In the spring of 1969 Seiko introduced the 5 Sports Speed Timer to the Japanese domestic market. It was the world’s first self-winding chronograph. The revolutionary 6139A automatic movement featured a vertical clutch system and a column wheel.
A few years later, in November 1973, the Seiko Speed Timer also became the first automatic chronograph to travel into space, worn by Colonel William Reid Pogue during the NASA Skylab 4 mission.
Being such a charismatic watch, and offering a much better quality/price ratio than the expensive Swiss alternatives that later hit the market, the Speed Timer became a worldwide success.
A series of General Export models was made by Seiko to be shipped and sold in many countries around the world.
This collector’s guide will cover all of the known Seiko Speed Timer 6139 models with reference AHxxx, made for the General Export market, meaning that it will not include any of the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) and different region specific models.
There is still a lack of information on some of the watch references, so if you happen to find a vintage Seiko catalog or other documentation containing watch references starting with “AH”, please contact me. The best way is to send me a direct message on Instagram @the_seiko_guy.
Catalogs from the early 1970s from North America, Europe and Southeast Asia would be especially useful.
Speed Timer 6139 General Export Models
AH001 / AH001M
Model: 6139-600x
Case reference: 6139-6007
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6009 1543
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: Z002S
AH003 / AH003M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6017
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6019 1553
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B048S
Dial variations
Being found in various catalogs from different years, it is possible to see the AH001 and AH003 models presented with different dial variations.
The very first examples published in 1969 were featuring the “water 70m resist” dial, very soon replaced by no markings dials.
Similar differences on the dials are found in many other models of this series, not always documented by the catalogs of the time.
AH005 / AH005M
Model: 6139-600x
Case reference: 6139-6002
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6030 1813
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: Z002S
AH007 / AH007
Model: 6139-600x
Case reference: 6139-6002
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6030 1543
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: Z002S
AH009 / AH009M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6040 1553
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051S
Bracelets
The watch reference AH009 gives us the opportunity to observe a practice that was relatively common in those years: many Seiko watches were marketed with a variety of different bracelets.
The AH009 (6139-6012) was sold with a Stelux bracelet in Southeast Asia.
The Stelux Group, founded in Hong Kong in 1963, has a long lasting relationship with Seiko. It is also the Stelux Group that owns Thong Sia, the sole distributor of Seiko watches in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and other Asian countries.
AH011 / AH011M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6040 0313
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051S
AH013 / AH013M
Model: 6139-602x
Case material: Stainless Steel
Crystal: Acrylic (350T02AN)
AH015 / AH015M
Model: 6139-602x
Case material: Stainless Steel
Crystal: Acrylic (350T02AN)
Note: AH015 is a black dial variant of AH013.
AH021 / AH021M
Model: 6139-602x
Case reference: 6139-6021
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6020 1543
Bracelet: B256S
AH023 / AH023M
Model: 6139-600x
Case reference: 6139-6000
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6030 1813
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: Z002S
Note: Stelux bracelet shown in the picture (Southeast Asia)
Speed Timer AH023 “Aussie Pogue”
The model AH023 (6139-6000) is found mainly in some countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. As several specimens seem to have emerged from Australia, some enthusiasts have given it the nickname Aussie Pogue.
AH035 / AH035M
Model: 6139-600x
Case reference: 6139-6005
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6009 1813
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: Z002S
The first automatic chronograph in space
On November 16 of 1973, the NASA Skylab 4 mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. On board was the Seiko 6139-6005 worn by Colonel William Reid Pogue. It was the first automatic chronograph to travel into space.
The AH035 (6139-6005) worn by Colonel Pogue was a popular model in North America in the early 1970s, and in fact it seems that Pogue bought the watch in the US, at the Ellington Air Force base.
Here you can see a complete 6139-6005 “Seiko Pogue” set sold on Ebay.
AH041 / AH041M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6060 0343
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051S
AH043 / AH043M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6060 1433
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051S
AH045 / AH045M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6060 1213
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051S
AH049 / AH049M
Model: 6139-800x
Case reference: 6139-8002
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8010 1503
Crystal: Hardlex (320W28GN)
Bracelet: B065S
AH051 / AH051M
Model: 6139-800x
Case reference: 6139-8002
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8010 0513
Crystal: Hardlex (320W28GN)
Bracelet: B065S
AH053 / AH053M
Model: 6139-700x
Case reference: 6139-7001
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7030 0347
