- 13/10/16
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First one point of history ...
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group) was a highly secretive, multi-service, Special Forces (SF) unit which conducted covert and asymmetric military operations between 1964-1972.
The area of operations for this unit span across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Their mission statement was "to execute an intensified program of harassment, diversion, political pressure, capture of prisoners, physical destruction, acquisition of intelligence, generation of propaganda, and diversion of resources, against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.’’
Along this 7 years period the guys were equiped with2/3 models of Seiko watches.
The accepted three SOG seiko models are as follows:
- 6619-8060 circa 1967 ... that was probably never issued through the military supply chain to any member of the US military in Vietnam.
- 6119-8100 circa 1968
- 7005-8030 circa 1970 … which is the main subjet of that thread
That final iteration of the SOG Seiko watches was of steel case construction, in an almost tonneau shape, with luminous hands and markers on a black dial.
Internally, the movement was a 7005A, 17 jewel movement.
The watch had an overall 50m water resistance.
Amongst collectors, the 7005-8030 is widely regarded as the rarest model.
This could be down to the period of issue being from 1970 until the disbandment of MACV-SOG in 1972.
One could speculate further, factoring in how military operations may have been drawing down, so the supply of kit and equipment may also have been reduced.
Side note, there is also speculation among some within the collecting community that this model was at least initially manufactured by Seiko directly to the US Forces as other 7005-8030 references have been found which do not share the same dial configuration.
For me it is just a really nice watch.
The first time I heard about it was some years ago, when an Australian asked me if Icould print a dial for one of his customers who’s 7005-8030 dial was too much damaged to be refurbished.
I did the job and, honestly, didn’t thought about that watch again until last year.
I was searching for a tonneau case on eBay and I stumble on one of those Seikos, in a quite bad condition but offered at an incredibly low price.
I quickly asked the seller for a close pic of the caseback, to check the serial number, and ...
BINGO !!! the serial number, 0D7255, proved the watch was issued in December 1970 … exactly period correct.
I quickly ordered the watch and started waiting.
When it came to me I knew I had been quite lucky :
- the 7005-A movement was damaged … automatic winding destroyed probably ny a « supposed skilled watchmaker » … but I knew where to get parts and how to repair it
- the case was in a good overall condition … just needing some polish and care … plexi was cracked but that was not an issue
- the dial was far from good … a real pitty in fact … but I already knew who to ask (my own self) to reprint a new dial on the base plate
So I started to work on it :
- gather the parts broken and to much damaged to be repaired
- work on the movement until I got it working and keeping good time
- reprint the dial
So apart from the dial that I had to reprint, evryting is orginial on that watch.
It took me some months but today I’m happy … it’s on my wrist and keeps good time.
MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group) was a highly secretive, multi-service, Special Forces (SF) unit which conducted covert and asymmetric military operations between 1964-1972.
The area of operations for this unit span across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Their mission statement was "to execute an intensified program of harassment, diversion, political pressure, capture of prisoners, physical destruction, acquisition of intelligence, generation of propaganda, and diversion of resources, against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.’’
Along this 7 years period the guys were equiped with2/3 models of Seiko watches.
The accepted three SOG seiko models are as follows:
- 6619-8060 circa 1967 ... that was probably never issued through the military supply chain to any member of the US military in Vietnam.
- 6119-8100 circa 1968
- 7005-8030 circa 1970 … which is the main subjet of that thread
That final iteration of the SOG Seiko watches was of steel case construction, in an almost tonneau shape, with luminous hands and markers on a black dial.
Internally, the movement was a 7005A, 17 jewel movement.
The watch had an overall 50m water resistance.
Amongst collectors, the 7005-8030 is widely regarded as the rarest model.
This could be down to the period of issue being from 1970 until the disbandment of MACV-SOG in 1972.
One could speculate further, factoring in how military operations may have been drawing down, so the supply of kit and equipment may also have been reduced.
Side note, there is also speculation among some within the collecting community that this model was at least initially manufactured by Seiko directly to the US Forces as other 7005-8030 references have been found which do not share the same dial configuration.
For me it is just a really nice watch.
The first time I heard about it was some years ago, when an Australian asked me if Icould print a dial for one of his customers who’s 7005-8030 dial was too much damaged to be refurbished.
I did the job and, honestly, didn’t thought about that watch again until last year.
I was searching for a tonneau case on eBay and I stumble on one of those Seikos, in a quite bad condition but offered at an incredibly low price.
I quickly asked the seller for a close pic of the caseback, to check the serial number, and ...
BINGO !!! the serial number, 0D7255, proved the watch was issued in December 1970 … exactly period correct.
I quickly ordered the watch and started waiting.
When it came to me I knew I had been quite lucky :
- the 7005-A movement was damaged … automatic winding destroyed probably ny a « supposed skilled watchmaker » … but I knew where to get parts and how to repair it
- the case was in a good overall condition … just needing some polish and care … plexi was cracked but that was not an issue
- the dial was far from good … a real pitty in fact … but I already knew who to ask (my own self) to reprint a new dial on the base plate
So I started to work on it :
- gather the parts broken and to much damaged to be repaired
- work on the movement until I got it working and keeping good time
- reprint the dial
So apart from the dial that I had to reprint, evryting is orginial on that watch.
It took me some months but today I’m happy … it’s on my wrist and keeps good time.
.
