Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Yes, you've seen this one, too. But here's a "before" photo to refresh your memory...

Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Quartz, model 7123-8440. Alas, this one required a bit more than a cosmetic cleanup. If you'll recall, while the OEM Seiko caliber 7123 did run, it was slow. And I mean glacially slow, like 1/3rd speed. Eek!

The consensus in the linked thread, above, was that the 7123 is a fully-serviceable movement, and worthy of repair. Well.. I did check it out. However, the price I was quoted for a full service (US $65 + parts), while reasonable, was still not inexpensive. Worse, I was told that parts availability is spotty, and that some parts are flat out Unobtainium. Eek!

What to do, what to do? Remember that these are not my personal watches, and that I must pass all accrued costs on to my customer. So fiscal responsibility is a must! A bit of research told me that..

'net photo

..the Seiko-Epson VX43 was dimensionally compatible. And at US $8.95, it's certainly Fiscally Responsible. Smile

So my choice was clear - a Tom Swift Quartz Conversion™!

Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
Yes, the operation was a success. Smile

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
Now, when I say "dimensionally compatible", I don't mean "plug-n-play". For while the calendar lined up properly, and the dial-stem offset was the proper 1.50mm, there was still the matter of the dial feet. The VX43 has the holes at ~ 1:30 and 8:00, whereas the 7123 (and thus the OEM dial) needs 11:00 and 4:30. This is an inconvenience, not a deal-breaker, mind you. There are two solutions - 1, notch the movement to clear the dial feet or 2, remove the dial feet. While I have successfully employed the former, it's a ticklish operation with a significant level of risk. One slip and ye've bolloxed your brand-new movement. Oops!

The latter is simple and risk-free, but it ain't so easy to put those dial feet back on once they're off, so this avenue should be considered semi-reversible at best. In any case...

Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
..after some consideration, I decided that the chances I'd ever want to reverse this mod were nil, thus off with the dial feet. Smile

With the VX43 carefully positioned and tacked in place with dial dots, I then locked it down with me patented Tom Swift Dial Feet In A Tube^© system (OK OK! 'tis just

, really

). Worked like a champ! Thumbs up!

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
All stainless, 34.2mm x 40.5mm x 9.3mm thick, with 18mm lugs, manufactured in August of 1980.

The crystal is a G-S Angle-Tite and, unlike the Sportsmatic, proved to be a perfect fit straight out of the box. The OEM crystal was also a flat-top and, while the bevel was subtly different, it's very close. Indeed, the G-S was so close that I didn't even try to source an OEM Seiko crystal in this case.

Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
A few scratches on the caseback, but not too bad. And they were already there. Whistle

I swear!

This one handily passed the Caveman Water Resistance Test™, too, by the by. Smile

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
It's worthy of note that those are the original hands. I did order brand-new hands to fit the VX43, just to be sure:

'net photo

I mocked everything up with the Uncle Otto hands but, while the main hands looked OK, the seconds hand looked wrong to me. I am crying

However, by serendipitous happenstance consulting my handy-dandy Bergeon gage told me that the original hands would work A-OK, so that's the route I took. It may be a total Caveman Frankenwatch, but you'd have to be one astute Seiko Guru indeed to tell that without opening it up. Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off

Rolling on the floor laughing my a.. off

In any case...

Seiko Five Quartz model 7123-8440

Click HERE for larger photo or HERE for supersized photo
..it wears Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr8! Thumbs up!

Thanks for readin', yall!

Cheers!

