# A Few Of My Own 7A38 'Frankens' - Shock, Horror !



## SEIKO7A38

One of the downsides of building up a collection of 7A38's (or anything else for that matter) ....

Is that 'Sod's Law', states that no sooner than you buy an example of a certain 'rare' version ....

A slightly better example will come up on eBay, sooner or later - sometimes within weeks !! :angry:

So you buy that one, and put the one you'd previously bought / refurbished, whatever, back on eBay ....

Or sometimes you just can't be bothered, and end up with 2, 3 or even 4 of the same model. :blush:

Back in June, I made these couple of posts in the other 7A38 'Franken' thread: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=53526



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get me wrong .... I've got nothing against 'Frankens', when 'needs must' ....
> 
> 
> 
> *.... or for that matter **for one's own personal consumption and enjoyment.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In fact, after lunch, I decided to build one *for myself* :angel_not: - just for the sheer hell of it. :bag:
> 
> .... I am currently wearing an absolutely stunning-looking 7A38 'Franken' as I type this. :wub:
Click to expand...

Anyway, rather than put some my duplicate 7A38's back on eBay, instead, I've indulged in a little 'modding'. 

Anybody interested in seeing some of my recent 7A38 'Franken' creations ?


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## SEIKO7A38

Before I go any further ....

I will admit that I'm not averse to blatant plagiarism :naughty: - when something looks 'right' - even if it's a wrong 'un. :dontgetit:

.... and as dear departed Kenny Everett's alter ego used to say: "It's all done in the best possible taste". :rofl:


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## SEIKO7A38

Anyway .... Getting back to where it all started - both the collecting and the 'modding'.

As I've written before, somewhere, I'd owned my first (and only) original Seiko 7A38 for 20 odd years. :wub:

It's the 'classic' stainless black-faced 7A38-7270 model - and still has all it's minor accumulated wabi.

I 'resurrected' it, after years of languishing unworn in a drawer, and contacted Seiko UK, about getting it serviced.

They didn't seem particularly interested, nor helpful, other than offering to relieve me of Â£85 for the privilige of looking at it.

They said that the caliber was no longer supported, and that they had no spares stock for it.

So I decided to search on eBay (for an identical model) in case I ever needed parts for mine.

And so I began to discover (all the) other versions of Seiko 7A38, and bought 'a couple' that took my fancy. 

The third 7A38 which I bought on eBay, in January 2009, was a stainless black-faced 7A38-7270 ....

Ideal as the spares donor (if ever needed) for my original watch.

But as you've probably gathered, I didn't stop there. :blush:

It only cost me Â£50 + postage, too !! 










Although it wasn't in such good condition as my original, and the seller wrongly described it as having a fault:



> *VINTAGE SEIKO QUARTZ CHRONOGRAPH *
> 
> *
> 7A38-7270*
> 
> *
> *
> 
> *
> This auction is for a Seiko quartz chronograph watch for spares or repair only.*
> 
> *
> The movement is a 15 jewel 7A38 and keeps perfect time, however the chronograph does not work as it should.*
> 
> *
> When you push the button to start the chronograph it works fine, with all the hands registering as they should, the stop button stops them, but they will not reset without pulling out the crown and then the large seconds hand does not return to the top position.*
> 
> *
> Overall this watch is in very nice condition with few noticeable marks.*
> 
> *
> The bracelet is original and will fit up to a 7-1/2" wrist.*


It didn't take much effort to sort the 'chrono problem' - and it was far too nice to break up for parts. 

So I kept it as was - until a few months later when I needed a B1615S bracelet for a stainless 7A38-727B project ....

At which point it got robbed of it.


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## SEIKO7A38

I was sure I'd already written up about this first modded 7A38-7270 'Franken' of mine elsewhere, before. 

But I've searched and searched, and I'm b*ggered if I can find the thread (if it was on RLT). :umnik2:

So apologies to anyone who may have seen it somewhere before.









Now where was I ?



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> So I kept it as was - until a few months later when I needed a B1615S bracelet for a stainless 7A38-727B project ....
> 
> At which point it got robbed of it.


In the meantime, purely 'on spec', I'd bought a couple of NOS Seiko bracelets off 'moldymeat' on eBay.

One of them was a Seiko p/n Z337S - stainless with black painted 'inserts':










It didn't immediately dawn on me to fit this, as a 'temporary' replacement, on my 'spares' 7A38-7270.

It was 18mm lug width fitting, but the lug ears needed a little 'tweaking' to get it to sit properly:










It didn't look too out of place, and so I decided to keep it on. 

Now, being an ex-parts guy (16+ years with Intel UK), and naturally inquisitive ....

I was intrigued to know what that Z337S bracelet was originally meant to be used on. :lookaround:

So I did a 'where used' look-up on Seiko Australia's database (on p/n Z337S) ....

.... and it came up with Cal. # 8223, and case models -7040; -7049; -704A and B.

I was none the wiser, until a nice example of an 8223-704B came up on eBay in Germany:




























Although it was an attractive looking watch, I didn't bid on it or buy it. Just right-clicked and saved the photos ....



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I will admit that I'm not averse to blatant plagiarism :naughty: - when something looks 'right' ....


.... but it did give me an idea.


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... but it did give me an idea.


I'd also since bought a mint black chrome plated 7A38-7180 (from a member of this forum) ....

.... and quite a nice, but slightly worn, example of a black chrome-plated 7A38-7290 off eBay.

The 7A38-7290 effectively being the exactly the same watch as my stainless black-faced 7A38-7270 (but totally black).

But it wasn't perfect - it had some slight rubbing wear on the bracelet and bezel. 

I was lucky to find that Cousins UK had just one of the black chromed bezel, Seiko p/n 82341003 in their stock. 

Bought it - snatched it, even - the very first thing I ever ordered from them, IIRC. :notworthy:

I had intended to fit it to my 7A38-7290 .... but about a month later, a much nicer example came up on eBay.

(You can go on and on looking for better examples all the time - here's another: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290459164883 )

So I sold my first 7A38-7290 back on eBay, immediately, at a considerable profit - but without fitting that NOS bezel. :blush:

The bezel was now effectively 'surplus to requirements', and as I needed a better stainless bezel for the 7A38-727B ....

.... my second (already) lightly 'modded' 7A38-7270 got 'robbed' again, and fitted with the NOS black chromed bezel:










Here it is alongside my original stainless black-faced 7A38-7270, for comparison:










The 'Franken' still needs some better hands - and I'm tempted to paint the sweep second hand 'dayglo' red. :naughty:


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## SEIKO7A38

The second of my 7A38 'Frankens' is one that I've only just started nailing together today. :hammer:

But first, a little history. :yawn:

Only the second 7A38 I bought on eBay, back in late December 2008, was a NOS mint boxed with tags 7A38-7289.

This is the eBay seller's (pretty poor) listing photo, although the watch is still instantly recognisable, as such:










A few months later, I bought a nice, lightly used example of a 7A38-728A:










Don't ask me why - because the only differences between the 7A38-7289 and the -728A are the case-back stampings ! 

You'd think that was enough (of this particular variant) - right ? :dontgetit:

But No - I went and bought another similar two-tone white-faced 7A38-728A in August last year. :blush:

I think I was more interested to find out what lay behind the eBay seller's rather fuzzy listing photo:










Thanks mostly to the seller's diabolical listing photo, hence few other bidders, I got it for slightly over 30 Quid ! 

It ran perfectly, just needing a new battery, crystal and a bit of re-brushing to the case and bracelet.

I've worn it, on and off, for the last year, as a 'bargain basement daily beater' ....

But I'd started to tire of it, and had thought about putting it back on eBay. I mean - who really needs 3 of them ?


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I will admit that I'm not averse to blatant plagiarism :naughty: ....


And before anybody accuses me - here's where I got the original idea for my next 7A38 'Franken' ....

From late 2008, and still to this day - I right-click and save any and every photo of a 7A38 I come across.

Call me obsessive if you like :tongue2: - but it's all part of the learning process, as far as I'm concerned. :smartass:

In December 2008, I right-clicked and saved this photo - though I can't for the life of me remember where:










I had no idea what it was at the time, and for some while after, the photo remained on file captioned as 'Unknown 7A38'. :duh:

Interestingly, if you check the original photo properties, it was taken on 23/06/2003.

I later figured out for myself that it was actually a 'Franken' (probably the first I ever encountered) ....

Being made up of: the 609L dial face and hands (minus lume) from a 7A38-6109 gold-plated 'blingy diver' ....

.... fitted in a 7A38-7060 stainless case (presumably once the white-faced version), on a non-original bracelet.

I still found it reasonably attractive, mostly because of the very pretty white and gold 609L dial face ....

