Originally owned by the Hamilton Watch Co., the Pulsar brand was introduced as the worlds first all electronic digital watch with a digital display (LED). It was a technological luxury in 1972, and in fact, the first Pulsar watch was housed in an 18kt gold case and sold for $2100 (nearly $13000 today)! As digital watches began to flood the market, the novelty and the price began to decline. In 1978, Seiko acquired the Pulsar brand with plans to market it as a quartz only line that would continue to lead with innovation as its vision. By building on the brands previous successes like the “Calculator” watch, it was poised to become a powerhouse brand. The build quality and design of Seiko’s early Pulsar offerings is undeniable. If you’re looking to get some of Seiko’s best at Pulsar’s bargain prices, we’d urge you to set aside any notion of its present day entry level offerings, and discover the sweet spot of the vintage market that is early 80’s Pulsar. If you’re still not convinced, consider this 100m Sport Diver from December of ‘79. The Pulsar Y513 movement is nearly identical to the Seiko 7546 housed in the first quartz sport divers Seiko ever produced. Built on the 6309 platform, it’s a rock solid performer that’s built to last, and nearly 40 years later, still performs like new. Unable to say no to a great Arabic dial, the split Jersey font on this matte green/black dial couldn’t be passed up. It’s framed by a wide and steep black chapter with long minute hashes, and the bi-color hands add great contrast. The asymmetrical case has oversized crown guards with deep cutaways, and long, sharply tapered lugs. The crown and case back both screw down securely, and though the case appears to have been lightly polished at some point, the original finishes are still somewhat visible. It’s completely original aside from a replacement mineral crystal, and we’ve paired it with a tropic style strap that gives it a period fit and finish. The Y513 is keeping perfect time post service, and a new battery has been installed. If an affordable vintage diver with a military feel is what you need, this one is up to the task.

CNS “Tropic” Style Black Rubber Strap

Serviced 4/14/20

Diameter- 39mm

Lugs- 20mm