Seiko 5 Sports Speed-Timer “Pulsimeter” Ref. 7017-8000 from July 1971

Seiko vintage mechanical watch
MADE IN JAPAN

“Seiko” (精工) is a Japanese word meaning “precision,” “exquisite workmanship,” or “refined craftsmanship.”
It comes from the characters:

• 精 (sei) – fine, precise, refined

• 工 (ko) – craft, workmanship

Originally, Seiko’s watchmaking division was called Seikosha (精工舎), meaning “House of Precision.”
The name first appeared on a watch dial in 1924, shortened from Seikosha and keeping the core meaning; the company itself was renamed Hattori Seiko in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990.

So the brand name literally ties directly to the idea of precision engineering—which is exactly what the company wanted to be known for in its watches.

🕰️The Seiko 5 Sports Legacy: Precision Meets Durability

When Seiko introduced the “Seiko 5” in 1963, it wasn’t just a model—it was a promise. The line was built around five core attributes that redefined what an everyday mechanical watch should be. By 1968, the Seiko 5 Sports sub-brand took that foundation and turned up the volume, adding specialized tool-watch features like rotating bezels, hardened crystals, and higher water resistance for a new generation of enthusiasts.

Every Seiko 5, including this 1971 Speed-Timer, is defined by these 5 Core Pillars:

• Automatic Winding: No batteries required; the watch is powered entirely by the movement of your wrist.
• Day-Date Display: Integrated into a single window for instant legibility.
• Water Resistance: Built to survive the “Sports” lifestyle, from rain to the occasional splash.
• Crown: On most Seiko 5s it sits at 4 o’clock and set into the case. On this chronograph it sits at 3, between the two pushers, and since cal. 7017A cannot be hand-wound it does nothing but set the watch.
• Durable Case & Bracelet: Engineered with high-grade stainless steel to withstand the rigors of daily wear.

Why the “Sports” Suffix Matters
Seiko launched the 5 Sports in June 1968, and both of its factories built for the range: five of the first seven models came from Suwa on cal. 6106, the other two from Daini on cal. 5126A.
The Speed-Timer chronographs were Daini’s side of it. Daini priced them under Suwa’s 6139 — ¥13,500 against ¥18,000 at launch — and pitched them at students rather than professionals, but they carried a function the 6139 did not: a flyback chronograph, which resets and restarts in a single press without being stopped first.

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DESCRIPTION

Built by Daini Seikosha in July 1971 for the Japanese domestic market, this is the pulsimeter version of the Seiko 5 Sports Speed-Timer. The chronograph is a flyback: press reset while it is running and the hand zeroes and starts again in one motion, with no need to stop it first.
The glossy deep-blue dial carries a pulsimeter scale rather than the tachymeter most 1970s chronographs wear. It reads on a base of 15 — start the chronograph, count fifteen pulse beats, stop it, and the hand points at the rate per minute.

Technical Specifications

Condition Report

• Case: Preserved in honest, unpolished condition. The original factory brushing on the lugs remains sharp and distinct, showing only light surface wear consistent with age.
• Dial & Hands: An exceptional 10/10. The glossy blue dial is clean, with no spotting or “dial rot.” The lume plots and hand fills have aged to a warm cream. The orange sweep hand remains vibrant and hasn’t faded to yellow.
• Movement: The 7017A caliber is clean and running strong. The flyback function is crisp, and the chronograph resets perfectly to vertical zero.
• Bracelet: The watch comes on its Seiko XAA 531 tapered bracelet — signed on the clasp, stamped on both end links. A previous owner sized it down; the gallery includes a photo of it on the sizing cone.

Collector’s Note
The 7017 was Daini’s reply to Suwa’s 6139, released a year later and built around a movement 5.9 mm thick — the thinnest self-winding chronograph in production when it appeared in 1970. The 6139 gets more attention, but the 7017 is the flatter watch of the two, and the flyback is a function the 6139 does not have.

This watch has recently been serviced by a professional watchmaker and keeps good time.

Comes complete with original steel bracelet*.

(*)Note: Stock bracelets are often shortened by previous owners and may not fit you(see bracelet size in the product images). We match the strap to this watch’s lug width, so there is nothing for you to measure — just pick a padded leather strap for Seiko from the options at the top of the page.

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We guarantee the item you receive looks and works exactly as advertised — or your money back.

Seiko Group Corporation (セイコーグループ株式会社, Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha), commonly known as Seiko, is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.

Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches. Seiko is one of the few watch companies that is fully vertically integrated. Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko’s mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts internally.

Seiko offers one of the widest ranges of watch technologies in the world—quartz, kinetic, solar, mechanical, and Spring Drive—spanning everything from affordable everyday pieces to six-figure haute horlogerie. Over the decades it has launched multiple global brands, including Lorus, Pulsar, and Alba, while elevating its prestige through innovations like Spring Drive, which helped push Seiko into higher-end territory. In 2017, Grand Seiko was spun off into its own standalone luxury brand, while Credor remains part of Seiko’s own lineup, sold primarily in Japan. Seiko’s own global lineup now includes Grand Seiko, King Seiko, Prospex, Astron, Presage, and Seiko 5 Sports.

Among Seiko’s key lines, Seiko 5 (born in 1963) is the gateway mechanical series known for durability and value; Lord Matic defined 1970s style with faceted crystals and colorful dials; Astron remains Seiko’s flagship GPS-solar tech line; Presage focuses on traditional mechanical craftsmanship with enamel and urushi dials; and Prospex delivers professional-grade dive, field, and pilot watches often embraced by enthusiasts. At the top end, Grand Seiko emphasizes precision, Zaratsu polished design, and movements like Spring Drive, while King Seiko—revived in the 2020s—brings back sharp, elegant 1960s styling with modern calibres.

Finally, Credor represents Seiko’s pinnacle of artisanal watchmaking, producing low-volume pieces in precious metals and showcasing Japanese decorative arts and haute complications from the Micro Artist Studio. Beyond watches, Seiko has also produced various electronic devices and, historically, jewelry and eyewear—though those divisions have since shifted to other companies.