Seiko is bringing back the iconic yellow and blue ‘Pogue’ colorway in a new Prospex Speedtimer reference SSC947. The colorway made its first appearance on the reference 6139 released in 1969. That watch, which was among the trio of first automatic chronographs to be released commercially, embraced big colors, and none more beloved than the sunray yellow dial with blue and red bezel of the Pogue. Today, it returns in a Solar Speedtimer chronograph, and while it may not be the return of the 6139 layout we’d like to see (or even use an automatic chronograph), it does capture the feeling of the original in a satisfying manner.
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The newest Pogue lands in the Solar Speedtimer range, which quickly became a fan favorite upon its release in 2021. This collection is no stranger to big colors, but this particular theme hits a bit differently than the others. The mustard yellow dial is set over a sunburst texture, with a trio of matte black sub dials. Had they rendered the sub dials at 3 and 9 o’clock the same color as the base dial, they could have created a very similar look to the single 30 minute totalizer found on the original 6139, but Seiko have gone with a more classic layout here.
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On that note, while the colorway does an excellent job of capturing the broad strokes, the rest of the watch is a different ballgame. A modern automatic chronograph with a single 30 minute totalizer would be a welcome addition to the Prospex range, and would allow for the true return of the 6139, and a proper Pogue reissue in the process. This is a solar powered quartz chronograph, which doesn’t quite carry the same weight as what we might hope to see in such a colorway.
This is the return of the Pogue colorway, not the watch we associate it with. The colorway is so named for its appearance on the wrist of Colonel William R. Pogue, an American astronaut and pilot. Pogue was a member of the Skylab 4 crew which began in 1973, and would last 84 days. Skylab 4 would place the third and final crew aboard the first American space station. Pogue would perform 2 space walks during the mission totaling more than 13 hours. His affinity for the colorful Seiko chronograph would earn it the nickname we still use today.
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The new Speedtimer SSC947 puts the classic colorway to use within a 41.4mm steel case measuring 13mm in thickness. Inside you’ll find the V192 solar chronograph movement that will operate for up to 6 months when fully charged. This is not a limited edition, and will be priced from $700 with availability in August. Seiko