So everyone loves a story right?

My fiance and I are currently traveling around new Zealand after me being away for a couple of years and it's time for her to meet my parents and see the country I grew up in. We've brought an old Toyota station wagon and are camping our way around.
Have been visiting some old friends up in the North at paihia. We took a day trip out around the area visiting some hot springs near kaikohe and then went out to opononi on the west coast, an absolutely beautiful place!
On the way out I saw a knick knacks shop; 2nd hand clothes, household goods and they had a sign out for oranges. local oranges up here are famously good so thought on the way back will stop and get some.
Pulled in on the way back, grabbed a bag of oranges and an avocado on the way in and start having a look around for the usual, cool books, interesting watches just to see what's here. Grab a handmade soap from next to the counter and looking inside a cabinet filled with a mixture of jewellery, old cameras and small ceramics is the Seiko below.

I don't want to say unworn, but this thing is freakishly clean! Blue "ink" still on the back, also the sticker over that "movement parts Japan: assembled in Hong Kong"
Minute Hand show some slight darkening towards the center, hour and second hand show some slight marks on the stainless/chrome edges. Bezel clicks like nothing I've used before, such solid and chunky minute clicks.

Has possibly been sitting for awhile as runner bracelet is quite shaped in it's position.
Case is freaking flawless!
Haven't timed it as not wearing/winding but is running with day/date changing smoothly.
Best part, the lady had it listed at $120 nz dollars (84usd/71eur) paid her asking price without even worrying and she was clearly Happy to have moved it, so win win!

Tl;Dr
Lnib Seiko from rural NZ. Merry Xmas!

Now for the pics!

 

sweet find, a dare I say it NOS 6309 !

 

Taheke? Waima? or Rawene?

 

NOS 6309 turtle...

Wow, I think you could get 1k USD easy for this. If not significantly more. These just don’t exist, honestly 5k + could be realized under the right condition. I’m not joking this is Christie’s Auction type stuff.

 

Taheke, well spotted. state highway 12.

Yea I told nat that I had to buy it as could flip for maybe 4-500usd but didn't realise what they're actually going for on the bay and elsewhere.
Trouble is now I don't really want to part with it after all this time checking op shops and 2nd hand stores for "that find" that when it happens I now want to hold on to it haha.
Tbh wish it was a 6217-8000 or -7000 as they're my thing right now. But this is still lovely to enjoy!

 

Wow! What an amazing find in quite a quiet and out of the way part of NZ!

 

Great find never have luck like that.

 

Nice score...... grats.

Love NZ, beautiful country.

 

Absolutely amazing.

June 1981.

 

As thrift/second hand finds go this is definitely up there. Congrats, a very very cool find indeed!

 

Lovely watch, but especially with a great story. Hope you enjoy in good health for many years! Really nice to find something you've been after, and shows it pays to look around wherever you are!

 

A superb find.Investment quality as stated.Original GL831 Latex strap which is also highly sought after on its own. If you decide to wear it (I personally would not given its rarity) you will need to service it and get the seals replaced as they will have degraded.
Have a look on you tube for a Spencer Klein video about a similar find and that will give you a good idea of how rare this is.

 

Very nice, great find

 

Congrats. That’s a great find! Keep us updated on your plans for this beauty

 

This about sums it up I think. 99.9% of vintage 6309s look like they have been run over by a bus, these things were used and abused. Finding one in NOS condition is crazy! Makes you wonder just how it ended up in that shop window and why no one has ever bought it in ~30 years.

 

Man that's a lovely story

 

absolutely fantastic find. It's kind of funny. For the longest time I never understood the allure behind these turtles. They looked so large and chunky and I never appreciated it.

Then I had the opportunity to wear one over the weekend and it really impressed me! The watch is thick, but the short lugs just make it work. Incredibly legible. Great design. I've really started to search for one now, but with mixed results so . . . . I guess I'm calling first dibs? Maybe?

 

If he's not I am.

 

Post this on Dre's "Barn Find " Thread! Fantastic story.

 

Well...hot dang!!!

That's a great story and a great find, sir!

My 6309-7049 [manufactured DEC86, purchased new by me OCT87] says "hello"...obviously not NOS like yours...it's pretty beat-down but runs well...