THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: SEIKO
MODEL: 6105-8000
YEAR: 1969
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 41mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: RUBBER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

For many watch enthusiasts, the collecting journey begins with a Seiko—they never forget the first time they strapped on an SKX007. But Seiko divers are far from simple “beginner watches.” Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, the brand produced some of the most robust, innovative, and wearable tool watches of the era.

The Seiko 6105-8000 debuted around 1968 as the successor to the 62MAS, Seiko’s first professional dive watch. Its slimmer cushion case later earned it the nickname “Slim Willard,” in reference to the third-generation 6105-8110/9, which was made famous by Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now and subsequently nicknamed the “Captain Willard” after the character he portrayed.

The later 8110/9 (with “0” denoting the Japanese market and “9” the U.S. market) features an asymmetrical case and integrated crown guards—design elements that feel strikingly modern even today. The Slim Willard presented here retains a symmetrical case profile and wears beautifully on the wrist.

This example has remained in remarkable condition over the past 50-plus years. The original lume is still present, and the chrome bezel inlay shows some oxidation, exactly as you would expect. The case remains unpolished, displaying honest wear throughout. We’ve paired the watch with a classic Uncle Seiko rubber strap.

The movement has just received a full service and is running at 0 s/day, with an amplitude of 245° and a beat error of 0.2 ms.