i have have a seiko 7a28 -7049 since the early 80s it has traveled the world with me through the forces and my working life after . It remains keeping good time but the buttons are jammed now and there are no places left to service them anymore which is a shame as the watch has served me well. it was so good to watch you restore a sieko and to comment how good and reliable they were.please keep the videos coming as they are interesting and a joy to your skill, thank you.
Haha, wore my 7a28 7049 daily for over 30 years everywhere, snorkeling, swimming, doing manual labor. Only changed the battery a few times but never deep cleaned it. Then I sent it to Seiko NJ for service before I knew any better; luckily it came back OK! Still runs like a champ. What a watch.
Great video and restoration! I had this exact watch in the 80's until it had a botched batteryswap in 1995 and got water damaged. I was devastated! Could not find another at the time (wanted a mint watch). Found one NOS on Ebay in 2016 - originally sold from a jeweler in the World Trade Center. It still had the tags and was unworn. Beautiful watch with a (for the time) groundbreaking movement. The 7-series still hold its own to this day! I only wear it occasionally, and it is the one watch (along with my Sinn) that I will never sell.
I was given a 7A28-7070 for my 21st birthday (in 1987), I wore that watch every day until about 2011 when the bracelet finally failed, I have since had the watch restored and wear it occasionally with a NOS bracelet which is the same as the one in this video. I love this model of Seiko, they are incredidbly accurate, I love the rotation of the 1/10th second hand, they are an incredible piece of engineering!! Nice to see one being restored!!
Am enjoying this vid, listening and watching in between forced breaks cos of shakes, I finally dissected my Antonio Banderas Pulsar Kinetic, did the capacitor gave the unique case a clean inside and out, polishing the insides of both crystals then getting it back together it all went like a train on rails, didn't get to do the "on all fours screw hunt" as I just used a slightly magnetised screwdriver to plop the screws in. Finished putting back together, new upper to lower case gasket, screwed it all together and after 2 mins of gentle whapping of the rotor its up to 4 bars charge and so pleased. Last week I bought a broken Citizen 9415M titanium RC eco drive that was deeply discharged... 18 euros... shoved under a bright LED for a night... now working beautifully, am on a roll ^^
I have the anodised black version bought in HK in 1984. Still works. Great watch I also have an Omega Seamaster which I bought new in the UK 1977 for £240. Complete junk, never worked for a year at a time without having to go back to Omega, been sat in adrawer for years bought the Seiko to replace it. Seiko every time.
My favorite watch. I was an air-traffic controller in the South African Air Force in the mid-80s, and the pilots had that as their issued watch. I finally got one for my 21st birthday - and it was stolen in a burglary a few years later. Now, almost 30 years later, I found one in great condition (eBay) and love it - problem is, I can't find a set of gaskets for it. I had bought a VTA set off eBay (arrived from Australia) but my local watchmaker said they don't fit - any ideas where to get the right set?
I've had mine since new for 37 years :-). Fabulous little watch. I just wish I'd kept the box and instructions etc. I've seen a guy from Germany selling these watches for £1,500!!!
Hi Spencer. Would love to see the bracelet restoration. I have one but I think it might be beyond repair. Lots of slack horizontally between the links. My watch is the day/date version, minty dial and bezel. The main chrono hand sometimes "shivers" without going anywhere and doesn't find its home position at 12 o'clock. My reset button doesn't work (might be just grott but maybe something worse) but I think I remember that pulling out the crown to hack will bring the main chrono hand back to it's home position which in my watch is around 2 o'clock. The other registers seem to work fine, so does the lap time feature. The bezel is stuck but doesn't really worry me would just love to get the chrono working nicer. I haven't pulled apart yet as I really don't know why it shivers 50% of the time. I reckon removing the hand to put back at the 12 o'clock position would be easy but it doesn't address why it started liking the 2 o'clock position more or the shivering. Lovely watches. Bracelets definitely don't stand the test of time. I think seiko missed a trick by not making the crown screwdown? Why oh why was that not obvious on a sports 100 chronograph with diving bezel, lord only knows ;) Thanks again for bringing these videos. Just really helps to tear down something I'm gonna try working on.
I purchased this watch with my first monthly salary, in 1983 and I used it since 1999 every day including swimming and snorkeling fishing. Now it is in his original box, just needs to change the battery and it will start again...
Thanks to Gleaves of London's Seiko case to crystal database I wasn't able to find the NOS Seiko part for my early eighties Pulsar V011 but decoding the part number I was able to buy from China a pack of 10 double domed crystals in 30.5 and was an absolute breeze fitting it, a good crystal always refreshes the tiredest of watches imho.
My ex wife bought me two of these in 1986. One a white dress watch and the black one with day and date. Both still work and are mint. I no longer wear them though. one of the hands on the black chronograph has worked loose. I remember a watch shop scratching the case back when replacing the battery.
