NOS! Birthday Watch July 1966! Seiko 5 Sportsmatic 6619-8970 SUWA 21J Automatic Watch (OH)

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

Make: Seiko
Type: Automatic
Model: Sportsmatic
Year of Production: July 1966
Movement: 6619
BPH: 21,600
Number of Jewels: 21
Hand and Dial: 3D Baton Silver Indices with Dauphine Hands
Width: 37mm
Lug to Lug Height: 43mm
Thickness: 11mm
Lug Width: 18mm
Bracelet: Brand-New Hi-Quality Two-Tone Genuine Leather Strap
Pouch / Box: Brand-New EVA Type Zipper Pouch

According to most reliable online sites, the Seiko Sportsmatic 6619 movement made its debut in 1964 circa October to coincide with the Tokyo, Japan Olympics. The 6619 comes from the 66XX series that originated from the Caliber 410 that commenced the Sportsmatic series in 1963. The 6619 is Seiko's first ever timepiece to have a quickset date via pushing in the Crown.

THIS IS A HIGHLY SORT AFTER COLLECTORS WATCH and its Special Dial ("SD") Octagonal Sun Shaped Logo located above the 6H position signifies that the index of the dial is made either of 14K or 18K solid gold (or 14K white gold for stainless steel cased watches).

For Seiko Collectors and Vintage fans, THIS IS A PRE-SUWA (logo) NOS in mint condition.

This seldom seen July 1966 Vintage Seiko revealed a beautiful and immaculately preserved silvery-white sunburst dial after a good clean-up. The 3D-styled silvery-white Block Markers and minute hand Chapter Ring are also in superb condition; so too the hands and date window after a good cleaning.

Its typical cylindrical shaped silver case was also buffed as best as possible to remove age stains albeit a few miniscule scratches which are barely noticeable to the naked eye. The crystal was given a good rub and is almost spotless as well.

The crown is located at the traditional 4H position and is nicely tucked away to prevent damage or snags. The day / date quickset works flawlessly by pushing the crown in to adjust the date and pulling out the crown to adjust the time. The day quickset is something quite unique to this movement / model - it is via turning the hands backwards and forwards past midnight. A tutorial video concerning the day change can easily be found on YouTube.

The Day is only in English, cool!

Even though it is an NOS, the movement was nonetheless carefully stripped and meticulously cleaned via ultrasonic immersion, oiled, re-assembled and calibrated on 12 August 2023. In short, it was given an overhaul and not a standard touch-up service, and should be able to operate unhindered for the next 5 to 10 years at the very least thereby giving the owner a peace of mind.

Equipped with the highly prized 6619 movement, it has 21 Jewels and operate at 18,000 beats per hour (BPH) giving it excellent accuracy and longevity. The time-grapher shows excellent readings i.e. rate of 0 seconds every 24 hours and amplitude of 268 in a STRAIGHT CENTER LINE! Such readings are extremely 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, and of course the meticulous care provided over the years, and the painstakingly expert calibration.

Due to its age, this timepiece has not been water-resistant tested.

The case width and height are approximately 37mm (without crown) and 43mm respectively. The lug width is 18mm and the strap can accommodate wrists up to 21.0cm; hence, this watch is suitable for men and the modern women.

The watch comes with a brand new hi-quality multi-coloured genuine leather strap with silver buckle and quick-release Spring Bars as part of the deal. 

The pictures provided show the watch in excellent 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. An aftermarket box or purposeful carrying case 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 preserved for the next generation to savour such engineering beauty.

Yes, there are many other same / similar models in the market, BUT none as beautifully aged and as 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 July 1966! Another no-brainer is the fact that the value of this watch will appreciate over time.

This is a highly sort-after Seiko 5 Sportsmatic 6619-8970 SD NOS Automatic Watch; 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!