Seiko 6105-8110 Captain Willard

Francis Ford Coppola insisted on authenticity in Apocalypse Now. So when Martin Sheen's Captain Willard needed a watch, the prop department didn't pick something flashy. They used what American soldiers actually wore in Vietnam: a Seiko 6105-8110 diver. The watch survived the brutal Philippine shoot, appeared in one of cinema's greatest films, and earned the nickname "Captain Willard" that made it a legend. Clean, original examples now sell for $2,000 to $4,000, with dead stock pieces reaching $5,000 to $8,000+.

Quick Value Summary


Item	Seiko 6105-8110 "Captain Willard" Diver
Year	1970–1977
Category	Watches - Vintage Dive
Manufacturer	Seiko
Movement	Caliber 6105B (automatic)
Condition Range
Project Watch (needs work)	$1,000 – $1,500
Good Condition, Serviced	$1,900 – $3,000
Excellent / NOS Condition	$5,000 – $8,000+
Rarity	Uncommon (mass-produced, but clean originals are increasingly scarce)

The Story

During the Vietnam War, American servicemen needed a tough, water-resistant watch that wouldn't cost a month's pay. Swiss watches were expensive. The Seiko 6105 was affordable, rugged, and available at PX stores throughout Southeast Asia. Soldiers bought them by the thousands.

The 6105-8110 was the second generation of this diver. It featured a distinctive 44mm cushion-shaped case - rounded, thick, with a crown at 4 o'clock to prevent it from digging into the wrist. The 150m water resistance was serious for the era. The automatic caliber 6105B movement wound itself with wrist movement - no batteries needed in the field.

The watch became famous in 1979 when Apocalypse Now hit theaters. Martin Sheen wears it throughout the film, visible on his wrist during some of cinema's most iconic scenes. Coppola's commitment to authenticity meant the watch wasn't a random prop choice - it was the real thing. The collecting community took notice, and the "Captain Willard" nickname stuck.

How to Identify It

Key Features

44mm stainless steel cushion-shaped case - rounded, distinctive profile
12.5mm thickness - substantial but not unwieldy
Black dial with luminous markers (tritium on originals, now aged)
Uni-directional rotating bezel - turns counterclockwise only
Crown at 4 o'clock - not 3 o'clock like most watches
Plexiglass crystal - scratches easily but can be polished
19mm lug width - narrower than the case suggests
Caliber 6105B movement - automatic, visible via caseback

6105-8000 vs. 6105-8110

The earlier 6105-8000 ("Slim Willard") had a thinner case. The 8110 is the "cushion case" version - the one from the movie and the more collected variant. Both are desirable, but the 8110 is the icon.

Original Tritium Lume

Original dials should show tritium lume that has aged to a cream, yellow, or brown color. Freshly bright lume on a "1970s watch" means the dial has been relumed - a modification that reduces value. Authentic aging is part of the charm.

Serial Number Dating

Seiko serial numbers start with a digit indicating the production year. The first digit in the 6-digit serial tells you the year (within a decade). Cross-reference with the 6105-8110's production run of approximately 1970-1977.

Value by Condition

Condition	Description	Value
Project	Needs service, cosmetic issues	$1,000 – $1,500
Good	Serviced, some patina, working well	$1,900 – $3,000
Very Good	Original dial and hands, clean	$3,000 – $4,000
Excellent	Highly original, minimal wear	$4,000 – $5,000
NOS / Dead Stock	Unworn, complete	$5,000 – $8,000+

What drives the spread: Originality is everything. An all-original 6105-8110 with its original dial, hands, bezel insert, and crown is worth significantly more than one that's been serviced with replacement parts. Many surviving examples are "franken-watches" - assembled from parts of different watches. Collectors pay a premium for documented originality.

Battle scars are okay. Some collectors actually prefer watches that show signs of hard use - scratches, dings, faded bezels. These are viewed as authentic provenance markers, especially if the watch appears to have been worn in the field.

Authentication & Fakes

Verify caliber 6105B movement via caseback removal
Crown at 4 o'clock is mandatory for the 6105-8110
"Franken-watches" are the biggest risk - mixed parts from different Seiko references. Dial, hands, bezel, case, and movement should all match
Original bezel insert should match period specifications. Replacement inserts are common
Tritium markers should show appropriate aging for a 50-year-old watch
19mm lug width is correct
Seiko re-edition (SPB151/SLA033) is a modern homage, not vintage. Don't confuse or pay vintage prices for the modern version

Where to Sell

eBay - Active market for vintage Seiko divers
Chrono24 - Growing appreciation for vintage Seiko
HODINKEE Shop - Has sold 6105-8110 examples (curated, higher prices)
Vintage watch forums - Omega Forum, WatchUSeek have dedicated Seiko sections
Japanese vintage watch dealers - Strong domestic market for vintage Seiko

Not sure about your vintage Seiko? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a free AI estimate. Upload a photo →

Common Questions

How much is a Captain Willard Seiko worth?

Good condition, serviced: $1,900 to $3,000. Very good with original parts: $3,000 to $4,000. Dead stock/NOS: $5,000 to $8,000+. Project watches needing work start around $1,000.

Why is it called the "Captain Willard"?

Martin Sheen's character in Apocalypse Now (1979) is Captain Benjamin Willard. He wears a Seiko 6105-8110 throughout the film. The collecting community adopted the nickname.

Did soldiers really wear these in Vietnam?

Yes. Seiko divers were popular among American servicemen because they were affordable, tough, water-resistant, and widely available at PX stores in Southeast Asia. The 6105 was the go-to military-adjacent timepiece of the era.

Is the Seiko re-edition (SPB151) worth buying?

The SPB151/SLA033 is a quality modern watch that pays homage to the original at $1,000 to $2,000. It's not vintage and won't hold the same collector value, but it's a great watch in its own right.