The Seiko Speedtimer: From Olympic Stopwatches to Space
Few watch collections carry as much real history as the Seiko Speedtimer. Its roots stretch back over six decades, tied to Olympic timing, a fierce international race for technical supremacy, and even a secret trip into orbit.
1964 — Where It All Started
When Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics in 1964, Seiko took on the enormous responsibility of official timekeeper — a role previously held exclusively by Swiss firms. The company had no prior experience in sports timing, yet managed to develop and deploy over 1,200 timing instruments for the Games. That same year, Seiko released its first-ever wristwatch chronograph, the Crown Chronograph (ref. 5719A), a manually wound monopusher design with a column wheel mechanism. It carried an Olympic torch engraving on the caseback, marking the beginning of Seiko’s deep connection between chronographs and competitive sport.
The three models of Seiko 89ST series are differentiated by their functionality, with capabilities to measure to 1/5th, 1/10th or 1/100th of a second. Photo credit: plus9time.com
1969 — The World’s First Automatic Chronograph
The year 1969 saw one of the most intense competitions in watchmaking history. Three parties were racing to release the first automatic chronograph: Zenith with the El Primero, a Swiss consortium led by Heuer and Breitling, and — unknown to the Europeans — Seiko. In May 1969, Seiko put the 5 SpeedTimer on sale in Japan, powered by the new Caliber 6139. It featured a fully integrated column wheel and vertical clutch, an advanced combination that ensures a smooth start of the chronograph hand without the stutter common in simpler designs. Seiko had beaten everyone to market. A year later, the Caliber 6138 arrived, adding continuous seconds and a 12-hour counter to the formula.
Original Seiko SPEEDTIMER 6139 Japan version from 1969. Photo credit: dcvintagewatches.com
The Caliber 6138 “Bullhead” — Seiko’s Boldest Chronograph
While the 6139 earned its place in history as the first, it was the follow-up Caliber 6138 that gave Seiko some of its most distinctive chronograph designs. Introduced in 1970, the 6138 added a running seconds hand and a 12-hour elapsed time counter to the formula, making it a more complete chronograph. The most striking model to house this movement was the 6138-0040, better known as the “Bullhead.” Named for its crown and chronograph pushers positioned at the top of the case — resembling the horns of a bull — it was designed primarily as a driver’s watch, where top-mounted pushers prevented accidental activation during wear. At 44mm in diameter, it was one of the largest watches Seiko produced in the era. The Bullhead came in two colorways: a brown dial with golden subdials and a black dial with blue subdials. Japanese domestic market versions carried the Speedtimer branding, while export models read “Chronograph Automatic.” The 6138 movement was produced until 1979, and the Bullhead remains one of the most recognizable and collectible vintage Seiko chronographs to this day.
Seiko 6138 Bullhead original ad from Japan in 1970s, Photo credit: dcvintagewatches.com
Seiko 6138-0049 Bullhead, Photo credit: dcvintagewatches.com
Seiko 6138-0040 Bullhead with Caliber 6138, Photo credit: fratellowatches.com
The Pogue — An Accidental Space Legend
In 1972, NASA astronaut Colonel William Pogue bought a Seiko 6139 at a military exchange store for about $71. He needed a chronograph for pre-flight training, and the standard-issue Omega Speedmaster wouldn’t be provided until closer to launch. Pogue trained with the Seiko for months, and when the Skylab 4 mission launched in November 1973, he quietly tucked the watch into his suit pocket alongside the official Omega. Over the following 84 days in orbit, the Seiko kept accurate time despite the zero-gravity environment it was never designed for. The story only became public knowledge in 2006, and since then, the 6139 has been affectionately known as “the Pogue” — the first automatic chronograph worn in space.
In 1973, NASA astronaut Colonel William Pogue with original Seiko Speedtimer at Skylab 4 mission in Space. Photo credit: Nasa.