-Ricky

Messages In This Thread

A Tom Swift Touchup™ of a vintage Seiko Five.	Ricky Lee	173	March 31, 2012 09:51AM
Nice job. Replacing Seiko with Seiko, only the>> >>purists would have a problem with that. GS- AT crystal, you say? Hmmm.... I have a sharp-edged flat-top in which there is no exterior damage visible, but there is a crack that you can see through refraction thru the bevel. Drives me nuts to look at it, and I didn't want to go with a dome. Thanks!	Dave M	18	April 02, 2012 07:39AM
Great job (n/t)	Reto	19	April 01, 2012 07:27AM
Another job well done! Great results! (n/t)	Timemiser	19	March 31, 2012 09:50PM
Congrats, Ricky, on an amazing job! She looks beautiful! (n/t)	Magnum	19	March 31, 2012 07:09PM
Great work (n/t)	pumpkin2001	18	March 31, 2012 04:17PM
Lovely! (n/t)	IF	20	March 31, 2012 02:55PM
Excellent job and result! (n/t)	James T. Kirk©	24	March 31, 2012 12:14PM
Looks great! Nice work. (n/t)	DJM	18	March 31, 2012 11:29AM
Purty work Ricky Lee! BTW- if ya see Slim Bo tell him I axed 'bout him. Another nice redo of a wounded soldier. Congrats on a job well done!	itschris	27	March 31, 2012 11:11AM
Ol' Slim Bo's a Good Ole Boy! Quote itschris Another nice redo of a wounded soldier. Congrats on a job well done! Bro. Chris.	Ricky Lee	22	March 31, 2012 03:39PM
A trademark? (n/t)	MCV	24	March 31, 2012 10:36AM
Well, not really. "It's a joke, son, a joke I say!"	Ricky Lee	17	March 31, 2012 03:36PM
Nice results again bro Ricky! Your on a roll!!!! Whats nice too is that you stayed with a seiko quartz..so....essentially....while not a full original restoration.......an acceptable one for sure!!! Cheeers!!!	dano0	26	March 31, 2012 10:23AM
Re: Whats nice too is that you stayed with a seiko quartz..while not a full original restoration..an acceptable one for sure!!! That was exactly my line of thought! Still all-Seiko, but upgraded to modern specs. The horological equivalent of a 1957 Chevy with an LS7 'vette motor dropped in. Quote dano0 Nice results again bro Ricky! Thanks me brother!	Ricky Lee	24	March 31, 2012 03:34PM
Git-R-Done! Have you decided which watch to keep? (n/t)	Jimmy50	25	March 31, 2012 10:14AM
Undetermined. Honestly, the plan is.. ..to present the guy with the bill and persuade him that they're such great watches he should pay cash money and take both off me hands. That would put me balance sheet solidly in the black, year-to-date. Frankly, I could use the cash. And, after all, I need another watch like a boar hog need teats. However, if I know this bloke, there's no way he'll pony up that kind of dosh for two old Seikos. 'tis almost certain he'll insist on sticking with the original deal, which is I keep one watch in payment. If so, I will attempt to "stack the deck" so that it's the Quartz that goes home with me.	Ricky Lee	26	March 31, 2012 03:27PM
Good plan. (n/t)	Jimmy50	19	March 31, 2012 05:06PM
Congratulations on another great save. I find this one very interesting as I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common, at least one doesn't come across them very frequently.	Paul J Costa	24	March 31, 2012 10:10AM
Re: ..I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common.. They're about as common as an honest politician. Quote Paul J Costa ..at least one doesn't come across them very frequently. I was able to google up 3 or 4. And of those, I think 2 were actually the same watch, and it'd just changed hands. Hard data is likewise scarce. And misinformation rampant! I turned up one case of a rather well-known Seiko "guru" assuring another bloke that such a thing as a Seiko 5 Quartz never existed. Near as I can tell they were only made for 3 years, 1980 through 1982. But please don't quote me, as that's conjecture, to a degree. Quote Paul J Costa I find this one very interesting as.. Aye! As do I...	Ricky Lee	24	March 31, 2012 03:17PM

I caught up with The Traveling Salesman finally, and it's official.

April 11, 2012 06:31AM

I speak, of course, of the pair of vintage Seikos I recently serviced, and which ye've seen both before.

I was on the shop floor when we met up yesterday, and the first words out of his mouth (after "Howdy") were "So how's it coming on those two old watches? You able to do anything with them?" I happened to be wearing the 7625 on me right wrist, so my reply was to shoot the cuffs and stick the watch under his nose. Smile

To which he's like "Yeah, so? What about my watches?" He honestly didn't recognize it as being the same watch he'd brought me. Laughing

Got to say, looked at side by side..

..the difference is fairly dramatic. Wink

We then retired to my ~~luxuriously appointed atelier~~ cubicle, and I presented him the itemized bill. As I feared there was a bit of "sticker shock". Smile

The Grand Total came out to US $160 - $100 for the Five, and $60 for the automatic. As expected, he immediately brought up the 'trade one watch for servicing costs' deal we'd discussed when he dropped them off. So I reply "But Chuck, they're both great watches!" {insert much expounding on the history and desirability of each} "But the thing is, I really don't need them. I'd much rather have the cash. Tell ya what, since it's you, I'll give ye a 10% discount." Well, it was apparent that a gross of greenbacks was still more than he was willing to pay. So I upped the discount to a flat $20 "Because I like nice round numbers." Nope, as I feared, $140 was still a no-go for him. Frowning

OK, Plan B. "Well that's cool, Chuck. A deal's a deal. I'll keep the Five, and we're Even Steven." Well, the way his face fell, it was plain as day that the Five was his favorite, too. He mulls it over, then says as much. "OK, like I said they're both great watches. I'll keep the Automatic, you throw in $40, and we're Jake." Well that got a reaction. Laughing

He starts to protest and I cut him off with "Look at the bill! There's a $40 difference in the repair cost." Well, no arguing that. So he's like "Split the difference with me...?" Time to turn up the heat a little. "You're killin' me here Chuck. Just look at those watches! They're like new!" {A little poetic license never hurts. Innocent

} "Tell ye what. I'll meet ye part way. I keep the Automatic, you pony up $30, and we got A Deal."

Well, to my surprise, he seemed to seriously consider that. But I couldn't believe that a ten-spot would make that much difference to him, and I was right. He hands over the Five, and says "Pleasure doin' business with you." WooHOO!

So I'm now the proud owner of a vintage Seiko Five Quartz. WIS Honeymoon

Thing is, and somewhat to my surprise, I now find that I do miss that Sportsmatic a wee little bit. Crazy! Loco!

