Help with watch? Seiko 9723-5000

[faiths]

So, apologies, I only joined this forum to ask for help to do with a watch I now own.

You guys all looked friendly enough on your threads, so I thought I'd risk it. Sorry if I offend anyone, and please don't yell at me!

---

I've recently been given a Seiko 9723-5000 wrist watch. Blue metallic background, octagon face. It's not in the most mint condition, it's gained three scratches on it's face, and the metal bracelet itself has scratches. Still works, has days in (german??) and english available to switch through, as well as monthly-numbers.

Basically trying to decide whether to sell it or keep it, and wanted to know if any of you know how much it would be worth? I know it's probably not worth a lot anymore, and that it was made in 1979 (which sounds about right, from it's ex-owners timeline). 

I don't really like having things that collect dust, but worse case (I know, I'm sorry! I sound rude) I'd keep it and just shove it in a box somewhere.

Thank you everyone for your help.
 

[Groundhog66]

Pics would certainly help, hard to put a value on something we cannot see.

[faiths]

Okay, will log on with my phone and post some.

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 9:28:44 GMT -8 faiths said:

So, apologies, I only joined this forum to ask for help to do with a watch I now own.

You guys all looked friendly enough on your threads, so I thought I'd risk it. Sorry if I offend anyone, and please don't yell at me!

---

I've recently been given a Seiko 9723-5000 wrist watch. Blue metallic background, octagon face. It's not in the most mint condition, it's gained three scratches on it's face, and the metal bracelet itself has scratches. Still works, has days in (german??) and english available to switch through, as well as monthly-numbers.

Basically trying to decide whether to sell it or keep it, and wanted to know if any of you know how much it would be worth? I know it's probably not worth a lot anymore, and that it was made in 1979 (which sounds about right, from it's ex-owners timeline). 

I don't really like having things that collect dust, but worse case (I know, I'm sorry! I sound rude) I'd keep it and just shove it in a box somewhere.

Thank you everyone for your help.
 

Hi Faith and welcome1to the forum. We don't bite

The watch you have is from the late 70s and has a 'dual quartz' movement. This was Seiko's attempt to make a more accurate quartz watch.
When the watch was new, it was probably fairly expensive...


These older quartz watches are generally not that sought after not collectible but this particular model is relatively scarce.
you may find a collector that is interested in it but you won't know until you try to sell it. Whatever price you get for it will be whatever the buyer is willing to pay.

It would be impossible to say whether yours would bring $5, $50 or maybe even more from the right buyer. My guess is that it would be something less than $50 though.

You can check eBay to see if any of these have been sold and what price the price range might be.

[faiths]

Ah ha, i figured it out. Sorry!! 







Sorry, haven't used forums in ages, and not used to the layout of yours :S 

[faiths]

I didn't think it would be worth much. Thank you for your help! Sorry I've spammed your boards, I have no idea what I'm doing. There aren't any on e-bay, or ones of the same model I could find online myself. I came across your forum whilst looking for just that. Thank you guys! 

[Deleted]

I have been keeping a eye on the Twin Quartz watches for a month or two now. They seem to make £100-150GBP on average which is nothing considering they were more expensive than the mechanical models at the time by a lot. They are seriously over engineered which is why they are so lovely!

[faiths]

I thought most watches were quartz powered now? I don't really know anything about watches, but usually they say they're quartz... I'm one of those horrible people that look for broken cogs and things to make pretty decorations with. Carboots are so great for that, and the second hand watches... but so expensive now...

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 9:54:52 GMT -8 faiths said:

I didn't think it would be worth much. Thank you for your help! Sorry I've spammed your boards, I have no idea what I'm doing. There aren't any on e-bay, or ones of the same model I could find online myself. I came across your forum whilst looking for just that. Thank you guys! 

Faith, you haven't spammed anything. This is one of the reasons for forums like ours; to share info and help where/when we can.

Try putting this 'images seiko 9723-5000' into Google. there is quite a bit of info there.

It looks like there may be a market for your watch in the UK as Tony(cockroach) indicates. That would be cool if you could get the equivalent of $400 USD for it 7dfe79adc2f0

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 10:08:32 GMT -8 faiths said:

I thought most watches were quartz powered now? I don't really know anything about watches, but usually they say they're quartz... I'm one of those horrible people that look for broken cogs and things to make pretty decorations with. Carboots are so great for that, and the second hand watches... but so expensive now...

True, the large majority of watches today are quartz.

However there is still a healthy business in mechanical watches. Most watch forums are based around mechanical watches.

We love deals as well. We even have a monthly contest where members post Seiko mechanical watches they've managed to pick up for under $10 USD. It's a cjallenge but fun when one member or another comes up with something that is worth much, much more than $10 or whatever they got it for

[faiths]

Oh wow that's awesome, bet it's a lot of fun. I work in a charity shop in my spare time, so we get all sorts of things come in that I have to correct our staff on the pricing of. We always have a giggle when we google everything and find out it's worth £££ and just come in for free. I've picked up a pocket watch for 50p before, knowing it was worth about £30. It's not a lot of money, but still makes you squeal.


Yeah, not sure whether to put on bidding or buy it now though. It would be awesome to make £100 - £150, would help so much for Christmas (and be gone in an instant...)


The main dilemma is the face is scratched, so I'm not sure if anyone would even want it. It would annoy me, when wearing it, to see them. They're not terrible scratches, but... annoying.

[HiBeat]

Welcome Faiths, threads like this one can be fun.  Glad you started this.   Hope you don't just 'hit and run' but if you do that's OK too !

My take on this watch's value is that is around $40-50 US Dollars.  I'll tell you why:

-  The Twin Quartz watches of value are the King Seikos and Grand Seikos and Lord Quartzes that show the special "Twin Quartz" logo on the dial.  Double prizes when the crown has the logo on it too.  This one does not.  That makes it less collectable in my book.  A lot less.  Sorry.

