The Seiko 7A28 - like this full serviced and legitimately rare 1983 Seiko 7A28-7090 regatta chronograph here, with original 7A28 instructions manual, Seiko survey paperwork, hang tag, and Seiko Quartz box - entered the market during the height of the LCD technology of the 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 7A28 would grow to eventually come in over forty variations, including models issued to the military and those used in movies (including starring roles in James Bond flicks and the film "Aliens," among others); some were even issued to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence naval and air forces, and also to the South African Air Force.
The variant here, the 7A28-7090 regatta, debuted in circa 1982/83, with a highly unique bead-blasted case designed by Seiko solely for this reference, and it was only built for a few years before disappearing from Seiko catalogs post-1985.
As noted in Fratello, “The Seiko 7A28-7090 Yacht Timer is one of the brand’s most desirable vintage watches - when you ask Seiko people about the top vintage pieces they’d like to own, a host of divers, chronographs, and Grand Seiko will certainly make their way to the list, but the Yacht Timer almost always finds its way in there."
"There’s a reason for this and it’s not its innovative movement; the watch is undeniably attractive…the Yacht Timer to be wonderfully unbalanced and very instrument-like. The fact that these big pushers [the start/stop button on the upper right and the split timing pusher on the upper left would be the two most used functions on the watch] are added to a very slim case exaggerates the view further…if it weren’t for that wonderful burst of color that defines the 9:00 minutes sub register, you could characterize the watch as plain.
"But that wheel made of alternating light and royal blue “pies” when combined with a yellow hand adds just enough color to make this piece a real looker...the Yacht Timer’s are rare, rare, rare. In fact, I’d bet that less than a handful of them come up for sale each year – and I’m relatively confident in saying this as I track them semi-seriously.”
This Seiko 7A28 regatta comes with original 7A28 instructions manual, Seiko Quartz box & hang tag, canvas-backed leather strap, nylon strap, rubber dive strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
Full Set 1983 Seiko 7A28-7090 Yacht Timer Chronograph (Box & Papers)
DIAL: Vibrantly colorful and rare regatta dial, with matching hands - all writing is crisply legible, and the blue and yellow colors feature zero fade; lume shines.
CASE: Stainless-steel bead-blasted matte case measures 40mm (w/o crown) x 45.5mm, with matching caseback. This case was only used on this 7A28 variant, and does not share it with any of the other over 40 Seiko 7A28 variants.
CRYSTAL: Seiko Hardlex crystal, no cracks or scratches.
BAND: This Seiko 7A28 comes on a grey leather-backed canvas strap; it also comes with a blue, white, and red nylon strap and rubber Seiko dive strap.
MOVEMENT: Seiko 7A28 quartz movement, manufactured in May 1983. We have performed a full service on this Seiko Regatta chronograph
CROWN: Unsigned stainless-steel crown.
CHRONOGRAPH PUSHERS: Chronograph pushers depress with satisfying click – no sticking. All chronograph hands reset as designed to zero.
Of note, this Seiko Yacht Timer comes with original Seiko 7A28 instructions manual, Seiko Quartz box, Seiko survey paperwork, and Seiko Quartz hang tag.