A superb piece of 1970s Seiko design, this vintage Seiko LM / Lord Matic Ref. 5606-5011 combines one of the brand’s most attractive period case forms with a rich blue dial, automatic day-date movement and an increasingly desirable integrated-bracelet aesthetic.

The Lord Matic collection occupied an important position in Seiko’s hierarchy during this era, sitting beneath the company’s flagship King and Grand Seiko families while offering notably sophisticated mechanical watches and some of Seiko’s most adventurous case design. The 5606-series Lord Matics belong firmly to the golden period of Japanese mechanical watchmaking; specialist references document the 5606 day-date Lord Matic family from approximately 1968–1977.

This particular example immediately stands apart through its deep blue dial. Depending on the light, the surface moves between saturated royal blue and darker navy tones, contrasting beautifully against the applied silver baton markers and hands. The dial carries the classic SEIKO AUTOMATIC signature above the hands and the distinctive LM / 23 JEWELS emblem below.

At 3 o’clock sits the characteristic framed bilingual day-date display—photographed here displaying French “JEU”—giving the dial the asymmetrical character strongly associated with vintage Lord Matic watches.

Surrounding it is an exceptionally evocative 35mm angular stainless-steel case, measured as supplied. Its broad brushed upper surfaces, sharp geometric shoulders and recessed circular dial opening are pure 1970s industrial design. The fitted steel bracelet continues directly from the architecture of the case, creating the wonderfully cohesive, almost integrated appearance collectors increasingly associate with the decade.

The photographs show the Seiko-signed bracelet and clasp, while the caseback is clearly stamped:

SEIKO – Water Resistant – Stainless Steel – 5606-5011

The watch is accompanied by the vintage Seiko presentation box shown in the photographs, considerably improving the presentation and collector appeal of the set.

The watch shows honest vintage wear, including scratches and marks to the case, bracelet, crystal and dial consistent with age and use. These have deliberately not been disguised in the photographs. The blue dial has developed visible age and character while retaining the strong color that makes this example so appealing.

The watch is running well for a vintage automatic timepiece. As with any vintage watch, no guarantee of modern chronometer-level accuracy or water resistance is made.

Production Period

Circa early 1970s.

The 5606-5011 reference is firmly documented within the early-1970s Lord Matic family, with surviving examples specifically documented from 1972 and 1973. Without relying on an unreadable/uncertain serial number from the photographs, I would list this conservatively as circa 1970s / early 1970s, rather than invent an exact year.

What makes this example particularly attractive is the complete visual package: blue LM dial, geometric steel case, day-date automatic configuration, fitted Seiko bracelet and vintage Seiko box. It is unmistakably a product of Seiko’s most experimental mechanical-design era and considerably more charismatic than the conventional round dress watches of the period.

A distinctive vintage Japanese collector’s watch with genuine wrist presence.