Seiko Lord Matic (LM) Automatic 23 Jewels – April 1972 – Classic 5606 with Kanji/English Day-Date

This elegant Seiko Lord Matic from April 1972 exemplifies one of Seiko's most important lines of the early 1970s. The Lord Matic (LM) was positioned in Seiko's portfolio at the time precisely between the classic mid-range models and the high-end lines such as King Seiko and Grand Seiko – technically ambitious, high-quality workmanship, and with a significantly more modern design approach.

The introduction of the Lord Matic falls into a phase in which Seiko was massively developing its mechanical movements. Particularly noteworthy here is the installed caliber 5606, one of the most technically interesting automatic movements of that time. It features 23 jewels, a quick-set date, and a separate quick-set for the day of the week (including Kanji/English display), which was by no means standard back then. In addition, the 56xx family is one of the last major mechanical movement series before the quartz revolution – its importance for collectors today is accordingly high.

In terms of design, the Lord Matic is also clearly influenced by the spirit of the 1970s:
The barrel-shaped case with integrated lugs looks significantly more modern than the classic dress watches of the 1950s/60s. The silver sunray dial harmonizes with the applied, faceted indices and the clearly drawn hands. Particularly beautiful is the Day-Date window at 3 o'clock, which offers additional charm with its bilingual display.

The Lord Matic plays an important bridging role in Seiko's history:
It connects the classic mechanical watchmaking of the 1960s with the increasingly industrialized and design-oriented approaches of the 1970s. At the same time, it ran parallel to King Seiko and Grand Seiko and directly benefited from the technological competition between Suwa Seikosha and Daini Seikosha, which sustainably shaped the quality of the entire brand.

The example offered here is in good used condition. The case shows age-appropriate signs of wear, the dial is generally clean with a slight, authentic patina. The new original Seiko strap fits perfectly with the overall look of the watch and emphasizes its sporty-elegant character.

With its balanced proportions, the watch wears very comfortably:
A diameter of approx. 36.8 mm, a height of only 9 mm, and a lug-to-lug of 42.2 mm make it an ideally wearable vintage watch – even by today's standards.

Technical Data
Brand: Seiko
Model: Lord Matic (LM)
Reference: 5606-7070
Production Date: April 1972
Movement: Seiko Automatic, Caliber 5606
Jewels: 23 Jewels
Functions: Hour, Minute, Second, Day-Date (Kanji/English), Quick-set
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Diameter without Crown: approx. 36.8 mm
Height: approx. 9 mm
Lug-to-Lug: approx. 42.2 mm
Lug Width: 18 mm
Strap: Original Seiko Leather Strap (new)
Weight including strap: 45 g
Condition: Good used condition

The Seiko Lord Matic is today one of the most exciting entry-level options into the high-quality vintage world of Seiko: technically interesting, historically relevant, and at the same time comfortably wearable in everyday life.

Warranty (used)
This is a used item. The limitation period for claims for defects (statutory warranty) is 12 months from delivery.

 

Note
As this is a used watch, no water resistance can be guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.