Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum Message Archive

I've wanted one of these diver's watches for a long time, and was lucky to find a nice one. It has been fully restored by "Quality Time."

It's easy to understand why these 6309's have a "cult status." I feel this watch is the link between the older 6105 150m diver watch and the current SKX 200m versions.

Like the earlier 6105 models, the indice at 12 o'clock is divided by a line in the middle, so when read at night in the dark it looks like two pieces. On the other hand, like the current 200m models the indices are applied directly to the dial without silver boarder trimming.

The second hand, with the round maker near the tip and highly polished stainless steel (instead of painted) shares more in common with the 6105 than with my SKX007J.

Yet, the day/date window is very similar to the one on the SKX versions.

I note it has a painted day wheel but brushed stainless steel date wheel, just like the current 300m Professional Quartz (and several other vintage models I've run across). This extra detail is a nice touch.

In addition, I really like the simple one line of print above 6 o'clock which says "water150mresist" with the words very small and in orange and the numbers big and in reflective silver (not white like on the 200m divers). Very classy. Little details like these make the watch more refined, in my opinion, than the current SKX 200m versions.

Perhaps the thing which is most impressive to me is the crown. I like the way it looks (shape) and feels better than the one on the current 200m models. And ...

It has a long sleeve so the crown doesn't have any "wobble" when all the way unscrewed and pulled out. That sleeve makes it screw back in without any effort or fear of cross threading.

From the side, the profile of the watch with it's flat crystal is very similar to the current SKX 200m diver's watches, which surprised me since my version of the 6309 has a "cushion case."

Upon finally getting my hands on one of these, it's easy for me to undertand why this is many people's favorite SEIKO diver and has a cult status. It really contains the best ideas found in the earlier 6105 (such as cushion case and second hand) and the current SKX models (screwdown crown, day/date).

I know there are many people who like the 6309 but prefer the 6105 with it's domed crystal, rectangular indices framed by stainless steel boarders, fly swatter second hand, and date-only window.

In addition, I want to be clear that I really like the current SKX models very much. They are GREAT watches, probably the best automatic watch in terms of quality and design for the price in the world.

I do think, however, the 6309 was probably better than both in that it combined the best features of each into one watch.

Finally, thanks Randall for this wonderful piece. He put it on one of Jetan's 22mm rubber straps, which looks great and is extremely comfortable.

Ryan