The Seiko 6139 automatic chronograph – a historical movement in its own right, like this full-serviced 1971 Seiko 6139-7020 SpeedTimer JDM automatic chronograph on its original stainless-steel SpeedTimer bracelet – was the world's first automatic chronograph, beating out the likes of Zenith’s El Primero and Heuer’s Calibre 11.
As noted, this Seiko is from the Japanese watch company's SpeedTimer line, the vast bulk of which were only sold domestically within Japan (hence the Japanese Domestic Market - JDM - nomenclature). SpeedTimer models usually feature colorful dial designs, with characteristic 1970s pops of color. Seiko has a long history of saving its best designs for sale within Japan only - and this 6139 model here continues this tradition. This variant also includes a five-minute regatta counter on the minute sub-dial.
Back in the 1970’s, Heuer and Zenith had taken hold of the entire sports watch industry by racing to become the first to produce an automatic chronograph. It has been widely debated who won, but in the background of this skirmish, Seiko quietly created one theirs at the same time, beating the Swiss at their own game – the Seiko Ref. 6139.
During the early months of 1969, Seiko put the final touches on its revolutionary 6139 chronograph - in fact, the Japanese company first began putting the 6139 in automatic chronographs as early as January of the same year.
Seiko published its first advertisement for their new automatic 6139 chronograph in February 1969, easily beating the Swiss - however, the company was concentrating on the release of the world's first quartz watch, the Astron, which would completely disrupt the watch world as it was known at the time (again, much to the chagrin of the Swiss watch industry, we're certain). We possess 6139 dials dating back to November 1968, indicating Seiko beat all other rivals to produce the world's first automatic chronograph. Period.
The watch world recognized this recently, with an early model Seiko 6139 - January 1969, well before the Swiss - garnering nearly $20k at auction.
We all know Omega was the first watch on the moon, mostly because Omega won’t let us forget (ever). However, the first automatic chronograph in space was the more humble and less publicized Seiko 6139, named after U.S. astronaut Colonel William Pogue, who wore his on the 1973 Skylab 4 mission-despite not obtaining NASA authorization–to time shuttle engine burns due to his familiarity with the watch and trust in its capabilities…trusting the lives of himself and fellow astronauts to the reliability of his Seiko.
The 6139 was the first chronograph to have a vertical clutch, a feature considered to be one of the hallmarks of a superior automatic chronograph movement. The 6139 features an automatic column wheel timing control and an integrated chronograph, which means the entire movement was designed and built to be a chronograph, vice being an automatic movement with a mere timing module (like the Heuer Calibre 11 **cough cough**). The 6139 also features a single register chronograph, allowing time to be measured in increments of 30 minutes.
This Seiko 6139 comes on its original stainless-steel Seiko SpeedTimer bracelet, and with nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
