[Kanek370]

Hello to all, this is my first time to the forum, and wanted to thank all of you beforehand for your replies and/or taking the time to read my post. I just acquired this 6105-8000 at a garage sale. I bought it from the original owner that used to be a diver in the U.S. Navy. He told me that he bought it new, and that he had to save quite a lot, as a young 18 year old in 1968, to buy the watch. I was so excited when I bought it that I didn't even check the watch for any internal challenges. He actually had the back taped, as I believe that he had opened it to see the internals. I obtained it via a phenomenal deal. That, and the fact that it was a 6105, made me just hand over the money and run.

The gentleman was very happy to see it go to a good home. I asked for his price, he gave it to me, we shook hands and made the transaction. When I brought it home, I looked at it closer with my loupe, and discovered that the watch did not run, and even more devasting its current internal condition. The watch has a lot of corrosion from what I can see, and what the pics have revealed. My sincere desire is for the watch to have a second chance with minimal restoration, but the reality of it is, even for me a novice, that would be quite the long shot. Please let me know your thoughts, and whether he has another shot, and yes, Hope of running again. Thank you.

Details:
1968 Seiko 6105-8000 Resist/Waterproof 6105A movement
Bought from Original Owner
Original crystal/case, both scratched
Original dial and bezel
Original hands (can someone please confirm long or short second hand)
Crown reads "lock", but I don't believe it's original since I do not see that little metal piece on the side of the case cover
Replaced band

if you have any questions or need additional information please let me know. Thank you.

 

[GuyJ]

Hi and welcome. I think the movement will be ok but until someone looks at it it's difficult to know how much damage is present. Here is what needed to be replaced on one that I think was in slightly worse condition than that.

Although there maybe screw heads that strip or other issues, I would be optimistic it will be fine.

The crown is wrong and the seconds hand is a shorter version. If the seconds hand alone was incorrect I think I would have to consider seiko being their usual inconsistent selves....however as the crown is also wrong as it's for the second gen 6105, then I'd say both have been swapped over to this watch. Stories of ownership and all that originality stuff sometimes need a healthy dose of sceptismicm, really. Either way, a good strip down and service of the movement along with a new crystal (repro) and crown should turn it around nicely.

 

[GuyJ]

Just to add that I'm a little unsure of he hour and minute hands. The lume plot on the hour hand particularly looks too narrow and too short. There are similar hands found on a 7009 dress watch among others that could be what those are. Tricky to see from the photos. Without forcing anything, does it run at all? Does the crown operate the hands (don't rotate if it feels rough or seized). Does the date change? Again don't force anything it should feel easy to operate.

 

[GuyJ]

And one more thing.....the dial, well, it isn't unheard of to hear of mismatch resist dial and proof casebacks. It's a 6105A, which is interesting, but for me the best way to know would be to see if the dial has a date stamp on the rear which matches the date of the caseback. Out of curiosity I wonder if the movement has a hacking lever....but won't know if it ain't running or until stripped....

 

[tritto]

I would say '68 is way too early for a resist dial. I've had a couple of 8000s with proof/resist compose but they were '71 when there seems to have been a transition period.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GuyJ]

Yup I think it's been an entire swap out, but the auto bridge makes me wonder.. but even then I'm not convinced unless a date stamp was present to show it matched the caseback even on the 71 versions. Anyway who knows....

 

[Kanek370]

Thank you very much for all of your feedback and insight. I sincerely appreciate it. The watch looks beautiful on my writst, and I would like to keep it. I'm very happy with it as is, but it would be really nice to hear it working again.

Kanek

 

[GuyJ]

Where are you based? Plenty on here who will sort it for you.

 

[Kanek370]

I apologize for the late reply. I'm in Orlando, Florida. I have contacted Mr. Spencer Klein about servicing the Seiko. I see those restorations that they do on those beautiful muscle cars, and the only thing original is the shell, as they have been extremely modified and/or restored. I don't want that. I'm happy just by seeing the watch run. Thanks again.