.... but, somehow the dial looked slightly too small in the 7A38-7060's case, with it's 32.0mm diameter crystal.

With those gold accents on the dial face, to my mind, it would have looked better in a 31.0mm Ã˜ crystal two-tone case.

You can guess what's coming, right ? :yes:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I still found it reasonably attractive, mostly because of the very pretty white and gold 609L dial face ....
> 
> With those gold accents on the dial face, to my mind, it would have looked better in a 31.0mm Ã˜ crystal two-tone case.
> 
> You can guess what's coming, right ? :yes:


I picked up a 7A38-6109 sample case on eBay a week or two ago. Came relatively cheaply at $22.50 + shipping:










As I've already got a nice example of the 7A38-6109 gold-plated 'Blingy Diver', I didn't need it, as such ....

With another purpose in mind, I simply bought it for the 609L dial face and hands. It arrived yesterday.


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## Phillionaire

Always an interesting (and comprehensive) read

Keep em coming :thumbsup: , you've almost inspired me to add a 7a38 to my collection. I just don't know if I could go out and buy a seiko. I'm a citizen man, myself (well someone's gotta stand up to this seiko dominance)


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## SEIKO7A38

Phillionaire said:


> Always an interesting (and comprehensive) read.


Cheers, Phil. :cheers:



Phillionaire said:


> .... you've almost inspired me to add a 7A38 to my collection. I just don't know if I could go out and buy a Seiko.
> 
> I'm a Citizen man, myself (well someone's gotta stand up to this Seiko dominance)


Then you shouldn't really be considering a Seiko 7A38, Phil ....

But Citizen's contemporary attempt at answering Seiko's dominance - their Cal. 35xx quartz chrono's.

Here's a photo of a couple of Cal. 3510's and 3530's belonging to German collector Michael Rothe:










I must admit that I was sorely tempted by that lovely example of a Citizen Cal. 3530 offered on SCWF in May.

See: http://www.thewatchsite.com/index.php/topic,2725.msg12274.html










Derek ('LuvWatch') bought it, but then almost immediately flipped it on eBay ....

Fortunately I managed to convince myself that I thought the dial was 'too busy'. 



Phillionaire said:


> Keep em coming :thumbsup:


More on the subject of this latest 7A38 'Franken' creation of mine, tomorrow -

I got side-tracked this afternoon, and didn't have time to take the photos that I'd intended to.


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## DaveS

Great posts and pics as usual Paul. :clapping: :thumbsup:

Keep 'em coming.

Kind regards

Dave

PS I knew him when he had nowt!


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> With those gold accents on the dial face, to my mind, it would have looked better in a 31.0mm Ã˜ crystal two-tone case.
> 
> You can guess what's coming, right ? :yes:


Ahem. :blush: That'll teach me to start the big build-up, before I've even built the watch !









Although, in theory, all 7A38 dial face movements are interchangeable between cases ....

It would seem that some are slightly more interchangeable between cases than others ! :dontgetit:

I've encountered a very minor (not insurmountable) technical hitch. :hammer:

So in the meantime, here's a couple of quick and dirty photos with the 609L sample dial installed (sans movement):



















Pretty, eh ? :wub:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Although, in theory, all 7A38 dial face movements are interchangeable between cases ....
> 
> It would seem that some are slightly more interchangeable between cases than others ! :dontgetit:
> 
> I've encountered a very minor (not insurmountable) technical hitch. :hammer:


Let me try to explain. :lookaround:

(.... and please excuse the cr*ppy Q&D photos - the light has been awful most of this weekend.)

It's all to do with the way that Seiko constructed these two dials. :dontgetit:

On the left is the common or garden white / gold Roman numeral 7240 dial removed from the 7A38-728A.

On the right is the (IMHO) much prettier (and subtle) 609L dial removed from the 7A38-6109 sample case:










Note the multitude of different cut-outs around the dial face - standard fayre on every 7A38 dial I've seen.

I've not figured out the purpose of all of them, but in a conventional 7A38 watch case ....

like the 7A38-72xx series, some of them engage lugs and pips on the underside of the Tachy dial ring spacer:










However, in the 7A38-6109 'Blingy Diver', there is actually no need for these cut-outs, at all, because ....

.... the dial sits flat on a machined shelf inside the watch case - the dial being located by just the crown stem:










My little 'problem' has arisen because of the way that the two dials are (differently) constructed. :angry:

On the 7240 dial, the cut-outs are in the lower (sub-dial) plate, whereas ....

On the 609L dial, the cut-outs are in the upper main dial face plate.

So although the 609L dial face appears to engage some of the lugs and pips in the 7A38-728A Tachy ring ....

.... it doesn't sit quite as deep (by the thickness of half a dial face) into the Tachy dial ring spacer.

The upshot of this ....

is that if you look sideways at the watch, you can almost see 'daylight' under the Tachy ring in places. 

This actually manifests itself as uneven shadows - where the cut-outs are placed around the 609L dial.

Look carefully at my photos in the previous post (particularly around '400' on the Tachy in the first photo).

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get around this minor problem at the moment. 

Obviously I'll need to modify the plastic Tachy spacer ring to seat better on the 609L dial surface.

Whether I take it out, and remove all the existing pips and lugs, and sand it completely flat ....

Or whether to glue on tiny pieces of 10 thou white plasticard to fill in the unused cut-out spaces ....

Either way, I can't even begin to think about mounting the 609L dial onto the movement till it's sorted. :hammer:

.... of more anon.


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Note the multitude of different cut-outs around the dial face - standard fayre on every 7A38 dial I've seen.
> 
> I've not figured out the purpose of all of them, but in a conventional 7A38 watch case ....
> 
> like the 7A38-72xx series, some of them engage lugs and pips on the underside of the Tachy dial ring spacer ....
> 
> Obviously I'll need to modify the plastic Tachy spacer ring to seat better on the 609L dial surface.
> 
> Whether I take it out, and remove all the existing pips and lugs, and sand it completely flat ....


Once the Tachy dial ring spacer (*spacer* being the operative word) is out, it all becomes so bl**ding obvious ! 

Four of the pips on the back of the 7A38-728A Tachy dial ring act as *stand-offs* with the 7240 white Roman dial ....

They're the ones I've marked with a black pen - and these are surplus when using a 'flat' dial face such as the 609L.










Now, where's that Swann Morton #1 scalpel ? :butcher:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Four of the pips on the back of the 7A38-728A Tachy dial ring act as *stand-offs* with the 7240 white Roman dial ....
> 
> They're the ones I've marked with a black pen - and these are surplus when using a 'flat' dial face such as the 609L.
> 
> Now, where's that Swann Morton #1 scalpel ? :butcher:


Well actually I used a brand new #10A blade, and cut my bleeding finger, fitting it to the handle ! :doctor:

But the lightly modded Tachy dial ring came out of it unscathed - and now sits perfectly flat on the 609L dial:












SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> is that if you look sideways at the watch, you can almost see 'daylight' under the Tachy ring in places.
> 
> This actually manifests itself as uneven shadows - where the cut-outs are placed around the 609L dial.


No more gaps ! 

It'll be interesting to see if by effectively raising the relative height of the movement in the case by 10 thou. ....

.... has any adverse effect on the alignment of crown stem and pushers, once assembled onto a movement.


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## SEIKO7A38

As I had to pry the bezel off to do that small modification to the Tachy dial ring yesterday ....

It reminded me that I really ought to fit a better replacement crystal at the same time.

When I'd refurbished the 7A38-728A 'beater', I'd just fitted a 'cheapie' Cousins 31.0mm Ã˜ crystal. :blush:

So I plumped for a Sternkreuz p/n MSM310, and at the same time, added another little tweak of mine.









Instead of re-using the Seiko black nylon crystal gasket ....

I replaced it with a white nylon Sternkreuz crystal gasket p/n IG318310H ....

Something I'd already done with one of my (all) stainless white-faced 7A38-7280's - and recommended to others. :thumbsup:

I'm not quite so sure how well it actually works with a gold-plated bezel and white dial face. 

It's a *very* subtle little mod - compare these two photos with the previous two in post # 12 :



















Due to time constraints, this is still just the sample dial face - no movement fited as yet.

I'll probably do the dial face / hands swap over next weekend.

But note (if you could see the problem before) .... No more '5 O'Clock Shadow' !! :thumbup:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Due to time constraints, this is still just the sample dial face - no movement fited as yet ....


As that one is very temporarily an 'unfinished project', to coin that well-used Blue Peter phrase:

'*Here's another one I made earlier*' :grin:

When I wrote this, in the other 7A38 'Franken' thread, back in June:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... I am currently wearing an absolutely stunning-looking 7A38 'Franken' as I type this. :wub:


I was.







