Iconic Seiko Watches

The water resistance is 30m meaning it can handle splashes, we would not recommend it for diving though. The proportions of this watch are great, with a 37mm diameter and an 11mm height it is very comfortable to wear and unobtrusive. This Seiko model can therefore be seen as an affordable Hamilton Khaki Field alternative.

It looks very cool on a NATO, the 18mm lug width makes it easy to find alternative straps as well. At this price it's pretty hard to beat, we can therefore consider that the value it's losing over time is very low, so it's holding its value pretty well compared to other more expensive watches!

The SKX013 is equipped with a robust 7S26 automatic movement, which is the ancestor of the Seiko 4R35 movement. The 7S26 cannot be wound manually and does not support hacking. However, it compensates for the lack of those features by being a very reliable beast and is very cheap to service.

The 7S26 automatic movement has 21 Jewels and runs at 21,600 VPH (vibrations per hour). It offers a 40-hour power reserve with an accuracy of +25 / -15 seconds per day. This movement also provides a day/date complication, with a quick set functionality via the screw-down crown.

The face of the SKX013 is protected by a glass made of hardlex crystal. The dial looks black but it is not, it is matte and of a dark grey tone. On the other hand, the bezel is black. The hour markers on the dial are painted, not applied. They are quite big and very easy to read. The legibility under all conditions is optimal, with the lumed hands and hour markers, both contrasting well with the dark grey dial.

The Diver's 200m orange markings pop out nicely, adding a bit of color variety to the dial. A chapter ring is framing the dial, it adds more depth to the watch, it has however been reported that the chapter ring of the SKX013 can sometimes be misaligned. The hands have their own distinctive design and are lumed: no Rolex-style Mercedes hands here! The hour hand is the same one as the SKX007, whereas the minute looks more understated and elegant on the SKX013.

The hand for the seconds looks great and has a very distinctive shape that contributes greatly to the SKX013's own identity. If that a lumed arrow at its tip, which looks well made, the base of the hand is also lumed in an arrow shape. When the lume is charged and the second hand is moving, the overall effect in low light is mesmerizing. The lume of Seiko SKX013 is excellent and will last through the night, it glows green.

The case back looks solidly screwed down and has a beautiful wave pattern, which makes reference to the famous Great wave off Kanagawa painted by Katsushika Hokusai. The crown at 4 o'clock is large and easy to screw/unscrew. It is located between crown guards for protection.

The case is polished and brushed and is waterproof at up to 200m (20ATM). The case is polished, which complements very nicely the matte dark grey dial. In our opinion, if this dial had been glossy, the watch would have looked too shiny and "in your face". We really enjoy the balance between the shiny and matte parts of this watch.

The grip of the bezel looks well made and adds to the character of the SKX013. The pattern on this trip is not commonly found, it looks quite luxurious, and elevates the overall look of the watch, making it look more refined. This is definitely not a Rolex Submariner homage!

The diving bezel has 120 clicks and is unidirectional. Some users have found it stiff, but we find it very usable compared to other bezels in entry-level dive watches. Like the chapter ring, the bezel can sometimes not be perfectly aligned with the minute markers, but it has a little bit of play to compensate for it.

The SKX013 can be found on a jubilee bracelet or on a rubber strap. The jubilee bracelet is made of solid stainless steel links and is very comfortable, due to the small links that make it nicely wrap around your wrist. It makes the watch look rugged and luxurious at the same time. The clasp is functional and does its job well. The nice thing about it is that you can adjust it precisely to your wrist size thanks to the 5 micro-adjustment positions available.

The value proposition of the SKX013 is astonishing: it is a very good looking watch and will prove to be more reliable than more expensive ISO certified diving timepieces. Seiko has managed to produce a diver with an iconic design that's versatile enough to go with a big variety of outfits. As a result, the Seiko SKX013 has gathered a big community of watch enthusiasts who have become part of a big fan base.

Seiko recently discontinued the SKX013, meaning that it starts to become more and more desired by collectors and enthusiasts looking for a great affordable dive watch below 40mm in diameter. So the resale value is quite good too! There are still plenty on eBay for the moment!

Moreover, this watch can also be easily customized through modding kits that can be found on the Dagaz website. The customizations that you can do on this watch have no limit.

The design of this watch is timeless and it can easily be your daily wearer. If the SKX007 is too big for your wrist, you can have a look at its little brother, the SKX013.

The LCD display can be set to a different timezone than the hands, providing dual-time/GMT functionality! The button at 10 o'clock can be used to set and start the stop watch, which can record durations of up to 60 minutes. The crown can be used to set the time on both analog and digital displays, which we find quite cool!

The H558 has a diameter of 45mm and is 12.2mm thick, with a lug to lug distance of 46.5mm. It is no small watch, with an imposing wrist presence and a lug width of 22mm! It has a plastic shroud held by 3 screws, giving the watch a very rugged look.

