By now, most vintage Seiko enthusiasts are more than aware that early Pulsar divers are a sweet spot that can’t be missed. After acquiring the brand from Hamilton in 1978, Seiko used Pulsar as a platform to deliver great design, top tier build quality, and the cutting edge technology of their revolutionary quartz movements. Japanese movement manufacturer Hamazawa LTD would eventually also become an official member of the Seiko family, and it was under the Hamazawa name that Pulsar’s Y514 would be built as a counter part to the Seiko 7548. While the Y512 (date), and Y513 (day/date) Hamazawa versions of the Seiko 7545 and 7546 were in wide spread use across many Pulsar references, the Y514 seems to have only been housed in one watch, this 150m, Y514-6009. This movement is identical to, and nearly every single component is interchangeable with, the Seiko 7548. We have extolled the virtues and overly engineered build quality of the 7548 at length in most of our listings for Seiko’s first core quartz diver. I’d urge you to peruse our archive for a 7548-7000 to learn more about why you should have one of these workhorses in your stable. Now that we’ve qualified the bonafides of the machine driving the hands of this seemingly unique reference, it’s time to acknowledge that the case styling and dial layout are difficult to peel your eyes from. A tool watch’s tool watch, it leaves little room for improvement, and perfectly blends elements from Seiko heavy hitters like the 6309-7040, 6105-8000, and the 6159-7000. The case is near perfect 41mm “C” build with great proportions and overall symmetry. Sloping lugs, beveled corners, and contoured flaring along the edge make it a dream on the wrist. The crown guards are prominent, but nicely integrated so as not to be visually distracting. On top is a coin edge bezel with large grooves for easy rotation in either direction. The insert is familiar, though the rounded corners of the triangular “zero” marker are just enough of a difference to set it apart. A beefy chapter with bold silver minute and hour hashes creates a seamless transition from bezel to dial, and tremendous depth. The dial is a textured matte black where once again, subtle detailing makes all the difference. The enormous hour marker plots are trimmed in silver, and the large “crest” at 12 is a perfect visual keystone. The hands offer that familiar Seiko DNA that reminds you it’s ok to love this watch as much as you do. It’s a perfect tool diver that once strapped to the wrist, will make it difficult to go back to your 7548. It’s unpolished and completely original aside from a replacement crystal, and post service is keeping perfect time. The date can be quick set via the crown in the second position, and both the crown and case back screw down securely. It comes attached to the original tapered and slotted black composite strap for a comfortable fit and finish on the wrist. This early Pulsar is the Seiko diver you didn’t know you needed, and we’re sure it will be front runner on any roster.

Original Flat Vent Black Composite Strap

Serviced- 12/24

Diameter- 41mm

Lugs- 20mm