One of the seldom seen Seiko chronographs of this era, this Japanese Domestic Market-only 1971 Seiko 7017-8000 Pulsimeter SpeedTimer automatic chronograph - on its original stainless-steel SpeedTimer bracelet and with SpeedTimer instructions manual - features a flyback chronograph, which allows the user to reset the chrono function without resetting the time completely.
The flyback feature is similar to that found on Citizen’s 8110 bullheads, but rarely seen on Seiko watches. Citizen's 8110 movement was the Japanese company's answer to Seiko’s famed 6139 movement, with one key difference - Citizen’s well-designed 8110, unlike the 6139, featured hand winding and a ‘flyback’ complication, which allows the wearer to zero the chronograph whilst running, rather than having to stop it first, then restart, permmiting the instant stop and re-start of the chronograph function. And this Seiko SpeedTimer here does the same thing.
In early 1969, Seiko’s Suwa division would release the world's first automatic chronograph, it's famous Ref. 6139. Yet only a year later, Suwa's sibling division, Daini, would respond with it's own autoamtic chronograph iteration in the form of the 7017. The Japanese Domestic Market (JDM)-only 7017 is more compact that the 6139, and comes in a slightly smaller package, with the addition of the afore-mentioned flyback function.
Another unique feature on the 7017 series was its quite svelte height of only 5.9mm, and it was only in the late years of the 1970s that this record slimmnesswas bested. The 7017 – similar to the 7015, but with key distinctions – was a JDM variant only, and wasn’t exported outside of Japan; it also wasn’t made for more than a handful of years in the early 1970’s.
Seiko placed their movements into multiple highly unique cases, leading to a plethora of out of the ordinary shapes and sizes, not to mention allowing them the ability to stand out on the wrist.
This Seiko 7017 comes on its original stainless-steel SpeedTimer bracelet, and with a nylon strap, springbar tool, and rugged travel case.
1971 Seiko 7017-6040 SpeedTimer JDM Chronograph, w/Original Bracelet
DIAL: SpeedTimer-signed matte blue dial, omplemented by an orange minute track and with matching minute, hour, and chronograph hands – lume shines. Day/date, with Japanese Kanji/English variants, at 3 o’clock position works nicely. The lume on the dial and hands features no patina, and the vibrant red font contrasts nicely with the blue dial - as well, it features a rotating inner bezel adorned with silver and steel gray markers. Seiko designers did their homework on this one.
CASE: Stainless-steel case measures 41.5mm (recessed crown) x 43mm, with matching caseback.
CRYSTAL: Slightly domed crystal, scratch-free.
BAND: This SpeedTimer comes on its original stainless-steel SpeedTimer bracelet, which will fit up to an approx. 7.5 inch wrist; this 7017 also comes with a dark blue nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Seiko 21-jewel calibre 7017A automatic movement, manufactured in the December 1971.
CROWN: Recessed and unsigned stainless-steel crown.
CHRONOGRAPH PUSHERS: Chronograph pushers depress with satisfying click, no stick. Large orange chronograph hand resets to zero, as designed.
Of note, this Seiko 7017 comes with its Seiko Sports SpeedTimer instructions.