The water resistance of this watch is 150m and it is equipped with a bi-directional bezel which has 60 clicks. The bezel color is black but can sometimes seem to be of a very dark blue under the light. The crown is at 3 o'clock and it comes with a rubber strap. As mentioned above, Arnold Schwarzenegger wore this watch in the following movies:

• Predator (1987)
• Raw Deal (1986)
• Commando (1985)
• Running Man (1987)

• Twins (1988)

This watch is desired by collectors and is getting increasingly rare, therefore the price is steadily going up.

The Seiko “Arnie” was built to last, so it was tested extensively in harsch conditions with temperatures ranging from -40 to +60 degrees Celcius. The Seiko H558 Field master was also worn during expeditions to the North and South Poles as well as by an international team of explorers that climbed Mount Everest in 1988. It is simply one of the most iconic Seiko watch, a must have for collectors!

A modern reissue of the iconic Seiko H558 was introduced in 2019: the Seiko Prospex SNJ025 Solar.

Seiko 6138-300X “Jumbo”

The reason why this watch is called “Jumbo” is that the dial spreads all the way to the extremity of the case, with a black inner chapter ring that accentuates the size of the watch face. Although it has yellow hands, this model is the least colorful of the 6138 range, and its style might remind you of some Porsche Design chronograph.

With its black dial, stepped inner chapter ring and large subregisters, this watch offers a classic yet sporty look. It has a similar design to some watches you see today. Surprisingly, the diameter of the “Jumbo” is 42mm, which is less than the following models and makes it quite wearable.

Seiko 6138-004X “Bullhead”

The term “Bullhead” is a popular nickname referring to the pushers being positioned at the top of the watch case and making them look like bull horns. This gives this model a very distinct look, which makes it highly sought after by collectors. This design trait was also present on the Citizen “Bullhead” automatic chronograph produced in 1971. The Seiko 6138 “Bullhead” can be found it two colors: in brown and in black.

The diameter of this model is 44mm and it is 16mm so it is bulky and won't easily slide under a sleeve. The “Sports-timer” version of this watch released on the JDM has a lumed dial and a different bracelet.

Seiko 6138-001X “UFO”

This watch has been called the “UFO” by vintage Seiko collectors because its rather alien-looking case seems to be levitating on your wrist due to the lack of protruding lugs. Seiko refers to this model as the “Yachtsman”. The top subdial is smaller than the bottom one. The model you see pictured is the 6138-0011 which has a red sweep hand and lighter orange checkerboarding on the subdial. This particular model does not state its 70m water resistance. This vintage chronograph also wears big, with its 44mm diameter and 15.5mm thickness.

Seiko 6138-7000 “Calculator”

The 6138-7000 “Calculator” features a double external bezel, one rotating and one fixed, that can be used to perform a set of mathematical calculations. For those who were familiar with using a slide rule instead of a digital calculator, you will probably have some fun doing your calculations mechanically using the 6138-7000's bezel! Unlike the rest of the 6138 range which uses Hardlex crystal, Seiko's mechanical calculator has an acrylic glass.

We can see that in the 1970s Seiko was very innovative once again, this was at the dawn of the quartz crisis, and those chronographs are part of the last mechanical chronographs that were produced at such scale by the Japanese brand. If you want an affordable automatic chronograph from a reputable brand, a Seiko 6138 is certainly worth considering!

The Alpinist sports a reliable 6R15 calibre, with a 50h power reserve. We love the comfortable size of the case which has a diameter of 38mm and is 12mm thick. The SARB017 Alpinist really incarnates the spirit of adventure, and can be seen as an affordable Rolex Explorer alternative.

It comes with a brown leather crocodile print strap which is not of great quality, fortunately with the 20mm lug width finding a decent replacement strap is an easy mission. The water resistance of the Alpinist is 20ATM making it a solid companion even in tough conditions. This is a watch purchase that you will definitely not regret!

The glass is sapphire crystal, with no anti-reflective coating (probably to keep the cost down). The stainless steel bracelet received some criticism, but for this price, you will get a lot of watch for the money. This watch is a strap monster, I own one and it will fit a big range of straps, you will find me currently wearing it on a honey leather strap from Two-stitch straps. Watch resistance is 100 meters.

If you do not like the black dial, the Seiko SARB035 offers the same package but with an off-white dial. Buying one of those SARB models will be one of your best decisions.

The chronograph starts when pressing the 2 o'clock button. The center seconds hand has a one-second tick, whereas the dial at 3 o'clock displays the 1/20ths of a second. The elapsed minutes are indicated at 9 o'clock and a running second can be observed at 6 o'clock. If you press the pusher at 10 o'clock after having started the chrono, the hands will stop moving, but the chronograph will keep running, which is a nice split timing feature! You can reset the chrono by holding the 4 o'clock button.