The "SQ" logo hurts value.  It was the catch-all branding still used to this day.   In this case it is on a good movement but sadly it was over applied to all of Seiko's cheapest Quartz Movements too. 

The crystal scratches require replacement and that is no easy crystal to find.  I have many of the "SA-" series Hardlex crystals but not this one.  My guess is to buy it would cost over $25 USD and maybe more.   Once installed the watch is still not a $100 watch.   So what can you get in the current state with scratches on the crystal and the bracelet?  

I agree with posters above, ultimately you find the right collector who wants that model with that gorgeous blue dial and it could be worth a lot more than I say.    

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 10:25:58 GMT -8 faiths said:

Oh wow that's awesome, bet it's a lot of fun. I work in a charity shop in my spare time, so we get all sorts of things come in that I have to correct our staff on the pricing of. We always have a giggle when we google everything and find out it's worth £££ and just come in for free. I've picked up a pocket watch for 50p before, knowing it was worth about £30. It's not a lot of money, but still makes you squeal.


Yeah, not sure whether to put on bidding or buy it now though. It would be awesome to make £100 - £150, would help so much for Christmas (and be gone in an instant...)


The main dilemma is the face is scratched, so I'm not sure if anyone would even want it. It would annoy me, when wearing it, to see them. They're not terrible scratches, but... annoying.

Collectors wouldn't worry too much about a few scratches; they would simply find a new crystal and replace the scratched one.
You will likely get more for it on eBay than one of the watch forum sales pages.
If you don't ask top dollar/pound then a BIN should move it quickly. Use Tony's range of prices to be your guide.

[faiths]

It's kind of amazing. Reminds me of diamonds. Watches can be so expensive to buy, but unless they're something special, they're not worth much haha. I'll probably try keeping it for a while and mulling it over, I still have lots of random things to check up on. I know my parents brought most from antique-bidding-places, but when I google them, I only find similar images, not the exact ones. So I can't line them up.

I've got some mini-grandfather clock and... a clock... Not sure what the type is called, laying about too. 

Haha, I'll try not to hit-and-run, but I've already got concerns that I found all your posts fascinating. I've had a nosey through the threads, and unlike usual, you all speak "the English" so I can sort-of understand what is going on.

Thank you guys so much for helping.  

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 10:41:11 GMT -8 faiths said:

It's kind of amazing. Reminds me of diamonds. Watches can be so expensive to buy, but unless they're something special, they're not worth much haha. I'll probably try keeping it for a while and mulling it over, I still have lots of random things to check up on. I know my parents brought most from antique-bidding-places, but when I google them, I only find similar images, not the exact ones. So I can't line them up.

I've got some mini-grandfather clock and... a clock... Not sure what the type is called, laying about too. 

Haha, I'll try not to hit-and-run, but I've already got concerns that I found all your posts fascinating. I've had a nosey through the threads, and unlike usual, you all speak "the English" so I can sort-of understand what is going on.

Thank you guys so much for helping.  

Cute avatar

Tony aka cockroach is one of our clock experts here. He may be able to help you out and he's in the UK as well.

[mar52]

Hi Faiths,  the guys here are great!

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 10:08:32 GMT -8 faiths said:

I thought most watches were quartz powered now? I don't really know anything about watches, but usually they say they're quartz... I'm one of those horrible people that look for broken cogs and things to make pretty decorations with. Carboots are so great for that, and the second hand watches... but so expensive now...

Nothing wrong with not knowing about watches. I'd be a lot better off if I didn't know anything about watches that's for sure! I'm a clock restorer by trade and often give away huge boxes of gears and cogs to a friend of mine so she can make 'steam punk' stuff for her house and friends.

It's a nice watch you have there and better quality than most high end watches you can buy today no doubt. It'll have funky features such as when the battery gets low the watch will only move the second hand every 2nd second if that makes sense. So instead of ticking away a second each second it skips a movement but still moves to the correct place on the dial. So it helps keep the watch accurate and lets you know its battery needs changing. Nifty feature for sad watch geek folk like me.

[Deleted]

Dec 11, 2014 10:41:11 GMT -8 faiths said:

It's kind of amazing. Reminds me of diamonds. Watches can be so expensive to buy, but unless they're something special, they're not worth much haha. I'll probably try keeping it for a while and mulling it over, I still have lots of random things to check up on. I know my parents brought most from antique-bidding-places, but when I google them, I only find similar images, not the exact ones. So I can't line them up.

I've got some mini-grandfather clock and... a clock... Not sure what the type is called, laying about too. 

Haha, I'll try not to hit-and-run, but I've already got concerns that I found all your posts fascinating. I've had a nosey through the threads, and unlike usual, you all speak "the English" so I can sort-of understand what is going on.

Thank you guys so much for helping.  

Stuff up some pics and I'll do my very best to evaluate them for you but I only know about one type of clock really so no promises I'll know about your little baby grandfather clock (normally known as a grandmother or grand daughter clock).

Tones boring fact of the day:
The term 'Grandfather clock' came from a childs rhyme 'My Grandfathers Clock' a song written in 1876 by an American song writer Henry Clay Work. The correct term for all this class of clock is a 'Longcase clock' but nobody not even here in the UK would really know what you meant unless you called it a Grandfather clock

[faiths]

I'll have to post up photos of the two after the weekend, as I'm away from home. Plus it's shoved to the back of my cupboard and I'll have to clear through it all

I make top-hats in my free-time, so I totally get the steam-punk thing. We had a party earlier this year for someones birthday, which was that theme. Ended up picking up random real and fake cogs from places.