Japanese Market Identity
The 6139 series was produced from 1969 to 1978 and sold worldwide. However, there was a notable distinction between markets. Models sold in Japan featured bold red or orange “Speed-Timer” lettering on the dial, while export versions carried more understated markings. Today, those Japanese domestic models with the original Speedtimer branding are among the most desirable pieces in the vintage Seiko world.
Original Seiko Speedtimer 6139, left the Japan domestic market version with the text Speedtimer under Seiko on the dial and International version with the text Chronograph Automatic under Seiko on the dial. Photo credit: left Hub City Vintage, right Ebay user genkiyatokyo
A Timing Heritage Like No Other
Seiko went on to serve as official timekeeper at six Olympic Games between 1964 and 2002, and has timed World Athletics Championships continuously since 1987. The Speedtimer is a direct product of that legacy — a chronograph line born from real competition, tested in space, and still evolving today.
Revival — The Modern Speedtimer
The Speedtimer name went quiet after the late 1970s as the quartz era took hold. It remained unused for over four decades until 2021, when Seiko brought it back under the Prospex sports watch umbrella. The revived collection includes accessible solar-powered chronographs as well as mechanical models driven by Seiko’s Caliber 8R48 — an in-house automatic movement that carries forward the column wheel and vertical clutch philosophy of the original 6139, updated with modern MEMS-produced escapement parts and a 45-hour power reserve.
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ035 — The 2021 Revival
In 2021, Seiko revived the Speedtimer name for the first time in over four decades with the release of the SRQ035, a limited edition of 1,000 pieces. Its clean white dial with black printed tracks was a direct tribute to the 1/5th second stopwatch Seiko developed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, prioritizing the same legibility and precision that defined those original timing instruments. Powered by the Caliber 8R46 — a two-subdial automatic chronograph with the same column wheel and vertical clutch architecture that made the 1969 original legendary — the SRQ035 marked Seiko’s return to serious mechanical chronograph territory under a name that had earned its place in horological history.
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ035 — The 2021 Revival, Photo credit: Seiko
The Speedtimer Today — From Mechanical to Solar
Since the 2021 revival, Seiko has steadily expanded the Speedtimer collection into two distinct tiers. The mechanical line evolved in 2023 with the SRQ047 and SRQ049, which moved to the full three-subdial Caliber 8R48 layout in a design inspired by a 1972 Speedtimer, featuring panda and reverse panda dials. These were followed in 2024 by the SRQ051 and SRQ053, adding black and blue dial options to the permanent collection at 2 500 eur. Alongside the mechanical models, Seiko built out an accessible solar chronograph range powered by the V192 caliber. At 39mm and priced around 700 eur, these solar Speedtimers have become the collection’s volume sellers, offering the same racing chronograph aesthetic in a wide range of dial colors — from the popular SSC813 “Panda” to more recent additions in salmon, mint green, and even a lavender limited edition for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Whether mechanical or solar, every model in the current lineup traces its design DNA back to the 1960s originals that started it all.
Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SRQ047J1, Photo credit: Seiko
From left to righ, Seiko Prospex Speedtimer SSC963, SSC961 and SSC965, Photo credit: Seiko
Sources:
The Seiko Museum Ginza — “Our Challenge to become the Official Timer of the Olympics”
WatchTime — “Seiko: A Chronograph Chronology”
Revolution Watch — “The Story of Seiko’s Innovative Chronographs”
Seiko Watch Corporation — Prospex Speedtimer official page
Beyond the Dial — “Collector Guide: The Seiko Pogue”
The Seiko Museum Ginza — “5 Sports Speed-Timer 6139”
Monochrome Watches — “Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Chronograph SRQ051 and SRQ053”
Gear Patrol — “Seiko’s 145th Anniversary Speedtimer SRQ059”
Grand Seiko Story — “From Sports Timing to a High Precision Chronograph”
Chrono24 Magazine — “The Legend of the Seiko 6139”
All Seiko Speedtimer watches in stock at Time Vibe:
