Vintage Seiko Lord Matic 5606-7190 Automatic Wristwatch 1971 Serviced UK warranty

SPECIFICATION

Reference: 5606-7190
Movement: calibre 5606 automatic
Age: December 1971
Case Size: 37mm
Case Thickness: 10mm
Lug to Lug: 42mm
Lugs: 18mm
Condition: Used vintage watch
Box and Papers: no
Case Material: Stainless steel
Warranty: 12-month mechanical UK warranty

POINTS TO MENTION

• In great pre-owned condition, with light wear from use
  
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
  
• Sunburst dial
• English and Kanji day wheel
• Fully serviced with upgraded metal working quickset
  
• Paired with its original signed stainless steel bracelet that fits up to an 7 1/4 inch wrist
  

THE WATCH

By 1971, Seiko was exploring almost every direction a wristwatch could take. There were quartz breakthroughs, digital experiments and bold new case designs, but there was still a great deal of affection for a dependable automatic watch. Lord Matic occupied that very appealing middle ground: more thought and refinement than an ordinary daily watch, without the formality of King Seiko.

This 5606-7190 belongs to that era of mechanical Seikos made to be worn. Its design has the confident lines of the early seventies, while its purpose is pleasantly straightforward: one good watch to tell you where you are in the day.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

In 1973, only two years after this Lord Matic was made, Seiko released the world's first six-digit LCD quartz wristwatch, displaying hours, minutes and seconds electronically. It even had a light so its owner could read the display in the dark. The idea of looking at the time on a little screen was suddenly becoming real, yet Seiko's mechanical watches were still finding willing owners. Both belonged to the same extraordinary burst of invention.

OUR THOUGHTS

We have a soft spot for Lord Matics that carry a little colour without trying to be colourful watches. The red Japanese Sunday in the calendar is just such a detail: there when you notice it, otherwise the watch gets on with the day. It would be an easy Seiko to wear through the week and a satisfying one to learn more about over time. That's the sort of relationship with a vintage watch we enjoy.