Original vintage 1980s advertisement for Seiko Sport's revolutionary 7A28 chronograph line.
Dimensions: Approx. 8.5 inches wide by 11.5 inches high - only the first advert is included.
The Seiko 7A28 entered the market during the height of the LCD technology of the early 1980s.
In 1983, Seiko unveiled to the world the first ever quartz analog chronograph, the 7A28 - a 15 jewel, fully adjustable quartz movement with zero plastic parts in the gear train and a movement that can be serviced and adjusted just like a mechanical watch due to its innovative construction.
With it, Seiko and its 7A28 entered history as the world’s first analog quartz movement - the Japanese company would release the 7A28 in many notable watches, which would grow to eventually number over forty variations, including models issued to the military and those used in movies (including James Bond and Aliens, among others); some were issued to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense (used by the UK's navy and air forces) and the South African Air Force.
Departing from the watches of the time, with their LCD and LED displays, Seiko chose a novel approach instead – it would make a hybrid quartz analog movement-powered watch. It went an extra step and added a chronograph module. After all, Seiko was used to introducing entirely new concepts to horology by this time, only a little over a decade since it had invented the world’s first automatic chronograph, the legendary Ref. 6139.
Per Worn&Wound, “Prior to its introduction in the early 1980s, all previous chronographs had either been analog (with hands) powered by a mechanical, spring-powered movement, or digital (with a screen) powered by a quartz movement. The 7A28 paved the way for the affordable, reliable, and stylish quartz analog chronographs we see on the market today. The use of metal gears throughout the movement made it robust and easily repaired, meaning the watches can last a very long time if well maintained.”
Unlike with the above Seiko Ref. 6139, the company sought to publicize this first, advertising the 7A28 series as “Watch History Being Made.” Seiko would market the 7A28’s to high-end customers, often featuring a number of 7A28 variants propped against the dashboards of luxury vehicles such as the Porsche 911 and Audi Quattros.
Multiple 7A28 variants were even featured in the 1986 sci-fi flick “Aliens,” with another used in the James Bond film “A View to a Kill,” starring Roger Moore.