Seiko 6218-8970 VS Seiko 6218-8971

[John121030]

Hello There !
First of all I am new to the forum and thank you very much for your expert help with my problem regarding Seiko Vintage watches. I would like to buy a present for my dad and I decided to buy him a Seiko Vintage watch from the 60s

But the problem is that I end up with 2 models, one is a Seiko 6218-8970 and the other is a 6218-8971 (I attach the photos). What is the difference between the two really because the first model 6218-8970 has additional logos with a small sign? If there is a seiko watch expert among you, it will be really great for me

And another question too, how should you set a Seiko watch correctly because I read on a doc that you had to be careful how you set a Seiko watch otherwise you risk breaking the watch?

Thank you in advance for your response

[ezcheese]

Welcome! I don’t know anything about those 2 watches but I like the look of the first one better. Regarding setting the time and date. It’s a general rule of thumb that you shouldn’t set the date if the time is within a few hours of midnight. If I’m setting a watch that just started running again after being asleep, I advance the time around past the 12:00 position to see if the date changes or not. That tells you whether you’re looking at AM or PM. I usually move the hour hand past 2:00 AM just to be safe before setting the date. That’s just a general rule of thumb I use.

[larystone]

Well, as I know, the major difference between the two models lies in their dial designs. The Seiko 6218-8970 typically features the Seiko logo with the "Seiko Sportsman" text, along with an additional small sign or emblem. This small sign could indicate a specific retailer or distributor. On the other hand, the Seiko 6218-8971 usually has the Seiko logo with the "Seiko Sportsman" text but without the additional small sign.

[Baffo]

These both look very nice, I agree with the first reply - like the one on the top better.
The thing you should pay attention to when setting the watch is to not change the date with the watch “close” to midnight, as it may damage the movement.
When I set a stopped watch, I just move the hour to 6 as a first step, so that I’m sure I’m well away from midnight regardless if it’s 6am or 6pm