Seiko World Time - Vintage DIGITAL Models

[dapellegrini]

One of my unicorns popped up online and instead of playing the best offer game, I just jumped on it.  Hopefully it arrives in good condition.

This appears to to be the A718-5010 silver "Frankenstein", on original bracket:





The only other photo I have ever seen of this one is here, where the oranges and blues seem a lot brighter - will be curious to compare once I have it in hand:



Question for anyone still following this thread.  Here is the original bracelet - how do you interpret this Bracelet code?  M1021 or maybe M'021?

[inboost]

dapellegrini - congrats on the A718-5010! I just finished up my M158-5000 (with help from your parts pile!) and I love it. To be honest I like the 5009 bezel a touch better but the style of the case + bracelet on the 5000 is so distinctive I can't say with any confidence which I like better.

As for bracelets, I've said it before. There has got to be an entire universe of these things that could eventually be decoded. I think part of the problem here is that bracelets can be assigned to more than one model or line of watch. So the codes we see must be distinctive as to construction, finish, and size. I bet a decoder could be built much like you have with your gasket and crystal systems on your world time website (Other readers, if you haven't used this  - you need to!)

Inboost

[dapellegrini]

Congrats on the M158-5000 glad to hear that one is finally back together and whole.  I have small wrists (~16cm) and the bracelet on the 5000 wears like a rigid metal cuff - very different compared to the 5009.  I agree the 5009's bezel is a little more interesting.  The fun thing is if you like one you will almost certainly like the other, and they wear very different IMO.

On the A718's bracelet codes - you are (of course) right.  On this specific one, I am pretty sure this is the right bracelet, I just can't make out the character or mark or shape between M and 021...  I'm hoping it is more clear once in hand.  This one is shipping from Australia, so fingers crossed!

[dapellegrini]

Hot off the press, my version 1 write-up on the A358 model(s):

seikoworldtime.com/articles/A358-500X

[ouroboros]

Apr 9, 2022 13:54:17 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

Congrats on the M158-5000 glad to hear that one is finally back together and whole.  I have small wrists (~16cm) and the bracelet on the 5000 wears like a rigid metal cuff - very different compared to the 5009.  I agree the 5009's bezel is a little more interesting.  The fun thing is if you like one you will almost certainly like the other, and they wear very different IMO.

On the A718's bracelet codes - you are (of course) right.  On this specific one, I am pretty sure this is the right bracelet, I just can't make out the character or mark or shape between M and 021...  I'm hoping it is more clear once in hand.  This one is shipping from Australia, so fingers crossed!

The reference for bracelet on the A718-5010 is M1021S so the one in the image is correct.

[dapellegrini]

ouroboros - thanks for that feedback... curious if you have a reference paper or something somewhere to confirm that?  Not because I don't believe you - rather because I would love to know there is a reference somewhere that matches bracelets to cases/models!

[inboost]

Apr 13, 2022 13:36:27 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

Hot off the press, my version 1 write-up on the A358 model(s):

seikoworldtime.com/articles/A358-500X

Nice Dan, your documentation and fact finding skills are out of this world! It was a pleasure to learn about the A358, thanks for the hard work!

[dapellegrini]

Thank you for the kind words.

I don't think I posted here, but there is also a fairly new article up on the A239's - AKA the WOPR:

seikoworldtime.com/articles/A239-50XX

FWIW, I believe this is the most popular and sought after of the digital world times from Seiko.  Thankfully there are tons of them to be had!

[ouroboros]

Apr 13, 2022 14:28:07 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

ouroboros - thanks for that feedback... curious if you have a reference paper or something somewhere to confirm that?  Not because I don't believe you - rather because I would love to know there is a reference somewhere that matches bracelets to cases/models!

dapellegrini - I use the Seiko Australia database for this

[dapellegrini]

ouroboros - Thank you, that is actually very helpful.  Unfortunately it is hit and miss with model coverage, but it does show up for some stuff.  Awesome.  Added to my references list

[dapellegrini]

Today another M158-5000 arrived, this time from Canada.  This one was obviously worn, used and (perhaps) loved for many, many years.  Perhaps by a painter, or at least someone who decided to paint while wearing it...  Its pretty beat up - here's what it looked like on arrival:



Its a little hard to tell, but the dial frame on this one is in pretty poor shape - obvious damage under the crystal







And on the backside ....





