Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum Message Archive

I stopped by the local hole in the wall seiko shop for a quickie- the seiko solid ss band I had a mishap with the other day was missing a piece/had a broken piece on the clasp and I had nothing available in the scavenger/skeletonized parts to fix it. The shop is in an area that once was "nice" and that people moved out of the city decay to get to, the decay, as it always does, followed, and the "nice" area is now further out- leaving the shop and its surroundings behind. It is on the same road as the entrance to a hiking/nature area, and I found it by accident a while back. The shop is surrounded by half empty strip malls and fast food joints, cell phone shops, etc. that have lost their luster. It is ran by a nice asian family that came here first generation. I think they get by on "while you wait" battery changes and the occaisional repair and sale. The time and effort of a knowledgeable watch smith is worth their price. But, considering 50bucks a bargain for it, and around 100bucks the going rate, in this day and age of disposable watches, cheap gadget laden quartz, a sagging economy, and the automatic wearing population in the u.s. pretty centered on the swiss, times could be better for him. There is a small selection of new seiko there, but the low to mid line stuff, and lots of quarzh, that you have come to expect in the u.s. these days.

He is handy enough and can truly take down a movement, clean, regulate, and have it running like a champ- per report, although I have not yet put him to the test. Anyways, the band was inspected and in a bllink he said "no problem... 3.50, wait only a minute" and had her fixed right up.

Well, the problem was that -only a minute-. That gave me a few moments to look around. Nothing really caught my eye, but then out of my peripheral vision in a side case I caught a glimpse of a skx173. "good for him" I thought, "still offering the work horses for the rare customer who appreciates them in this day of throw away watches." Although not real close to the watch, the subconscious gears clicked and said "whoa, not a 173. Thats a 7002", and also picked up the small tag on the display saying "please consider our pre-owned selection".

Now, normally a quick glance at a 6309-7290, a 7002, and a skx173 leaves me without the correct identification. I usually need a closer look before I have them sorted out. But, this was fate working today.

"She-ite" i thought to myself, "who abandoned that poor, lonely little bast**d. That puppy deserves an owner, and some company to boot. He can shack up with that cherry pepsi 7039 on the original oyster I picked up last month, she'll love the company." (I have some guilt issues over the lack of appreciation I showed my workhorse 7002-7009 the past 12 years, yes, I know I am one sick man)

"Is that a 7002?" I asked. "I believe it is, the owner never claimed it." he said.

"how much?" I asked, knowing in my head I was willing to pay 100 bucks for it off the bat.

He picked up the watch, pulled up his loops, and said "ah yes, it is 7002"

I then spotted the red diver's 200m on the face and blurted "a 7039."

"no"he said, "a 7-oh-oh-..., yes, yes, 7002-7039"

then the stare, eye contact, and the surprise as he said, mouth never fully closing

"you... have... them... MEM-O-RIZED?!?"

"only the diver's," I quickly backpedaled, trying to save face. Of course wives are not supposed to understand their man's hobbies, but when the friggin' watch dealer thinks your nuts you got to pull your cards closer in.

"i only want to get out of it the time and repair I put into it. Just serviced this summer, nomal 75$, but for divah 100$"

Well darn it, I had not been to the atm for a week and was low on cash. I KNEW I could have snagged it for 75 bucks easy cash, mabye even 50. In this economy I'm all for the poor bastard slapping the cash in the pocket under his apron and surprising the wife and kids with a night out or whatever gives them a little frosting on their cake. But..... no cash in hand. Going to atm and then coming back would be too eager and the haggling would be weak. I saw the credit card set up on the back counter, and knowing a man keeping a seiko shop open these days, plus being able to service movements, etc, acutally derserved the first price he asked. "does that take debit cards"

"yes, he said- no problem, just like any other sale"

then, mabye feeling guilty about the no haggling, or thinking he was asking too much- he began to point out the dings and scratches, and say he could not test to the full 200m, but that it had passed 150 and was fully serviced this summer.

"wow" I said, examaming the watch. It the original japan z22, with seiko japan signed buckle. you could get 30 bucks for this alone on the internet. you have really given me a good deal. I will be back"

the fixed band was collected up, along with the new (to me) 7002. He offered a box, apologized for no manual, and I tried to strike up a fellow enthusiasts conversation regarding some of the wonderful vintage diver movements I may be bringing him to service. He knew his stuff, and can handle the work, but it was the conversation of customer and businessman, fully professional and friendly, but just work to him, the long hours and years of making ends meet making it just a job to him, and not the joy and pleasure that it is to us collector/enthusiasts types.

The 7002 sits on my wrist, the crystal with some long but not deep scrathces, the case and bezel insert show the dings of another who once took his seiko to work. the band, probably left in the drawer, as it is not new but does not show the wear given the watch itself.

But, I have a "new" watch, the seiko has a new home, I helped keep a local small business going (a seiko watch repairer at that), and , for the first time in ages had a real, face to face, interpersonal interaction in obtaining my seiko. All in all, not too bad a day. Now if only I had not left that receipt on the dash of my wife's truck, she's bound to spot it any minute if she has not done so already!