Seiko 7015-6010: Time-Sonar

Model: 7015-6010

Year: 1971

Features:

The Movement. An early example of Seiko’s first foray into the world of Flyback Chronographs. The 1970s was a special decade for chronograph Seikos, with the advent of 613X movement (arguably the world’s first automatic chronograph), and the 701X movements which represent the first automatic Flyback Chronographs made by Seiko.

The Design. The transparent dial is a playfully beautiful, and while the unusual design might feel very “Seiko” by today’s standards, it was actually fairly unusual at the time. Prior to this era, Seiko had been incredibly strait-laced with their watches, much like their Swiss competitors, but the '70s marked an obvious line in the sand for Seiko’s experimental designs.

The Caseback: A fun and very difficult-to-verify fact, but I think this was Seiko’s first-ever watch with an exhibition caseback! Clear casebacks became common after the Quartz Crisis of the 1980s, as a way to highlight the mechanical movement inside a watch, so Seiko were definitely ahead of the trend with this early ‘70s release.

Condition: The most important thing to consider when buying a vintage Seiko is the condition. This one is in very good condition overall, and it’s fully original. Everything is working perfectly – the flyback function, the stop/start function, and the crown operate quick set. The original crystal is in fantastic condition, but there is a tiny scratch on the crystal (near 7 o’clock). The case has some minor markings too. The caseback is the most worn part of the watch and has various scratches. The second hand has faded from reddy-orange to yellow (very common with this era of Seiko). The bracelet is aftermarket but looks great (the Time Sonar traditionally came on a black rubber bracelet, although some metal bracelets were issued for later releases).

Scope: No box or papers.

Movement: 7015 Automatic Flyback Movement, 21600 bph, 21 Jewels 

Dimensions:

• Lug to Lug: 42.0mm
• Case Width: 39.0mm
• Case Thickness: 12.0mm