Vintage Seiko · Automatic · Chronograph
Seiko 6138-3002 Jumbo Chronograph
- Automatic
- Chronograph
- Day-Date
- Tachymeter
- 42 mm
- Caliber 6138
One piece · available in store
Serviced & tested Honest vintage condition Inspect in store
A vintage Seiko 6138-3002 Jumbo automatic chronograph with a black dial, day-date, two champagne registers and a tachymeter, in a 42 mm steel cushion case. A genuinely collectible 1970s Seiko chronograph, available to buy in store in Chennai.
At a glance
The Seiko 6138-3002, the Jumbo, is one of Seiko's most collectible vintage automatic chronographs. This example has the black dial, day-date at 3, 30-minute and 12-hour registers at 12 and 6, an orange centre seconds hand and a tachymeter, in a 42 mm steel cushion case. It is one original piece, available to buy in store at Clock House in north Chennai. Ask us for the price.
Specifications
- Brand
- Seiko
- Reference
- 6138-3002 (the Jumbo); 300x case variants share the design, last digit denotes region
- Type
- Automatic chronograph
- Movement
- Seiko caliber 6138, automatic with hand-winding, column wheel and vertical clutch (not opened or confirmed from the exterior)
- Jewels
- 21 to 23
- Beat rate
- 21,600 vph, about 45 hours of power reserve
- Functions
- Hours, minutes, day-date at 3, chronograph with 30-minute (12) and 12-hour (6) registers, tachymeter
- Dial
- Black with two champagne registers and an orange centre chronograph seconds hand
- Case size
- About 42 mm, cushion case
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Bracelet
- Steel (often a later Seiko replacement on these)
- Era
- Early-to-mid 1970s
- Condition
- Honest vintage wear; tachymeter bezel worn
More about this Seiko 6138 Jumbo Chronograph
The movement: Seiko caliber 6138
Seiko all but invented the automatic chronograph. The 6139 arrived in 1969 as one of the world's first self-winding chronographs; the 6138 followed as the two-register version, adding a 12-hour totaliser. It is an automatic (with hand-winding) column-wheel, vertical-clutch movement, 21 to 23 jewels, 21,600 vph, day-date, with about a 45-hour reserve.
The two sub-dials are the key tell: the 6138 has two registers where the 6139 has one. (The movement has not been opened, so the calibre is an evidence-based reading from the dial and case.)
The Jumbo
The 6138-3002 is one of the most loved cases in the family, a bold roughly 42 mm cushion case that wears large for its era, with a superbly legible black dial and warm champagne registers. The 300x Jumbos were cased as -3000/-3002/-3003/-3005/-3009, the last digit denoting the market region, otherwise the same watch.
The Seiko story behind this watch
Japan's automatic-chronograph moment
In 1969 Seiko was one of the makers racing to build the first automatic chronograph, and it succeeded with the 6139. The two-register 6138 that followed powered some of the most emblematic Seiko chronographs of the 1970s, the era when Japanese watchmaking challenged Switzerland head-on.
Among them, the 6138-3002 Jumbo became a collector favourite for its size, presence and legibility. Today vintage Seiko automatic chronographs are collected worldwide, and the 6138 family is one of the references that built Seiko's chronograph reputation.
Two registers, day-date, tachymeter and a 42 mm cushion case: the 6138 Jumbo is Seiko at its 1970s chronograph best.
Condition & authenticity
Honest vintage, openly described
- An honest vintage example that has been worn. The tachymeter bezel and chapter ring are worn with the paint rubbed in places, and the case and dial carry age.
- The steel bracelet on these is very often a later Seiko replacement rather than the original, so it is described as period-style unless confirmed.
- The decisive checks are internal: that the movement is a running 6138, that the chronograph and day-date function, and that the dial and hands are original to the reference. We have not opened this watch, so the calibre is an evidence-based reading from the dial and case, and we go through it with you in store.
- Water resistance on a watch this age is historical labelling only.
In detail
Up close
Questions about the Seiko 6138 Jumbo Chronograph
Good to know
What is the Seiko 6138-3002 Jumbo?+
It is a vintage Seiko automatic chronograph from the early-to-mid 1970s, nicknamed the Jumbo for its large roughly 42 mm cushion case. It has a black dial, day-date, two chronograph registers at 12 and 6, and a tachymeter, powered by Seiko's caliber 6138.
Is the Seiko 6138 automatic?+
Yes. The caliber 6138 is an automatic (self-winding, also hand-windable) chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical clutch, 21 to 23 jewels and a day-date. The two sub-dials distinguish it from the single-register 6139.
How much is a Seiko 6138 Jumbo worth and what is the price?+
Vintage Seiko 6138 chronographs are collectible and trade well above the dress-watch tier, with value driven by condition and originality. We do not publish the price online. Message us on WhatsApp or visit the shop for the price and an honest quote on this exact piece.
Where can I buy a vintage Seiko watch in Chennai?+
We sell vintage Seiko and other watches in store at Clock House in Kodungaiyur, north Chennai. This Seiko 6138-3002 Jumbo chronograph is in stock now. Message us on WhatsApp or visit the shop.
Can you service my vintage Seiko chronograph?+
Yes. We service and restore vintage watches, including Seiko automatic chronographs, at our Kodungaiyur workshop in north Chennai. We assess the piece and quote the work before we begin.
Interested in this Seiko 6138 Jumbo Chronograph?
One piece, in store in Vyasarpadi, north Chennai. Message us and ask for a quote, or come in to see it.