Wait - I WON?!? (eBay watch oopsie)

[FoolishMortal]

Well, I now own a 1968 (?) Seiko Sportsmatic. I thought I was bidding on a different watch (a super-cool Bell-Matic in its box), but nope, I bid on this little beastie. I messaged the seller within three minutes to explain my mistake. While "silence is golden", it doesn't mean that your bid will be canceled, so I won the watch. Oops. Now I have to tell SWMBO about having another watch.



The seller had it listed "as-is", and so it is. The crystal has some scratches and a small chunk missing at the 8 o'clock marker, and it fogged up pretty badly when I gave it a gentle toothbrush scrubbing, so the gasket is no good.

Still...I'll admit that I really like it. It's a great size for me, the hands and markers are attractive, the case is in good shape and the clean dial has a really neat champagne/grey sunburst effect. It's subtle, yet it has character, and it wears quite well. It came with a janky Spiegel stretchy "steel" bracelet, which I can't conscience (or wear, because it's too big), so I shoved a 20mm grey NATO through the 19mm lugs; it's fine for now.

Once I realized my mistake, I had every intention of selling it off as soon as it showed up. Now? Well, I guess I'll see if I can scrounge up a new crystal and gasket...

As Bob Ross would say, "there are no mistakes, only happy accidents". That's generally a load of hooey, but in this case, he just might be right.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I like the looks of it.

I came home with a watch the other day from a yard sale. Also a Seiko. I just couldn't pass it up for 3 bux.

 

[blantyre]

Looks good. I’ve also considered getting a Bell-matic a few times. This thread has reminded me!

 

[maxman]

I also like it. A classic look.
Definitely a happy accident!

 

[FoolishMortal]

I like the looks of it.

I came home with a watch the other day from a yard sale. Also a Seiko. I just couldn't pass it up for 3 bux.

Let's see it!

Unfortunately, this one wasn't $3, but I did "keep it under a hundred".

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Let's see it!

Unfortunately, this one wasn't $3, but I did "keep it under a hundred".

Oh, Just because you asked nicely...
My 3-dollar watch. It took 7 bucks to get a battery for it and then about 2 hours to scrub the band clean of all the nasty stuff. It also has a few scratches in the Crystal but that's ok with me.

I really dig the square shape.

 

[Doc4]

I thought I was bidding on a different watch (a super-cool Bell-Matic in its box), but nope

Foolish mortal, Bell-Matics are for kids!




... nice looking Seiko, though.

 

[ajkel64]

That is a really nice watch. Definitely a keeper. Congratulations.

 

[FoolishMortal]

That is a really nice watch. Definitely a keeper. Congratulations.

Thanks. I've managed to track down a replacement crystal (plastic, but it was cheap from JulesBorel.com - and it exists!) and a gasket set. Once the gaskets come (from Thailand), I'll have everything installed and it will be nearly good as new!

 

[FoolishMortal]

[Cross-posted from Watch Ya Wearing]

I got the crystal, I got the gaskets, I found a local jewelry store the brokers repairs for Seikos and others. The guy fixed the SKX005 bezel action - apparently doing the work there at the shop, so it was ready fast - and worked on the Sportsmatic, too. I was really excited to pick up both and took time out of my workday to make the trip (30 minutes each way). Unfortunately, I had to leave the Sportsmatic.

I got a replacement crystal from JulesBorel.com and when I went to pick up the watch, I noticed an "eyelash" scratch just to the 3 o'clock side of center. I hadn't remove the crystal from the shipping package before handing it off, but I'm pretty sure JB didn't send a pre-scratched crystal.

Anyway, supposedly, the repair guy used by the jewelry shop ran repairs for Seiko in this region before they shut down the program, so he should know his stuff. Either the crystal was scratched and he didn't catch it before or after doing the replacement, or it got scratched in transit back to the shop or while being stored awaiting pick-up. Disappointing, but I'm sure it will get sorted; I'll just have to wait a bit longer. He's supposed to call on Friday, so until then...

 

[FoolishMortal]

The repair guy polished out the crystal and it looks good now. He pointedly reminded me that the crystal is plastic, and I plainly told him that I know that. I got a package from a supplier (JulesBorel.com) and handed it over, still sealed. Lesson learned: check the parts first, just to be sure. I would have liked it if he had checked the part before and after installing it, but...yeah.

