Basket: 0

Total: € 0.00

Seiko Lord-Matic Special 5216-7140 (Sold)

€ 250.00

Sold out

Category Lord-Matic Tags Sold
ManufactureSeiko
ModelLord-Matic
Reference5216 7040
MovementAutomatic +5,1 spd
Jewels23 jewels
Serial No.47XXXX
Case 36x42x11mm
CrystalHardlex Facetted
DialGreen Gradient
BraceletXNA050 195 mm around
Lugs18mm
Production1974-07
ConditionGood
ServiceNot necessary
BoxNo
PapersNo


This Seiko is a Seiko Lord-Matic Special, Daini division edition. It is a self-winding 23 jewels 5216-7040 from July 1974. It has the King Seiko 52 base movement (a high end automatic that was thinner then all other auto’s of the time). Notice the mention of A at the end of the caliber inscription on the back, it refers to the accuracy grade A, as these LM's were with higher quality and accuracy specs.
This Lord-Matic made by the Daini division is large, it has a 28800 beat rate as opposed to the regular LM's 21600, offers quick set day and date, hand winding and the ability to precisely set the seconds though a hacking lever. It has of course a much smoother sweeping seconds action.
The 56 stream seems to have been developed between two other caliber streams, the 51 (starting in 1967), and the 52 (starting in 1970). When the 51 was developed, it had a thickness of 4.9mm. The 56 had a reduced thickness of 4.3mm, and the 52 further reduced the movements thickness to 3.9mm.

In this continuing effort to reduce the thickness of its mid to high grade movements, many novel design elements were incorporated into this 5216.
At the beginning of their roughly ten year production run, during the late 1960's till 1970's, the Lordmatics were a one piece design ( this one is not) in that you could only remove the movement from the front, thereby increasing the water-proofing. For maintenance of the watch, it is opened through and by removing the acrylic glass.
Although the 56 series was later upgraded and used in some chronometer grade King Seiko's, I find it sad that it was not chosen for the task when Seiko made the decision to resurrect the 52 series as the 4s15, with all of its siblings. I really think Seiko was approaching the epitome of automatic movement design in this caliber, and the 4s series is a compromise of some excellent ideas

This JDM edition then, English and Kanji (Japanese) day, is still moving flawlessly after a Seiko shake with a day difference within COSC. The wow factor is very much present with this one. On the inside this watch is no less impressive in this day and age. The calendar changes accurately (and immediately) on the 24 hour mark and the crown works fine adjusting the day of the week or time. Of course, this Lordmatic has the quickset day-date (QS) and can be hand-wound, and is with hacking function. However, all 56 LM calibres apart from the 5601 do have the plastic component prone to wear in the QS mechanism, which is often inoperable. Here no problems naturally, just make sure to always adjust the day at the end of the day at around 6 PM.
Finally the flawless original stainless steel band, what a surprise! No folded watch band links here! It is all solid.. and complete, it adjusts to roughly 21cm maximum.