Seiko Lord Matic 5606-7310: Dials, Dating and Buying Advice

The green execution uses a vertical gradient with applied gold-tone indices and matching baton hands. Blue versions are not one uniform type: the handled watches include a sunburst surface with faceted indices, a deep blue dial with vertical linear texture, and a two-tone blue layout divided by a central stripe. Faceted crystals on blue examples add further shifts in colour as the wrist moves.

Choose between those executions by preservation rather than presumed hierarchy. A clean green gradient is preferable to a damaged two-tone dial, while a crisp vertically brushed blue dial is preferable to a refinished sunburst one. Period-correct parts only establish that Seiko used that style around the date in question - they do not establish that every component left the factory together. A service dial is genuine factory replacement equipment, whereas a redial is refinished.

At 35 to 36 mm excluding the crown, the 5606-7310 wears compactly, but its dial treatment keeps it visually active. Applied faceted indices and gold-tone baton hands stand above the coloured surface, while the framed day-date at three o'clock occupies more space than a time-only layout. The result suits a smaller or medium wrist and gives the date display enough room to read without enlarging the case.

The faceted crystal changes the blue and vertically textured dials as viewing angles shift. That effect matters in use because scratches or chips across a facet interrupt both legibility and the intended pattern of reflected light. The stainless-steel case is the practical choice against plated alternatives, but crisp case lines still deserve priority over a newly bright polish.

Value concentrates in the dial first, then in the case geometry and movement condition. Colour alone does not create a premium: the green gradient needs an uninterrupted transition, the linear blue needs a coherent vertical texture, and the two-tone blue needs a clean central stripe. A refinished dial costs more in lost appeal than ordinary case wear, particularly when the original execution is the reason to choose this reference.

The worst common buying error is accepting damage because the watch has been polished brightly. Soft case edges, rounded transitions and uneven surfaces show removed metal; no service can restore the original geometry. Crystal scratches are less serious unless they cross the facets heavily, while dial spotting, missing applied furniture or mismatched hands directly weaken the reference's visual identity.

Movement condition cannot be inferred from an automatic watch merely running. One 1975 example recorded a rate of roughly 65 to 70 seconds fast per day, which is operational but not evidence of healthy regulation or prior service. Without receipts, the service history is unknown. Between a sharper case with a clean dial and a polished watch carrying an unsupported service claim, take the sharper watch and budget separately for mechanical work.