Seiko’s 5 Sport series – like this serviced silver 1974 Seiko Actus 6106-7740 automatic here, with an original Seiko 5 Actus promotional matchbox – were popular and quite reminiscent of the late 1960’s and 1970’s chic.
Even today, Seiko's 5 Sports line continues to win plaudits - as noted recently in GQ Magazine, "Regardless of where a budding collector might be headed, the first question they all have is the same: Where do I start?"
"My answer is the Seiko 5 Sports line. These watches check all the boxes: They’re affordable, distinctive, and, despite costing a fraction of what most mechanical sports watches do, are built to last. The famed Japanese watchmaker launched the 5 Sports line in 1968, and revamped it in 2019 when it released watches...at prices that seem to be missing a zero."
"For the aspiring collector who has never owned a watch, the attractive price point of a 5 Sports may be all the convincing one needs. And for the burgeoning horologist who already owns a timepiece or two, these watches come with the history, the quality, the sophisticated design, and the functionality that make them every bit as essential as any Swiss brand to a well-rounded collection."
As noted by Worn&Wound, Seiko’s marketing ads boasted about the 6106’s diving capability, that was “Proof," all the way down to a whopping 229 feet (!); other ads made the line seem like the choice for surfers. Granted this makes for some shallow diving, but not in the era these debuted. Regardless, it was a popular offering and affordable.
Even before the 5 Sports line, Seiko debuted its 6106 dive watches in 1967 as its first “Sport Diver.” Notably, the 6106 was Seiko's first dive watch...sport diver, that is. The Seiko 6106 series - just like its 6119 little brother subsequent - was a line of 70-meter diver watches; the line was aimed at “light” water sports that gained in widespread popularity during the late 1960’s and 1970’s (hence the 70-meter dive rating); however, these dive watches did not feature diving bezels.
Although the Seiko 6106 here is part of a line separate from the Sport Diver - the Actus line - it shares the same bulletproof "guts" as its light diver brethren. The Seiko 5 Actus line was first introduced in the 1970s and was known for its distinctive and stylish designs, as well as its innovative technology.
On to one of the best features of the 6106 – the dial. These dials, regardless of color, sparkle in the light and were finished better than many of the Swiss watches from the same period. Couple this with very little writing on the dial and raised applied hour indices, and you have a dial that’s purposeful and sparse.
Seiko made literally hundreds of Sports diver variations during this time period, with the Japanese manufactures’ Suwa and Dani factory seemingly in competition with one another to see which could devise the most compelling models.
This 1960s Seiko 6106 sport diver comes on a leather strap, and with nylon strap, rugged travel case, spring bar tool, and an original vintage Seiko 5 Actus promo matchbox.
1974 Seiko 6106-7740 Actus Automatic Watch
DIAL: Seiko 5 Actus-signed starburst silver dial, with matching minute, hour, and second hands. Day/date function - with Kanji Japanese/English day variants - at 3 o'clock position works as designed. Quickset on this one is only for date.
CASE: Stainless-steel case - with sharp case lines - measures 37mm x 42mm stainless steel case, with recessed crown and matching caseback.
CRYSTAL: Correct domed acylic crystal, no scratches or cracks.
BAND: This Seiko 6106 comes on a brown leather strap; it also comes with a black nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Seiko 6106C automatic movement - one of the last made - manufactured in January 1974. The 6106C was made from the late 1960s through the early 1970s. While we didn't perform it, this watch appears to have been serviced in the last few years.
CROWN: Recessed unsigned stainless-steel crown.
Of note, this Seiko 6106 sport diver automatic comes with an original vintage 1970s Seiko 5 Actus matchbox!