I know this video is a year old but I’m looking for someone to fix my 1982 Seiko 7A28-7049 sports 100. Exact same watch. The people I’ve talked to so far are not capable of fixing it. That or they don’t want to try. It was my first REAL watch and has a lot of sentimental value. Please HELP!
Since the green circuit board is made of plastic, have you ever known one to become brittle and crack over time like, say, a plastic spacer or day/date gear?
If the dial text has block text rather than cursive, it's the JDM version. On the two click balls, Seiko would put in a second click ball if the first one failed during production. I see it pretty regularly with early 6306s & 6309s, even some 6105-811x's.
This probably makes many people grossed right out but it doesn't to me at all. I realized I've been watching it for a while now and haven't been triggered at all 17:45 . It's just what we have to do and we all do it. Truth be told I've seen worse and because of the magnification, it makes it look worse. Although it looks like we could fill a black garbage bag of "DNA" at most a really dirty watch might have a few grams of dirt in it. Actually, the dirtiest watches I've dealt with were caked with what seems like clay with flattened seals and rusty movements. Movements with battery damage have a distinct smell.
![[TECH] - Installing BARREL Arbor Jewels on SEIKO 6139](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5XC9Xg2K2Mw/mqdefault.jpg)
The 7a is criminally underrated! Such amazing pieces! Grand Seiko should reissue them and make our originals skyrocket in value!
i have have a seiko 7a28 -7049 since the early 80s it has traveled the world with me through the forces and my working life after . It remains keeping good time but the buttons are jammed now and there are no places left to service them anymore which is a shame as the watch has served me well. it was so good to watch you restore a sieko and to comment how good and reliable they were.please keep the videos coming as they are interesting and a joy to your skill, thank you.
Haha, wore my 7a28 7049 daily for over 30 years everywhere, snorkeling, swimming, doing manual labor. Only changed the battery a few times but never deep cleaned it. Then I sent it to Seiko NJ for service before I knew any better; luckily it came back OK! Still runs like a champ. What a watch.
Whats the deal with sending it to NJ? Is that not recommended?
Great video and restoration!
I had this exact watch in the 80's until it had a botched batteryswap in 1995 and got water damaged. I was devastated!
Could not find another at the time (wanted a mint watch).
Found one NOS on Ebay in 2016 - originally sold from a jeweler in the World Trade Center. It still had the tags and was unworn. Beautiful watch with a (for the time) groundbreaking movement. The 7-series still hold its own to this day!
I only wear it occasionally, and it is the one watch (along with my Sinn) that I will never sell.
I was given a 7A28-7070 for my 21st birthday (in 1987), I wore that watch every day until about 2011 when the bracelet finally failed, I have since had the watch restored and wear it occasionally with a NOS bracelet which is the same as the one in this video. I love this model of Seiko, they are incredidbly accurate, I love the rotation of the 1/10th second hand, they are an incredible piece of engineering!! Nice to see one being restored!!
Can I ask where you had it restored?
Nice work Spencer. I'm looking forward to you letting me send in my 7a28 for repair. Waiting patiently 😀It will be nice to be able to wear it again.
Am enjoying this vid, listening and watching in between forced breaks cos of shakes, I finally dissected my Antonio Banderas Pulsar Kinetic, did the capacitor gave the unique case a clean inside and out, polishing the insides of both crystals then getting it back together it all went like a train on rails, didn't get to do the "on all fours screw hunt" as I just used a slightly magnetised screwdriver to plop the screws in. Finished putting back together, new upper to lower case gasket, screwed it all together and after 2 mins of gentle whapping of the rotor its up to 4 bars charge and so pleased. Last week I bought a broken Citizen 9415M titanium RC eco drive that was deeply discharged... 18 euros... shoved under a bright LED for a night... now working beautifully, am on a roll ^^
well this made me appreciate 7049 on my wrist like no other, this is engineering insanity lol.
Just bought a NOS A7 38 7070. I had a 49 when I was in the SA Airforce. Great watch!
A fantastic watch, one of the best movements ever designed.
Couldn't agree more!
I have the anodised black version bought in HK in 1984. Still works. Great watch I also have an Omega Seamaster which I bought new in the UK 1977 for £240. Complete junk, never worked for a year at a time without having to go back to Omega, been sat in adrawer for years bought the Seiko to replace it. Seiko every time.
Great work as always Spencer.
I appreciate that
My favorite watch. I was an air-traffic controller in the South African Air Force in the mid-80s, and the pilots had that as their issued watch. I finally got one for my 21st birthday - and it was stolen in a burglary a few years later. Now, almost 30 years later, I found one in great condition (eBay) and love it - problem is, I can't find a set of gaskets for it. I had bought a VTA set off eBay (arrived from Australia) but my local watchmaker said they don't fit - any ideas where to get the right set?
I have the same issue, ordered the "correct" gaskets and they ended up being too large, have you had any luck finding gaskets for your watch?
