Seiko 3883-7000 “Morpho” Butterfly

Model: Seiko 3883-7000 “Morpho” Butterfly

Year: April 1974

Features:

The Price. Produced in 1974, and costing ¥235,000 on its release, the 3883 “Morpho” was the most expensive Seiko money could buy. Adjusted for inflation, it cost the equivalent of $6,000 now. Compared to Seiko’s own offerings, the Morpho was vastly expensive. A Grand Seiko VFA, the most advanced mechanical watch Seiko had ever produced, cost half a Morpho, while the beloved 6138 Kakume vertical clutch Chronograph only cost a tenth of one!

The Accuracy. The Morpho houses the 3883 “Superior” movement - a formidable calibre. This was one of Seiko’s, and indeed the world’s, earliest thermocompensated movements, boasting accuracy of +/-12 seconds per year, which holds its own against Grand Seiko’s modern 9F movements.

The Dial. Sadly, the exact method by which the Morpho and Baby Morpho dials achieve their iconic gonio-apparent effect remains a mystery, and Seiko is holding its cards close to its chest as this isn’t a dial type Seiko has made since the 1970s. While both dials exhibit a similar colour “morphing” effect when viewed from different angles, the Morpho, unlike the Baby Morpho with its uniform orientation, aims for organised chaos. The fibres are grouped together yet arranged in sections that point in different directions, causing the dial not only to shift in colour with movement but also to shimmer like a butterfly’s iridescent wing.

The Finish. The dial, with its ever-shifting green, blues and purples, is the obvious attraction, but the applied indices should not be overlooked. 60 of them, all individually applied - I don’t personally know of another Seiko with 60 applied indices, so please let me know if you can find one. On top of that, the case is a great example of Taro Tanaka’s “Grammar of Design” - the philosophy that demanded mathematical perfection from every case angle, and with as many flat surfaces as possible in order to maximise Seiko’s masterful Zaratsu finishing.

Specifications:

The Condition: In very good condition overall. Just serviced. Scratches and marks can be seen across the case. All of the original edges and flanks remain delightfully sharp due to its unpolished nature.

Scope: No box or papers.

Movement: 3883 Vintage Quartz

Dimensions:

• Case Width: 37.0mm
• Lug to Lug: 42.0mm
• Case Thickness: 12.0mm
• Lug Width: 18mm

Of Note: The video was not filmed using the 3883-7000 that is on sale today. It is a previously sold 3883-7000. However, the conditions are comparable. Please see the photos for the most accurate understanding on this watch's condition.