Seiko Spring Drive Tuna

It started with a letter.

In 1968, a disgruntled professional diver in Hiroshima wrote to Seiko to complain that the dive watch he had been using simply was not robust enough. When exposed to prolonged pressure at depth, the watch filled with helium, he wrote. The crystal would pop off, rendering a vital piece of equipment useless. 

Seven years and 20 patents later, the first Seiko Tuna emerged... 

The first Tuna, Reference 6159-7010, was released in 1975 after seven years of development, but Seiko didn't stop there. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Seiko was considered the masters of the Quartz technology — after all, they had been the first to implement a Quartz movement in a commercially-available wristwatch. By 1978, Seiko incorporated the technology into the Tuna line. Though contemporary collectors may look down upon quartz technology, we must remember that it represented the pinnacle of horological achievement at the time, guaranteeing unprecedented accuracy. Furthermore, since it was more or less still in its infancy (at least in wristwatches), it was considered a luxury. 

The first quartz Tuna, Reference 7549-7000 (released in 1978), is often referred to as the ‘Golden Tuna’ by collectors due to the golden hue of the nitride coating on its titanium case. At 49mm the Golden Tuna may be smaller than its 51mm predecessor, but 49mm is large even by today's standards. So Seiko followed the Golden Tuna with the youngest of the series, the Reference 7459-7010, which collectors have given the nickname ‘Baby Tuna’.

This particular Seiko Tuna is a Reference SBDB009 represents the apex of four decades of dive watch making. And yes, this one also has a nickname –  the ‘Spring Drive Tuna’. Its 50mm DLC coated titanium case features the signature outer shroud casing, a fully graduated unidirectional elapsed time bezel and a signed screw-down crown. Its matte black luminous dial features a set of highly legible printed indices, a recessed center with power reserve indicator and a matching ‘broad arrow’ handset. 

As its nickname denotes, this Seiko Tuna houses the brand's Calibre 5R65 Spring Drive movement offering a lengthy 72-hour power reserve, crazy-good accuracy (technical term!) and a silky-smooth seconds hand sweep. 

Nothing looks better with jeans and a t-shirt during the summer time than a big dive watch. There’s no doubt that this Seiko Tuna fits that bill with aplomb and is sure to be a catch if you decide to snag this one!

For over 140 years, Seiko has been cranking out innovative and impeccably engineered watches at every price point, from entry-level Seiko 5s to world-class haute horlogerie pieces under the Grand Seiko brand. Underpinning the company’s efforts has been the mass production of reliable and accurate movements paired with a wide array of case and dial configurations.

Founded in 1881 by clockmaker and businessman Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Japan as “K. Hattori,” Seiko began importing Western timepieces and selling them in the local market. In 1892, Hattori changed the name of the firm to Seikosha (“house of exquisite workmanship”), which was further altered to “Seiko” in 1924. Following the Second World War, during which Seiko produced watches for the Japanese military, the company began its streak of innovations based upon affordable, in-house movements and Japanese savoir faire. These included myriad dive watches such as the famed 6105 and the fan-favorite 6139 chronograph.

Later, in 1969, Seiko would go on to produce the Astron, the world’s first quartz watch. This technological innovation was followed by the Seiko Kinetic in the 1980s, which married quartz accuracy with automatic, self-powering functionality. Today, Seiko’s product offerings are vast, including dress watches, dive watches, chronographs and much more, all of which are powered by in-house movements comprising different types of technology.

Despite a move toward luxury positioning and pricing in the brand’s modern offerings, vintage Seiko classics can still be had at incredibly reasonable prices today, making them a favorite entry point into the vintage watch world for myriad collectors. From their availability in post exchanges on military bases around the world to their fame from films such as Apocalypse Now to their presence at six Olympic Games, Seiko watches are deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the contemporary collector.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.