I just didnâ€™t take any photos of it at the time. I simply built it, and wore it for about a month, continuously. :wub:

Anyway, let me first bore you with some background history on this next 'Franken' (re)creation of mine. :boredom:

I've a perfectly good, almost mint, stainless black-faced 7A38-7000 in my collection. Bought it on eBay in March 2009:










So there's no real reason for me ever to want to buy another one. Right ? :dontgetit:

But I still look at any examples I find in my searches on eBay, just to make sure. <_<

A real beater came up on eBay in the States in March this year; The listing was titled:



> *SEIKO CHRONOGRAPH QUARTZ WATCH PORTUGUES DATE *(sic)


Now, my first thoughts were â€" Hah â€" Portuguese Day wheel â€" *SEX* on Fridays ! :naughty:

But it only took one glance at the sellerâ€™s photos to know that it actually had a *French* day wheel. 










It was fitted with a yellowed and very scratched domed acrylic crystal, but in other respects looked restorable.

As the bidding started at 99 cents, I added it to my eBay watching page â€" purely out of interest .... as you do.

Unsurprisingly, bidding was fairly slack, so I made a low-ball bid on it, and ended up winning it for a mere $42.05 !

My plan was simple:

Replace the crystal; give the case and bracelet a quick re-brushing, and sell it back on eBay at a small profit.

However, I neglected to absorb a commonly (ab)used 'magic phrase' the seller had included in their description ....

Something like: 'everything works, but needs new battery'.

Whenever you see that - remember - ask yourself .... so why hasn't the seller fitted one ?


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> A real beater came up on eBay in the States in March this year; The listing was titled:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *SEIKO CHRONOGRAPH QUARTZ WATCH PORTUGUES DATE *
> 
> 
> 
> It was fitted with a yellowed and very scratched domed acrylic crystal, but in other respects looked restorable.
Click to expand...

It duly arrived. It was absolutely filthy. :yucky:

That replacement domed acrylic crystal virtually fell off. It had been glued on, presumably with plastic cement. 

I stripped it right down, and the bracelet spent 24 hours soaking in neat Flash before going in the ultrasonic tank.

I don't think I've ever seen so much crud come out of a bracelet. :bad:

I put all the watch case / bracelet parts to one side, and turned my attention to the movement.

The watch had obviously suffered from moisture ingress, and possibly a leaking battery at some point. :angry:

I put a new battery in, and it ran, surprsingly, but the chrono (and its reset functions) were erratic. 

And so I began a strip down and partial re-build of the movement :hammer: .... which hadn't been part of my original plan. :wallbash:


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## SEIKO7A38

The previous weekend, I'd been polishing up my watch case and bracelet re-finishing skills. :butcher:

I'd got a couple of spare stainless Seiko 7A38-7020/-7029 cases that I'd been practicing on.

Now those of you who know this watch case, and it's 12-sided bezel will know how suceptible ....

it is to knocks and dings - and how difficult it is to refurbish, without rounding off the sharp corners.

The hardest thing is to re-instate that crisp line between the main horizontal surface, and the angled lug ends.

Anyway .... I'd done a couple of them, and was moderately pleased with my efforts. :smartass:

They were put to one side. I was planning to build another 7A38-7029 with a spare dial and hands.

When I'd finished re-building the 7A38-7000's movement, and was confident everything would work properly ....

I looked along the worktop, for a fully-assembled empty watch case to test it in, and saw the 7A38-7029 cases.


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## SEIKO7A38

As I said, I wore this thing, almost continuously, for a few weeks after I'd built it ....

So I didn't get around to cleaning it up again, and taking a few photos this afternoon:


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## watchking1

Let's see some pics of those nicely defined edges !!

Did you refinish the edges free hand or a template of some sort?


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## SEIKO7A38

watchking1 said:


> Let's see some pics of those nicely defined edges !!
> 
> Did you refinish the edges free hand or a template of some sort?


Not quite as sharp as the original, I'm afraid, Skip. :blush:

Technique I eventually found worked best (for me) ....

Was to lap the case against a sheet of 400 Wet and Dry paper (used Dry) making sure to pull it straight each time.

Of course when you come to do the angled lug ends, you've also got to hold it at a constant angle while dragging it !

See above photos. This case had taken a couple of very severe hits on the corners. 

Actually, the other case, which I've reserved for that 'pukka' 7A38-7029 build-up is much sharper.


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## SEIKO7A38

And just in case this head-on shot looks vaguely familiar to anybody:









I *did* say before I started posting (and have repeated myself):



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I will admit that I'm not averse to blatant plagiarism :naughty: - when something looks 'right' - even if it's a wrong 'un. :dontgetit:


.... and this is not *probably*, but *most definately* where I got the idea for this 7A38 'Franken' from, if I'm truly honest:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> And yet another 7A38 'Franken' was listed on eBay in UK, yesterday evening:
> 
> *GOOD MENS SEIKO CHRONOGRAPH QUARTZ DRESS WRISTWATCH*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (There's no mention of '7A38' anywhere in the seller's description, either).
> 
> *It's an attractive looking watch* (apart from the odd nick or ten)  .... But it's another Wrong 'Un.


By the way, I re-skimmed my 12-sided bezel in a mini-lathe. Amazing the difference that alone makes, eh ? :smartass:


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## Chromejob

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> ... I'm not quite so sure how well it actually works with a gold-plated bezel and white dial face.
> 
> It's a *very* subtle little mod - compare these two photos with the previous two in post # 12 :
> 
> ...Due to time constraints, this is still just the sample dial face - no movement fited as yet.
> 
> I'll probably do the dial face / hands swap over next weekend.
> 
> But note (if you could see the problem before) .... No more '5 O'Clock Shadow' !! :thumbup:


I think the dial and case/bracelet look quite suited to each other. Magnificent.

Bravo on "giving the dial/bezel a shave," it looks 100% better (as many of these came out of the factory. Well done sir. :hi:


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## SEIKO7A38

As the man in the Mask once sang:





 .... *Somebody Stop Me !* :bag:

Was re-furbing another 7A38-7289 beater yesterday, and just happened to have one of my 7A38-6080's in pieces:










The two-tone 7A38-6080's 6060 dial matches the case and bracelet quite well, but is perhaps a bit small. 

The matching silver Tachymeter dial ring came from a stainless 7A38-7190, which I broke up for parts. :butcher:

Maybe this one's a keeper (in this configuration). I'll wait and see if it grows on me. :lookaround:


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## SEIKO7A38

This is another 7A38 Franken Iâ€™ve been cobbling together recently :hammer: a Franken Ferrari Feiko, no less. Shock, Horror. 

I had given fair warning of my dastardly intentions, in a few fftopic2: posts, in a thread in the Russian & Chinese section. :grin:

See: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=64139 (post #11 onwards)



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Instead, I 'm gonna build myself a Franken Ferrari Feiko around this NOS Cartier dial. :hammer:





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I shall be building my dial into a Seiko 7A38-7260 case - specifically this one that I picked up on eBay in January:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 7A38-7260 is in pretty decent cosmetic condition, save for the scratched crystal.
> 
> Cost me 20 Euros - about the same as I paid for the Cartier Ferrari dial, incidentally.


That's this one, the same ex-eBay 20 Euro 7A38-7260 cleaned up:










Basically, it was going to be a simple dial + movement swap, and then fit a red lizard strap. Or so I thought  ....



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> With apologies for the slightly fftopic2:
> 
> But it lives.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mounted onto a gash spare Seiko 7A38A movement, which I completely rebuilt yesterday. :hammer:
> 
> Hands are original Cartier Ferrari, and the best colour combination I could find to match the dial.
> 
> 
> 
> Kutusov said:
> 
> 
> 
> There's just 4 Ferrari words on that dial... do you think that's enough? Someone might miss it... :blind:
> 
> 
> 
> .... and just to keep Renato happy, I've added some F****** logos to a spare backplate. :tongue2:
Click to expand...


