Birthday Watch April 1974! Seiko 5606-7190 Lord Matic SUWA 25J Automatic Watch (OH)

A BIRTHDAY WATCH IS A WATCH THAT WAS PRODUCED THE SAME MONTH AND YEAR AS SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY.

Make: Seiko
Type: Automatic
Model: Lord Matic
Year of Production: April 1974
Movement: 5606
BPH: 21,600
Number of Jewels: 25
Hand and Dial: 3D Gold Baton Indices and Hands
Width: 37mm
Lug to Lug Height: 41mm
Thickness: 10mm
Lug Width: 18mm
Bracelet: Hi-Quality Bambi Brand Gold-Electroplated Super Engineer II SS Bracelet
Pouch / Box: Brand-New EVA Type Zipper Pouch


For those who are unaware of the Seiko Lord Matic's history, please read this short introduction :

"(The) Lord Matic was the mid to high range of automatic watches introduced by Seiko in 1968 and based on the freshly developed 56xx movement. As you might probably know, there was actually two ranges of LM, the one produced by the Suwa factory, based on the 56xx movement and the LM Special introduced a couple of years later by the Daini factory and based on the 52xx movement" ~ Watch & Vintage Magazine.

This is a highly sort after Seiko SUWA collectible because it has 25J instead of the standard 23J for this particular model, thereby confirming this is solely meant for the JDM.

This seldom seen April 1974 Seiko Lord Matic has a beautiful ivory-white sunburst dial in near mint condition after undergoing a thorough cleaning. Its 3D gold baton indices & hands, and date window are in stunning condition after a good clean-up as well.

This beautifully shaped one piece gold case had also undergone a good deep cleaning via ultrasonic immersion and a good rub afterwards while maintaining its super sexy curves albeit age marks and miniscule scratches still do exist. The original crystal was replaced with a hi-quality mineral glass.

The crown is original and is located at the 3H position and is nicely tucked away yet easily accessible. The date / day quickset works flawlessly by pulling out the crown to the first level to adjust the date and day via clockwise or counterclockwise. The time is adjusted by pulling the crown out to the second level. Do note that many LM Day / Date models suffer from damage to the day / date quick set, but this baby works perfectly.

Because it is a JDM model, the day is in English and Kanji - cool!

The movement was carefully stripped and meticulously cleaned via ultrasonic immersion, oiled, re-assembled and calibrated on 10 December 2023. In short, it was given a proper overhaul and not a standard service. It should be able to operate unhindered for the next 5 to 10 years thereby providing the owner peace of mind.

Equipped with the excellent 5606 movement, it has the uniquely higher 25 Jewels that still operate at 21,600 beats per hour (BPH) giving it excellent accuracy and longevity. The time-grapher, after 60 hours of calibration, shows excellent readings i.e. rate of 0 seconds every 24 hours and amplitude of 179 with a relatively straight and centered line! Such readings are exceptional even by brand new modern automatic watch standards whereby the accepted tolerance is -20 to +40 seconds a day! This is a testament to the quality, excellent power reserve and longevity for such a vintage timepiece, the meticulous care provided over the years, and of course the painstaking calibration conducted.

The case width and height are approximately 37mm (without crown) and 41mm respectively. The lug width is 18mm and the bracelet can accommodate wrists up to 20cm; hence, this watch is suitable for men and the modern women.

The SS bracelet is a hi-quality Bambi Brand Gold Electroplated Super Engineer II Bracelet that had also undergone a good deep cleaning via ultrasonic immersion and a good rub afterwards while maintaining its brushed lines albeit age marks and miniscule scratches still do exist.

To the best of our knowledge and expertise when overhauling the timepiece, the watch is 100% original Seiko components from this particular watch. No parts were replaced with aftermarket parts or modified.

Even though the seals and gaskets are intact / replaced, this timepiece has not been water-resistant tested due to its age.

The pictures provided show the watch’s case in near mint condition and the movement within squeaky clean and well maintained. It has also been demagnetised to improve parts reliability, minimise wear & tear, and improve accuracy. The only drawback is the lack of documentation and original box. A nice purposeful carrying case or box will be provided instead.

Bear in mind that this watch has seen many of the previous owners’ ups and downs in life, and should be cherished and well taken care of for the next generation to savour such engineering beauty.

Yes, there are many other same models in the market, BUT almost all are not in the same quality condition and is well maintained as what you see here. Hence, it is a no-brainer that this one-of-a-kind watch will make an extremely beautiful birthday present for that special someone born in April 1974! Another no-brainer is the fact that the value of this watch will appreciate over time.

Do also bear in mind that it will cost between S$ 180.00 to S$ 200.00 for an overhaul, an estimated S$ 80.00 to calibrate, and S$ 100.00 to clean, polish and tighten the bracelet links - these costs do not apply when purchasing this timepiece. So, if anyone was to sell such a timepiece at a low price yet claim that it has been serviced, one has to ask what kind of servicing was conducted, if any.

This is a beautifully designed 25J Seiko Lord Matic 5606-7190 Weekdater in near mint condition; so, be unique and wear something that is almost impossible to source.

This is a must-have for the Seiko die-hard fan, and in fact, any serious watch collector!