1978 Seiko 7009A-8229 Automatic with day , date &Quickset Feature. Family Heirloom Restored.
FULLY Restored Late 70's
Seiko 17 Jewel Automatic
September 1978
White Toned Hands with perfect Lume on Hr & min hands. Lume applied on every Hr marker, Quickset Feature, Day, Date window at the 3, crown flush to case at the 4. These 7009a movements only gain power reserve by the rotor and auto assembly. You can not wind the crown to get it going.
A ton of case work. I'm not just saying that. After 3 days of restoring all the lines, 3 hr detail buff on the case . It had to be perfect because I decided to do a case that I thought would come out sharp. Applying straight brush finish on the sides, circular brush finish on the face, dropping in a total of 8 knife edge transitions to hold 3 types of finishes. 3.5 days on the case itself. Full Overhaul on the movement, timed adjusted , installed new crystal, gaskets , water-resistant testing. I'm taking photos. I must have shot well over 150 photos, maybe feeling good about 3 of them. Which has never happened in my history . We spent well over 3 hrs giing thru every strap I had. Nothing was working. I couldn't even get some decent photos. Something was trying to tell me. I had it wrong. I didn't know what it was . I just knew I could not get a good clear photo of this watch. I decided to send him an invoice , paid lightning fast , and the watch looked great. We picked a different route for the bracelet. Trust me. 7 trays of stuller straps,expansions , even the bracelet that was on the 1988 version. Nothing would work. Nothing looked right , I was stumped. My customer paid his balance . 2 days later. I am boxing it up. Feeling good about what he was getting. But unsatisfied in belly. I was mussing something, or I did not do something the way it needed to be done. I've completed many Seiko restorations. The case finished I selected. They were proven techniques to bring out the character and the beautiful deep tone of their stainless. I'm looking at this watch. Fixing to seal the box. Lol.. it hit me. ....
I picked the wrong finishes. Rarely - I mean rarely. Unless it's gold filled , solid gold. Not many cases can handle a solid mirror finish on every angle , every transition, and now like new edges and curves. But once I thought about it. I didn't even tell my customer. I grabbed. , pulled the crystal, pulled the movement, and went to work. 6 hrs into removing the finished. , touching up the transitions. Because now. Its mirror finish. Do you know how you can tell if your geometry, eye, and hand coordination is spot on, in addition to double-checking symmetry of the reformed case. Finish it!
It has to be flawless. But the real test. So if your camera can get a clear shot . I snapped over 80 after pics of the case redo. Without a doubt. I made the right call. I knew something was off. I found. I didn't think twice aby of the added work. I just knew it wasn't leaving till I felt 100 on it.
And I do. Love this watch. Wore it for several days. Spot on timing, and the bracelet is perfect,, Different, but perfect. I am sending a red strap that he also liked. Back with it. Along with a few pairs of 2.85 spring bars , a new spring bar tool , a nice little case for it.
Special Project for He and I both. Family Heirloom project that elijhquinVWR happily took role to complete. It sealed his entry into a book I will be putting together of Restorations I completed. Even some favorites I don't think will make entry. Very , very tight restrictions. I hope it's a great illustrated book, someone to see that you can apply yourself in full, and even if you fall flat on your face, you are still winning ! When you figure that out. You become most successful.