1964 Seiko 45899 Mono Pusher - anyone?

[dapellegrini]

As the title suggests, I'm curious if anyone here owns a 45899 or is knowledgable on this reference?  It looks like perhaps that was a 1964 only model?  Then maybe the 5717-8990 with and without date followed in 1965?

I like the look of the 45899 and its place in Seiko's history, but am a little surprised at how much these go for, and that it seems like many have the dial (and sometimes Bezel) from the later 5717 models swapped onto them.  It is frequently photo'd next to the 1964 world time, so I have lots of ad scans of what it should look like.

For instance, here's one from Hubcityvintage - who usually gets these things right, so I am questioning myself here...  White dial, 1964 olympic case back, lume plots on the hands look the wrong shape, dial is different vs ad scans:

www.hubcityvintage.com/archives/1964-seiko-45899-mono-pusher-chronograph-tokyo-games-hand-wind



Then there is this one - with that similar dial (except DIASHOCK different size from 21 JEWELS), but a silver bezel, perhaps from a later 5717?  Lume shape on hands is better but maybe too small?
www.ebay.com/itm/154627925315


Ad scans lead me to believe the original(s) should look like these:



And here...



Etc (I have a couple more, but you get the point).

Then the later 5717 model with date window here - has the silver bezel and more simple dial:




anyone have a sense of what is original vs mixed up on these?

[Fergus]

Amended: 

Googling seems to show very few with the advertised banded dial but many with the 5717 white dial and at least one with the slightly different lume hands.

I purchased a 5717 on ebay for BIN $40  it was of course a scam and the listing was cancelled quickly.

[rossr]

The 5719 also came with a metal bezel with a black insert. Check the bottom of the following post with Dasher's black dial / metal bezel piece.


wristsushi.proboards.com/thread/21292/arrival-45899-make-piece-collection

[dapellegrini]

Another clue...  Thanks for that link.

So in this red page from perhaps a magazine, it is a spread, with what I think is the correct 45899 in the center across both pages, then in the bottom right is the other version?  Question is - are these the same model, or different model numbers?  

[dapellegrini]

www.hodinkee.com/articles/seiko-presage-homage-to-the-crown-hands-on

In that article they label what I am calling the "45899" as the 5719A-45899...  Maybe the simplier dial version is the 5717A-45899?  Now I need to do some digging on the 5719 vs 5717

EDIT:
Some good info:

thewatchbloke.co.uk/2014/12/24/the-seiko-one-button-chronograph/#:~:text=The%205719%20has%20the%20chronograph,does%20have%20a%20date%20display.

[dapellegrini]

I know several (many?) of you own or have owned one of these... I have a couple questions as I ponder buying one or two myself:

 1. The pusher is almost always trashed - can anyone point me to a replacement, OEM or otherwise?

 2. Any advice on what to look for and/or avoid with the plastic/bakelite bezels? Help sourcing good replacements also welcome!  How fragile are they while removing?  These bezels are often in very poor shape, some broken.  I saw there was a short run of a reproduction bezel out of Japan France a few years ago, but those seem to be all gone now.  I also see a 3D printable version, but assume that is not great... thoughts?

 3. Any idea where I can get a list of parts (e.g. crystal, bezel, pusher, crown etc)?  I'm not sure how to look up the 45899 on JB for example

[rossr]

Hi, I have a 5719 and a 5717. The 5719 is the earlier type with a bakelite bezel, fortunately in good condition. I'm aware of the brittleness of this, and so I wear it very carefully. Yes, there was a run of AM versions of this bezel - I thought that they came out of France. There may even be a record of the discussion about this on WS.

Here it is. Old discussion. 
wristsushi.proboards.com/thread/15480/repro-available-black-plastic-bezel
Maybe Adrian-VTA could start a run!!


The 5717 was given to me by a neighbour only recently. He bought it in Singapore in the late 60s. It is in reasonable condition, though it is missing a crown. There are a number of these on YJ, so that works out well. There appear to be crystals as well. I've seen pushers come up for sale on YJ and ebay from time to time, though the price is often high.

[saldog]

I own a 5717 and a 5719. The 17 is in decent shape but the 19 has a broken plastic bezel and discoloring on the dial. It is a 45899 from Oct 1964.

[dapellegrini]

Sweet.  Do any of you know the P/N for the pusher and/or the crystal?  I would love to source those ahead of the watch(es)

[saldog]

I don’t know the pusher part number but I think Simon had to find one for his 5717 and I think they are the same.

[dapellegrini]

Thx.  Curious the pusher P/N isn't in that listing

[Fergus]

It is but on the opposing page.

[Rod]

The early black rotating bezels were subject to a warranty claim as they cracked (at least in Australia) and many were replaced with the steel version. 
I did collect many of these but liked the 5719 over the 5717, so only have the three now. the long 45899 number was used on the early variants and when Seiko changed to the xxx-xxx number also changed, they are usually 1964.

[Rod]

These are the three I have left. The steel and black insert bezel was fitted to the 5719 to replace the black plastic bezel, the bright steel bezel's was fitted to the 5717. Now to quicken the heart of some, the steel and black insert bezel is a 6217-8000/1 bezel with a different insert. There was a time that some were buying 5719's just for the bezel and using one of David's excellent reproduction inserts to fit the $$$ 6217's.

Firstly this is a 1964, 5719 that I restored from my parts stash for a friend that wanted a "wabi" special, it has one of the reproduction black plastic bezel's fitted.



Black 5719-8992 Aug 1968.




Silver 45899 March 1964.




Silver 45899 1964.

[saldog]

Sept 21, 2023 21:04:40 GMT -8 Fergus said:

It is but on the opposing page.

Doh!

[dapellegrini]

Awesome set Rod.  I'm on the hunt for one like your 45899 from March of 64 with the more decorated dial.  I think I have the bracelet for it already.

[saldog]

Sept 22, 2023 8:03:22 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

Awesome set Rod.  I'm on the hunt for one like your 45899 from March of 64 with the more decorated dial.  I think I have the bracelet for it already.

18mm lugs but otherwise the same tank tread as the World Timer.

[dapellegrini]

Ya, except the early one - where the end links look plain-jane, below.  I think I have that one...

[Solotov]

I picked up a broken black dial awhile back, still haven't gotten it fixed up yet. Decently clean but a bad mainspring and a little crack in the bezel.

[dapellegrini]

So I've been nerding out on these this evening.  There are at least 5 models:

 - 45899, Olympic torch back, at least March through at least October 1964
 - 5719-8980, Seahorse back, 1964, maybe a very short transition run?
 - 5719-8990, Seahorse back, Dec 1964 into 1967.  Different Seahorse case back in 1967
 - 5719-8992, Standard horseshoe, 1968 - seems to replace the 5719-8990, but skips the "1" version perhaps?
 - 5717-8990, Seahorse back, 1964 through ____. In 1968 it gets the standard horseshoe case back, but doesn't change model number like the 5719.  This is the version with the date window

Then there are two completely odd ball case backs, first the "4D" Asian Games.  NOTE: Asian Games where held in 1962 and 1966, not 1964!



And this different looking olympic torch in 1966.  NOTE: the Olympics were held in 1964 and 1968, NOT not 1966!  ALSO NOTE: This case back is different than the 1964 version, which is marked with the 45899 model ref:



Here's the 1964 for reference: