Restoration: Seiko 6159-7001 calibre 6159A

IMG_0144Amongst Seiko lovers, this watch is the pinnacle of desirable watches. This is a proper diver’s watch, worn by professional divers, and it has a 36,000 bph high-speed movement. And, miracle of all miracles, it’s a Seiko and you can hand-wind it! 😉

Jonathan sent this one in, and, as you can see, it’s in need of quite a lot of TLC.IMG_0146

The luminous compound has come off, and the hands are borderline, but the dial isn’t too bad.IMG_0147

This isn’t too bad, but the movement will get a service as well.IMG_0225

The 6159A movement in all its glory.IMG_0230

The base movement without the auto winder.IMG_0233

As many 36,000 bph movements, this one has a sealed barrel as well, so you can’t just replace the mainspring. As the amplitude of the movement isn’t too bad, and I can’t get hold of a new barrel, I will leave the old one in. You can also see the stop lever for the hacking second feature. IMG_0237

The bottom plate with the date ring. You can see that the escape wheel has cap jewels on both ends as well.IMG_0245And off into the cleaning machine.IMG_0374

I start reassembly with the four cap jewels.IMG_0376

The base movement back together and beating.IMG_0380

After some adjusting, this is looking very good indeed.IMG_1271

David Bill and Sons did the re-luming, and Charles from WatchGlass Cutting in Abergavenny polished the case. Time to put everything back together!IMG_1273

New gaskets all around.IMG_1275

Waterproof testing is well – no pressure loss whatsoever within one minute.IMG_1276

That’s looking a lot better. The bezel ring is a bit scratched and has lost its luminous dot, but I can’t find a replacement.IMG_1277

Charles did a great job polishing the case.IMG_1278

IMG_1279A great looking watch.

 

 

21 thoughts on “Restoration: Seiko 6159-7001 calibre 6159A

  1. Hi there.
    Gerald from Clifton (a suburb just outside Cape Town).
    I am a building manager of an apartment complex and we are situated literally next to the sea. Hence, a very high percentage of sea air “pollution”. Pollution in inverted commas as it’s beautiful and fresh, as you would imagine.
    Anyway, moving swiftly along..I would very much appreciate your advice. I need to buy an ISO certified divers watch…not quartz..and have approx R6,000 (300-350 pounds Sterling).
    Would you/could you part with some hard-learned advice and give me a choice of model no’s to look for.
    Thanks a ton/heap/lot
    Gerald.

    • I got a Seiko SKX013K1 that is well within your price bracket, which should withstand the sea air and water for quite a bit. Not sure it’s ISO certified, but I leave that up to you to research.

  2. I sent a non functioning, bezel off, 6159 to Jack at IWW. He did a terrific job of servicing and assembling the diver I inherited from my dad. Very reasonably priced. Proudly I wear it. NFS.

  3. I wish I had found your site before I sent my watch to the Seiko Service Center in Mahwah, New Jersey, USA.
    I have a SEICO 300m Pro Divers watch: 6159-7001. Very Good condition. It is loosing about 2 minutes a week. Used very little…stored for many years.
    The Service Center does not have all of the Gaskets to do the cleaning and assembly. They will do the work if I find the Crystal Gaskets, Stem, Crown gaskets etc.
    ??? Can you sell me the Gaskets: OM 3005B – lower gasket for glass.
    OC 3250B – upper gasket for glass.
    FN 3150B – Nylon gasket
    OK 0240BOA – Crown gasket
    Stem and Crown # __________?

    If I send you the watch, and the work is only cleaning and assembly Plus gaskets, can you give me a Rough estimate of cost in US$ ?
    SEIKO estimated the cost to be aprx. $120. US, if I can send them the parts.

    Thank You for your Help !
    Jack Laivins

  4. Nice work, and great to see one of these beasts here … interesting! Together with the Seiko 6215, it’s a watch I hope never to see for sale anywhere – because then I know I’ll have to part with a lot of money 😉

    How do open it? Through the front?

    • Hi Petter,

      Nice to hear from you! Yes, you remove the bezel, and then there is a second bezel that you turn anti-clockwise. That releases the crystal. To get the winding stem out, there is a little lever on the side that you press down, and that’s it.
      I should have shown that on the blog!

  5. Hand winds AND hacks? The Seiko accountants must have been on holiday the day this was designed 😉

    Does your pressure tester go up (down) to 300m? The one in my local “watch repair” shop does not!

    • It even has a decent amplitude – unheard of for a Seiko 😉

      I use a vacuum tester, which doesn’t really allow you to say much about the depth the watch could go to. I just don’t like water anywhere remotely near a watch.

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