Seiko Chronograph

The history of Seiko chronographs dates back to the 1940s. It was at this time that the Japanese manufacturer began to produce pocket watches with a stopwatch function. The first wrist chronograph followed in 1964 – just in time for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where Seiko was the official timekeeper. The watches were powered by the mono-pusher caliber 5719.

Approximately five years later, Seiko introduced the caliber 6139, one of the very first automatic chronograph movements, in line with the Zenith El Primero and the Chrono-Matic caliber 11 from Breitling, TAG Heuer, Büren, and Dubois Dépraz. The movement was very modern – even by today's standards – and featured a vertical coupling, a column wheel mechanism, and Seiko's own "Magic Lever." The latter component is still responsible for the efficient transfer of kinetic energy from the rotor to the mainspring in both directions. The 6139 also had a date and day display.

Until the end of the 1970s, Seiko developed many other interesting chronograph calibers, such as the ultra-thin caliber 7017. However, with the advent of the quartz era, which Seiko itself had ushered in with the Quartz Astron, production of mechanical chronographs at Seiko came to a halt in 1977.

It took a good 20 years for the Tokyo-based manufacturer to reintroduce mechanically driven chronographs, but fortunately the company was able to draw on the old plans and machines that the watch giant's veterans had refused to destroy in the 1980s.

Today, the Seiko line includes automatic chronographs as well as watches with quartz movements, solar calibers, or spring drive technology.

Reasons to Buy a Seiko Chronograph

•          Huge selection of current and vintage models
•          Available with automatic, quartz, solar, or spring drive caliber
•          Coveted collector's models like the Speed-Timer Pogue, Panda, and Crown Chronograph
•          Relatively inexpensive

Seiko's vintage chronographs are highly sought after by collectors. The Crown Chronograph ref. 5719A-45899, issued for the 1964 Olympic Games, is one of them. The manual "mono-pusher" caliber 5719 has a single push-piece at 2 o'clock that controls all the chronograph's functions. There are no subdials on this timepiece. To measure the elapsed minutes, the bidirectional rotating bezel must be aligned with the minute hand of the watch after starting.

Watches with the calibers 6139 and 6138 are also very popular among Seiko fans. These "Speed-Timer" models are available in a variety of versions. Take the Seiko 5 Speed-Timer "Pogue" ref. 6139-6002, for example. This cushion-shaped stainless steel watch owes its nickname to American astronaut William Reid Pogue, who wore it on his space mission in 1973-74. The watch has a 30-minute counter at 6 o'clock and a day-date display at 3 o'clock.

Martial arts legend Bruce Lee, on the other hand, preferred the almost identical reference 6139-6012, which, unlike the Pogue, has a polished bezel without a tachymeter scale.

The Speed-Timer "Panda" is powered by the caliber 6138. It also has a cushion-shaped case, but is a bit more bulbous than the Pogue. The movement offers two subdials: a 12-hour counter at 12 o'clock and a 30-minute counter at 6; the latter also serves as a small seconds. The day-date display is still located at 3 o'clock. The dial is white, the subdials black – hence the nickname "Panda."

Other interesting models with calibers from the 61xx family are the Speed-Timer "UFO" (ref. 6138-0020), which resembles a flying saucer, the Speed-Timer "Bullhead" (ref. 6138-0040), which has its pushers at 11 and 1 o'clock, and the Speed-Timer "Kakume" (ref. 6138-0030), which has rectangular subdials.

Vintage Seiko Chronographs With Quartz Calibers

In the 1980s and early '90s, Seiko produced only chronographs with quartz calibers. Among these are the pilot's chronograph Flightmaster ref. 7T92-0CF0 and Synchrotimer ref. 7A28-703B. Two-tone versions such as the ref.7A28-7020, with its gold-plated bezel, crown, pushers, and middle links, are particularly representative of the fashion of the time.

Seiko currently offers chronographs in the brand's ProSpex and Presagecollections. Grand Seiko also offers chronographs. The Seiko Chronograph 55th Anniversary Limited Edition ref. SRQ031J1 is a highly sought-after chronograph from the Presage collection, produced in an edition of only 1,000 pieces. The watch is a modern reinterpretation of the Crown Chronograph from 1964, with a dial design, indices, hands, and a black bezel with a white 60-minute scale that are almost identical to the historic model. Thanks to the cutting-edge caliber 8R48, the Presage has two pushers and three subdials, which can be found at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. The watch also has a date display at 4:30.

The ProSpex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition ref. SRQ029J1 is also limited to 1,000 pieces. Seiko used it to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the "Panda" Speed-Timer. Once again, numerous design elements of the original were incorporated into the design. Along with the hands, indices, and typeface, the color scheme is also based on that of the 1969 timepiece: the bezel with the tachymeter scale is black, while the dial itself is white. To complete the panda look, Seiko designed the minute and hour counters at 6 and 9 o'clock in black. The third subdial for small seconds is located at 3 o'clock and has a silver sunburst finish. Like the Presage, the ProSpex is powered by the caliber 8R48, putting the date display between the 4 and 5.

Alternatively, you can opt for reference SRQ047. It is technically identical to the 50th Anniversary Limited Edition and has a panda-style dial. However, the overall design is somewhat more modern. If you prefer chronographs with a bicompax design – i.e. with subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock – watches like the ProSpex Speed-Timer ref. SRQ043 are a great option.

There is also a wide range of current Seiko chronographs with quartz calibers to choose from. Examples here are references SSB429, SSB403, and SSB383. Seiko's solar-powered chronographs include references SSC935, SSC813, and SSC715.

High-End Chronographs From Grand Seiko

Seiko offers premium watches under Grand Seiko label. The range also includes a number of chronographs. Of particular interest here are watches with Seiko's innovative Spring Drive calibers. These unique calibers combine the advantages of mechanical movement technology with the precision of quartz movements.

One such model is the ref. SBGC251, a titanium watch powered by the Spring Drive caliber 9R86 with chronograph, GMT, and date functions.

Vintage mechanical chronographs from Seiko cost on average between around 550 and 1,530 USD Prices depend primarily on the condition and the specific model. You can buy a well-preserved Speed-Timer 6139-7070 on Chrono24 from around 595 USD, but should expect to pay about 1,500 USD for a Seiko Pogue ref. 6139-6005.

Modern Seiko chronographs with automatic calibers from the ProSpex or Presage collections range in price from between 1,650 and 3,200 USD. In contrast, you can get quartz chronographs from Seiko for around 220 USD.

Prices for Grand Seiko Spring Drive chronographs are significantly more expensive. Plan to invest between 6,550 and 13,100 USD.

Is Seiko a luxury watch manufacturer?

Seiko is a traditional company that has been offering high-quality watches for more than 100 years, using only calibers it has developed in-house. Unlike its Swiss competitors, however, Seiko offers its watches at a very reasonable price.