Going back in time - The classic Seiko 5 7009-4040 blue face 17 jewel automatic watch

Going back in time - The classic Seiko 5 automatic watch

The classic Seiko 5 7009-3040 automatic watch with blue face
virtually identical to the 4040 except the bezel is more vertical than angled

I first became aware of Seiko watches when my uncle brought one back from the United States in the 1970's. I was intrigued with this watch which had an alarm even though I was only about 6, so I hoped one day to own one. I was mechanically minded then.

Inside the Seiko 7009-4030 - the 17 jewel engine

I had to wait until 1983 to buy my own Seiko watch, going through a selection of mechanical and digital efforts from Timex, Solus, Casio from the age of about eight onwards, I purchased a mechanical watch in 1982 just after I started working but it wasn't very nice quality and what would you expect for £17 then? 

The Seiko it had to be

A walk past the local James Walker jewellers in my local high street back in 1983 presented me with a plethora of watches at a range of prices, the one I decided on was a Seiko 5 series with the dark blue dial. A 7009 - 4040.

I thought that the midnight blue colour dial really set off the stainless steel construction and it remains my favourite colour. I think from memory it cost me £90 which was at the time about 2 weeks wages and some more. 

It really was a great quality watch after my previous one, there was just no comparison. The 'made in Japan' quality was sought after around this time and was a guarantee of quality, Tokai guitars I also liked at this time had this same great build quality and finish. 

The Seiko stamped clasp on the jubilee strap

later ones have the Japan word stamped on too, some have the '5' logo.

I can remember having to have the strap altered on the blue Seiko as it was somewhat too large! It was certainly a hard wearing watch and really quite accurate, I wore it for about 15 years until I had a problem with the watch and should really have had it repaired.

The nicely finished case and strap has no sharp edges

The later straps have less pieces in them and the pieces are bigger. 

Nice modern design, even now it looks good.

This was designed in the early 1970's and hasn't aged in look.

I started a quest to replace my long lost Seiko 5 about 10 years ago, but I was not aware of the model number of mine from long ago. I was delighted then to see a modern version of my old one and bought one, but it just wasn't the same.

After much detective work, I managed to find one 7070....

And then another two! Now I have three!

Suddenly about a week ago, I found a Seiko 5 just like my old one in the dark blue, which I think was a rare colour back then I believe. 

And then found out the magic model number - 7009-4040 the designation for the blue one just like mine. Almost immediately I found two more Seiko 5's the in blue, so took a punt and have the three, as they were reasonably priced. 

Maybe buying an old Seiko 5 is a bit like turning back the clock, but I am certainly glad to have these in my collection. Although these are smaller than many current watches of the 40-45mm size - which seems the fashion and are easier to read, I do like the smaller Seiko, in fact I am wearing one now and it is keeping great time.

Another later Seiko 5 type, 21 jewels -

at the money, a good buy. No 4.

As a collectible watch, these Seiko 5's are still affordable and coming out of people's drawers after years of not being worn onto the market, so there are still some nice examples out there, also a few road worn ones too, but the prices are usually quite low, under £100 for a nice one still and £30 to 50 for quite usable ones.

But be aware, there are Seiko 5's being faked.... A lot are being done in India and are called 'Feikos' by the collectors - usually under £20 when they should be about £80 if genuinely original, some are 're-engined' old Seiko 5's and others well, just repros often using old parts. The stamping on the backs also often gives them away too, as well as the poor dial details.

Anyway, I am glad to have finally found some nice original Seiko 5s.

Brexit may kill off the European Superstate dream of the EU perhaps?

Is the end of the EU in sight?

Democracy, what democracy?

The United Kingdom's democratic vote to leave the EU in 2016 seemed to show an indication of what the British public desired - separation from the European super state.

That this vote result was almost trashed by some who decided that their point of view counted more than the citizen, showed a degree of arrogance and an affront to democracy.

When you hold an election, the winner is the winner, yet with Brexit, it seemed there were some who could not accept democracy.

Freedom, perhaps?

So the questions I have for Remainers are easy to answer, but what do they see in the EU that blinkers them to the obvious?

1. Is it common sense to throw back fish because a quota has been reached?

2. So when more fish are inadvertently landed, that the process happens again and tons of perfectly edible food are junked because of this stupid edict? what is the sense here?

3. What do you get for paying the EU around £53 million a week? A free no passport travel situation. And not much else.

4. Are nation states not grown up enough to be able to make their own laws, set their own tax rates and manage their own affairs? Or does the EU just treat them as imbeciles and take their money for the privilege of telling them what to do?

5. How much money does the EU rake in from its member states?

6. Where and how is it spent?

Maybe that's the rub... And when I put these questions to apparently brainwashed Europhiles, they have no real answers. Especially about the money.

Follow the money. 

I wonder why we aren't allowed to see audited accounts from the EU? 

When you see a label 'funded by the EU' that's because the money we pay comes back and we largely 'pay' for the funding that the EU so generously gives out.

The audacity of leaving

There was much publicity given to the fact that the UK would be punished for having the audacity and temerity to leave the EU, so, that threat does nothing for the EU. In fact it shows that there is desperation in the EU to resort to threats of future trade and negotiations in order to scare and cajole, well it didn't work and it won't.

Well, in my view, if that is their pattern of behaviour then perhaps others will adopt the same stance as the UK and leave. 

We stood alone in 1940, we traded outside of the EU before 1973 and we have been very successful too.

The problem is its about the money.

When Britain leaves the EU on January 31st, the money should stop, future demands for divorce bills of £39 billion should be ignored.

That means the UK can disregard being told where and how much to spend on foreign aid and perhaps start spending that money at home on things like dementia care, potholes in the roads (which we surely pay for in vehicle excise duty?), the NHS and many other situations in the UK.

But that's the rub.... it means that EU nations, many already in or teetering into recession will have to make up the UK's contributions. 

The EU Tsunami

Its a perfect storm potentially coming for the EU, in that the UK can pursue trade deals elsewhere it pleases, if the EU plays bully boy, the UK can walk away and embrace a potentially amazing trade deal with the US. 

If the UK stops buying EU goods, the EU is going to start collapsing and that's before the other member states decide to vote and possibly vote to leave the EU.

Look to your history books

All the previous attempts to 'unite' and make a European super state, from Julius Caesar to Adolf Hitler have all failed. The EU will too.