Seiko

Hello dear friends:

Just a few days ago I was taking a stroll in a mall with my wife when I spottted a watch which called my attention in a jewlery window. I had seen it some weeks ago in pictures in different web sites when it was launched.

It is a Seiko Speedtimer in an special version inspired by the legendary Seiko vintage model 6139 known among collectors as the "Pogue" model because an example of this watch was worn by Astronaut Col. William Pogue during his Skylab 4 mission in 1973. That watch is considered to be the first automatic chronograph used in space.

The modern Speedtimer has been offered in a more traditional white dial with three black subdials "Panda" version but somehow Seiko decided to "dress" the watch in this new version which though far from the original 6139 dial configuration imediately reminds us of the famous Col. Pogue watch as soon as we view it.

As a fan of the original 6139 I loved at first sight the sunburst gold dial of the new Speedtimer and its "Pepsi" bezel which was also a feature of the original "Pogue". I couldn´t resist to taking it home to make company to my  6139 (which I regret to say is not the best of conditions example but it is the best I could find in my hunting fields here).

The new "Pogue" has three subdials: a permanent seconds marker at "9", a 24 hours indication at "3" and a curious subdial at "6" which serves both as a power reserve indicator when the chronograph is at rest and a sixty minutes accumulator when the chronograph is working. The little red hand automatically returns to the power reserve function some seconds after the chrono is stopped.

As it shows in my pictures of the 6139 it only had one subdial, a 30 minutes accumulator at "6" and a day date indicator at "3". The new Speedtimer has a day window between "4" and "5". Also there is a big difference in the case shapes of both watches: the 6139 is a cushion type and the Speedtimer a tonneau shape type.

I have included pictures of both watches to show their differences.

Last but not least we should talk about the movements: As told the 6139 was equipped with an automatic mechanical movement and the present Speedtimer is equipped with the V-192 Solar powered Seiko movement with a 6 month power reserve with a full charge which I confess was one of the things which intrigued me so much and made me wish to own a watch with this kind of movements in my collection.

I find this watch very attractive and fun presence on my wrist and I´m enjoying so much wearing during the last week since I bought it (and at a very attractive price I must add).

The gold dial shines beautifully specially under natural sunlight and has proved to deliver a very precise timekeeping and everything adds to the pleasure of wearing.

Thank you so much for reading!! Best cordial regards, Abel

Next shot shows the original 6139 at left and the new Speedtimer at right. Differences are evident but the new watch keeps the spirit of the original I feel.

Col. William Pogue was wearing his official Omega Speedmaster on his right wrist and his 6139 on his left wrist during his 1973 Skylab mission.

He passed away on March 2014 and his own historical and famous Seiko 6139 had been previously auctioned in 2008 at the surprising low sum of US$ 5.975.- !!! I surely would have loved to buy it!!

My friend Jim’s one-owner Pogue that I was able to restore (and enjoy for several years). Maybe there is hope for yours too.