@@ap4933 TBH I haven't even looked since then - sorry :(
@@AndyCinDallas All good! Thought I would give it a try
Man that's a nice watch. Great work.
Good morning. I own a seiko 7a28 7040, it doesn't work in tenths of a second, can it be repaired, what could have happened?
I've had mine since new for 37 years :-). Fabulous little watch. I just wish I'd kept the box and instructions etc. I've seen a guy from Germany selling these watches for £1,500!!!
That's a serious investment.
Wish you r still able to take in watch restoration and servicing, it’s tough to trust my own 7a28 and other vintage seikos with anyone else..
I appreciate your trust and support, sincerely.
I wonder if mint toothpicks would make the case cleaning more palatable?
Hi Spencer. Would love to see the bracelet restoration. I have one but I think it might be beyond repair. Lots of slack horizontally between the links. My watch is the day/date version, minty dial and bezel. The main chrono hand sometimes "shivers" without going anywhere and doesn't find its home position at 12 o'clock. My reset button doesn't work (might be just grott but maybe something worse) but I think I remember that pulling out the crown to hack will bring the main chrono hand back to it's home position which in my watch is around 2 o'clock. The other registers seem to work fine, so does the lap time feature. The bezel is stuck but doesn't really worry me would just love to get the chrono working nicer. I haven't pulled apart yet as I really don't know why it shivers 50% of the time. I reckon removing the hand to put back at the 12 o'clock position would be easy but it doesn't address why it started liking the 2 o'clock position more or the shivering. Lovely watches. Bracelets definitely don't stand the test of time. I think seiko missed a trick by not making the crown screwdown? Why oh why was that not obvious on a sports 100 chronograph with diving bezel, lord only knows ;) Thanks again for bringing these videos. Just really helps to tear down something I'm gonna try working on.
Love these videos
I got one (40 years ago).It's still working.
I purchased this watch with my first monthly salary, in 1983 and I used it since 1999 every day including swimming and snorkeling fishing. Now it is in his original box, just needs to change the battery and it will start again...
Looks great, nice hands, nice indicators, no funny shapes, no lego blocks as indicators.. Nice :)
Thanks to Gleaves of London's Seiko case to crystal database I wasn't able to find the NOS Seiko part for my early eighties Pulsar V011 but decoding the part number I was able to buy from China a pack of 10 double domed crystals in 30.5 and was an absolute breeze fitting it, a good crystal always refreshes the tiredest of watches imho.
My ex wife bought me two of these in 1986. One a white dress watch and the black one with day and date. Both still work and are mint. I no longer wear them though. one of the hands on the black chronograph has worked loose. I remember a watch shop scratching the case back when replacing the battery.
Great Video!
one question i was asking myself: how do you read the production date on the watch?
Thanks, have a great 2023!
how much woulda restoration like that cost??
I thought you were humming "Suki Yaki" that would be more in style with the watch ;)
how much to service this watch?
I know this video is a year old but I’m looking for someone to fix my 1982 Seiko 7A28-7049 sports 100. Exact same watch. The people I’ve talked to so far are not capable of fixing it. That or they don’t want to try. It was my first REAL watch and has a lot of sentimental value. Please HELP!
How much do you charge to repair a watch like this Seiko 7A28-7049? I don’t have an instagram account.
Since the green circuit board is made of plastic, have you ever known one to become brittle and crack over time like, say, a plastic spacer or day/date gear?
nope, never.
Have the same 82 December and for some reason i have two rotating ring balls installed.
also on the dial i have chronograph/sports, is it JDM perhaps?
If the dial text has block text rather than cursive, it's the JDM version. On the two click balls, Seiko would put in a second click ball if the first one failed during production. I see it pretty regularly with early 6306s & 6309s, even some 6105-811x's.
I have the same watch, mine is from November '82 and it has a serial of less than 500.
That's really cool! Super early piece!
Where does one get the gasket and seals for a 7a28
Adrian seleck at vintage time Australia has them find his items on ebay or Google VTA watch repairs.
It looks clean without bezel
if anyone knows where and how much cost a service would be please comment thank you.
This probably makes many people grossed right out but it doesn't to me at all. I realized I've been watching it for a while now and haven't been triggered at all 17:45 . It's just what we have to do and we all do it. Truth be told I've seen worse and because of the magnification, it makes it look worse. Although it looks like we could fill a black garbage bag of "DNA" at most a really dirty watch might have a few grams of dirt in it. Actually, the dirtiest watches I've dealt with were caked with what seems like clay with flattened seals and rusty movements. Movements with battery damage have a distinct smell.
I have this very same watch, i know it needs work, and its still working, but it needs work. i tried contacting him nut no email
I'm here, no worries. I'm fully booked up on work, sorry.
Could not watch the complete video with sound because of the humming.
It's a hard life.
Is that the best you can come up with Karen?
lol. The humming was entertaining. Very old school. Like dudes whistling on construction sites.