I've long been a fan of Seiko's vintage 6105 model diver. It was immortalized as the watch Martin Sheen's character Capt. Willard wore in the movie Apocalypse Now. Prices of the originals vary greatly based on condition, with the better examples fetching upwards of $3000. Unfortunately, even the nicer ones are typically in pretty rough shape - and understandably so. Many were bought by GI's in overseas PXs for about $75 and then used and abused as the tools they were intended to be. Most were run until the movement seized up and then, if lucky, tossed in the back of a drawer.
Today, many Seiko fans affectionately refer to the model simply as "the Willard". It's a nickname that's never been formally embraced by Seiko, but don't think for a second that the manufacturer is unaware of the watch's popularity and now semi-legendary status. In the past few years, they've released no less than two distinct reissues of the Willard. The SLA033 came first and was a near identically dimensioned, but higher end, more highly finished and polished version. The SPB151 came a little later and was still very true to the modern design, albeit less refined with a few minor concessions made - such as a slightly wider strap - to better reflect the preferences of the modern day watch buyer.
These reissues, however, were no longer something you could pick up new in the box at your local PX for even an inflation adjusted price anywhere close to the original. The SLA retailed in the neighborhood of $5K and the SPB was in the $1400 dollar range.
Faced with that sort of sticker shock, I set out to see how close I could come to making my own Willard using eBay and various watch modding sites as a resource. I have to say I'm fairly excited about what emerged from the workbench this weekend.
My personal re-creation features a 44mm Ti case, very close to period correct dial and hands, a ceramic bezel and a sapphire crystal, all working with the ubiquitous Seiko NH35 movement. 44mm sounds like a large case size, but it's remarkable how comfortable these are to wear due to the unique case contours. All in, this build set me back about $250.
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