Seiko 6139-600x "Pogue" Chronograph Value & Price Guide

In 1973, Colonel William Pogue packed for his trip to Skylab 4, the third and final crewed mission to America's first space station. NASA issued Omega Speedmasters to its astronauts, but Pogue brought his own watch: a bright yellow Seiko 6139-6002 automatic chronograph he had bought at a PX (military exchange store) for about $80. He wore it for 84 days in orbit, making it the first automatic chronograph to be worn in space.

Pogue never intended to make watch history. He just liked the Seiko. But decades later, when he mentioned the watch in an interview and showed photos, the collecting community lost its mind. The reference 6139-600x series became known as the "Pogue" and transformed from a cheap vintage Seiko into one of the most storied affordable collectibles in the watch world.

Quick Value Summary

Item: Seiko 6139-600x "Pogue" Chronograph
Years: 1969-1979 (various production dates)
Manufacturer: Seiko (Japan)
Category: Watches
Condition Range:
  Non-running/parts: $100 - $200
  Running, rough condition: $250 - $400
  Running, good original condition: $500 - $800
  Excellent original condition: $800 - $1,200
  Near-mint, all original: $1,200 - $1,800
Record Sale: ~$3,000+ (exceptional all-original early examples)
Rarity: Common (overall) to Uncommon (pristine originals)

The Story

Seiko introduced the 6139 caliber in 1969 as the world's first automatic (self-winding) chronograph movement, beating Zenith's El Primero and the Chrono-Matic consortium (Heuer, Breitling, Hamilton, Dubois Depraz) to market by a matter of weeks. The debate over who was truly "first" continues among watch historians, but Seiko's 6139 was the first to reach retail customers.

The 6139-6002 was the yellow-dial version, and it became the most popular variant. The watch featured a bold, cushion-shaped case (about 41mm), a rotating inner bezel controlled by a crown at 4 o'clock, and Seiko's distinctive 30-minute chronograph subdial at 6 o'clock. It was colorful, affordable, and built like a tank.

Seiko produced 6139-series watches in massive quantities through the 1970s. They sold at military PX stores worldwide, in department stores, and through Seiko's dealer network. The reference numbers 6139-6000, 6139-6002, 6139-6005, and 6139-6009 all fall under the "Pogue" umbrella, though purists argue that only the yellow-dial 6002 is the "true" Pogue.

The Pogue designation didn't exist during production. It was applied retroactively by the collector community starting in the early 2000s when Colonel Pogue's Skylab mission became widely known among watch enthusiasts. Before that, these were just old Seikos.

How to Identify It

Key visual markers:

• Cushion-shaped stainless steel case, approximately 41mm

• Yellow, blue, or silver dial (yellow = most desirable "Pogue")

• Day/date window at 3 o'clock

• 30-minute chronograph subdial at 6 o'clock

• Rotating inner timing bezel, controlled by crown at 4 o'clock

• Pusher at 2 o'clock to start/stop/reset the chronograph

• Crown at 4 o'clock for time-setting and bezel rotation

• "6139-600X" reference number on the caseback

• "SEIKO AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH" on the dial

• "WATER 70M RESIST" or similar water resistance marking

Reference number variants:

• 6139-6000: Early production, sometimes called "proof" or "pre-Pogue"

• 6139-6002: The yellow-dial Pogue, most recognized and valuable

• 6139-6005: Silver/grey dial variant

• 6139-6009: Blue dial, sometimes called the "Pepsi Pogue" when combined with a blue/red bezel insert

Serial number dating: Seiko serial numbers start with a digit indicating the production year (last digit). The second character indicates the month (1-9 for Jan-Sep, 0 for Oct, N for Nov, D for Dec). A serial starting with "0N" would be November 1970.

