The Seiko 7A28 - like this full-serviced rare 1983 Seiko 7A28-7090 Yacht Timer regatta chronograph here, with original Seiko 7A28 instructions manual and Seiko Quartz inner/outer boxes - 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 inner and outer boxes, canvas-backed leather strap, nylon strap, nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