It is also worth noting that the 7A28-6000 “Bishop” and 7A28-7000 “Ripley” were designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a famous car designer. He also worked with Seiko on the models 7A28-5000, 7A28-500A, 7A28-7A00 and 7A28-7001.

To some, the Seiko 7A28 can be seen as a modern and affordable alternative to the Omega Speedmaster, the 7A28-7039 “Speedy/Synchro Timer” is a great candidate for this. Although it has not been to the moon, the 7A28 is an undeniable icon in watch history!

The meaning of 62MAS is the following: 62 relates to the caliber 62, which is an automatic mechanical movement developed by Seiko whereas MAS stands for seikoMAtic Selfdater. The self-winding movement of the 62MAS is the Seiko 6217 which beats at 18,000bph. This movement has a date complication visible at 3 o'clock but does not support hacking and hand winding.

The Seiko 62MAS model is characterized by relatively short lugs and a dial with generous indices that have a rectangular shape. They are very well complemented by the simple yet efficient lumed baton hands. The big crown is very easy to operate and give a very masculine look to the watch.

All those features were meant to achieve 2 things: the 62MAS was designed to be practical and reliable. The water resistance is 150m. At the time, 150m was considered to be very high and this watch was often compared to higher-end timepieces such as the Rolex Submariner. It was even chosen by the team of the Japan Antarctic Research Expedition from 1966 to 1969.

This watch has now become mythical for collectors and can be found at rather hefty prices! It is definitely a horologically significant timepiece. In 2017, the reissue of the 62MAS under the reference SLA017 was received with great success (edition limited to 2000 pieces).

Some homages of the Seiko 62MAS have been produced by brands such as San Martin and Sharkey. You can easily find them on eBay.

He kept it during his mission, making it the first automatic chronograph to go to space! It was reported that it performed flawlessly throughout Pogue's long stay on the Skylab Orbital station. This particular 6139 model is now called the Seiko “Pogue”. The 6139 was also one of the first automatic chronographs to be produced in the world.

The Seiko chronograph model 6139-6002 he was wearing had a distinctive yellow sunburst dial, with one minute register at the bottom of the dial. The automatic chronograph movement also provided a day-date complication, visible through a framed window at 3 o'clock.

This vintage watch is colorful and its bright color combinations will definitely attract curious collectors. The bezel has a tachymeter in a red-blue Pepsi color scheme, which contrasts well with the yellow sunburst dial. This watch incarnates the spirit of the 1970s: innovative, bold and vibrant. It's a true vintage gem.

The Seiko 6139 Pogue also features a yellow inner bezel, which can be adjusted via the crown at 3 o'clock. The white hour and minute hands are rather simple looking and are lumed. The central sweep second hand and the smaller 30-minute register hand are both bright red. They are easy to spot and complement well the yellow and “Pepsi” colors.

The dial has applied lumed hour indices and the frame around the day-date window integrates very well with them. Above the 30-minute register, you can notice the “Suwa” factory logo, and just above it, the marking “17J.”. The dial and hands are protected by a crystal made of hardlex instead of acrylic, which was the most commonly used material in that era.

In November 2006, Pogue replied to a question from David Bruno (watch enthusiast) about his Seiko, and explained: "I did not wear the Seiko on an EVA (spacewalk). I can't remember if I wore the NASA Omega on my EVA's but we did have an extra-long black watch band that wrapped around the sleeve of the spacesuit. .... We wore the watch like this for launch (suited). I put the Seiko in a suit leg pocket after we got suited for launch and when we got into orbit we got unsuited and changed into flight clothing (shirtsleeves and trousers). I put the Omega on my right wrist at this time, and the Seiko on my left wrist. I did not get NASA approval to carry the Seiko watch on the mission but we weren't given the Omegas until late in our training. I had been using the Seiko for well over six months (perhaps a year) and had found it very handy for timing engine burns in the simulator, using the bezel as reported earlier. ...".

The case of the Seiko 6139 Pogue has a shape similar to the other watch cases used in the 1970s. It has a diameter of 40mm and a lug width of 19mm. The case features quite a few facets, if you look at the side you will see that it plays nicely with the light. The screw-down case back looks rather classic yet of quality.

The thickness of the Seiko 6139 is 12mm, making the proportions of this watch comfortable and suited for most wrists. The bracelet of this watch is simple yet comfortable, it can be adjusted by sliding and locking tabs.

To conclude, the Seiko 6139 Pogue is a great daily wearer, it is comfortable and has a lot of wrist presence due to its vibrant color scheme. It can be considered as an affordable Omega Speedmaster alternative despite its very unique design, simply because it's the first automatic chronograph to have been in space. It's a solid vintage watch with a lot of history!