----------



## new2the7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> This is another 7A38 Franken Iâ€™ve been cobbling together recently :hammer: a Franken Ferrari Feiko, no less. Shock, Horror.
> 
> I had given fair warning of my dastardly intentions, in a few fftopic2: posts, in a thread in the Russian & Chinese section. :grin:
> 
> See: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=64139 (post #11 onwards)
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Instead, I 'm gonna build myself a Franken Ferrari Feiko around this NOS Cartier dial. :hammer:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> I shall be building my dial into a Seiko 7A38-7260 case - specifically this one that I picked up on eBay in January:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 7A38-7260 is in pretty decent cosmetic condition, save for the scratched crystal.
> 
> Cost me 20 Euros - about the same as I paid for the Cartier Ferrari dial, incidentally.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That's this one, the same ex-eBay 20 Euro 7A38-7260 cleaned up:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Basically, it was going to be a simple dial + movement swap, and then fit a red lizard strap. Or so I thought  ....
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> With apologies for the slightly fftopic2:
> 
> But it lives.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mounted onto a gash spare Seiko 7A38A movement, which I completely rebuilt yesterday. :hammer:
> 
> Hands are original Cartier Ferrari, and the best colour combination I could find to match the dial.
> 
> 
> 
> Kutusov said:
> 
> 
> 
> There's just 4 Ferrari words on that dial... do you think that's enough? Someone might miss it... :blind:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> .... and just to keep Renato happy, I've added some F****** logos to a spare backplate. :tongue2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Ummm...any thoughts of parting with any Frankens? :naughty:


----------



## Krispy

new2the7A38 said:


> Ummm...any thoughts of parting with any Frankens? :naughty:


Yes, I must say, this is the first 7A38 I've actually liked the look of!!! And it's a franken, right???!


----------



## SEIKO7A38

new2the7A38 said:


> Ummm...any thoughts of parting with any Frankens? :naughty:


Sorry, John. Go back to post # 1 and note the bold text! :tongue2:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get me wrong .... I've got nothing against 'Frankens', when 'needs must' ....
> 
> 
> 
> *.... or for that matter **for one's own personal consumption and enjoyment.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In fact, after lunch, I decided to build one *for myself* :angel_not: - just for the sheer hell of it. :bag:
> 
> Anyway, rather than put some my duplicate 7A38's back on eBay, instead, I've indulged in a little 'modding'.
Click to expand...


----------



## SEIKO7A38

KrispyDK said:


> Yes, I must say, this is the first 7A38 I've actually liked the look of!!! And it's a franken, right???!


'Tis indeed, Dave. :yes: The first one I did. :grin: Must get round to fitting that new hand set. :blush:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Basically, it was going to be a simple dial + movement swap, and then fit a red lizard strap. Or so I thought  ....





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Mounted onto a gash spare Seiko 7A38A movement, which I completely rebuilt yesterday. :hammer:
> 
> Hands are original Cartier Ferrari, and the best colour combination I could find to match the dial.


But, in the words of Robert Burns: The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley, (often go awry). :angry:

If you go back to post #12, you'll see I'd already encountered a 'technical hitch' just swapping dials between Seiko 7A38's.



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Ahem. :blush: That'll teach me to start the big build-up, before I've even built the watch !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although, in theory, all 7A38 dial face movements are interchangeable between cases ....
> 
> It would seem that some are slightly more interchangeable between cases than others ! :dontgetit:
> 
> I've encountered a very minor (not insurmountable) technical hitch. :hammer:


Well, I was ready for it, this time, or so I thought. 

Because the Cartier Ferrari dial has none of the various locator cut-outs that the Seiko dials have ....

I knew I was going to have to shave *all* the pips off the underside of the Tachymeter dial ring spacer. :butcher:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Because the Cartier Ferrari dial has none of the various locator cut-outs that the Seiko dials have ....
> 
> I knew I was going to have to shave *all* the pips off the underside of the Tachymeter dial ring spacer. :butcher:


Problem was, when I offered (another spare) Tachy dial ring spacer, of the same style, onto the Cartier dial ....

it didn't take much figuring out, that if I shaved all the locator pips off, to get the spacer sitting down flush on the dial,

that the sweep second hand would be above the height of the dial ring spacer, and rub on the underside of the crystal.

So - I had a rethink. I needed to find another 7A38 watch-case with a deeper Tachymeter dial ring spacer. :think:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> So - I had a rethink. I needed to find another 7A38 watch-case with a deeper Tachymeter dial ring spacer. :think:


Luckily, I'd bought another 'bargain beater' recently - a water-damaged stainless 7A38-7060 - for parts. :butcher:

I actually just bought (them) for the bracelet / spare links. 17.50 Euros + postage for the pair. 

eBay seller's photo:










That 7A38-7060 yielded the basic watch case, which re-brushed / polished up quite well.

Although the pushers and crown were useable, I'd already decided I wanted to go 'two tone'.

My spares stock provided a set of the correct pushers and crown, silver-grey Tachy ring and a suitable N.O.S. bezel:










Sorry if that photo's a bit dull, but I deliberately took it in that light, at that angle to show ....

the step in the deeper 7A38-7060 Tachy dial ring spacer which gave me the clearance over the sweep hand that I needed. :sweatdrop:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I'd already decided I wanted to go 'two tone'. My spares stock provided .... a *suitable* N.O.S. bezel.


You'll notice I didn't write the correct bezel. This is a 'Franken' after all. 

I did have one in my stock, but instead of using the correct Seiko p/n 82334361 for a two-tone 7A38-7060 ....

I thought I'd try using the very similar-appearing Seiko p/n 82332581 normally found on a 7A*2*8-7020/-7029. :hammer:

The bevel of the bezel is cut at a steeper angle, and the internal tolerances are slightly different.

This choice was, in part, a pure fluke on my part, because it inadvertently solved another little problem. :dontgetit:

Normally on most 'conventional' 7A38's the Tachy dial ring spacer is sandwiched between case and bezel and 'floats'.

Meaning that it is free to rotate - but is correctly located by the pips on its underside mating with the dial cut-outs.

Which of course my Tachymeter dial ring spacer didn't have any more, because I'd shaved them all off ! :butcher:

Using that 7A28 bezel on this 7A38 case, with the 7A38 dial ring spacer effectively jammed it in place. 

Incidentally, the crystal is a Sternkreuz MSM320, fitted using a 32mm Ã˜ clear nylon gasket from a 7T32.

Here's a clearer better lit head-on photo:


----------



## new2the7A38

"or for that matter for one's own personal consumption and enjoyment"

Yes....but, one can hope that one might change his mind in the future.

Hope does spring eternal...lol :tongue2:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Of course, this Franken Ferrari Feiko project isn't quite finished yet. I still need to find a suitable matching strap. :umnik2:

First thoughts were a padded light grey leather with red stitching. Looked everywhere without finding anything. :search:

Then I remembered seeing a 20mm grey silicone 'rubber tyre' pattern strap on one of Stella's (SeikoPrince) eBay listings:










It's still a possibilty, but the grey silicone would need to be a good match for the main dial colour for it to 'work'.

Spent ages looking at plain padded leather red straps - but again colour match (to subdials) will need to be good.

Waded through umpteen images of variously perforated / stitched Black and Red 'Rally' and 'Racing' straps too. h34r:

Then I googled '20mm Red Leather Yellow'; the search results pointed me towards one particular strap:










Funny in a way, that the strap design is called 'Fun', because this was something of a fun project. 

I was a little concerned that the red in their website image looked too orangey, but still took a chance,

and ordered one from the good frauleins of Oranienburg on the 25th - it arrived in this morning's post. 

The actual colours are an almost a perfect match for the red and yellow details on the dial and hands. :thumbsup:

Especially the keeper loops. :shocking: Question is, dare I fit it ?  It's a bit O.T.T. (minor understatement)


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Question is, dare I fit it ?  It's a bit O.T.T. (minor understatement)


Fitted ! :hammer:










.... though wearing it in public in this configuration may be another thing altogether !


----------



## Defender

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Fitted ! :hammer:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .... though wearing it in public in this configuration may be another thing altogether !


That's a cracking looking watch Paul and to think it's a 'bitza' to use a motoring term.

The strap works well with it too!


----------



## johnbaz

Well done with all the Frankening- they look superb B) B)

Must say, I love how the day/date is laid out in the 1/10second subdial, it seems to give them an extra something that other watches with the same complications in different configurations just don't have :thumbsup:

Thanks for showing them..

Cheers, John


----------



## watchking1

Sure is looking..............................*RED* :clapping:


----------



## bsa

Well franken hell, youve done a good job.

Mark


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Thanks for all the positive comments, Guys. :thumbsup:

I'm quite pleased with the result - particularly as I had never actually seen a Cartier Ferrari Formula chrono' using this dial.

There were well over a dozen of different versions of dial face used in them, over their brief few years of production.

This is the closest I have come across (yet) to my dial, seen on eBay Germany in February 2010:










As you can see it's basically just red and white (with more 'Ferrari's). I've only ever seen a couple of these on eBay.

There was also a much louder tricolour red, yellow and white version. These appear to be relatively common:










But the slightly odd colour combination used on my N.O.S. dial made things a little more tricky.

In fact, I was more pleased at having achieved a good match of hand / sub-hands to the dial colours.

Finding that red and yellow strap, which 'worked' after I'd finished building the watch was an added bonus.

I'm still not 100% satisfied with my current choice of Tachymeter dial ring. 