Anyhoo, the watch itself is good to go.

Unfortunately, I'm not very happy with the single-pass CNS strap that I ordered for it. The strap material is thin, so the watch case slides around as I'm trying to buckle it, and the buckling process itself is fiddly; I can't get the tail to go through the keeper bar*, so I just bypass that and put it into the external keeper loop*. It's not great, but at least I can wear the watch while I wait for my new rally strap to show up sometime in early September. Finding a 19mm strap that I like for the watch, without spending a ton, is not that easy.

*I don't know the proper terms for these parts of the strap, so I'm making these up; I hope the challenge is understandable.

 

[StillShaving]

The repair guy polished out the crystal and it looks good now. He pointedly reminded me that the crystal is plastic, and I plainly told him that I know that. I got a package from a supplier (JulesBorel.com) and handed it over, still sealed. Lesson learned: check the parts first, just to be sure. I would have liked it if he had checked the part before and after installing it, but...yeah.

Anyhoo, the watch itself is good to go.

Unfortunately, I'm not very happy with the single-pass CNS strap that I ordered for it. The strap material is thin, so the watch case slides around as I'm trying to buckle it, and the buckling process itself is fiddly; I can't get the tail to go through the keeper bar*, so I just bypass that and put it into the external keeper loop*. It's not great, but at least I can wear the watch while I wait for my new rally strap to show up sometime in early September. Finding a 19mm strap that I like for the watch, without spending a ton, is not that easy.

*I don't know the proper terms for these parts of the strap, so I'm making these up; I hope the challenge is understandable.

You might be able to get some "fat" spring bars that will help tighten up the gap. If all else fails I would consider trying to figure out where the band most naturally sits under the watch and then fold up (double over the strap) to attempt to put a slight crease in the band so it had less tendency to slip back over the spring bar from underneath the watch. Otherwise a Perlon or leather single-pass should provide more friction and work better.

I think I have a couple of those shiny, more slippery single-pass straps. While I wear them on occasion, I don't like how slippery they feel when putting on the watch, as the watch head will want to slide off the wrist before the end of the strap can be threaded back through the buckle.

 

[ylekot]

Well, I now own a 1968 (?) Seiko Sportsmatic. I thought I was bidding on a different watch (a super-cool Bell-Matic in its box), but nope, I bid on this little beastie. I messaged the seller within three minutes to explain my mistake. While "silence is golden", it doesn't mean that your bid will be canceled, so I won the watch. Oops. Now I have to tell SWMBO about having another watch.



The seller had it listed "as-is", and so it is. The crystal has some scratches and a small chunk missing at the 8 o'clock marker, and it fogged up pretty badly when I gave it a gentle toothbrush scrubbing, so the gasket is no good.

Still...I'll admit that I really like it. It's a great size for me, the hands and markers are attractive, the case is in good shape and the clean dial has a really neat champagne/grey sunburst effect. It's subtle, yet it has character, and it wears quite well. It came with a janky Spiegel stretchy "steel" bracelet, which I can't conscience (or wear, because it's too big), so I shoved a 20mm grey NATO through the 19mm lugs; it's fine for now.

Once I realized my mistake, I had every intention of selling it off as soon as it showed up. Now? Well, I guess I'll see if I can scrounge up a new crystal and gasket...

As Bob Ross would say, "there are no mistakes, only happy accidents". That's generally a load of hooey, but in this case, he just might be right.

View attachment 1478876

I would like to see that watch on a dark oxblood alligator band....that is a doggone nice watch!

 

[FoolishMortal]

I would like to see that watch on a dark oxblood alligator band....that is a doggone nice watch!

I don't have one of those, but I have an oxblood-ish leather single-pass, which seems to look brown-ish in this picture:

I'm not a huge fan of alligator bands...but I'll look around.

 

[ylekot]

I don't have one of those, but I have an oxblood-ish leather single-pass, which seems to look brown-ish in this picture:

I'm not a huge fan of alligator bands...but I'll look around.

That looks sharp right there!! Just my opinion of course.

 

[FoolishMortal]

That looks sharp right there!! Just my opinion of course.

It looks better now that the crystal is clear. When I get the new grey rally strap that's inbound, I'll snap a new picture, but you've got me thinking about (better) oxblood options. I'll tell you, though, finding a 19mm option that looks good is a bit of a chore! (But I know that the guys with 21mm lugs have it worse...)