[ENGPHOTO]

Just picked up a Seiko 6309-7049. :biggrin:
(i didn't even know what it was called before my research here)

First thing i did was to take it to my watchmaker and get it cleaned and serviced along with new seals and a pressure test.

It runs great ... about +3 seconds a day :w00t:

I know nothing about Seiko's except for my monsters but saw this and had to have it. :001_tt1:

Its pretty beat up .......... should i change the bezel? Where would i get one if i should? Its a got a few scratches in the crystal, should i get that changed as well? Again where do i find one? Should i polish the case? It appears that it never has been polished as all edges are still sharp. :confused1::confused1::confused1:

Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated :thumbup:

 

[timefinder]

Diver may be able to help out more, as he is familiar with Seikos I beleive. Boscoe may be as well. I went to Seiko's website that has the manuals, and I could not find your watch using the code on back: 6309-7049.

The website I used is here: http://www.seikowatches.com/support/ib/index.html#no6

If no one has an answer, you can go here to contact Seiko:

http://www.seikowatches.com/support/customer/index.html

BTW, if you contact them, they should be able to get you a manual and answer the other questions you have too.

Hope this helps.

 

[diver88]

pretty cool Jeff,

I think that is the model that preceeds mine, the SKX line...

I've had a hard time finding good quality parts for mine, I thought about doing a facelift myself, I'll PM some ideas....
you could clean it up like new, or modify it some... whatever you like

thats really neat, you'll love it... is the lume still bright?


diver88

 

[Knight Watchman]

That was a great vintage find! :thumbup1:
I will PM you a few ideas that might
catch your interest! :001_smile:

 

[muttley]

Great find, looks in good condition other than the cosmetic stuff.
I now have 3 seikos & 1 pulsar. I'd love to get the pulsar refurbished but I doubt anything would be available for it. Perhaps I should post some pics here and see if anyone knows anything about it. It was the first watch I ever bought, in 1982, and I think if I put a battery in it, it still runs fine. I think it's one of the first sort of digital/analogue watches that became popular in the early 80's.
Anyone want pics?

 

[Knight Watchman]

Great find, looks in good condition other than the cosmetic stuff.
I now have 3 seikos & 1 pulsar. I'd love to get the pulsar refurbished but I doubt anything would be available for it. Perhaps I should post some pics here and see if anyone knows anything about it. It was the first watch I ever bought, in 1982, and I think if I put a battery in it, it still runs fine. I think it's one of the first sort of digital/analogue watches that became popular in the early 80's.
Anyone want pics?

Are you kidding?

We love pics! :w00t:

 

[Gearhead99]

I just had my 1968 Seiko watch gone through at my local jeweler. It works great again. Bought it in Okinawa or Thailand. Pretty sure I was in Okinawa though at the time.

It's a diver style watch, automatic.

I'll try and post a pic. BUT, I am the worse when it come to taking pictures and trying to take a close up picture of something as small as a watch......well I don't know.

 

[ENGPHOTO]

... is the lume still bright?

Not as bright as my monsters, but for an old watch with a T dial yes.

My T dial Rolex GMT that is a few years newer is all but dark now, this one still shining :wink:

 

[bullosa]

ENGPHOTO;

That is a nice classic diver worth restoring, especially since it is keeping very good time. Love the Doxa style casing, I think a replacement bezel will do wonders for a start.

 

[wautersjr]

Very nice find... I love those vintage diver Seiko's.... And yes guys, we love pics :thumbup1:

 

[Knight Watchman]

ENGPHOTO;

That is a nice classic diver worth restoring, especially since it is keeping very good time. Love the Doxa style casing, I think a replacement bezel will do wonders for a start.

Yes, I agree. This watch is way too nice to be treated as a "beater." If the bezel is not that bad, just a new bezel insert may be all that you need along with a new crystal. Anyone can go out and buy a nice Seiko, but a vintage Seiko in good condition is not always that easy to find. Take good care of your new treasure! :thumbup1:

 

[GradyPhilpott]

I'd leave the bezel as it is.

There's a lot to say for pristine watches, but "salty" watches say a lot about themselves.

 

[CaptKirk]

I'd leave the bezel as it is.

There's a lot to say for pristine watches, but "salty" watches say a lot about themselves.

I agree, it has "character".