Obviously one's choice of Seiko 7A38 watch case dictates which dial ring spacer you can use with it.

I prefer the slightly bigger case (32mm Ã˜ crystal) of the 7A38-7060 to the (31mm Ã˜ crystal) of the 7A38-7260,

which I had originally planned to use. The deeper Tachy ring spacer does the job, but I don't like that 'step'.

Depending on the angle you look at the watch, it can give the impression that it's been fitted off-centre.

Trust me - it isn't.







As it appears in this other photo I took yesterday morning, in fact:










I'd prefer a (deep) Tachy dial ring spacer which blends into the dial's minute ring, as per the original Cartier Ferrari chrono's.

Perhaps I'll be able to find another silver / grey one, possibly used in one of the 7A28 Speedmasters that may do the trick.

I may also change the crystal from the current flat plain one to one with a 45Â° polished bevelled edge, or a domed one.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Footnote: As you may have gathered, the original Cartier Ferrari Formula chrono's still attract a hefty premium today -

compared to their humbler Seiko 7A38 siblings. Or at least people ask (and sometimes pay) silly money for them. 

If anybody fancies building themselves a Franken Ferrari Feiko *7A48*, I came across a couple of dials on eBay recently.


----------



## mitadoc

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> .... but it did give me an idea.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd also since bought a mint black chrome plated 7A38-7180 (from a member of this forum) ....
> 
> .... and quite a nice, but slightly worn, example of a black chrome-plated 7A38-7290 off eBay.
> 
> The 7A38-7290 effectively being the exactly the same watch as my stainless black-faced 7A38-7270 (but totally black).
> 
> But it wasn't perfect - it had some slight rubbing wear on the bracelet and bezel.
> 
> I was lucky to find that Cousins UK had just one of the black chromed bezel, Seiko p/n 82341003 in their stock.
> 
> Bought it - snatched it, even - the very first thing I ever ordered from them, IIRC. :notworthy:
> 
> I had intended to fit it to my 7A38-7290 .... but about a month later, a much nicer example came up on eBay.
> 
> (You can go on and on looking for better examples all the time - here's another: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290459164883 )
> 
> So I sold my first 7A38-7290 back on eBay, immediately, at a considerable profit - but without fitting that NOS bezel. :blush:
> 
> The bezel was now effectively 'surplus to requirements', and as I needed a better stainless bezel for the 7A38-727B ....
> 
> .... my second (already) lightly 'modded' 7A38-7270 got 'robbed' again, and fitted with the NOS black chromed bezel:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here it is alongside my original stainless black-faced 7A38-7270, for comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 'Franken' still needs some better hands - and I'm tempted to paint the sweep second hand 'dayglo' red. :naughty:
Click to expand...

I like the presence of the date and day of the week at 3 o`clock subdial...


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Footnote: As you may have gathered, the original Cartier Ferrari Formula chrono's still attract a hefty premium today -
> 
> compared to their humbler Seiko 7A38 siblings. Or at least people ask (and sometimes pay) silly money for them.
> 
> If anybody fancies building themselves a Franken Ferrari Feiko *7A48*, I came across a couple of dials on eBay recently.
> 
> *This post has been edited by pg tips: Yesterday, 07:53 AM *
> 
> *
> Reason for edit: liks removed, please don't link to retailers, including those on ebay*


Links deleted were eBay item numbers: 350413969299 (asking price 100 Euros) and 250810366345 (asking price *$499* )

Apart from being absolutely ridiculous, they made my 20 Euro Cartier Ferrari 7A38 dial look like something of a bargain.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

A new page, and a fresh chapter in my ongoing 7A38 'Franken' building saga. :naughty: :hammer:

Now before some of you start murmuring 'sacrilige' about me 'butchering' perfectly good 7A38's :butcher:

.... and whether or not it's an attempt to satisfy my need to experiment / vanity / bore you all to death :bored:

please allow me first to attempt to justify / explain the rationale behind my next couple of creations. :wink2:

As you know, I've tried (and failed miserably :blush to limit my Seiko 7Axx collecting, by sticking purely to 7A38's.

But there are a couple of 7A28's that I'm particularly tempted by - one of them being the 7A28-7040/-7049 Diver. :man_in_love:

As I wrote in another thread recently:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> mollydog said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm looking to buy what I now know is the (7A37070.
> 
> The (7A37070 seems to be one of those iconic designs you never tire of ....
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I wouldn't describe the 7A38-7070 as an iconic design. :no:
> 
> This may sound a little strange coming from a dyed-in the wool 7A38 man ....
> 
> But if you're looking for an 'iconic' vintage quartz chrono' diver - I'd plump for the 7A28-7040/-7049 instead. :dontgetit:
> 
> Check out the photos of a really mint example further down this page: http://www.ninanet.net/watches/others13/Mediums/mseiko7a28.html
> 
> In some ways, I'm a little ambivalent about the looks of the 7A38-7070 - particularly the dark grey sub-dials.
> 
> From an aesthetic viewpoint, the 7A28-7040/-7049 is, IMHO, a cleaner design than the 7A38-7070 ....
Click to expand...

Then of course there's that other 7-page thread, where that quote came from: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52954

.... where we've flagged; criticised and discussed a good many examples of 7A38-xxxx 'Franken' Divers seen on eBay.

Having said that, although they're technically 'wrong un's, some of them looked quite handsome ....

and a few people have paid very good money for them - more than they would for a 'pukka' example. 

Indeed, it was our recent discussions of, and my experiments to replicate that Brazilian '7A38-7085' 'bitza Franken' ....

in that other thread, which had already 'sowed the seed' in my mind, to build one for myself, well over a month ago:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> The remaining case and bracelet, which are also in very good condition, will be converted into a 7A38-707x Franken ....
> 
> Probably something looking very similar to this earlier experiment (using an all-black 709L dial out of a 7A38-7080):


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... please allow me first to attempt to justify / explain the rationale behind my next couple of creations. :wink2:


Then there's the course of events, for which one might describe as (un)fortunate circumstances which led to this.

Last year, I bought what appeared to be a cosmetically rather nice example of a 7A38-7070 from another collector.

However, as I found out, a few days after I bought it, the dial / movement had suffered water damage at some point:










The time ceased to function, and my various attempts to revive it all failed. 

In fairness, the seller did offer me a full refund, should I have wished to return it.

But like a schmuck, thinking I'd never find a better example, I hung onto it. :schmoll:

Instead, months of acrimonious exchanges between us ensued.  Nuff said. :shutup:

In April, I bought another cosmetically nice example, with a clean working movement for a far more realistic price.

The movement from that was immediately installed in the first one, whose case and bracelet were marginally better.

In May, I then bought a black-chromed 7A38-7080, with some light coating wear, and the beginnings of a plan in mind.

I contacted the buyer of a 'Franken' 7A38-7080, which he'd bought from one of the Filipino watch-botchers in January ....

which had been stripped of its black chrome coating, and asked if he'd be interested in buying this case and bracelet.

He was, and a deal was done .... and I think he was pretty pleased with the improvement it made to his watch. :good:

In fact I know he was, because he sent me this photo earlier this week. Thanks for helping me out too, Brandon ! :cheers:










Which then left me free to install the all-black 709L dial / movement from the 7A38-7080 in the second 7A38-7070.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Which then left me free to install the all-black 709L dial / movement from the 7A38-7080 in the second 7A38-7070.


Which I had done a couple of weeks ago, in fact, but it wasn't till this morning that I properly finished it. :hammer:

To make this Franken 7A38-7070 look a little more like a 7A28-7040/-7049, I needed to change the hands.

I'd sourced a set of N.O.S. 7A28-7049 hands a few weeks ago. It was just a matter of getting round to it. :fear:

I still dread pulling / setting hands, unless it's absolutely neccessary and put it off as long as possible. :sweatdrop:

Although the changes from a standard 7A38-7070 are fairly subtle, I hope you'll agree it was worth the effort:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Before I start on the second part of this mini-saga, may I refer to this quote from post # of this thread:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> In the meantime, purely 'on spec', I'd bought a couple of NOS Seiko bracelets off 'moldymeat' on eBay.


I still keep an eye open for, and sometimes buy any nice looking N.O.S. bracelets that I think might 'work' ....

on my 7A38's, even if they're not original or correct for that case / model. Sometimes I get really lucky, too. 

In June, I first saw a Seiko p/n Z1020(S) N.O.S. bracelet offered by an eBay seller in Thailand.

He described it as having a 10mm lug fitting, and with a 23mm maximum width across the two ends.

