Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Beginning of the 630x Vintage Divers craze

SEIKO 6309 Divers
Caliber 6309-7040 Seventeen jewels
Dated: March 1980

When John (aka The TigerUK) posted this piece on the Sales Forum, I knew I must have her. In fact I was slower and another buyer got hold. Thankfully the deal did not work out and she was soon on her way to Singapore from England.
The early "cushion-cased" diver is truly a magnificent piece of art. The whole watch, though big, feels and looks balanced on the wrist. The aged bezel and semi washed-out dial and indices give this Diver the character she deserves. The telescopic crown displays the fineness in detail of Japanese watch-making.
Until I now hold this 6309 in my hand, I finally understood and respect her cult status.




The above movement photo belongs to John aka The TigerUK, showing the 17jewels non-hacking, non-handwinding 6309 caliber.

The above is a page from a vintage Seiko catalog during the year when the 6309 was advertised.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have two of these masterpieces. One was purchased new in 1985, and the other at a flea market for $65 in 1990. They are underpriced on Ebay, but many are "restored", so be careful.