Explain Something About This Watch?

[jyl]

This is a watch I picked up for $20. It turns out to be a seiko 6139-6022, a "Pulsations" model chronograph.



This is a somewhat unusual model, reportedly meant for doctors. You start the chronometer, count 10 pulse beats, stop the chronometer, and the log base 10 bezel tells you the patient's pulse.

All straightforward enough. But here is something I do not understand. The bezel can be rotated by turning the watch stem. Why?!? What function is served by being able to re-orient the bezel? The chronometer hand always flies back to 12 o'clock when you press the reset button. Why would the bezel ever need to be oriented anywhere else?

I would be very interested in an answer. I've been searching various vintage watch sites, with no luck.

The watch works fine, by the way. Appears to lose about 30 seconds in two days, which is more than acceptable in my book. I mean, it was only $20. Tells time AND gives me that "cheapskate" frisson. I've also been assured that a grubby old Seiko makes me firmly non-metro-you know-ual.

[LeeH]

Nice! I have its cousin, which now sports that same strap you have on yours. Couldn't find any info on the pulsations dial. Mine has the internal rotating bezel, too, but that one makes sense.

[Bill Douglas]

I almost bought one just like that in Hong Kong. Great watch but turned anti clockwise. The guy said it was specially for southern hemisphere (down under )

[A930Rocket]

IIRC you rotate the bezel to the minute hand to keep track of minutes, not seconds.

I have that same watch which I gave to my son. I'd like to replace the crystal on it, as it's scratched after 38 years.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

IIRC you rotate the bezel to the minute hand to keep track of minutes, not seconds.

I have that same watch which I gave to my son. I'd like to replace the crystal on it, as it's scratched after 38 years.

Correct. Point the pointer to the current location of the minute hand to track passing minutes from that point.

My brother in law has the same watch. That's what caused me to get mine. I had very good success using Scratch Out to polish the crystal on his. It wasn't perfect, but it really made a huge improvement.

[jyl]

Okay, so my theory is that the rotating bezel feature on my watch genuinely has no purpose, but is simply carried over from other 6139 models that do have a reason for a rotating bezel, e.g. Lee's watch.

FYI the crystals are around $40 on eBay, look for seiko 6139 crystal. I'd like to replace mine too, when I have it re-lumed. Someday.

[A930Rocket]

I've seen the crystals before, but is it a DIY or a watchmaker thing?

Originally Posted by jyl

Okay, so my theory is that the rotating bezel feature on my watch genuinely has no purpose, but is simply carried over from other 6139 models that do have a reason for a rotating bezel, e.g. Lee's watch.

FYI the crystals are around $40 on eBay, look for seiko 6139 crystal. I'd like to replace mine too, when I have it re-lumed. Someday.

[sc_rufctr]

I luv old Seiko's... Very underrated.

[Rick V]

I'll play...

[masraum]

Nice watch. I bet if you got it serviced, that 30 secs every 2 days would improve drastically. I suspect that for $150-200 you'd get a watch back that had a polished crystal and kept good time. But then you wouldn't be a cheapskate. Dilemmas suck, don't they.

[tabs]

What is the going rate for one of those? How common are they...

[jyl]

Urgh. Forgot I wasn't wearing my Seiko diver, and took the Seiko chrono into the shower. Well, it says "water resistant" on the back, but apparently after 40-odd years the seals are not to be trusted, because now there is lots of condensation under the crystal. So, watch is going to a watch repair place for a service, new seals, new crystal, etc. Ideally I'd have it relumed but I don't know if the local guy does that (and does it well).

Edit: well, the local guy doesn't work on 6139s. It looks like this is going to be a DIY job. I have a watch case opener and other watch tools around here somewhere. At a minimum I need to get the case opened up and dried out, then I'll go looking for the parts.

Anyone have a good mail-in watch guy who knows vintage Seikos and has the seals, crystals, and other small parts?

Tabs, I browsed around the Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum and eBay, found a couple of 6139-6022 watches going for $150, but they were pretty minty and mine is not, hence the $20 price.