Seiko LM Blue Linen Dial

Model: Seiko Lord Matic 5606 “Light Blue Linen Dial” (May 1972)

Overview:
Up for sale is a beautiful vintage Seiko Lord Matic featuring the particularly rare light blue Linen Dial, powered by Seiko’s automatic Caliber 5606 and manufactured in May 1972.

The dial is undoubtedly the highlight of this example. Its fine linen-like texture is paired with a delicate light blue finish that changes considerably depending on the lighting, ranging from a subtle silvery blue to a much more pronounced icy blue. Among the various Linen Dial Lord Matic configurations, this light blue variation is one of the rarest and most difficult to find.

History:
The Lord Matic collection occupied an important position within Seiko’s mechanical lineup during the late 1960s and 1970s, sitting above many of the company’s mainstream automatic watches while offering considerably more variety in case and dial design.

Many Lord Matic models were powered by movements from Seiko’s 56-series family, including the Caliber 5606 found in this example. These movements offered a relatively slim automatic architecture together with practical day and date complications.

Manufactured in May 1972, this example comes from the height of Seiko’s early-1970s design period, with its textured light blue dial being an especially attractive representation of the era.

Specifications and Condition:

Overall: Vintage Condition
Serviced: Watch has just been serviced
Case: Lightly polished 
Crystal: Scratchless
Dial: Clean original light blue Linen Dial
Movement: Recently serviced and running well
Bracelet/Strap: Handmade Epsom leather strap
Includes: Generic watch box

Movement:

Seiko Caliber 5606 Automatic

Closing Note:
Vintage Lord Matic watches offer an enormous variety of dials, but the light blue Linen Dial is one of the most elusive variations. Its combination of an intricate linen texture and subtle icy-blue coloration gives the watch considerably more character in person, particularly as the dial shifts between silver and blue depending on the surrounding light.

This example has just been serviced, with a clean dial, scratchless crystal and lightly polished case, making it an attractive and ready-to-wear example of this uncommon 1970s Seiko configuration.

Please note that with vintage Seiko 56-series movements, the quickset day/date mechanism should not be operated while the calendar is engaged. As a precaution, avoid using the quickset function between approximately 9PM and 4AM to reduce the risk of damaging the vintage calendar mechanism.