[clockworks]

I picked this up cheap on eBay. Works fine, and after a quick polish, it doesn't look too bad. Any idea what model it is?

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I assume that it should have a solid caseback. Would one from a 6309-729a fit?

 

[nhoj]

My first thought was a SKX007 with a clear caseback, but the lume seems smaller than what I have on mine.

 

[clockworks]

Do you think that the caseback might be original, then?

 

[Isthmus]

I'm pretty sure thats a feiko. The dial definitely is.

 

[TickTalk]

It's basically a seiko diver (007 case (42mm w/o crown) or smaller version (39mm)) with an after market dial and a see-thru case back from some other Seiko 5.

Rest assured that the movement is the Seiko 7s26A calibre, so it's bullet-proof.

One can easliy source for a seiko divers dial here on the forum, Noah or better still, use a mod dial from Harold! just my two cents!

 

[clockworks]

Thanks guys. I actually bought it to try a bit of modding. It looked really bad in the seller's photo, but the crystal and case have cleaned up fine, so I may leave it as it is.


I don't like the clear case back, though. Are the backs on all Seiko divers the same size?

 

[Isthmus]

you guys might want to talk to zoodles. IIRC he bought a feiko very similar to this one and wrote a fairly extensive article pointing out all the failings of the feiko. IIRC they had copied even the movement, but not very well.

BTW, unless the angle is funny, the crown on this thing seems to be at 0400. If it is a real 007, the crown should be at 0345.

 

[clockworks]

Crown is at 03:45, same as my Monster.


Looking at the wear on the case and crystal, I'd say that the watch was at least 10 years old (or it's spent it's life in a cement mixer) - were they making fake Seikos back then?


One thing that did concern me was that the bezel appears to be plated, not solid stainless. The case is solid stainless. The bezel click spring is a curved piece of wire located into a hole in the case, running from about 10:00 to 07:00, IIRC.
The crystal is hard mineral glass - took me ages to polish it.
The stem has some kind of universal/wobbly fitting hidden inside the crown. The stem is screwed in tight, but can rock slightly relative to the crown.


The seller listed it as needing attention. The minute hand was fouling the seconds hand, so maybe someone had fitted replacements. The dial may be a replacement, too, as it shows no sign of ageing.


After a strip and clean, it's keeping very good time (10 seconds a day), and it winds perfectly.


Here's the stripped case before polishing: