Model: Seiko 7A28-7090
Year Produced: May 1983
Features:
The Dial: Released in 1983, it has three subdials, all differently styled, with the 30-minute chrono-timer at 9 o’clock being the standout attraction - royal blues with a complimentary orange minute hand. The 3 o’clock subdial is a 1/10th of a second counter, and the 6 o’clock subdial is the watch’s second hand. Please note, you will commonly see these with yellow hands, instead of orange. This is due to the sun bleaching the colour from orange to yellow – they were no yellow hand variants.
The Case: This stands alone as the only vintage “field watch” style case in the 7A28 line up. Bead-blasted stainless steel, like the 7A28 Ripley, but with curved matchstick lugs. Combined with the huge bullhead chrono-pushers, and you end with a famously unique looking watch.
The Movement: Inside is a 7A28, famous for not only being the world’s first analogue chronograph movement, but also being used in some of Seiko’s best known quartz offerings: the Ripley, the RAF, the Bond, the Steering Wheel, and the Bishop to name a few. Honestly, the most impressive thing about this 40+ year old watch is how perfectly it functions. While editing the video for this watch, at 60fps, I was delighted to see that the chronograph main-hand, the 1/10th subdial, and the 30-minute subdial all move together on the same frame. Maybe we're easily impressed, but we thought it was cool Seiko that nailed the coordinated accuracy on the first iteration.
Serviced. The watch was serviced in January 2025 by a specialist vintage Seiko shop in Japan. As you can tell from the pictures, the movement is in wonderful condition.
Specifications:
The Condition: Overall, this is about as good as this watch gets. The crystal is perfect. The case has almost no markings anywhere. The caseback has visible signs of wear. The watch was serviced in Japan in January 2025, so is fully functional and working smoothly. The strap is the original, and highly valuable, GLA Seiko strap - it is useable and wearable condition as well! The only point of note is the dial. A small amount of moisture entered the watch (presumably through a failed chrono-pusher gasket), but the watch was immediately brought to a repair shop in Japan where everything was taken apart, cleaned and then the entire movement was serviced. Mild signs of moisture marks can be seen around some of the text on the dial (zoom in on some of the pictures). It's nothing anything you'd notice when it’s on your wrist, but it's the only obvious flaw on an otherwise almost flawless ‘80s Yacht Timer, so I thought I'd describe it in detail.
Scope: No box or papers.
Movement: 7A28 Quartz Chronograph
Dimensions:
- Case Width: 40.0mm
- Case Thickness: 11.7mm
- Lug Width: 20.0mm