 

[Knight Watchman]

You guys have a good point; and you can enjoy your vintage classic without worrying about that first ding!
As Foggy would say, that watch has seen history! :thumbup1:

 

[ENGPHOTO]

I am thinking you guys are right, i do wear my watches anyway ..... no safe queens in my collection.

I might just change out the crystal if i can find one that fits and maybe upgrade.

(searched your links KW and couldnt find one for my case :sad: )

 

[Rkammer]

Here's a few tid-bits

Forgive me if I am repeating info you already have but I'll throw in a few pieces of info for you.

1) The 6309 is known as a "cushion case" diver since it kind of looks like a sofa cushion.
2) The movement has 17 Jewels and can not be manually wound and does not have a hacking function although it can be hacked by pulling the crown out all the way and then backing it up ever so slightly until the second hand stops.
3) The movement is well known for being one of the hardiest that Seiko has ever made. There are many cases of 6309s running for 20 or more years without service. Not recommended but it can be done.
4) You have a 1st generation 6309 which began production in 1976 (or 1977) and went into the mid 1980s. Your watch was made in August of 1979.
5) There were two models. Your 6309-7049 was made in Japan for the export market. The 6309-7040 was made in Japan for the Japan market.

Congratulations on obtaining this classic Seiko beauty. As to whether to restore it or wear it like it is, that's a very personal decision. There is nothing wrong with dial reluming and case refinishing as long as you don't overdue it. There are also very good reproduction bezel inserts and you can also have the bezel lume dot redone to look like the larger dot on your watch as opposed to the smaller dots on the modern watches. But, as some have said, leaving it totally original is also a very popular option. Whatever you decide, you should be able to enjoy your 6309 for many years. :thumbup:

 

[wautersjr]

Thanks for the really great explanation Rkammer :thumbup1: Very interesting...

 

[ENGPHOTO]

Forgive me if I am repeating info you already have but I'll throw in a few pieces of info for you.

Thank you Ray, that is lots of great info :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[d3gfx]

Info

Here is what I found for ya...hope it helps.

Models:

Models with big cushion cases:

* 6309-7040 (all have big cushion cases and black bezels, though some have seen 6309-704X divers with blue-and-red bezels)
* 6309-7049

Models with slimmed-down case:

* 6309-7290 (start of the use of slimmed-down cases, black-bezel version)
* 6309-7290 with "17 JEWELS" on dial (Japan-made version, with black bezel)
* 6309-729A (identical to 6309-7290 except with blue and red bezel)
* 6309-729A with "17 JEWELS" on dial (Japan-made version, with blue and red bezel)
* 6309-729B? (very rare model, with slimmed-down case and orange dial)

Details:

The 6309 divers replaced the 6105 as the standard models of 150m divers. The 6309s were marketed outside of Japan while a version using the 6306 movement was sold only in Japan (but for a relatively short 5 years).

The cal. 6309 movement is a successor of the 6105. It has 17J and runs at 21,600 bph. It's non-hacking and has a quickset day/date calendar mechanism.

Like the 6105, there are 2 series of 6309 divers. The earlier versions -- 6309-7040 and 6309-7049 -- are housed in big cushion cases and have round markers. The later versions -- 6309-7290 and 6309-729A/729B -- have slimmed-down cases and rectangular markers (which make them very similar to the current SKX007/173 models). While the earlier 6105 divers used the "turn and lock" crowns, the 6309 crowns are all screw-down. The 6309 divers seem to all have bi-directional non-locking bezels.

Some people have asked how the 6309-7049 and 6309-7040 differ. The consensus among S&C Forum collectors is that there's no difference between the 6309-7040 and 6309-7049 models. John Davis/ei8hthoms explained that the last digit of the case number indicates a regional code used for marketing (9 means N. America and 0 means elsewhere).

Mr. Tokunaga, the designer of many of Seiko's diver watches, has provided some valuable historical info about the 6309/6306 divers here. The 6309 and its brother the 6306 were both put into production in 1976 -- the cal. 6309 movement was designed first (and serves as the base caliber for the 63 series of movements), but the 6306 diver was put into production "slightly first," before the 6309. He also included a scan of the original specification drawing for the 6309/6306 divers as well as promotional pics of the 6309 and 6306 watches from early Seiko catalogs.

For a comparison of the details of the 6309-7040 and 6309-729A with lots of pics, check out Mark Skorji's post here.

There are many anecdotes of folks who have put their 6309s to the torture test.