I mean, I wore the thing for 4-6 hours every day for 2 weeks. And pretty much all day every 3rd day, to keep it charged. So perhaps it shouldn't be surprising. I got used to the thing!

Still.. though it wore great on the black NATO, and is a way cool Cool

watch in it's own way, the Quartz

will be a much more practical and trouble-free watch. That auto will need a COA service soon, after all.

So, all in all, I'm happier'n a spotted pup with a new chew toy! WIS Honeymoon

Thanks for readin', y'all!

Cheers!

-Ricky

"A man, like a watch, is to be valued for his manner of going." - William Penn

Messages In This Thread

I caught up with The Traveling Salesman finally, and it's official.	Ricky Lee	140	April 11, 2012 06:31AM
I must have misunderstood...who was the salesman in this story? Congrats!	Timemiser	24	April 12, 2012 01:47PM
The original owner of the watch. He.. ..dropped the watches off for service on one of his visits, then disappeared for 3+ weeks.	Ricky Lee	23	April 12, 2012 04:27PM
Good show bro Ricky! Now you just need to find a vintage 7625 to cure that longin for the sportsmatic... There is a seahorse right now on the bay. Pretty cheap, but needs a coa	dano0	25	April 12, 2012 10:22AM
Well, then, it all worked out didn't it? (n/t)	DJM	20	April 11, 2012 04:53PM
(n/t)	DRFP	17	April 11, 2012 01:13PM
(n/t)	IF	15	April 11, 2012 12:01PM
(n/t)	James T. Kirk©	13	April 11, 2012 09:58AM
(n/t)	cmoy	17	April 11, 2012 09:25AM
Quite the haggling process! Congrats on the new 5! (n/t)	RR218	21	April 11, 2012 07:41AM
Congrats, Ricky. They are both beautiful. (n/t)	Mark C.	21	April 11, 2012 07:34AM
Cool story - I really like that 5...damn my large wrists! (n/t)	JY	26	April 11, 2012 07:16AM

A Tom Swift Touchup™ of a vintage Seiko Five.

A Tom Swift Touchup™ of a vintage Seiko Five.

Great job (n/t)

Another job well done! Great results! (n/t)

Congrats, Ricky, on an amazing job! She looks beautiful! (n/t)

Great work (n/t)

Lovely! (n/t)

Excellent job and result! (n/t)

Looks great! Nice work. (n/t)

Purty work Ricky Lee! BTW- if ya see Slim Bo tell him I axed 'bout him. Another nice redo of a wounded soldier. Congrats on a job well done!

Ol' Slim Bo's a Good Ole Boy!

A trademark? (n/t)

Well, not *really*. "It's a joke, son, a joke I say!"

Nice results again bro Ricky! Your on a roll!!!! Whats nice too is that you stayed with a seiko quartz..so....essentially....while not a full original restoration.......an acceptable one for sure!!! Cheeers!!!

Re: Whats nice too is that you stayed with a seiko quartz..while not a full original restoration..an acceptable one for sure!!!

Git-R-Done! Have you decided which watch to keep? (n/t)

Good plan. (n/t)

Congratulations on another great save. I find this one very interesting as I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common, at least one doesn't come across them very frequently.

Re: ..I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common.. They're about as common as an honest politician.

I caught up with The Traveling Salesman finally, and it's official.

I caught up with The Traveling Salesman finally, and it's official.

I must have misunderstood...who was the salesman in this story? Congrats!

The original owner of the watch. He.. ..dropped the watches off for service on one of his visits, then disappeared for 3+ weeks.

Good show bro Ricky! Now you just need to find a vintage 7625 to cure that longin for the sportsmatic... There is a seahorse right now on the bay. Pretty cheap, but needs a coa

Well, then, it all worked out didn't it? (n/t)

(n/t)

(n/t)

(n/t)

(n/t)

Quite the haggling process! Congrats on the new 5! (n/t)

Congrats, Ricky. They are both beautiful. (n/t)

Cool story - I *really* like that 5...damn my large wrists! (n/t)

Purty work Ricky Lee! BTW- if ya see Slim Bo tell him I axed 'bout him.
Another nice redo of a wounded soldier. Congrats on a job well done!

Well, not really.
"It's a joke, son, a joke I say!"

Nice results again bro Ricky! Your on a roll!!!!
Whats nice too is that you stayed with a seiko quartz..so....essentially....while not a full original restoration.......an acceptable one for sure!!! Cheeers!!!

Congratulations on another great save.
I find this one very interesting as I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common, at least one doesn't come across them very frequently.

Re: ..I believe that quartz powered Seiko 5's are not very common..
They're about as common as an honest politician.

I must have misunderstood...who was the salesman in this story?
Congrats!

The original owner of the watch. He..
..dropped the watches off for service on one of his visits, then disappeared for 3+ weeks.

Good show bro Ricky! Now you just need to find a vintage 7625 to cure that longin for the sportsmatic...
There is a seahorse right now on the bay. Pretty cheap, but needs a coa

Cool story - I really like that 5...damn my large wrists! (n/t)