Gross...

Having had some really bad luck getting some of these to open - I prepared for the worst:



But it popped apart with almost no effort, whew



The module looks good



Looks like someone had this serviced early, and perhaps often?



And some unreadable scrawl on the battery hatch



This o-ring was the hardest part to get out without ruining it



This thing was seriously gross, so I prepped the whole thing to drop in the US bath



Including pushers and C/E-clips







The dial frame is here at top-left - pretty bad



The case on this one is still better than my other one, so that's the one I will keep for the rebuild:





Following tips from inboost I used a bit of 600 grit sandpaper to refinish the top of the case gently, and a cape code cloth to clean up the polished sides.  This one keeps its crystal gasket - and a new aftermarket crystal from Hovigs



Once it was all clean and dry, I had to make some compromises with some not-quite-right gaskets (shopping for the right ones).  The old ones had turned to stone, so I used a razor blade to cut them off, then put some new ones on while I source better ones.  



C-clips went on pretty easily (I've had a lot of training with those now)

Its dark now and I am out of photos - so more tomorrow...  The watch came out pretty good, though I have realized that the light doesn't work - not sure if I will be trying my hand at that fix (I have three extras - no idea if any of them work)...  

[dapellegrini]

there's a small dent on the bottom left of the case, but not as bad as my other case.  Otherwise it came together very well.  

[inboost]

Nice work dapellegrini ! Another successful World Timer save is always good. As for those pusher gaskets, I purchased a set of G39086 from CousinsUK that were noted as d-ring replacements for Seiko DJ0060B01. They fit, but they are just a bit too big in outside diameter when installed (so inner diameter may be too small or material may be too thick) so the delicate pusher return springs of the M158 switch action just don't have quite enough oomph to return the pushers to their unpressed position. So you might leave those ones and keep digging around for something else. In the mean time I have that same o-ring kit that you have and it did work out for me with the 1.9mm (0.9 x 0.6) labeled round part. I don't really understand the label, as we usually spec an o-ring by ID and cord material thickness so 0.9 x 0.6 ought to be 2.1mm not 1.9mm but I think the guys in China might be specifying the hole fitment of the pusher tube and therefor this 2.1mm ring will seal well in a 1.9mm bore.

I know you can do the light swap, it's easy and no soldering required!

1) pull the stem and clear the module from the case back

2) remove the 'circuit bridge plate' - green cover over the circuit board

3) remove the three screws that hold the light+transistor module in place

4) swap in a known good part (see page 26 service panel 'G')

5) reverse to reassemble!

Inboost

P.S. - If you've written off that dial frame already, try dropping it briefly into a shallow dish of mildly soapy water and while submerged use a very fine paint brush to lightly brush the surface clean. Rinse it in clean cool water and blow it dry gently. It may spiff up! Be careful though, it may have water applied decals in which case this procedure would do more harm than good.

[dapellegrini]

Well, one of my 3 spare lights looks better than the others.  Two look like perhaps the little filament / wire is still in tack, but hard to be sure...



I will likely attempt that soon(ish).

As for the garbage dial frame, here it is in better light - before cleaning:



Soap and hot water actually removed some of the white text around Caracas, Rio etc...  Perhaps just removed oils that had already eaten those away?  Using IPA did a better job getting the oil off without affecting the printing, but I would still consider this dial frame a lost cause:

Here it is after cleaning:

[dapellegrini]

Hooray - replacement light works!

[dapellegrini]

In other news, I was able to source a A239-5010, which has generally been the hardest to find.  Is the bottom-middle one in the first photo below.

With the A239 range, I now have examples of the 5000, 5009 and 5010, with red, black and green LCDs, and the 5020 and 502A with the black and green LCDs.  An SGP/Red LCD 5020 is in the mail - which will round out the set.  The 500X and 5010 are on the Z330 bracelet, the 502X models are on the GA950 bracelet.

