Birthday Watch April 1968! Seiko Cal 840 Seikomatic Slimdate SUWA 30J Mechanical Watch

A BIRTHDAY WATCH IS A WATCH THAT WAS PRODUCED THE SAME MONTH AND YEAR AS SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY.

Make: Seiko
Type: Mechanical
Model: Seikomatic Slimdate
Year of Production: April 1968
Movement: 840
BPH: 18,000
Number of Jewels: 30
Hand and Dial: 3D Baton Indices with Dauphine Hands
Width: 36mm
Lug to Lug Height: 44mm
Thickness: 10mm
Lug Width: 18mm
Strap: Brand-New Hi-Quality Genuine Leather Green Strap with Silver Buckle
Pouch / Box: Brand-New EVA Type Zipper Pouch

The Seiko 840 movement replaced the 830 (AKA 8301) movement and was later renamed the 8305. The 840/8305 debuted in February 1964 until 1972.

It remained a mechanical movement as in this Seikomatic Slimdate, Caliber 840, 30 Jewels Mechanical Watch.

For Seiko Collectors and Vintage fans, this is a pre-SUWA (logo) in excellent condition with the Spinner Logo below the 12H marker. Its 6 pointed star located below the "Diashock" wordings authenticates it's "AD" status i.e. silver filled indices and hands.

THIS IS A HIGHLY SORT AFTER COLLECTIBLE.

The classic silver case and date window, hands and indices (for its age) are in excellent and mint condition respectively and had undergone a painstaking cleaning process and almost all imperfections have been meticulously removed. There may be a few minor scratches and age marks remaining but are almost invisible to the naked eye. It's original ivory white dial has Patina (Wabi-Sabi: The Perfect Imperfections / The Imperfect Perfections) growing at the dial edges. The crystal has been given a good rub and is almost spotless as well.

This watch is meant for the diehard Patina Dial lover.

The crown is original and is located at the 4H position and is nicely tucked away to prevent damage or snags. The date quickset works flawlessly by pulling out the crown to the first level to adjust the date via clockwise or counterclockwise (very unique!). The time is adjusted by pulling the crown out to the second level.

The movement was carefully stripped and meticulously cleaned, oiled and re-assembled in September 2022. It should be able to operate unhindered for the next 5 to 10 years thereby giving the owner peace of mind.

Equipped with the 840 movement, it has an impressive 30 Jewels that operate at 18,000 beats per hour (BPH) giving it excellent accuracy and longevity.

To the best of our knowledge and expertise when overhauling the timepiece, the watch is 100% original Seiko components from this particular watch. No parts were replaced with aftermarket parts or modified thereby it is considered in MINT condition.

Due to its age, this timepiece has not been water-resistant tested.

The case width and height are approximately 36m (without crown) and 44mm respectively. The lug width is 18mm and the genuine leather strap can accommodate wrists up to 21.0cm; hence, it is suitable for men and the modern women.

The watch comes with a brand new very good quality vintage snake green leather strap with silver buckle. The Buyer is given the option to choose a different design and coloured strap from my array of straps should he / she wishes to do so.

The pictures provided show the watch’s case in excellent condition, and the movement within squeaky clean and well maintained. It has also been demagnetised to improve parts reliability, minimise wear & tear, and improve accuracy. The only drawback is the lack of documentation and original box. A nice purposeful carrying case or box will be provided instead.

Bear in mind that this watch has seen many of the previous owners’ ups and downs in life, and should be cherished and well taken care of for the next generation to savour such engineering beauty.

Yes, there are many other same / similar models in the market, BUT none has beautifully aged and as well maintained as what you see here. Hence, it is a no-brainer that this one-of-a-kind watch will make an extremely beautiful birthday present for that special someone. Another no-brainer is the fact that the value of this watch will appreciate over time.

Do also bear in mind that it will cost between S$ 120.00 to S$ 150.00 for a proper servicing, an estimated S$ 80.00 to calibrate, and S$ 40.00 to buff such a watch case - these costs do not apply when purchasing this timepiece. So, if anyone was to sell such a timepiece at a low price yet claim that it has been serviced, one has to ask what kind of servicing was conducted, if any.

This is a highly sort-after Seiko Seikomatic Slimdate 840 Mechanical Watch that is simple hard to resists if you're a vintage patina nutty; so, be unique and wear something that is almost impossible to source.

This is a must-have for the Seiko die-hard fan, and in fact, any serious watch collector!