David Bruno identified the space mission (Skylab 4) online and was able to track down the astronaut, Col. William Pogue.

Bruno wrote a letter to Pogue, asking about the watch he wore on the mission. He explained that it was widely believe that the Sinn model 142 was the first automatic chronograph in space, but had heard claims Pogue’s Seiko had been even earlier.

“I’ve read a transcript where you mention your ‘trusty old Seiko’ but you don’t mention the model number, whether it was an automatic … or if it was a chronograph,” Bruno wrote. He asked for any details the astronaut could recall, and included a picture of a Seiko 6139.

Pogue wrote a handwritten reply in the margin of Bruno’s letter, saying that he still had the watch in a safe deposit box. He revealed that it was automatic, had a stopwatch feature, and looked very similar to the picture Bruno had provided.

“The Seiko launched in Nov ’73 and came back with me on 8 Feb ’74,” Pogue wrote. “I used it for years in favour of my Rolex which I got in 1957-58 when I flew with the Thunderbirds.”

Pogue also sent a selection of photographs and a copy of the watch’s original sales receipt.

Col. Pogue sent a second letter that revealed he did not have permission to carry the Seiko on the misssion, but that they had not received the NASA Omega watches until late in their training: “I had been using the Seiko for well over six months (perhaps over a year) and had found it very handy for timing engine burns in the simulator … Hence, I did not make any attempt to get official permission or approval to carry the Seiko on the mission.”

Col. Pogue also confirmed that the self-winding mechanism worked fine in zero gravity, saying: “I don’t remember having to use any extra arm motions to back up the self-winding feature.”

David Bruno has shared all the documents from Col. William Pogue at http://sinn142.fateback.com/pogue.html.

Now, keeping tons out of hazardous waste out of our landfills isn’t going to solve all of our problems. Seiko is only one player in a global economy full of gigantic corporations. But that’s part of the beauty of their efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of hazardous metals; it can be likened to the “Invisible Hand” of Adam Smith.

In his 1776 masterpiece “The Wealth of Nations,” Scottish economist Adam Smith said that the underlying actions and choices of the economy’s many individuals, all in their own self-interest, create the maximum social good. In other words, the good for all is accomplished by people scurrying about and maximising their own utilities. To apply this to Seiko and producers as a whole: by realising that consumers have entered into an environmentally-conscious frame of mind, it is in the best interest of corporations to alter their behaviour in ways that are more “green,” and hence, attractive, to customers.

By doing so, society’s preferences will be realised. Seiko chose, probably for altruistic reasons as well as those of profit, to eliminate lead from its soldering process and to create mercury-free batteries for use in its Seiko watches. Seiko’s helping to lead the charge in this arena, but the hope is that Adam Smith’s theories will be borne out again, this time at the corporate level. If Seiko is indicative of a shift in corporate focus, then we need not worry about the magnitude effect of any one company’s environmental improvement because everyone will be on board.

If you go back to World War II, you can witness the phenomenal growth that Japan experienced. Almost as soon as the smoke cleared, factories were being built again; Japan was rising. Look at Seiko and the success it enjoyed in the early 1960s. Even without the kind of international brand recognition and prestige that its name carries today, the company made a number of noteworthy innovations early on.

In 1965 Seiko produced the first diver’s watch ever made in Japan. Imagine, just twenty years after the most devastating conflict in human history, to take such a stride. These were decades in which the Japanese economy achieved unparalleled growth, easily outstripping other industrial nations in terms of annual economic expansion. It’s safe to say that the speed at which Japan recovered represented the most rapid increase in standards of living in human history. Seiko was right on the cusp of that, realizing its competitive advantage. Surely these early Seiko watches must have seemed quite a threat to the Europeans.

Seiko’s successive products were even more impressive. Their creation of the Professional Diver’s 600m was a giant leap forward. The titanium case was not only the world’s first, but provided the kind of protection necessary for a watch to function at even greater depths. This was the product designed specifically around the needs of professional divers pushing the boundaries. After all, the company was contacted directly by a diver, an individual who made it very clear to them what the next generation diving watch would have to be able to do. Thankfully, they listened.

Japanese watch manufacturer Seiko recently announced that its coveted “Ananta” series would be released for international distribution. This is a curious but welcome development, and deserves some further comments.

Seiko itself remains a bit of an outlier in the high-end luxury watch market. That industry really and truly belongs to the Swiss, French, Germans, and Italians. In other words, it’s a European monopoly. Japanese maker Seiko represents the pinnacle of Asian engineering in an industry dominated by Europe. That it’s able to compete and thrive speaks volumes to its commitment to quality.

Maybe that’s what makes the Ananta so attractive and competitive. After all, the Japanese didn’t just mindlessly copy what the Swiss were doing. Instead, they applied techniques that have made them successful in both the electronics and the automobile industry. They applied precision manufacturing to the Ananta, and they incorporated certain cultural elements that serve to set their products apart from those of the Swiss. For example, Seiko claims that the Ananta is based upon Japan’s samurai sword. The lines, the cut—even the processed steel—derive their inspiration from the katana.

The icon is culturally unique, as well as bold and striking. It’s the perfect icon to build a brand around. Additionally, it’s a curious time for the Japanese to make a foray into the international market with one of their best products. The market is hurting; global sales are down across the board. Seiko’s left the Ananta in its own domestic market for some time, and only in 2010 does it decide to export it. Perhaps the recession has given the Japanese the opportunity to claim market share at their expense. When the global economy rebounds, Seiko may find itself in a better overall position than its rivals. Perhaps this is Seiko’s preliminary steps toward building a stronger international clientele.