As soon as I saw it, I knew straight away, that it would be a perfect fit (and match) on a 7A38-7029:

















Indeed, so convinced was I, that I bought another, almost immediately after the first one arrived:










With my next 7A38 Franken build in mind, I offered it up to one of my re-furbished 'shaved' 7A38-7029 cases;

found it was a perfect fit, and dropped in the (now spare, but still U/S) dial / movement from my first 7A38-7070:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Here's the one I'm building up at the moment, which you've already seen, in case anybody was wondering:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Z1020S band echoes the 'dummy rivet' motif of the 7A38-7029's bezel, and fits as tightly as a B1171S. Neat huh.


Note at that stage, the (original polished edge 7A38-7070) hands are all all awry - because I couldn't reset them. :angry:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Note at that stage, the (original polished edge 7A38-7070) hands are all all awry - because I couldn't reset them. :angry:


As I wrote in another thread (instead of here, where I should have done), giving the game away, last weekend ....

I transplanted that 7A38-7070's dial onto another movement (note the white day / date windows, now, not black)

and fitted another pair of those N.O.S. white-painted hands (same as used on the 7A28-7040/9 and 7A38-7020/9):



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> After a fitting the same 709L dial to a freshly re-built movement and a quick hand transplant ....
> 
> here's the same 7A38-7020 Franken, in it's final guise, which I finished building up earlier today:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Indeed, so convinced was I, that I bought another, almost immediately after the first one arrived:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With my next 7A38 Franken build in mind, I offered it up to one of my re-furbished 'shaved' 7A38-7029 cases ....


I've since fitted the second N.O.S. Z1020S bracelet to my previous 700L dial 7A38-7029 Franken which I'd built last year:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> As I said, I wore this thing, almost continuously, for a few weeks after I'd built it ....
> 
> So I didn't get around to cleaning it up again, and taking a few photos this afternoon:


It doesn't work quite so well, possibly because I'd not only given the bezel on that one a 'shave', but also a light polish:










Really, I need to re-finish it once again, to give it the same overall semi-matt brushed finish as the Z1020S bracelet.

Not sure if I'm going to keep it like this, because it now means that I've got two similar looking 7A38-702x Frankens. 

For the time being it's freed up an original p/n B1171S bracelet, to allow me to complete the re-build a 'pukka' 7A38-7029.


----------



## Service Engineer

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Which then left me free to install the all-black 709L dial / movement from the 7A38-7080 in the second 7A38-7070.
> 
> 
> 
> Which I had done a couple of weeks ago, in fact, but it wasn't till this morning that I properly finished it. :hammer:
> 
> To make this Franken 7A38-7070 look a little more like a 7A28-7040/-7049, I needed to change the hands.
> 
> I'd sourced a set of N.O.S. 7A28-7049 hands a few weeks ago. It was just a matter of getting round to it. :fear:
> 
> I still dread pulling / setting hands, unless it's absolutely neccessary and put it off as long as possible. :sweatdrop:
> 
> Although the changes from a standard 7A38-7070 are fairly subtle, I hope you'll agree it was worth the effort:
Click to expand...

If you ever decided to sell this particular watch what would you ask for it ? Could you PM me the answer as I know it's a bit of a cheeky question but I'm sure you'll remember how much I'd love to own one of these. This one in particular. It's a stunner. regards, Chris.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... the dial / movement had suffered water damage at some point:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The time ceased to function, and my various attempts to revive it all failed.


As a footnote to that, and having previously tried swapping both the PCB's and the H.M.S. coil, to no avail ....

after I took the day / date wheel complication off, I found two tiny specks of rust jamming up the hour wheel. :angry:

That movement will get completely stripped and re-built in due course, and go back into my spares pool. :hammer:

Just to show you that nothing gets wasted as a result of my 7A38 Franken exercises. :wink2:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Service Engineer said:


> If you ever decided to sell this particular watch what would you ask for it ? Could you PM me the answer as I know it's a bit of a cheeky question but I'm sure you'll remember how much I'd love to own one of these. This one in particular. It's a stunner.


Thanks Chris, but as I've stated before (in response to a similar request from you before, IIRC) ....

This watch is *not* for sale. It's something that I wanted and built up for my own enjoyment / satisfaction, not for profit. :no:

However, bearing in mind what it's actually cost me to build (in terms of donor watches and parts) ....

IF I ever decided to sell it, you'd probably be looking at around a minimum of Â£250. :shocking:

Lets's face it, if our favourite Brazilian eBay seller can ask and eventually get $295 US (approximately Â£184.59) for this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260790987681&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_4438wt_935



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Check out eBay item # 250822095718 (now re-listed as item # 260790987681), if you haven't already seen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *WATCH SEIKO VINTAGE MILITARY CHRONOGRAPH (7A38) RARITY*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what I reckon it actually comprises:
> 
> The case and bezel are either the original -7085 parts stripped of their black coating (lightly bead-blasted ?)
> 
> or the case and bezel may be from a stainless 7A38-7070. The bezel insert is a cut-down aftermarket. :butcher:
> 
> The bracelet is a B1075 off a 7A28-7040/-7049. It should be a B1242 (black-coated version of the B1241).
> 
> The dial is a ZFM Seiko 722S dial, the same as used in a ZFM 7A38-7295, fitted with a yellow sweep hand.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Mine (being somewhat more original and 'correct', and in rather better condition) has got to be worth every penny ! :grin:

I'll do some sums after I've had my tea, and send you a PM with the total costs involved in building this Franken.

You'll be horrified.


----------



## 7A28lvr

Paul, Beautiful work! Have you ever considered experimenting with franken panda configurations involving the 7A series of watches? It may just be a matter of my own personal taste, but I have always admired the white dial/black subdial and black dial/white subdial panda configurations evident in other Seiko series of watches (6138 or 7T32, for example) and apparently lacking in the 7A series. I suppose someone with advanced photo editing skills could produce previews without having to do the actual build out.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

7A28lvr said:


> Paul, Beautiful work!


Thanks, Bruce. :cheers:

At least now I've got that all-black dialed 7A38-7070 Franken under my belt, I can stop looking for a 7A28-7040/-7049 ! :grin:



7A28lvr said:


> Have you ever considered experimenting with franken panda configurations involving the 7A series of watches?


Funny you should mention that, Bruce .... It's something I'm building up to next.

The way most Seiko 7A38 dials are constructed (using 2 plates), it means splitting the dial. :butcher:

It also means that you effectively need to sacrifice two dials to build one Franken 'panda' dial.

This rather sorry looking dial (out of a battery acid damaged 7A38-7029) will be donating it's lower black sub-dial plate:










But that's another story. Not quite sure what I'm going to use for the top plate yet - though I have a couple of options. :naughty:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Remember this one ? :grin:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> .... my second (already) lightly 'modded' 7A38-7270 got 'robbed' again, and fitted with the NOS black chromed bezel:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 'Franken' *still needs some better hands - and I'm tempted to paint the sweep second hand **'dayglo' red*. :naughty:





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Just to show you that nothing gets wasted as a result of my 7A38 Franken exercises. :wink2:


Well, just to show nothing does gets wasted, the slim polished edged hands removed from the 7A38-7080 dial got fitted

to my original 7A38-7270 Franken today, along with orangey-red sweep and seconds hands, courtesy of my bits box. :hammer:










Better photo - maybe with less fingerprints.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

7A28lvr said:


> Have you ever considered experimenting with franken panda configurations involving the 7A series of watches?
> 
> It may just be a matter of my own personal taste, but I have always admired the white dial/black subdial and black dial/white subdial panda configurations evident in other Seiko series of watches .... and apparently lacking in the 7A series.


I've given this some more thought this afternoon. :umnik2:

Whereas it's do-able, it won't be easy to come up with a pure white / black sub-dialed combination using 7A38 dials.

Most of the 'white' dials used on 7A38's aren't (pure) white at all - they're silvery or pearly white, or distinctly off-white / cream.

Which might go part way to explaining why their colours are shown as 'silver' (or sometimes left blank) on Seiko's database.

I'm thinking here about the all-stainless 7A38's using common dials such as the 710LSX dials: -7090; -7190; -7280/9, etc.

There are the almost pure white dials used on the 7A38-7260 and -726A, but they've got all that gold detailing on them.

The only possible candidate I can think of, as a donor for a pure white top dial plate is the stainless 7A38-7060:










But somehow I don't think those Roman numerals would look 'right' with black sub-dials with white markings. 



7A28lvr said:


> I suppose someone with advanced photo editing skills could produce previews without having to do the actual build out.


Which I don't have. :thumbsdown:

Anybody fancy photo-shopping the sub-dials from the photo in post # 56 into the one above ? :lookaround:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Funny you should mention that, Bruce .... It's something I'm building up to next.


