (oh and the Saki!) and be one of the tallest dudes in town.









As far as wartime antics go, I think it's enough to remember what the British and Americans have done throughout history when summing it all up. Cruelty potentially lies in all of us. It's just that some events go towards building a percieved 'national identity'. It's worth remembering some of the more positive achievements... Such as Seiko









And in anycase - we can hardly pin films like Battle Royale upon Japanese 'sickness', when it has a HUGE western following...

V


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