With a history spanning more than half a century, the Seiko Pogue is one of the most iconic timepieces ever released. This world-famous watch played a major role in space exploration, and while it is often overlooked in favor of other timepieces, the Seiko Pogue has a place in NASA’s history and proved to be a valuable tool during the final Skylab mission. Nicknamed the ‘Seiko Pogue’ following its expedition, this impressive watch is a testament to Seiko’s expertise. Many people’s ‘holy grail’ timepiece, as an insanely affordable vintage chronograph that was the first automatic chronograph in space, it is no surprise that 50 years on, the Seiko Pogue continues to be the talk of the watch collectors community.
What is a Seiko Pogue Watch?
Known as the ‘Seiko Pogue,’ this timepiece is, in fact, the Seiko 6139. Debuted in 1969, the Seiko 6139 entered the watch industry around the same time as the Zenith El Primero and is considered to be one of the world’s most important watches. The two are considered to be the first automatic chronographs launched, and while there is dispute about which was the very first, records state that the Seiko 6139 was the first available to consumers, while the El Primero was initially released as a prototype. It was first launched in the Japanese market and gradually overtook the global watch industry.
The timepiece features the classic aesthetic design of a 1970s chronograph while fully made from stainless steel and boasting vibrant characteristics. The Seiko 6139 was released in many colorways, but the Seiko Pogue specifically refers to a 6139 with a sunburst yellow dial plus a red and blue bezel. While the unique appearance is not traditionally stylish, it is a vintage classic that watches collectors fall in love with. Japanese-made, the 6139 is a relatively simple chronograph by today’s standards, but when it was launched in the late 1960s, it was a huge achievement for the watchmaking industry.
Not only was the 6139 a landmark chronograph movement, but it was also in space for 84 days. It became known as the Seiko Pogue due to its space connection when Colonel William Pogue used it on the Skylab 4 expedition. While there is some dispute over the exact model, it is said to be the Seiko 6139-6005, one of the two models sold in North America. Although the exact model number was not recorded or confirmed by Pogue, passionate watch collectors have confirmed it to be the 6005 by aligning markings printed on the dial with release years. His watch has ‘Water 70m Resist’ printed on the dial, a marking that only applied to watches manufactured between 1970-1972, exclusively the 6005. However, while the watch refers specifically to the yellow-dialed 6139-6005, most watch collectors generously refer to all Seiko 6139s with a yellow dial as a Seiko Pogue.
History of the Seiko Pogue
While Omega Speedmasters are renowned as the ‘space watch’ due to their strong relationship with NASA, the Seiko Pogue chronograph also has a deep space connection. In 1972, Colonel William Pogue purchased a Seiko 6139, and the following year, it accompanied him on his NASA expedition to space on the Skylab 4 mission. Pogue was one of the original astronauts for the Apollo Program but when the Apollo 19 mission was aborted, Pogue was transferred to the Skylab program.
During the 1970s, most astronauts wore a Speedmaster. However, Pogue did not receive his until after his Skylab training. He purchased a yellow-dialed Seiko 6139 for the bargain price of just $71 and used it for his training period. Although the Speedmaster was the official watch to be used for the mission, as the Seiko 6139 was used as his primary training device for six months, it was an obvious choice for this timepiece to also travel above the ozone layer. Without obtaining NASA approval, Pogue traveled to space with the Seiko 6139 in tow, tucked into the pocket of his spacesuit leg.
For this mission, Pogue was appointed as a pilot, and a major part of this role was timing the engine burns. Pogue valued the rotating inner bezel on the Seiko 6139 for its reliability in timing thruster burns. He felt more confident using this timepiece that he had used for multiple simulations than a brand new Speedmaster, but since the Seiko was not officially endorsed by NASA, he snuck the Seiko on board.
For a long time, it was thought that the Sinn 140 was the first automatic chronograph in space with German astronaut Reinhard Furrer wearing it during the NASA Spacelab D1 mission. It was only in 2007 that it came to light that Pogue had worn the Seiko 6139 in space twelve years earlier when photos surfaced. In historic photographs of the expedition, Pogue iconically wore the Speedmaster on one wrist and the Seiko on the other. A watch collector wrote to Pogue enquiring about the Seiko 6139 and he replied with all the information we know about the Seiko Pogue in space. He said he used the Speedmaster only for timing spacewalks since it was certified for this purpose, using the Seiko for everything else. The Seiko performed perfectly throughout the mission with Pogue commenting that the self-winding mechanism also worked fine in zero gravity. The Seiko 6139 became famously known as the Seiko Pogue and Pogue continued to wear the timepiece until his retirement in 2003.
Since discovering that the Seiko 6139 was the first automatic chronograph in space, it has made history, becoming a space icon. The take-off date of November 16th unofficially became known as ‘International Pogue Day’. In 2008, the watch was sold at auction to raise funds for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, achieving a resale figure of $5975.
What Movement is in a Seiko Pogue?
The movement that powered the Seiko Pogue was the renowned Suwa Seiko 6139 caliber. Famous as the world’s first automatic chronograph, the 6139 caliber went into production in October 1968, developed from an existing caliber that powered both the Seiko 5 sports range and a collection of diving watches. The development of this movement was led by Japanese engineer Toshihiko Ohki, the man behind the Base 61 movement and the 1964 Olympic Games chronographs.
The 6139 was the first chronograph to feature a vertical clutch, utilizing a unique type of spring that is highly rigid horizontally, ensuring a firm grip on the fourth wheel to prevent slipping. However, it is flexible enough vertically to allow the chronograph levers to move it and disengage from the fourth wheel when necessary. To this day, all manufacturers that use a vertical clutch take inspiration from the 6139.
In addition to a vertical clutch, the Seiko 6139 also has a quick set for both the day and date wheels. Adding this feature was a great achievement for a movement already so complex. There are two versions of the movement. The Seiko 6139A was produced until mid-1971 using Ohki’s original design. It was then revised in 1971 to feature different bridges and levers. Known as the 6139B, many of the chronograph parts are not compatible between the two movements.
The Pogue Market
Any watch collector active on forums will know how regularly the Seiko Pogue is mentioned, and it could be easily assumed that this timepiece is a rare commodity. One of the great things about the Seiko brand is that fans and collectors can obtain a timepiece relatively easily, without any need to join a waitlist like some brands. The entire market of vintage Seiko chronographs is abundant, including Seiko 6139. However, while they are relatively easy to acquire, it is important to do your due diligence as there are a lot of poor-quality vintage Seiko’s on the market.
In terms of pricing, the value of a Seiko Pogue varies dramatically and really reflects the quality. While Colonel Pogue’s timepiece sold at auction in 2008 for $6000, other 6139’s are reasonably priced. As far as vintage timepieces go, Seiko Pogue’s are extremely affordable, with good quality 6139s sold for between $350-700. If you are looking to invest in a vintage chronograph, the Seiko Pogue is a great introduction to your collection without breaking the bank.