What I have been thinking about (for quite some time), is re-creating the 'SpeedtimerKollektion' 7A38-7020 Franken:










Looking back now that I'm a bit more 'street-wise', I find it incredible that I ever fell for and bought this abortion. :blush:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> The way most Seiko 7A38 dials are constructed (using 2 plates), it means splitting the dial. :butcher:


This Franken used the light-grey top dial plate from a two-tone 7A38-7020 with the bottom sub-dial plate from a 7A38-7029.

With the original Seiko dials, the two plates would have been held together by microscopic rivets from the rear of the batons.

Obviously, to split such a dial, it means you have to very carefully grind / sand them off in order to split the dial plates :butcher:

But then, when you mate the two other dial plates back together, you need to fix them in position. Even with super-glue. :naughty:

What prompted me to take this Franken apart (and rebuild it), was that the sub-dials had wandered off-centre (yet again).

In fact, the mis-alignment of the sub-dials (due to the 'floating' top dial plate) was clearly evident in that particular photo. :duh:

I've had a re-furbished 7A38-702x two-tone case, complete with the obligatory stripped / polished bezel ready for over a year:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Stripping the remaining worn plating, leaving the gold 'dummy rivets' is quite a common 'bodge', used by many Filipino watch botchers.
> 
> I've seen it done on half a dozen and more 7A38-702x's listed on eBay by Filipino watch botchers.
> 
> Indeed, the very first one I saw like this was a 7A38-702x Franken by 'SpeedTimerKollection', which I fell for. :blush:
> 
> If done properly, it can look quite attractive. However, care needs to be exercised.
> 
> I'm planning to re-create the 'SpeedTimerKollection' 7A38-702x Franken, myself at some point. :butcher:
> 
> To which end, I've already re-furbished a 7A38-702H watch-case and bezel ....


Reckon, now I've honed my skills, I can do it just a bit better / neater than the watch-botchers at 'SpeedTimerKollektion'. :grin:


----------



## Chromejob

Oft times the Frankens just don't look "right," but in the case of the watches on this page, they look great. I can't find something anything wrong with them. :cheers:


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## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> A new page, and *another* fresh chapter in my ongoing 7A38 'Franken' building saga. :naughty: :hammer:


Despite Bruce's earlier question:



7A28lvr said:


> Have you ever considered experimenting with franken panda configurations involving the 7A series of watches?
> 
> It may just be a matter of my own personal taste, but I have always admired the white dial/black subdial and black dial/
> 
> white subdial panda configurations evident in other Seiko series of watches .... and apparently lacking in the 7A series.


I did consider (for quite some time), what to build next, including an 'off-white panda' using a 710L dial. :think:

But I still currently had only the one suitable donor for a black (703L) sub-dial lower plate, and I knew in

my heart of hearts what I really wanted to use it for, and had it 'earmarked' for this project for even longer. :naughty:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Not quite sure what I'm going to use for the top plate yet - though I have a couple of options. :naughty:





SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Funny you should mention that, Bruce .... It's something I'm building up to next.
> 
> 
> 
> What I have been thinking about (for quite some time), is re-creating the 'SpeedtimerKollektion' 7A38-7020 Franken:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> The way most Seiko 7A38 dials are constructed (using 2 plates), it means splitting the dial. :butcher:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This Franken used the light-grey top dial plate from a two-tone 7A38-7020 with the bottom sub-dial plate from a 7A38-7029.
> 
> With the original Seiko dials, the two plates would have been held together by microscopic rivets from the rear of the batons.
> 
> Obviously, to split such a dial, it means you have to very carefully grind / sand them off in order to split the dial plates :butcher:
> 
> But then, when you mate the two other dial plates back together, you need to fix them in position. Even with super-glue. :naughty:
> 
> What prompted me to take this Franken apart (and rebuild it), was that the sub-dials had wandered off-centre (yet again).
> 
> In fact, the mis-alignment of the sub-dials (due to the 'floating' top dial plate) was clearly evident in that particular photo. :duh:
> 
> I've had a re-furbished 7A38-702x two-tone case, complete with the obligatory stripped / polished bezel ready for over a year:
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Stripping the remaining worn plating, leaving the gold 'dummy rivets' is quite a common 'bodge', used by many Filipino watch botchers.
> 
> I've seen it done on half a dozen and more 7A38-702x's listed on eBay by Filipino watch botchers.
> 
> Indeed, the very first one I saw like this was a 7A38-702x Franken by 'SpeedTimerKollection', which I fell for. :blush:
> 
> If done properly, it can look quite attractive. However, care needs to be exercised.
> 
> I'm planning to re-create the 'SpeedTimerKollection' 7A38-702x Franken, myself at some point. :butcher:
> 
> To which end, I've already re-furbished a 7A38-702H watch-case and bezel ....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Reckon, now I've honed my skills, I can do it just a bit better / neater than the watch-botchers at 'SpeedTimerKollektion'. :grin:
Click to expand...

Some of you may have noticed that I've put the original but 'improved' SpeedTimerKollektion 7A38-702x up for sale:










See this thread in the Sales section: http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=68886

It *was meant* as a bit of a laugh really - and I don't honestly expect it to sell. :no:

Just the odd P155-take. :tongue2:

The reason being is that it's replacement is taking shape quite nicely, at this very moment. :hammer:

It's going to take me a little while to type up this series of posts ....

*So please could the usual interjectors (and serial quoters) kindly refrain from butting in until I've finished.* :wink2:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Now before some of you start murmuring 'sacrilige' about me 'butchering' perfectly good 7A38's :butcher:
> 
> .... and whether or not it's an attempt to satisfy my need to experiment / vanity / bore you all to death :bored:


Please allow me to show you the original donor watches involved in this 'recreation'. :acute:

Even now, I still sometimes get caught out by misleading eBay descriptions and 'fuzzy photo gambles'. :blush:

This is the 7A38-7029 involved, as shown in one of the eBay seller's photos (from back in July 2009):










Note where the hour hand is very conveniently pointing, to disguise / hide this battery acid damage on the dial. :disgust:










In fact, the unseen battery acid damage to the watch's movement was far worse:










Yet amazingly, this watch still ran :shocking:; albeit sometimes losing up to a couple of hours a day. :sadwalk:

All chrono' functions worked too, but the Day / Date feature wouldn't click over (automatically) at night.

You may notice that the bezel and watch case edges look nice and sharp, compared to the rest of it.

That's because at that stage, I'd already re-furbished it, myself. :butcher:

That 7A38-7029 has since been totally rebuilt around another spare movement, with a 'new' dial and hands. :hammer:

But it's the original dial face from that acid-damaged movement which became the partial donor for this project.



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> This rather sorry looking dial (out of a battery acid damaged 7A38-7029) will be donating it's lower black sub-dial plate:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Please allow me to show you the original donor watches involved in this 'recreation'. :acute:


This is the two-tone 7A38-7020 which formed the other part of the equation ....

Again, a bit of a 'fuzzy photo gamble' on eBay, which didn't quite pay off. :thumbsdown: Literally fuzzy. 










Note the smudged dial printing under the Seiko logo, and in the subdials:










Please excuse the colour variations. :blush:

I'm not very good at taking W.I.P. photos, and at various stages I needed to, the available light wasn't always ideal. :angry:

I had a couple of two-tone 7A38-7020's that I could have sacrificed for this project, besides a couple of tidy examples.

This watch had obviously previously been b*ggered about with by another watch-botcher. :hammer: :butcher: 

Apart from the smudged dial printing, which I suspected may have been caused by dunking in Horolode (or other solvent),

the Day / Date used to have completed it's change-over by 8:30pm - a sure sign that the dial / hands had been off before. :disgust:

But other than that, everything else worked properly on this one - an excellent time-keeper and all chrono' functions, too.


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> The way most Seiko 7A38 dials are constructed (using 2 plates), it means splitting the dial. :butcher:
> 
> 
> 
> This Franken used the light-grey top dial plate from a two-tone 7A38-7020 with the bottom sub-dial plate from a 7A38-7029.
> 
> With the original Seiko dials, the two plates would have been held together by microscopic rivets from the rear of the batons.
> 
> Obviously, to split such a dial, it means you have to very carefully grind / sand them off in order to split the dial plates :butcher:
Click to expand...

This is where it starts to get interesting. :sweatdrop:

This is the reverse side of one of the donor 703L dials showing the aforementioned 'rivets' on the back of the batons:










Initially, I tried grinding the heads off the 'rivets', with a small stone, and then a burr. :butcher:

But it wouldn't work; I still couldn't split the plates, so I had to resort to drilling them. :sweatdrop: :sweatdrop:

At first I tried the 'pukka engineering approach', using a Dremel with a 0.5mm Ã˜ bit in a drill stand.

