April - June 2023 Q2 review

For the Q2 of the year 2023, I have added some watches but at the same time exchanged and traded a few watches in order to keep the total quantities of watches down. I have continued to consolidate my Rolex collection. 

For the coming months, my aim is to try to form a small collection of the IWC Yacht club watch with special coloured dials (example the IWC green marble dial & blue dial and I am now looking for the blue marble dial) like what I did for the Jaeger Lecoultre pothole and lapis dial as the quantities for these special dials are quite limited. 

For the Jaeger LeCoultre pothole, I am hoping to find one in 18k gold. In addition, I hope to find a Lapis or Tiger eye 1601 and perhaps to get a solid gold 5030 big Bubbleback too with minimum size above 36mm.

IWC ref 811AD Cal 8541 in rare green marble dial

IWC ref 811AD Cal 8541 in nice blue dial

Traded a Rolex 1601 and 1503 plus cash top up for the Rolex Daytona 116523

Record Datofix Moonphase

Eberhard & Co triple calendar 

Wish lists for 2023:

1. IWC Yacht club in special blue marble dial
2. Jaeger Lecoultre Futurematic Pothole in 18k solid gold 37mm
3. Jaeger Lecoultre Memovox 37mm Special Brown scale dial
4. Rolex 5030 18k gold
5. Rolex 1601 Lapis or Tiger eye
6. Rolex Cushion watch 
7. Lemania nuclear sub

Traded Away:

1. Tudor Green cloisonné 
2. Rolex 5050 
3. Rolex 1503 + 
4. Rolex 1601 steel gold for a Daytona 116523
5. Orion day and night watch

Eberhard & Co Triple calendars moonphase from the 1980s

This is an Eberhard & Co automatic triple calendar moon phase watch from the 1980s. The watch is well made with sterling silver case and the design of the various date, calendars and moonphase is well balance. The price is relatively cheap making it a good buy for such a unique piece.

Vintage Seiko 6105-8110 diver watch (1968-77)

Below was from my old blog in 2014 when I was madly in love with vintage Seiko diver watches.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Vintage Seiko 6105-8110 (1968-77)

Following my dive into the Sekio divers watches , my hunt for the vintage seiko divers continues. From reading the various forums, the information for the The 6105 was that it was made in two distinctive body styles: the cushion-cased 8000/8009 (with a thinner case, which I have found last week) and the fatter and larger, asymmetrically-cased 8110/8119.  

Below is the example of the thinner cushion-cases 6106-8000.

Either model is an iconic piece for vintage Seiko enthusiasts. They were the second true dive watch made by Seiko (for the 150m series) following the Seiko 6217 (62MAS). The 6105 was produced from 1968 to 1977, the 6105 greatly influenced the design of the cushion-case Seiko 6309 that succeeded it 1976 — a watch that became a Seiko collector’s piece in its own right. Even the modern Seiko SKX is directly descended from the 6105′s design heritage. The 6105 becomes a big deal in the Seiko dive watch world, with the blessing of Martin Sheen wearing the watch in the movie.

IN APOCALYPSE NOW, CAPTAIN WILLARD (PLAYED BY MARTIN SHEEN) WEARS A 6105-8110. 

During the Vietnam War, U.S. troops were known to buy Glycine Airman watch for the pilot and the Seiko 6105-8000/8009′s at the PXs (Post Exchanges) on bases in Southeast Asia. Many soldiers wore them through the rigors of combat. Lots of pieces made their way back to the States on the wrists of service members after their tours were done and some remainder in SE Asia

In Apocalypse Now, Captain Willard (played by Martin Sheen) wears a 6105-8110. 

The 6105-8000 features a larger 41mm cushion case with a signed crown (a rarity for Seikos of the time) at the 4 o’clock position. The in-house automatic 17 jewel 21,600 bph cal. 6105A powers the watch. There were the hacking and non hacking movements and all had quick-set dates and could not be manually wound. All these were tough tool watch that can withstand the heavy usage and abuse.

There were two dials with early models with “waterproof” on the dial were non-hacking, and that the later models with “water resistant” were hacking. All of the watches were waterproof down to 150 meters. The only 300m divers were the rare 6215-7000 and the 6159-7001. For those who is looking for the 600m vintage Seiko diver will have to look for the 6159-5010, a titanium version.

For those who does not want to invest huge cash in getting the vintage 5513, 1680 Rolex divers, the 6105′s history with its quality features is a great bargain, US600-1000, depending on conditions.

Seiko 6105-8110 diver watch from 1975

This is a second generation vintage Seiko diver watch ref 6105-8110 which I have found during my Saturday weekend watch hunting. I was hesitant for a moment when I first saw it. However, since it was a raining day, and the store was not crowded, I have decided to go back to the store to take a serious look. 

During my viewing of the watch, there was a very very helpful fellow watch collector standing next to me giving comments that it’s the second-generation Seiko diver watch and it looked like in all original conditions, especially when the screw down crown is still working. The dial is jaded but it’s in all original condition. The Seiko 6105 is an iconic watch in the Seiko diver chronology. It has a great case shape paired with an equally fantastic dial design. I used to have several Seiko diver watches covering the 6105-8000 to 6105-8110. Along the way, I have traded several away. This Seiko 6105-8110 in all original condition come in the right time and right price.

How to differentiate between original dial versus aftermarket dial. The aftermarket dial date window is rectangular while the original is rounded at the corners.

Top after market where the date window is too rectangular, bottom original with a founder corners.

How to differentiate original crown versus after markets

Original has 8 teeth per group

http://seikodiver.blogspot.com/search/label/Collection%3A%206105