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Round-Cased Seiko 7016s and 21J Seiko 6139

5494 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  startsomething
Since this is my first post on the SCWF, let me briefly introduce myself:

I became fascinated by mechanical watches about two years ago when I bought my first automatic wristwatch. Initially, I collected automatic Jacques Lemans watches with Valjoux/ETA movements, however, with increasing knowledge, I became more and more fascinated by the movements themselves and by the technical solutions manufacturers invented for mechanical complications, especially chronographs. I thus researched the history of chronographs and in this context I read about the race of manufacturers for the first automatic chronograph - this is how I became aware of Seiko's history in the manufacture of mechanical watches.

Since I do not consider myself to be in the position to spend a furtune on a watch, and also because I am somehow a bit distressed about the 'savoir-faire'-strategy (with the respective 'premium' price tag) of a lot of today's manufacturers of mechanical chronographs (apart from those 'simply' encasing ETA/Valjoux movements), I decided to take a better look on automatic chronographs from 1969 to the beginning of the 'Quarz-crisis', a time, where there was simply no other way to manufacture chronographs. This was also the time when I acquired my first Seiko, a 6138-0030 from 1973. After a very thorough movement service, the watch now keeps time within a few secs a day and has spent a lot of time on my wrist since. The watch has somehow started a little obsession for Japanese watches, and I became aware of other, very interesting movements manufactured by Seiko and Citizen. After spending a lot of time on the internet, I thus would like to post two questions here:

- Which round-cased reference numbers with Seiko's 7016 movement do exist? Which dial colours were available? Pictures and experiences of proud 7016 owners would be much appreciated!

- Which references with a 21J 6139-movement are known? Are there any 21J-6139s in the possession of SCWF members?

Best regards from Vienna/Austria,
Hermann
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I think all 6139 Speedtimer (Japanese Domestic Market) models have the 21J movement. I have a couple of these and I would suggest that they are relatively common. I have a round 7016-8001 as well but cant advise on all the color combinations. I think the two round models were 7016-7000 and 7016-8001 but stand to be corrected. I seem to recall however that there is also a very rare 7016-8000 model too that was actually marked as a Time Sonar watch which more commonly used the 7015 movements.

StartSomething said:
- Which references with a 21J 6139-movement are known? Are there any 21J-6139s in the possession of SCWF members?

Best regards from Vienna/Austria,
Hermann
For pictures of many of the 7016s and 21 jewel 6139s, which are usually badged "Seiko 5 Sports Speedtimer" check out Jayhawk's photo database:

http://uaf13892.ddns.uark.edu/jgauch/photos/watches/chrono_auto/index.html
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I did own a 7016-8000, this is a round one with a blue dail, very nice model (I think).
Some pic's from my archive :


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Here's one 21j 6139:

Those have the 6139A movment. Mine is from July '69.

Cheers,

Axel
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Here's my favorite 7016. It's the larger cased 7000 version.

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isupsyclone said:
For pictures of many of the 7016s and 21 jewel 6139s, which are usually badged "Seiko 5 Sports Speedtimer" check out Jayhawk's photo database:

http://uaf13892.ddns.uark.edu/jgauch/photos/watches/chrono_auto/index.html
Dear isupsyclone,

thank you for your reply. I have already researched the database, but I was hoping to find some further models and photographs, since I am currently trying to do a little in-depth research on the round 7016 models. I am trying to figure out the different case, hand, dial and original bracelet variants and also I want myself to become aware of the repaint, relume or redial or other modifications. Thus I asked for help ;)

@ Roland

This is a beautiful example of the 800X style...
I received an example of this model with the same blue dial in mint condition today - it is the first 7016 chronograph for me, and I have to say that I am very impressed... The size and shape of the case reminds me of some Bellmatic models, and its pretty impressive that Seiko managed to fit such a technically interesting movement in such a small case ;)

I found an additional model, the 7016-8010 on the internet that was obviously released for the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran (photograph borrowed from www.orologiando.org):



Does somebody on the forum own such a chronograph and know, if different dial colours were available for this watch?

Best Regards,
Hermann
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I've only seen the Asian games 7016 with the white dial as pictured.
Anymore photographs? All pictures of round 7016s are highly appreciated...
Not only dial photographs, but also casebacks, etc...

H.
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