With great looking designs like this, ultra reliable technology and a reasonable price tag it’s no wonder that Seiko took a strangle hold on the market during the 70’s and 80’s.

The Seiko navigator from 1972 featured a 24 hour GMT hand an internal (under the glass) rotating bezel, operated by the crown and hacking. Hacking means that the watch is stopped when crown is in the hand set position allowing for easy synchronisation. This rare feature is usually found in very accurate timepieces such as chronometers.

Called the navigator because by setting the 24 hand to GMT, and adjusting the main hands to local time, longitude can be calculated by noting the time differential. This system was only possible when an accurate, sea going chronometer was developed by John Harrison in mid 1720s. Captain Cook used this system which enabled him to create superbly accurate charts of his voyages. I doubt if any owner of this Seiko Navigator used it for serious navigation but, Seiko were brilliant in creating a sexy image such as this for their products.

With its already mentioned features, the red and black trimmed bezel on a black dial with white index markers, this watch looked practical, modern, tough and generally fantastic and it hit the mark in the market place.

The 6117B movement is a complication of the standard 6119 that was the backbone of the brand and did much to establish Seiko’s reputation. With its sophisticated ex-center self-winding mechanism with just one gear stage, this movement was so simple that the conservative watch trade could not take it seriously. But it soon proved to be as strong, accurate, reliable and durable as Swiss counterparts many times its price.

This timepiece came to me in poor condition but complete except for the bracelet. I overhauled the movement, restored the case and polished the glass. I am very happy with the result.