Found this old Seiko watch tucked in a box at my uncle’s place last week. Totally dusty, kinda dirty, but the little label inside said “17A”. Got curious about what this rusty thing could be worth.
First Step: Figure Out What Exactly I Got
Snapped a bunch of photos – front, back, the moving parts inside (the “movement” the nerds call it). Made sure the dim light didn’t mess up the shots. Googled like crazy, typing “Seiko 17A watch” into every search bar I could find. Spent hours just looking at pictures online trying to match mine.
Digging Deeper Into Condition & Details
Took the watch apart carefully – well, as carefully as someone fumbling with tiny tools can! Noticed stuff:
- Face was scratched, like someone dragged it on concrete.
- Hands looked okay, no big dents or rust spots.
- The case back had writing – “Water Proof” it said, felt real old-timey.
- The glass was plastic, super hazy, probably needed replacing.
- Did it even run? Nope. Dead as a doornail when I wound it.
Honestly, it was pretty rough looking. Not exactly mint condition.
Checking Out How Much People Pay
Jumped onto those big buying/selling sites everyone uses. Filtered for “Seiko 17A” and sorted by completed sales – the prices things actually sold for. Saw a massive range!
- One dude paid like $300 for one that looked practically new.
- Saw others selling for $50-$80 that were beat up, kinda like mine.
- Found a few listings asking $200+ for junkers, but nah, those just sat there unsold.
Made a note: working condition matters way more than I thought. Big drop if it’s broken.
Trying To Pin Down My Own Watch’s Value
Sat down comparing mine to the sold listings. Mine needed:
- A full service just to maybe get it running ($$$).
- A new glass for sure.
- The face cleaned… maybe.
- Probably a new strap, the old one crumbled in my hand.
Looking at the sold prices for similar beat-up Seiko 17A watches, most fell under $100. Mine being totally dead? Yeah, that dropped it further. Any collector wanting it “as is” probably wouldn’t cough up much.
The Reality Check
After all that digging and comparing, what’s my rust bucket really worth today?
Honestly? If I’m lucky? Maybe $30 to $50 bucks tops. To the right person who likes projects or spare parts. But realistically, it’s just a neat old paperweight right now. Found out the hard way: just being old doesn’t make it gold. The money’s in the condition and whether it ticks! Guess I won’t be retiring off this find. Oh well!