About This Watch:

The Seiko World Time Automatic Ref 6117-6400 was introduced in the late 1960s and featured the first GMT movement produced by Seiko, the Calibre 6117.  The inner rotating bezel on this timepiece lists cities around the globe, which allows you to track a second time zone utilizing the red GMT hand easily.  

The History:  Seiko began its rich history in 1881 when Kintaro Hattori opened a shop repairing and selling watches in central Tokyo.  Eleven years later, he opened a factory called the Seikosha Factory and began building wall clocks and pocket watches.  After an earthquake and fire destroyed the original factory, Hattori reopened with a new vision, which became the beginnings of what we know as Seiko today.  A true pioneer in watchmaking, Seiko developed the first Japanese-made divers watch.

The Watch:  The Seiko 6117-6400 features a 41mm stainless steel case with an acrylic crystal.  The dial is white with a linen texture, applied indices with tritium lume plots, and a date window at the 3 o’clock position.  The dial also features a black 24-hour scale, an inner rotating bezel with major cities around the world listed in black and teal with magenta-colored time zone markers, and an orange GMT hand for the GMT function.  

The Details:  This Seiko World Time Ref 6117-6400 dates to a production period of February 1970.  The case lines on this piece are still sharp and appear to be unpolished, as wear on the case sides, lugs, and case back are consistent with a timepiece of this age and visible in the photographs.  The crystal has a discoloration that runs from the center to the 7 o’clock position.  This timepiece comes with an aftermarket rubber strap and a stainless steel buckle.