Crystal: Hardlex (340W14GN)
Bracelet: B305S
AH055 / AH055M
Model: 6139-700x
Case reference: 6139-7000
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7030 1503
Crystal: Hardlex (340W14GN)
Bracelet: B305S
AH057 / AH057M
Model: 6139-700x
Case reference: 6139-7002
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7030 0517
Crystal: Hardlex (340W14GN)
Bracelet: B305S
AH063 / AH063M
Model: 6139-802x
Case reference: 6139-8020
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8040 1503
Crystal: Acrylic (310T28AN)
Bracelet: B091S
AH065 / AH065M
Model: 6139-802x
Case reference: 6139-8020
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8040 1533
Crystal: Acrylic (310T28AN)
Bracelet: B091S
AH067 / AH067M
Model: 6139-802x
Case reference: 6139-8029
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8049 1503
Crystal: Acrylic (310T28AN)
Bracelet: B091S
AH069 / AH069M
Model: 6139-707x
Case reference: 6139-7070
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7070 15A3
Crystal: Hardlex (335V10GN)
Bracelet: B103S
AH071 / AH071M
Model: 6139-707x
Case reference: 6139-7070
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7070 0343
Crystal: Hardlex (335V10GN)
Bracelet: B103S
AH072 / AH072M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6015
Case material: Base Metal Top Stainless Steel Back
Dial: 6089 1218
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B048G
AH074 / AH074M
Model: 6139-601x
Case reference: 6139-6012
Case material: Base Metal Top Stainless Steel Back
Dial: 6080 1218
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B051G
AH075 / AH075M
Model: 6139-803x
Case reference: 6139-8030
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8060 1147
Crystal: Acrylic (310T28AN)
Bracelet: B131S
AH079 / AH079M
Model: 6139-803x
Case reference: 6139-8030
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 8050 0343
Crystal: Acrylic (310T28AN)
Bracelet: B131S
AH089 / AH089M
Model: 6139-708x
Case reference: 6139-7080
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7120 1437
Crystal: Acrylic (340T06AN)
Bracelet: B160S
AH091 / AH091M
Model: 6139-708x
Case reference: 6139-7080
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7120 0347
Crystal: Acrylic (340T06AN)
Bracelet: B160S
AH093 / AH093M
Model: 6139-708x
Case reference: 6139-7080
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7120 15A7
Crystal: Acrylic (340T06AN)
Bracelet: B160S
AH095 / AH095M
Model: 6139-706x
Case reference: 6139-7060
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7140 034L
Crystal: Hardlex (340W14GN)
Bracelet: Z044S
AH097 / AH097M
Model: 6139-706x
Case reference: 6139-7069
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7149 034L
Crystal: Hardlex (340W14GN)
Bracelet: Z044S
AH099 / AH099M
Model: 6139-710x
Case reference: 6139-7100
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7160 0157
Crystal: Hardlex (340W18GN)
Bracelet: Z050S
AH101 / AH101M
Model: 6139-710x
Case reference: 6139-7100
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7160 034L
Crystal: Hardlex (340W18GN)
Bracelet: Z050S
AH103 / AH103M
Model: 6139-710x
Case reference: 6139-7109
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 7169 034L
Crystal: Hardlex (340W18GN)
Bracelet: Z050S
AH105 / AH105M
Model: 6139-604x
Case reference: 6139-6040
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6100 1433
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B242S
AH107 / AH107M
Model: 6139-604x
Case reference: 6139-6040
Case material: Stainless Steel
Dial: 6100 0743
Crystal: Hardlex (330W18GN)
Bracelet: B242S
Summary of the models
| Ref. | Model | Case ref. | Dial | Bracelet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AH001 | 6139-600x | 6139-6007 | 6009 1543 | Z002S |
| AH003 | 6139-601x | 6139-6017 | 6019 1553 | B048S |
| AH005 | 6139-600x | 6139-6002 | 6030 1813 | Z002S |
| AH007 | 6139-600x | 6139-6002 | 6030 1543 | Z002S |
| AH009 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6040 1553 | B051S |
| AH011 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6040 0313 | B051S |
| AH013 | 6139-602x | ? | ? | ? |
| AH015 | 6139-602x | ? | ? | ? |
| AH021 | 6139-602x | 6139-6021 | 6020 1543 | B256S |
| AH023 | 6139-600x | 6139-6000 | 6030 1813 | Z002S |
| AH035 | 6139-600x | 6139-6005 | 6009 1813 | Z002S |
| AH041 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6060 0343 | B051S |
| AH043 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6060 1433 | B051S |
| AH045 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6060 1213 | B051S |
| AH049 | 6139-800x | 6139-8002 | 8010 1503 | B065S |
| AH051 | 6139-800x | 6139-8002 | 8010 0513 | B065S |
| AH053 | 6139-700x | 6139-7001 | 7030 0347 | B305S |
| AH055 | 6139-700x | 6139-7000 | 7030 1503 | B305S |
| AH057 | 6139-700x | 6139-7002 | 7030 0517 | B305S |
| AH063 | 6139-802x | 6139-8020 | 8040 1503 | B091S |
| AH065 | 6139-802x | 6139-8020 | 8040 1533 | B091S |
| AH067 | 6139-802x | 6139-8029 | 8049 1503 | B091S |
| AH069 | 6139-707x | 6139-7070 | 7070 15A3 | B103S |
| AH071 | 6139-707x | 6139-7070 | 7070 0343 | B103S |
| AH072 | 6139-601x | 6139-6015 | 6089 1218 | B048G |
| AH074 | 6139-601x | 6139-6012 | 6080 1218 | B051G |
| AH075 | 6139-803x | 6139-8030 | 8060 1147 | B131S |
| AH079 | 6139-803x | 6139-8030 | 8050 0343 | B131S |
| AH089 | 6139-708x | 6139-7080 | 7120 1437 | B160S |
| AH091 | 6139-708x | 6139-7080 | 7120 0347 | B160S |
| AH093 | 6139-708x | 6139-7080 | 7120 15A7 | B160S |
| AH095 | 6139-706x | 6139-7060 | 7140 034L | Z044S |
| AH097 | 6139-706x | 6139-7069 | 7149 034L | Z044S |
| AH099 | 6139-710x | 6139-7100 | 7160 0157 | Z050S |
| AH101 | 6139-710x | 6139-7100 | 7160 034L | Z050S |
| AH103 | 6139-710x | 6139-7109 | 7169 034L | Z050S |
| AH105 | 6139-604x | 6139-6040 | 6100 1433 | B242S |
| AH107 | 6139-604x | 6139-6040 | 6100 0743 | B242S |