COLLECTOR SUMMARY
COLLECTOR SUMMARY
A Seiko Lord-Matic 52LMW-032, built around the high-beat 5206 automatic caliber and presented in a steel case with a charcoal sunburst dial and matching bracelet.
The Lord-Matic Special line sits close to the higher end of Seiko's early-1970s automatic development, using a movement family tied directly to the technically ambitious King Seiko 52 base.
The high-beat automatic movement, slim 36mm steel case, charcoal sunburst dial and correct Lord-Matic Special execution give this watch far more depth than a standard vintage Seiko dress watch.
For collectors looking for a wearable Daini high-beat automatic with real movement pedigree and early-1970s Seiko refinement, this is a strong Lord-Matic example.
BUYING QUESTIONS
BUYING QUESTIONS
Originality is described as carefully and directly as possible based on what can be observed and verified. Where parts are believed to be original, replaced or uncertain, that should be stated in the listing.
Service status is only represented as stated in the listing. If a watch was serviced or checked, that should be mentioned explicitly rather than assumed.
Timing performance can vary by age, movement type and service history. Any measured rate or performance note should be understood as an observation at the time of listing, not a lifetime guarantee.
Price reflects a mix of rarity, condition, originality, reference desirability and the time spent sourcing, researching and presenting the watch accurately. Some vintage Seiko references are simply much harder to find in honest condition than others.
If you want more detail before buying, additional photos and clarification can be requested.
SPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATIONS
COLLECTOR NOTES
COLLECTOR NOTES
This Hi-Beat Seiko Lord-Matic Special, Daini division, is a self-winding 23 jewels watch. It features a clean dial with or without the applied LM logo - which was added from 1970 onward to the line-up. Inside is in fact the King Seiko 52 base movement, a high end automatic that was thinner then all other auto's of the time.
This Lord-Matic at 36mm is large for its time, the minimum size being 35x42x10mm, it has a 28800 beat rate, and all kinds of complications or lack thereof. Time only, hand winding and the ability to precisely set the seconds though a hacking lever. In some cases a weekdater window was used for the daydate version and even the King Seiko caliber 5626 was put inside for the De Luxe Lord-Matic, elevating the beat rate from 21600 to 28800.
The 56 stream seems to have been developed between two other caliber streams, the 51 (starting in 1967), and the 52 (starting in 1970), used for the Lord-Matic Special caliber 5206 and 5216.
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 the 56LM part from the mentioned complications. At the beginning of their roughly ten year production run (1968-1977) The Lord-Matics in the beginning were a one piece design 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 even used in chronometer grade King Seiko's, 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 - probably because of the flawed quickset (plastic part). But really, Seiko was approaching the epitome of automatic movement design in this caliber, as evidenced by the special designs of these watches.