Common modifications to watch for:

• Replacement dials (aftermarket dials are extremely common)

• Replacement bezels or bezel inserts

• Non-original crowns or pushers

• Re-cased movements (6139 movement in a non-original case)

• Replacement crystal (should be original Seiko Hardlex)

Value by Condition

Non-running/parts watch: $100 - $200 The 6139 movement is robust but not indestructible. Non-running examples are bought by hobbyist watchmakers for parts or restoration projects. Even broken, the case and dial have value.

Running, rough condition: $250 - $400 Beat-up case, faded or damaged dial, replacement parts. The watch runs but shows decades of hard use. Most Pogues you'll find at flea markets or in estate sales fall here. Recent 2025-2026 eBay sales for rough yellow-dial examples: $310-$400.

Running, good original condition: $500 - $800 Original dial with honest patina, original crown and pusher, case shows wear but no major damage. This is the collector's entry point. A 6139-6002 in good original condition sold for $699 on WatchCharts in late 2025.

Excellent original condition: $800 - $1,200 Clean original dial, minimal case wear, original bracelet (adds significant value). All functions working correctly. Bezel insert intact and legible. Chrono24 lists average asking prices around $1,000 for the 6139-6002 as of early 2026.

Near-mint, all original: $1,200 - $1,800 Exceptional preservation. Original dial with vibrant color, sharp case edges, original bracelet, original crystal. These are genuinely scarce for a 50-year-old watch that was designed to be worn daily. Top examples with provenance or box and papers can push past $2,000.

Prices have been stable to slightly increasing since 2022. The Pogue benefits from being an attainable "space watch" alternative to the Omega Speedmaster (which costs 10-50 times more).

Known Variations

Yellow dial (6139-6002): The definitive Pogue. Most valuable and most collected. Some early examples have a slightly different shade of yellow or different text layout.

Blue dial (6139-6009): The "Blue Pogue" or "Pepsi Pogue." Less well-known but gaining collector interest. Values run about 20-30% below equivalent yellow-dial examples.

Silver dial (6139-6005): Less collected, lower values. Good original examples: $300-$600.

Resist dial vs. non-resist dial: Some dials say "WATER 70M RESIST" while others don't. Both are original variants from different production periods.

English/Kanji day wheel: Some examples have a bilingual day wheel showing English and Japanese (kanji) day names. The kanji option adds a modest collector premium.

Authentication and Fakes

The Pogue isn't commonly counterfeited in the traditional sense, but "Frankenwatches" are rampant. A Frankenwatch is assembled from parts of multiple watches, often combining an original case with an aftermarket dial and replacement movement parts.

Red flags:

• Dial printing that looks too crisp or has the wrong font. Original dials from the 1970s should show some aging.

• Mismatched serial numbers between caseback and movement

• Aftermarket replacement dials (often printed in India or China) that have slightly wrong colors or text placement

• Cases with serial numbers that don't correspond to the correct production era for the reference

• Non-Seiko replacement crowns or pushers (check for the "S" logo)

Best practices:

• Join the Seiko 6139 collector community online (forums like WatchUSeek have dedicated threads)

• Reference known-good examples before buying

• Ask sellers to photograph the movement (it should show "SEIKO 6139" on the bridge)

• Budget $100-$200 for a watchmaker service after purchase (these movements need periodic maintenance)

Where to Sell

Online platforms: eBay, Chrono24, and WatchCharts/r/Watchexchange are the primary markets. eBay fees run about 13%. Chrono24 charges sellers 6.5% plus listing fees.

Watch forums: WatchUSeek, Omega Forums (yes, Seiko collectors hang out there too), and Reddit's r/Watchexchange allow direct sales with no platform fees beyond PayPal/payment processing.

Local options: Independent watch dealers who specialize in vintage pieces. Expect 50-60% of retail value.

Selling costs: No grading service equivalent for watches, so detailed photos are essential. Shipping a watch safely costs $15-$30 with insurance. No authentication fees, but a recent service receipt from a qualified watchmaker adds buyer confidence.

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick estimate.

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