Seiko 6139-6011 Bruce Lee Deep Blue Vintage 1970 Automatic Chronograph Blue Proof

SEIKO 6139-6011 "BRUCE LEE" — AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH
October 1970 — Deep Blue dial — PROOF lettering — serial number 003061

One of the first automatic chronographs ever produced.

Seiko introduced the 6139 caliber in May 1969, the same year as the
Zenith El Primero and the Heuer-Breitling-Hamilton Calibre 11. Who
arrived first is still debated today. This example left the factory just a year and a half after the launch.

THREE SELF-CONFIRMING ELEMENTS

- Serial number 003061 on the caseback → October 1970. The first digit indicates
the year, the second the month: this is the Seiko coding, anyone can
verify it.

- The dial features the inscription WATER 70M PROOF. Seiko only used the word
"Proof" during the initial production phase, later replacing it with
"Resist". It is the marker that places this piece among the very first.

- The chronograph works perfectly: it starts, stops, and returns
exactly to zero. On this caliber, an imprecise return to zero is the most common defect. It is not present here.

WHY IS IT CALLED "BRUCE LEE"

The 6139-601X models with a blue dial owe their nickname to Bruce Lee,
who owned an example of this reference. It is the name collectors use to
search for them all over the world.

SPECIFICATIONS

Steel case, 39 mm diameter excluding crown, lugs [XX] mm
39 mm: a size that wears well today. Most chronographs
from the seventies are around 41-43 mm and are bulky on the wrist.
Blue "Deep Blue" sunburst dial
30-minute counter, orange chronograph hand
Day and date at 3 o'clock, tachymeter scale on the inner ring
Seiko 6139 automatic caliber, column-wheel mono-pusher chronograph
21,600 vibrations/hour, [XX] jewels
Water resistance declared at the time: 70 meters

CONDITION — WE TELL IT LIKE IT IS

Fifty-five years of history, and it shows:
case with signs of use and widespread scratches, lume on the hands oxidized and
partially flaking, tachymeter ring marked by time.

The crystal has been replaced in our workshop with a new spare part:
the original one was deeply scratched and prevented the dial from being seen.
The crystal is a consumable part, and its replacement does not
alter the originality of the watch.

Dial, hands, case, and movement are original.
Sold without box or papers.

It is not a restored piece and does not pretend to be. It is an honest 6139, with
a healthy chronograph — which, on this caliber, is what really matters.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING

Accuracy: on a mechanical watch from 1970 that has not been recently serviced, the
timekeeping may deviate from the original. Normal for a vintage piece.

Water resistance: 70 meters is the factory rating from 1970. At
this age, gaskets and seals cannot be verified or guaranteed.
DO NOT submerge or get it wet.

Would you like it serviced by our in-house workshop? Message us via
eBay BEFORE purchasing: we will prepare a dedicated listing with the
service already included in the price.

The photographs are of the actual watch, not stock photos, and are part
of the description.

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