You may or may not have seen the term 'Pogue' tossed around when discussing 6139-600x chronographs (made from '69-79). You might not know why, or have an incomplete understanding.
There was this guy - Col. William Pogue - he was a U.S.A.F. veteran of the Korean War, and in '66 he was selected for NASA. He didn't do the Apollo stuff, but instead got to go to Skylab 4 - from September '73 to February '74.
In the training prior to launch, he hadn't been issued with his standard Omega Speedmaster yet, so he wandered down to the PX at Edwards AFB and put a deposit down on a Seiko chronograph. He paid it off, and then used it every day. He specifically states he used it to time engine burns. When the time came for launch he was supposed to leave his Seiko behind... but he snuck it aboard hidden in the leg of his spacesuit.
Thought it was worth warning new Seiko buyers about these dials that are appearing on the market for the 6139-600x in both blue and yellow. I've had a blue resist in my hands within the past week to service for a guy who brought it on evilBay that was a aftermarket dial. /r/Watches Buying Guide. I wanted a True Pogue: 6139-6005, resist dial, 17J., ca. 1971-1972, which I quickly learned was very hard to come. After near hourly stalking of eBay, Seiko forums, and various other online sites.
He continued to wear both his Seiko and his Omega at the same time - one set to his home time zone, one set to Houston. Here he is in orbit, and you can see that he is wearing two watches - the one on his left is the Seiko.
Some people aren't clear on what a 'Pogue' is or should be. Pogue's watch was a 1971 Seiko 6139-6005, serial number 190985. It had 'Water 70m Resist' on the dial, along with '17j' above the Suwa symbol just above the minute-counter dial. Under 'SEIKO' it just says 'automatic'. Seiko had several variants of these watches based on geographic distribution, and non U.S. ones had slightly different dial text as a result.
Here's an actual photograph of the watch after thirty-five years of continual use. One thing that makes for some confusion is that the watch has a white indicator ring. Some people used to think that Seiko produced a white ring as a result. They never did. These watches came with a yellow ring to match the dial, and they faded like a bastard. The blue/black dial versions came with a black ring, and it too fades, but to a greyish-white. In every case where I've seen a white ring, when I've taken it out and flipped it over, it's still yellow underneath. Ditto for the black - grey on top, black underneath.
This is my 'Pogue' - it's a 6139-6005 'Resist', only a few thousand units away from Pogue's, and it's entirely original and is what his looked like new.
Anyway, so when you're digging around, hoping to buy a 'Pogue', know what you are looking for. There are lots of watches out there that unscrupulous or unclear sellers will attach the label 'Pogue' to. Know your Pogues - accept no substitutes!
The first SEIKO 6139 wristwatch was introduced in 1969. Not only was it billed as one of the world's first automatic chronographs, but it was also the first chronograph worn in space. Since then, SEIKO has produced a number of variations on its classic 6139 wristwatch, and you can find the right one for you on eBay.
Features of the SEIKO 6139 wristwatchVintage SEIKO 6139 watches are chronographs, which means that in addition to having traditional time-keeping functions, the 6139 can also operate as a stopwatch. The watches have stainless-steel casings and come in a variety of bracelet types, including H-link bracelets with straight ends, H-links with tapered ends, and JDM bracelets. The casings can be notched or unnotched. A notched case usually tells you that it's an older vintage SEIKO 6139. The original features included a quick-set date display and a 30-minute counter. All of the 6139 watches, including the SEIKO 6139-8029, have analog displays.
What SEIKO 6139 series are there?SEIKO produced several versions of the 6139 wristwatch throughout the 1970s. These models, including the SEIKO 6139-6040, add in a tachymeter feature, which lets you measure your speed of travel. They also feature dials that show seconds. You can find SEIKO 6139 watches in a variety of colors, such as watches with gold faces or blue faces. Some versions in this series, like the SEIKO 6139-6012, feature a blue and red bezel, which is the outer rim of the watch that rotates independently from the watch face. The SEIKO 6139-7002 is specifically intended for use as sports watch, and it has a rubber wristband for that reason.
How to choose a SEIKO 6139 wristwatchIf you need a little help picking out your watch, check out these tips: