NASA astronaut Colonel William R Pogue in Space Suit for the Skylab 4 mission wearing his Seiko Speedtimer 6139, image courtesy of NASA

Seiko Prospex SSC947 Speedtimer — The “Pogue”

The Watch That Was Smuggled Into Space

In 1972, Colonel William R. Pogue — a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, test pilot, and NASA astronaut — walked into the PX at Ellington Air Force Base and put a yellow-dialed Seiko Speedtimer 6139 on layaway for $71 (about €60).

It was a practical purchase. NASA hadn’t yet issued him his official Omega Speedmaster, and Pogue needed a chronograph to time engine burns during simulator training for what would become one of the most ambitious missions in American spaceflight history: Skylab 4, the third and final crewed mission to America’s first space station.

For months, Pogue trained with that Seiko on his wrist. He learned its rotating bezel by feel. He trusted it through countless simulated burns. When the official Omega finally arrived, Pogue faced a choice: fly with the government-issued watch he barely knew, or bring the one he’d relied on for over six months of preparation.

He chose both.

On November 16, 1973, as the Saturn IB rocket sat ready on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Pogue slipped the Seiko into the leg pocket of his spacesuit — without official NASA approval. Once in orbit, he strapped the Omega on his right wrist and the Seiko on his left. For the next 84 days, as the crew of three orbited the Earth 1214 times and traveled some 34,5 million miles, that Seiko performed flawlessly. Pogue used it to time thruster burns, experiments, and daily tasks aboard the station. The crew observed Comet Kohoutek, conducted groundbreaking solar research, performed four spacewalks, and set the record for the longest crewed spaceflight at the time.

Colonel Pogue wore the Seiko daily for nearly thirty years after his return to Earth, finally retiring it in 2003.

The watch community wouldn’t learn the full story until 2006, when a photograph of Pogue aboard Skylab — with the unmistakable yellow-dialed Seiko clearly visible on his wrist — surfaced online. Collector David Bruno contacted the retired astronaut and confirmed what had been hidden for over three decades: the Seiko 6139 was the first automatic chronograph ever worn in space, more than a decade before any other.

NASA astronaut Colonel William R Pogue in Space at Skylab 4 wearing his Seiko Speedtimer 6139, image courtesy of NASA

NASA astronaut Colonel William R Pogue in Space at Skylab 4 wearing his Seiko Speedtimer 6139, image courtesy of NASA

Seiko Prospex SSC947 Speedtimer — The The Original: Seiko Speedtimer 6139

The Seiko Caliber 6139, launched in the spring of 1969, was one of the world’s first automatic chronograph movements — developed in parallel with the Zenith El Primero and the Heuer Calibre 11, but reaching the market first. It was a fully integrated, column-wheel chronograph with a vertical clutch: technical innovations that the Swiss industry wouldn’t widely adopt for another twenty years. Rolex used the same fundamental movement configuration when it finally produced an in-house Daytona movement in 2000 — more than three decades after Seiko pioneered it.

The yellow-dialed 6139 with its distinctive “Pepsi” red-and-blue tachymeter bezel became the most iconic variant. Affordable, reliable, and ahead of its time, it was worn not only by Colonel Pogue but also by Formula 1 driver François Cevert, racing legend Tetsu Ikuzawa, and Bruce Lee.

William Pogue’s Seiko 6139 Watch Flown on Board the Skylab 4 Mission, from his Personal Collection, image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

The Reinterpretation: Seiko Prospex SSC947

The Seiko Prospex SSC947 Speedtimer is a modern reinterpretation of the watch that made history. It preserves the bold visual identity of the original — the vibrant yellow dial in sunray finish, the dual-tone red and blue aluminum tachymeter bezel, the commanding case proportions — while upgrading every element for today.

Movement: Seiko Caliber V192 solar-powered chronograph. Powered by any light source, no battery change required. Approximately six months of power reserve when fully charged. Accurate to ±15 seconds per month.

Chronograph: Measures up to 60 minutes of elapsed time in 1/5-second increments with split time measurement function.

Dial: Yellow sunray finish with contrasting subdials. 24-hour indicator, small seconds hand, power reserve display, date calendar, and LumiBrite hands and markers for low-light legibility.

Case: 41,4 mm stainless steel with a combination of hairline and mirror polishing. Screwdown caseback. 100 meters (10 bar) water resistance.

Crystal: Curved sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inner surface.

Bracelet: Stainless steel with three-fold clasp and push-button release.

A Legacy on Your Wrist

Colonel William Pogue passed away on March 3, 2014, at the age of 84. His original Seiko 6139 — accompanied by the layaway receipt, handwritten letters from the Colonel, and a NASA photograph of him wearing it aboard Skylab — was auctioned in 2008 to benefit the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

The SSC947 carries that story forward. It is not a replica. It is a watch built with modern technology that honors the spirit of a man who trusted a $71 Seiko (about €60) with the most important timing tasks of his career — 270 miles above the Earth.

Movement
Caliber Number: V192
Movement Type: Solar
Precision: ±15 seconds per month
Power reserve: Operating for approx. 6 months (when fully charged)
Functions: Overcharge prevention function
24-hour hand
Equipped with small seconds hand
Chronograph up to 60 minutes in 1/5 second increments
Power reserve indicator
Date display

Case/Band
Case Material: Stainless steel
Case Size: Thickness:13.0 mm
Diameter: 41.4 mm
Lug-to-lug: 45.9 mm
Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal
Crystal Coating: Anti-reflective coating on inner surface
LumiBrite: LumiBrite on hands and index(es)
Clasp: Three-fold clasp with push button release
Distance between lugs: 21

Other Details
Water Resistance: 10 bar
Magnetic Resistance: 4,800 A/m
Weight: 164,0 g
Features: Tachymeter function
Screw case back