But as you can see, from the squirrelings in the bottom L.H. quadrant, the drill kept wandering off centre:










So in the end, I did it 'free hand' using a somewhat over-sized 1.0mm Ã˜ drill bit in the Dremel ! :butcher:

The size of the holes drilled is almost academic, it's how deep you drill into the plate(s) that matters.









Here's the other side of that smudged light grey 703L lower dial plate, which became 'surplus to requirements':










Note the slightly larger drill hole, near 4 o'clock, under the '5' of the 1/10s subdial.









This is what happens if you drill fractionally too far through both plates:

Note the slightly displaced baton in the same position on this (now completely gash) Taupe 703L upper dial plate:












SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Please excuse the colour variations. :blush:
> 
> I'm not very good at taking W.I.P. photos, and at various stages I needed to, the available light wasn't always ideal.


With apologies for how dark that photo came out. This is actually the upper part of the same dial as in post # 62. :yes:

Fortunately, practice makes perfect, and the two dial plates I needed came out of this little exercise unscathed. :sweatdrop:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Then came the next problem of re-aligning the two previously un-connected dial plates. :umnik2:

You'd expect because they were both 7A38-702x 703L dials, that their swapped plates would align perfectly. 

Wrong. :thumbsdown: :no:

Initially I tried centering them around the middle hand hole. But the (overdrilled) baton holes wouldn't line up.

Neither were the subdials (printing) centered, and I couldn't re-fit the pins on the back of the Seiko logo. :angry:

This resulted in a slight compromise, of fractions of a millimetre, which now only really shows in central hand hole:










The two plates were secured together by tiny drops of 'Superglue', through the drillings I'd made in the back plate ....

.... in the best 'watch-botcher' tradition. :hammer:

But what had I done ?  I'd made a pretty reasonable job of it, I thought. :smartass:

But I'd chosen to use that top dial plate with the smudged printing. What an idiot. <_<

I took a gamble, and decided to try and clean the whole dial, using cold water, fairy liquid and a sable paintbrush. :artist:










Result, or what ? :clap:

Note however some loss of definition / fading our of the very small dial '7A38 703L' etc. printing at the bottom. :schmoll:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Note however some loss of definition / fading our of the very small dial '7A38 703L' etc. printing at the bottom. :schmoll:


That should of course read 'fading *out*'. :blush: Damn that 15 minute editing time-out window. :angry:

I only went for a well-deserved cup of coffee and a quick ciggie. :smoke:

Now where was I ? :lookaround:

Ah Yes - about to mount the 'Franken' 703L dial onto a movement. :hammer:

Although I've always liked the concept / overall look of it (despite it's less than ideal condition / constuction) ....

There was something about the original SpeedTimerKollektion 7A38-7020 which didn't quite work for me. 

Probably best seen in this 'wrist shot' photo that I included in that risible sales thread:










The SpeedTimerKollektion 7A38-7020 presumably used the original handset from the donor two-tone 7A38-7020.

(The sub-dial hands appear to have had their black paint layer stripped / scraped off leaving them in all gold finish).

The problem arises with the predominantly black main and minute hands, when they pass over the black subdials.

So I decided to use something slightly different - a bit more 'visible' .... and 'bling it up a bit', at the same time.


















The hour and minute hands are from a gash two-tone 7A38-7260. They're mostly painted black, but have gold-plated edges.

The sweep second hand is same as used on a 7A38-6109, as opposed to the very similar looking one from the 7A38-7260.

The chrono sub-dial hands were taken off a gash 7A38-725A. Another beater that I'd bought long ago, to break for parts.









Here's another slightly lighter photo, which I took this afternoon, that better shows the dial's true colours:










.... and also highlights the fact that I still have a little more cleaning up to do, on a few places around the dial. :wink2:

That's it for now - to be continued, probably at the weekend. Got some more watch-botching to do. :hammer:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> I've had a re-furbished 7A38-702x two-tone case, complete with the obligatory stripped / polished bezel ready for over a year:
> 
> 
> 
> SEIKO7A38Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> To which end, I've already re-furbished a 7A38-702H watch-case and bezel ....
Click to expand...




SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Please excuse the colour variations. :blush:
> 
> I'm not very good at taking W.I.P. photos, and at various stages I needed to, the available light wasn't always ideal. :angry:


Here's a 'real time' photo of the assembled dial / movement, fitted in that same pre-prepared 7A38-702x watch-case:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

I'm not sure that it'll stay in that particular watch-case  - I'm not entirely satisfied with my earlier handiwork. :think:

Besides, I've still got the two-tone 7A38-7020 donor's watch case and bracelet (post #63) which I could re-furbish. :butcher:

But this is a 'Franken', and to be a 'pukka' Franken, it's really got to be fitted with the 'wrong' bracelet. :hammer: Right ? :naughty:

I think I was extremely fortunate in stumbling across the Seiko p/n Z1020S which I used on my stainless 7A38-7020/-7029's.

(See posts # 49 through 51 on the previous page). I don't think you could find another 'wrong' bracelet that matched so well.

Although I've got a third N.O.S. p/n Z1020S put to one side, and may yet use it on this two-tone 7A38-7020 Franken,

I wanted to see if I could find something with a similar 'dummy rivet' motif, but with a bit of gold plated bling.

The ideal thing, of course if it existed, would be a Seiko p/n Z1020*C*, with gold plated 'dummy rivets'.

So I started casting around the 'Bay, trying to find a suitable 10mm lug fitting bracelet, that might 'work'. :search:

I came across a Seiko p/n Z1005C, still available from the eBay seller 'salesstuff-100' in Thailand:










I've ordered other bracelets from him before, including a Z1020S, and found them to be honest N.O.S. quality. :thumbup:

He's also unerring accurate in the dimensions he gives in his eBay listings. :thumbsup: He describes the Z1005C as:



> *10 mm. spreading to 22 mm.*












The Z1020S I'd used on the stainless 7A38-702x Frankens was 23mm at it's widest point, where it blended into the watch case.

So this was going to be a bit narrower. But I thought, what the heck, let's give it a go, and duly ordered one. 

Are you ready for this ? :shocking:

Get the sick-bags ready ! :yucky: :bad: :bag:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

*THIS IS A TEST - O.K. *






































SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> It's going to take me a little while to type up this series of posts ....
> 
> *So please could the usual interjectors (and serial quoters) kindly refrain from butting in until I've finished.* :wink2:


Comments (adverse or otherwise) would *now* be welcome. :tongue_ss:


----------



## tixntox

Now if that one was in the sales section.................... 

Mike


----------



## SEIKO7A38

tixntox said:


> Now if that one was in the sales section....................


If *that* one was in the sales section, Mike, I'd be asking more than 70 Quid for it ! :tongue2:

Do you think it might do any good if I took some better photos of it, in a more flattering light ? :huh:

Probably a bit late for that, eh ? 












SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> Reckon, now I've honed my skills, I can do it just a bit better / neater than the watch-botchers at '*SpeedTimerKollektion*'. :grin:


In the words of the poet: Up Yours, Meneren *Vink*. :acute:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

Here's another photo, that I took a couple of minutes earlier, which better demonstrates what I meant here:



SEIKO7A38Fan said:


> The SpeedTimerKollektion 7A38-7020 presumably used the original handset from the donor two-tone 7A38-7020.
> 
> (The sub-dial hands appear to have had their black paint layer stripped / scraped off leaving them in all gold finish).
> 
> The problem arises with the predominantly *black hour and minute hands, when they pass over the black subdials*.
> 
> So I decided to use something slightly different - a bit more 'visible' .... and 'bling it up a bit', at the same time.


----------



## seikool

check out this franken 7a38 LOL!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-SEIKO-7A38-DAYDATE-CHRONOGRAPH-QUARTZ-MENS-DIVERWATCH-/270883743369?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3f11ede689#ht_8689wt_1054 :bull*******:


----------



## SEIKO7A38

seikool said:


> check out this franken 7a38 LOL!
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-SEIKO-7A38-DAYDATE-CHRONOGRAPH-QUARTZ-MENS-DIVERWATCH-/270883743369?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3f11ede689#ht_8689wt_1054 :bull*******:


You do seem to have a knack for cross-posting (in the wrong thread) don't you Chris ? 

Certainly not one of my own purpose-built Frankens, and not really a Franken (compared to some abominations we've seen) -



SEIKO7A38 said:


> Not a 'franken' as such, just another badly botched mess from the work-bench of the aptly named Ramoncito Bangit. :hammer:


See post # 22 of this thread: Another G*D-Awful Mess Of A 7A38 .... where I'd already flagged that one late last night.

Looking at the timing of your post (3:25am), that thread would have been at the top of this forum section at the time. :dontgetit:


----------

