SOLD: SEIKO Hybrid Diver H558-5009 "Arnie"

Up for sale is a SEIKO Hybrid Diver H558-5009 a.k.a SEIKO Arnie. It was nicknamed Arnie because Arnold Schwarzenegger is a big fan and wore it in the movie "Commando" (1985) and "Predator" (1987).

H558 was the first diver's watch in the world which featured a digital alarm chronograph display. It was used by a team comprised of members from Japan, China, and Nepal when they climbed Mt. Everest in 1988.

Production date: March 1983.
Case dimension:

• Width: 46 mm (excludes crown).
• Thickness: 12 mm.
• Lug: 22 mm.

Description:
All-original.
Original plastic shroud has some scratches but in good condition and no crack. Shroud screw at 2 o'clock position has stripped head.
Original dial and hands in good condition. Lumes on index markers and hands still glow very faintly.
Original bezel rotates bi-directionally with 60 clicks. Bezel clicks firmly without play. Bezel grip has scratches.
Original bezel insert is in good condition.
Original crystal is good and untouched.
Case and caseback are in good condition. There are swirlies and some tool marks on the caseback but overall they are good and untouched. Tsunami wave emblem still has the original grainy background.
Analog-digital movement is working fine. All functions (alarm, chronograph, local-time, digital display light) work flawlessly. Accuracy is within spec.
Crown locks in 2.5x full turn.
Battery was replaced with brand new SEIKO genuine silver oxide battery at SEIKO Service Center on August 2010.
Water resistant is unknown.
Complete with genuine straight-vent Z22 rubber strap and flanged-end fat spring bars.
Price: SOLD.

The bad: One shroud screw has stripped head. Bezel grip has scratches.

SOLD: SEIKO Automatic Diver 6309-729B

Up for sale is a SEIKO automatic diver 6309-729B. This is the harder to find orange dial version from my personal collection. As far as I know, this is the first SEIKO automatic diver with orange dial.

Production date: April 1985.
Case dimension:

• Width: 42 mm (excludes crown).
• Thickness: 13 mm.
• Lug: 22 mm.

Description:
All-original except for the crystal retainer ring which has been replaced with genuine ring taken from other SEIKO 6309 diver.
Original dial is in good condition.
Original golden hands have oxidations.
Lumes on index markers, hands, and bezel insert still glow faintly and fade at the same rate.
Original bezel rotates bi-directionally with 60 clicks. Bezel clicks firmly without play.
Original bezel insert is in fair condition with some blemish. The original golden coating has been worn off.
Original crystal has very light swirlies but almost invisible. Crystal is untouched.
Case and caseback are in good condition. There are light swirlies but overall they are good and untouched. Original factory finish is clearly visible. Edge and corners are still sharp.
Movement is running well. Service history is unknown. Accuracy is within spec.
Crown locks in 2.25x full turn.
All gaskets (crystal L-gasket, crown, caseback) have been replaced with brand new SEIKO genuine gaskets on July 2010. It is not pressure tested so water resistant is unknown.
Complete with GL-831 rubber strap and brand new flanged-type fat spring bars. Original old GL-831 which has been aging and lost its rubber keeper will be included for buyer.
Price: SOLD.

The bad: Hands have oxidation. Bezel insert has blemish.

▲ Brand new SEIKO genuine crystal gasket.

▲ Brand new SEIKO genuine crown gasket.

▲ Brand new SEIKO genuine caseback gasket.

SOLD: SEIKO Hybrid Diver H558-5000 "Arnie" (JDM)

▲ Schwarzenegger wore SEIKO H558 in "Commando" (1985).

Up for sale is a SEIKO Hybrid Diver H558-5000 SSAD018 a.k.a SEIKO Arnie. It was nicknamed Arnie because Arnold Schwarzenegger is a big fan and wore it in the movie "Commando" (1985) and "Predator" (1987). The one for sale here is the harder to find JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) version with "WATER 150m RESIST" dial.

H558 was the first diver's watch in the world which featured a digital alarm chronograph display. It was used by a team comprised of members from Japan, China, and Nepal when they climbed Mt. Everest in 1988.

Production date: December 1982.
Case dimension:

• Width: 46 mm (excludes crown).
• Thickness: 12 mm.
• Lug: 22 mm.

Description:
All-original including original GL-831 rubber strap.
Original plastic shroud has some scratches but in good condition and no crack.
Original dial and hands in good condition. Lumes on index markers and hands still glow very faintly.
Original bezel rotates bi-directionally with 60 clicks. Bezel clicks firmly without play.
Original bezel insert is in good condition.
Original crystal is lightly scratched but still good and untouched.
Case and caseback are in good condition. There are swirlies and some tool marks on the caseback but overall they are good and untouched.
Analog-digital movement is working fine. All functions (alarm, chronograph, local-time, digital display light) work flawlessly. Accuracy is within spec.
Crown locks in 2.5x full turn.
Water resistant is unknown.
Complete with its original GL-831 rubber strap which has been aging but no crack. Brand new flanged-type fat spring bars are included.
Price: SOLD.

The bad: Crystal is lightly scratched and case has swirlies.

▲ Original GL 831 rubber strap.

▲ SEIKO Professional Quartz Diver SBBN015 Marine Master 300m and H558-5000 Arnie.

SOLD: SEIKO Quartz Diver 7548-700B Restoration 2

Watch is SOLD.

This is my second 7548 Quartz Diver restoration. The dial is different from my first 7548. This one has "WATER 150m RESIST" dial. A friend from SEIKO and CITIZEN forum in WUS told me that this is JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) variant of 7548.

Below is the watch when I purchased it. Original hands are slightly corroded. Dial in good condition. Aftermarket bezel insert. Case has been polished.

Hands were replaced with new genuine SKX007 hands set. The color of the lume on hands set almost matches the color of index markers' lume, which is yellowish white.

A new complete case from a donor 7548-700B was thrown in. The replacement case is in nice condition and never been polished. Original machining lines still visible. Edges and corners are still sharp. Case and crown were completely dismantled and cleaned. All gaskets were re-greased. Caseback gasket was replaced with a new genuine one.

Original 7548 crystal has thin scratches but never been polished and still nice for a 31 year-old vintage diver. Bezel clicks firmly without play like a brand new watch. Crown works very smooth and screws down in 2.5x full turn. Bezel insert was replaced with hi-quality repro. A brand new Super Oyster solid stainless steel bracelet with solid end links were installed. It is a very beautiful 7548 now.