I love the Seiko 6105. I've flipped a number of them, but finally wound up with these 3 keepers.
All of them untouched except movement service, gaskets and NOS crystals.
Oldest to youngest:
1970 6105-8110 Proof/Proof, hacking. On vintage 'Chocolate Bar' strap:
1970 6105-8000, hacking movement. Wearing it on Phoenix 'Bond' NATO:
Was a single-owner watch, Vietnam vet, who bought it at a PX and dove with it. Sold alongside some vintage AquaLung dive gear:
1974 6105-8119, wearing it on original ZLM01 (waffle):
1970 6105-8000, hacking movement. Wearing it on Phoenix 'Bond' NATO:
Was a single-owner watch, Vietnam vet, who bought it at a PX and dove with it. Sold alongside some vintage AquaLung dive gear: View attachment 3419402 View attachment 3419418
My research on this watch only began this year and last Thursday I was fortunate enough to get this beautiful example of this 6105-8119 from September 1976!
I thought that the cost of the 6105's was a little steep when I first jumped in a couple of years back...but...I think that the cost is a direct indication of supply vs demand. These are not really 'rare' watches but to find a good one with all original parts and especially if you want box and papers well that's where the 'cost' comes in. These were mostly worn and worn hard so many around today have aftermarket dials hands bezel insert etc...for the most part they don't stack up to the original Seiko parts hence the desirability of original watches. They are out there but they never really were 'cheap' watches even when new. In the late 60's when 6105's were new they sold for $95-00 the Rolex Submariner at the same time sold for $295-00, over three times as much. If you do a comparison with today's prices a new Sub sells for about $7500-00 the equivalent Seiko would be a (Ummm not exactly sure but let's say the SBDX012) for $2400-00. So the disparity in cost is about the same as it was in the 60's and I along with many others would argue that the Seiko is a way better 'value' (if that term can even be used with watches).
PS: Actually the evolution of Seiko Auto Divers goes something like - 62 MAS (1965-67) 6105-811x (1967-1976) 6309-704x (1976-1987) then came the SKX series which really are the evolutionary 'children' of the 62MAS etc... A current production SKX009K2 sells for less than $200-00 so the disparity between the current Sub and the current SKX is now massive.
Period vintage Seiko and vintage Rolex Ad's. 6105 from 1969.
Longstride: you're missing the 6215-7000 and 6159-7001, 6105-8000, 6306-7001, 7005 divers, among others.
Re: 6105 prices
I don't understand this at all. With a Seiko 6105, you can get a mint, 40-year old, untouched diver, with white-as-snow lume, perfect hands, in a perfect modern size, for about $1000.
What vintage diver provides a better value than that?
Your right - I did leave out some of the Seiko's, only because I was trying to show the evolutionary 'flow', this chart does a better job (though it to is incomplete)...
I would like to join the party with my collection: 6105-8000 May 198 6105-8110 August 1975 6105-8110 November 1975 6105-8110 December 197 with AM 62MAS dial and hands
If you want original straps, the way to buy a ZLM01 (and a chocolate bar / XGL-731) is to buy a watch with one on it.
I have 3 original ZLM01's, 2 still mint/super flexible, all bought on watches.
Now, though, chocolate bar and XGL-731 replicas are available for sale, so I might go with one of those.
Original owner. Used as my diver when I was working at the Kwajalein Western Test Range on the Island of Roi Namur in 1972-73.
I was married almost 35 years ago wearing this watch.
Crystal was replaced in the early 80's. At that time, unable to get gaskets to water seal or pressure test. Just wearing around the house I got condensation inside the crystal and put the watch away.
Hands replaced by the Seiko Service Center in NJ about two years ago when they got my watch running again after sitting about 25 years in a safe deposit box.
At the time, I didn't know better regarding the hands and was just happy to have it working again. o|
Waffle strap by WJean.
Oh well!
and thats my story.........so hanging on to it as an heirloom to pass on, and wear every once and a while in rotation.
Original owner. Used as my diver when I was working at the Kwajalein Western Test Range on the Island of Roi Namur in 1972-73.
I was married almost 35 years ago wearing this watch.
Crystal was replaced in the early 80's. At that time, unable to get gaskets to water seal or pressure test. Just wearing around the house I got condensation inside the crystal and put the watch away.
Hands replaced by the Seiko Service Center in NJ about two years ago when they got my watch running again after sitting about 25 years in a safe deposit box.
At the time, I didn't know better regarding the hands and was just happy to have it working again. o|
OK so at the mo, the 6105 is on period correct vintage 19mm Seiko leather that I found a while back, it's actually a dress watch calf band which came with a gold 'dress' type buckle, I switched out the dress buckle with the original waffle dive buckle, which is a perfect match so its got the NOS brown calf leather strap and original 6105 buckle....it works!
Bought this one from a gentleman in New Zealand. He bought it new, for a diving course, in '77.
It languished in a drawer until last year when I bought it. The scratches on the crystal were so extensive you couldn't see the dial at all!
I gave it a new crystal and serviced the movement. Only a new mainspring was required.
Possibly the only watch I would never part with. It has the most wrist time out of all my watches. Gains 10 seconds/month b-)
Bought this one from a gentleman in New Zealand. He bought it new, for a diving course, in '77.
It languished in a drawer until last year when I bought it. The scratches on the crystal were so extensive you couldn't see the dial at all!
I gave it a new crystal and serviced the movement. Only a new mainspring was required.
Possibly the only watch I would never part with. It has the most wrist time out of all my watches. Gains 10 seconds/month b-)
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
WatchUSeek Watch Forums
22.5M posts
576.4K members
Since 2005
A forum community dedicated to watch owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about watch collections, displays, watch winders, accessories, classifieds, and more! We welcome all manufacturers including Casio G-Shock, OMEGA, Rolex, Breitling, Rolex and Tudor, Seiko, Grand Seiko and others.