Issued by Ben Baker, the head of the Counter Insurgency Support Office (CISO), this Seiko 5 was made available for, and issued to Military Assistance Command- Vietnam (MACV) Studies and Observation Group (SOG) operatives. His office was charged with supplying any number of sterile or “non-attributable” items for members of the various recon teams within the SOG. From cameras to knives, and in this case watches, these team members needed equipment that would allow them plausible deniability if captured, so they were issued without GI stock numbers. Evidence backing the issue of this watch in particular was discovered in a book by Frank Greco entitled “Running Recon: A Photo Journey with SOG Special Ops Along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.” With its clandestine military association, and having become nearly impossible to source, these Seiko MIL watches are at the top of every collector’s list. Considering its history, this example from June of ‘68 is unbelievable. The bezel and case back are stainless steel, but the mid case is steel plate. These models typically suffer terribly from wear through of the plating, but this case is as crisp as any we’ve seen. The only plate loss thats visible is a slight line along each of the lower corners of the mid case, and some dappling at the lower lug tips. It remains unpolished and completely original aside from a replacement crystal. The dial is a stunning charcoal gray sunburst with luminous Arabic markers, and the hands are large batons with a clean polished finish. The 6119 behind the dial is keeping time to within a few seconds per day post service, and the date can be quickset via the crown. As they were issued for military use, most were removed from their original bracelets in favor of a NATO or similarly styled strap. The bracelets were often misplaced or never reattached, so finding a complete example with the original bracelet is essentially unheard of. This is one of only two examples offered in our history to still have the original bracelet attached, making it even rarer than most. This is a collector’s dream for both watch and military enthusiasts, and an opportunity that won’t likely be repeated.

Original Seiko Five Link Bracelet in Stainless Steel

Serviced 12/2/19

Diameter- 37mm

Lugs- 19mm