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Introduction
The 1970?s were a golden era for mechanical chronographs. From the iconic motorsports chronographs produced by Heuer to the austere military chronographs produced by Hamilton, Precista and CWC, the decade produced an incredible amount of unique vintage pieces.
Chronographs of this era are defined by their intricate dials with colorful accents, daring angular case shapes, and innovative mechanical movements. There is just something about the funky designs of the 1970’s that tick a lot of boxes for vintage collectors.
Yet some of the coolest vintage chronographs currently on the second-hand market came from Japan, most notably from Seiko. During the 1970?s Seiko released dozens of automatic chronograph models, most notably their 6138 (dual subregister) and 6139 (single subregister) line. Out of this group came several watches that have since become cult collector classics, with memorable nicknames like the ?Pogue?, ?Bullhead?, and ?Kakume?. And for collectors just getting into the vintage watch market, the old Seiko chronographs represents an incredible value. Although prices have been skyrocketing over the last few years, many amazing vintage Seiko watches can still be acquired for under $500. And I’d venture to say they are still cheap, considering the 6138 and 6139 line of watches represent a major milestone in horology ? the world’s first automatic mechanical chronograph.
Today I’m focusing on the 6138 series of vintag...