Vintage 1964’yrs Seiko Sportsmatic 6601-8960 – Classic 1960s Automatic Silver Case Brand-new Leather Band Excellent Condition The SEIKO Sportsmatic Calendar 7625-8961 is an antique watch with automatic winding and date functions. A beautiful Seiko Sportmatic 6601-8960, a classic piece from Seiko’s breakthrough era of affordable automatic watches in the mid-1960s. The Sportmatic line was one of the first to bring true automatic (self-winding) reliability to the everyday wristwatch market — an important milestone in Seiko’s rise as a global watchmaker. The 6601 series was introduced around 1964–1967, at a time when Seiko was aggressively innovating and improving precision, durability, and style. This model features the timeless three-hand layout, clean dial design, and robust movement that made Seiko a household name. This model represents Seiko’s transition from traditional mechanical watches to fully reliable automatic calibers. Less common than later 6206/6217 series making it a great addition for vintage collectors. Elegant yet practical design perfect for everyday wear or dress occasions. It was designed as a reliable everyday automatic with a practical date function—ideal for the rapidly modernizing lifestyle of post-war Japan. This reference 6601-8960 embodies the understated elegance of 1960s Japanese design: a clean silver sunburst dial, refined dauphine hands, and applied hour markers that reflect light beautifully in all conditions. The modest 36–37 mm case size keeps it wearable on both vintage and modern wrists. Following key features: Type: Automatic (self-winding) mechanical movement Jewels: 17 jewels for smooth performance and reduced wear Frequency: Standard 18,000 vph (typical for Seiko mid-century automatics) Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, date complication at 3 o’clock Winding System: Seiko’s reliable automatic winding system (“Magic Lever” style) This movement is known for its robust reliability and ease of maintenance, making it a great candidate for daily wear or as part of a vintage rotation. The Sportsmatic series was developed by Seiko with the aim of popularizing automatic watches. Technological innovations include the adoption of Seiko's proprietary "Magic Lever" automatic winding mechanism, which reduced the number of parts, improving reliability and mass production. The integrated receiver plate increased assembly efficiency and allowed for lower prices. It was a huge hit in the market immediately after its release in 1963, and exports expanded dramatically from 1965 onward. Its distinctive features, such as the Magic Lever automatic winding, and quick-set date, contributed to the spread of Japanese-made watches at the time. For this reason, it continues to attract many vintage collectors today. ■ Brand: Seiko Sportsmatic ■ Model Number:6601-8960 ■ Product Number:4900993 Manufactured September 1964: Seiko serial numbers are six digits long, with the first two digits indicating the year and month of manufacture. The first number （4） indicates the fourth year of the 1960s, meaning the watch was manufactured in 1964. The next letter （9） is the month code. For Seiko, 1-9 represents January through September, O = October, N = November, and D = December. → "N" is November. Therefore, this watch was manufactured in September 1964. ■ Technical features of the 6601movement: • Details of Movement: Seiko caliber 6601 is an automatic watch movement. Production was in the 1960s. • Sub-brands: Silverwave, Seikomatic, Sea Horse • Power reserve:38 hours • Day / date:No • Rate:18,000 bph • Number of jewels:17 • Size / diameter:27.6mm or 12.25" X Height:5.45mm • Development division: Suwa (Nagano Prefecture, Japan) • Notes: An automatic version of the 6602 movement. • Notes: Caliber 6601 is a representative movement that supported the spread of Seiko automatic watches in the 1960s, and feature stable accuracy with 17 jewels and 18,000 vph, efficient winding with a Magic Lever, and Seiko's first quick-set date mechanism. It can still be serviced today, and is an important collectible element for Seiko 5 and Sportsmatic watches in the antique market. ■Materials: • Case: Stainless Steel • Case Size:36mm excluding crown X 43mm including case lug Thickness: 11mm • Dial Display: St.Steel silver case and matte to sunburst finish, stylish thick bar indexes display, analogue • Case Back: S Steel • Total Weight:50.9gms • Crystal: Domed Acrylic • Waterproof: resistant for everyday life water dishing/showering but don't expect too much from it: Even if it was labeled "Waterproof" at the time, it doesn't meet modern waterproof standards. Avoid using it around water. • Diashock: Seiko's unique shock-resistant device that protects the balance wheel from shocks, dramatically improving the accuracy and durability of watches. It is one of Seiko's core technologies, first introduced in Marvel in 1956 and still used in current models such as Presage. • Band: Brand-new Leather Band with 22cm long circumference wrist with less 5cm adjustable length in 8 holes ■Condition: There are scratches on the case, case back and the Crystal Domed Acrylic has lots of fine scratches visible to the naked eyes due to long-term use. Lots of fine scars/scratches are in fact proof of real true antique vintage, as they cannot be avoided occurring after long term usage of more than half century. Magic Lever automatic winding rotation is very smooth. During December 6th to 10th the watch has been tested with 3-400 round Magic Lever automatic winding by arm swing movement, the time accuracy is less than 30seconds in 24 hours. Power reserve average is over 40 hours. So the watch is in good condition overall, but very careful handling is required due real vintage watch. The watch works properly but needs to be wound at your convenience daily by natural arm movement to keep more accurate time. It was functioning normally at the time of listing, so it should continue to function without any issues. Please be sure you are satisfied with the condition before bidding, so please check the photos and product description and ask any questions you may have (please note, however, that we may not be able to answer questions close to the end of the auction)