Sheesh, in the sunlight it is obvious several of these need a good cleaning!

[dapellegrini]

And then there were 17.  Not counting the two in the mail (EDIT: Or the many extra parts, probably 3-4 more watches worth).



This leaves two more pokemon to finish the set, an SGP A358 and an SGP A718-5030.  Unless the A708=5010 is real, then I will need one of those too I guess...

[dapellegrini]

Apr 27, 2022 9:28:11 GMT -8 inboost said:

As for those pusher gaskets, I purchased a set of G39086 from CousinsUK that were noted as d-ring replacements for Seiko DJ0060B01. They fit, but they are just a bit too big in outside diameter when installed (so inner diameter may be too small or material may be too thick) so the delicate pusher return springs of the M158 switch action just don't have quite enough oomph to return the pushers to their unpressed position. So you might leave those ones and keep digging around for something else. In the mean time I have that same o-ring kit that you have and it did work out for me with the 1.9mm (0.9 x 0.6) labeled round part. 

I've got some replica DJ0060B01 gaskets in the mail - hopefully they work out.  I also couldn't understand the packaging notes on the gasket set, but I noticed that these DJ0060B01's are pretty common in vintage Seikos, so I ordered a bunch.  If they work out, I have 4 M158's, at 3 each that's already 12.  For now they are ok with the lesser gaskets - I doubled up on them to get the best fit, which is probably silly, but it seems to be working for now.

[inboost]

Apr 27, 2022 16:23:53 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

And then there were 17.  Not counting the two in the mail (EDIT: Or the many extra parts, probably 3-4 more watches worth).



This leaves two more pokemon to finish the set, an SGP A358 and an SGP A718-5030.  Unless the A708=5010 is real, then I will need one of those too I guess...

Wow, looking great!

Well done on the light repair, and it's a shame about the dial printing coming off. So I wonder if it would be fun to try and customize it to be something completely different. Maybe we could get some racetrack names on there somehow?

Hmmmm, somehow I see these presented in their world time mode, with the time zones marching sequentially from GMT and back again.

 So dapellegrini , does this mean you need to find 24 watches that fit in the collection?

I'll be here waiting

Inboost

[dapellegrini]

Ha - that would be fun.  Here's the whole set, I think:

M158
01. M158-5000 - SS - Black Dial Frame (City Names)
02. M158-5009 - SS - Black Dial Frame (Airport Codes)
03. M158-5009 - SGP - Yellow Dial Frame (Airport Codes)

A239 - Pending Addt'l Casing Guide Data
04. A239-5000 - SS - Black Dial Frame, Black LCD
05. A239-5000 - SGP - Brown Dial Frame, Red LCD
06. A239-5009 - SS - Black Dial Frame, Black LCD
07. A239-5009 - SGP - Brown Dial Frame, Red LCD
08. A239-5010 - SS - Blue Dial Frame, Green LCD
09. A239-502A - SS - Blue Dial Frame, Green LCD
10. A239-5020 - SS - Black Dial Frame, Green LCD
11. A239-5020 - SGP - Brown Dial Frame, Red LCD

A358 - Pending Addt'l Casing Guide Data
12. A358-5000 - SS - White Dial Frame
13. A358-5000 - SS - Gray Dial Frame
14. A358-5000 - SS - Black Dial Frame
15. A358-5000 - SGP - Black/Yellow Dial Frame
16. A358-5009 - SS - White Dial Frame

17. A358-5009 - SS - Gray Dial Frame
18. A358-5009 - SS - Black Dial Frame
19. A358-5009 - SGP - Black/Yellow Dial Frame

A708 - Pending Casing Guide Data
20. A708-5000 - SS - Black Dial Frame
21. A708-5000 - SGP - Yellow Dial Frame

A718 - Pending Casing Guide Data
22. A718-5010 - SS - Black Dial Frame
23. A718-5010 - SS - Gray Dial Frame
24. A718-5030 - SS - Black Dial Frame
25. A718-5030 - SGP - Yellow Dial Frame

There may be a few that I have missed, but this has got to be pretty close...

EDIT: The ones I have are in blue.