Description
SEIKO vintage mechanical watch
MADE IN JAPAN
“Seiko” (精工) is a Japanese word meaning “precision,” “exquisite workmanship,” or “refined craftsmanship.”
It comes from the characters:
精 (sei) – fine, precise, refined
工 (ko) – craft, workmanship
Originally, Seiko’s watchmaking division was called Seikosha (精工舎), meaning “House of Precision.”
In 1924 the company shortened the name to Seiko, keeping the core meaning.
So the brand name literally ties directly to the idea of precision engineering—which is exactly what the company wanted to be known for in its watches.
About the Matic Lady Line
🕰️ The Seiko “Matic Lady” — written on the dial as matic lady, and known to collectors as the Seiko Ladymatic — was Seiko’s line of genuine automatic wristwatches built specifically for women, produced from the mid-1960s into the 1970s. It brought the self-winding convenience Seiko had pioneered in its men’s Seikomatic and Sportsmatic lines into a compact, elegant ladies’ case.
Where most women’s watches of the era were hand-wound, the Matic Lady ran on a real automatic movement — Seiko’s compact 25-series caliber — so it wound itself from the natural motion of the wrist. The caliber 2517 is a 21-jewel automatic with a date complication, a genuine piece of mechanical engineering given how little room a ladies’ case allows.
Seiko paired that movement with the clean, understated styling it was refining across its whole catalogue in the late 1960s: applied faceted hour markers, slim baton hands, sunburst dials, and integrated bracelets designed as part of the watch. The Matic Lady was, in short, the feminine counterpart to the Seikomatic — the same “you never have to wind it” philosophy, scaled to a woman’s wrist.
About This Watch
This is a vintage Seiko Matic Lady, reference 2517-3201, powered by Seiko’s automatic caliber 2517 with 21 jewels. The case-back engraving — 2517-3201 with serial number 861813 — dates production to June 1968, placing it firmly in the late-1960s golden era of Seiko’s mechanical watchmaking.
The silver sunburst dial is the centerpiece: applied faceted hour markers catch the light, slim baton hands sweep a clean field, and a framed date window sits at 3 o’clock. The dial is signed “SEIKO / matic lady” with “21 JEWELS” below the center. The polished stainless-steel case is paired with a vintage Bambi stainless-steel bracelet — a quality Japanese-made band rather than the original Seiko bracelet.
It is a compact, honest ladies’ automatic from the height of Seiko’s mechanical era — the same self-winding technology as the men’s Seikomatic, sized for a woman’s wrist.
Technical Specifications
- Brand: Seiko
- Line: Matic Lady (Ladymatic)
- Reference Number: 2517-3201
- Movement: Automatic (self-winding), caliber 2517, 21 jewels
- Serial Number: 861813
- Production Date: June 1968
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Case Diameter: 25 mm excl. crown (27 mm incl. crown)
- Dial: Silver sunburst with applied markers, date at 3 o’clock
- Crystal: Cyclops Acrylic Crystal
- Case-back: Stainless steel, engraved (2517-3201 / 861813)
- Country of Manufacture: Japan
Condition Report
The silver sunburst dial presents beautifully — clean and bright, with its applied markers and hands fully intact. The polished stainless-steel case is in good vintage condition, showing only light surface wear consistent with careful use, and the case-back engraving remains crisp and legible. The crystal is clear. The watch comes on a vintage Bambi stainless-steel bracelet (a Japanese aftermarket band), showing honest patina but sound and secure on the wrist. The automatic movement winds and runs strong. Please see the photos, which form part of the condition description.
Watch went through a recent service by a professional watch technician and keeps good time.
Comes complete with vintage Bambi steel bracelet*.
(*)Note: Stock bracelets are often shortened by previous owners and may not fit you(see bracelet size in the product images). We recommend adding a new Seiko lug width matched leather strap with your order.
This watch ships from 🇺🇦Ukraine with tracking number
Why Collectors Want This Watch Today
Vintage ladies’ automatics are a quietly overlooked corner of the Seiko world. While collectors chase the men’s Seikomatic and Sportsmatic references, the Matic Lady offered the very same self-winding technology in a compact package — and comparatively few have survived in wearable, serviced condition. This is a genuine 1968 mechanical watch, not a quartz piece: it winds from the motion of your wrist, exactly as it did when it left Japan. For a collector building a Seiko set, for a partner’s piece, or for anyone who wants an authentic late-’60s Japanese automatic on a smaller wrist, an honest, serviced example like this one is increasingly hard to find.
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We guarantee that the item in this ad looks and works as advertised and offer money back guarantee on this.
Seiko lug width matched leather straps: 18mm - 19mm - 20mm
About the watch factory
Seiko Group Corporation (セイコーグループ株式会社, Seikō Gurūpu kabushiki gaisha), commonly known as Seiko, is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.
Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches. Seiko and Rolex are the only two watch companies considered to be vertically integrated. Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko’s mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts internally.
Seiko offers one of the widest ranges of watch technologies in the world—quartz, kinetic, solar, mechanical, and Spring Drive—spanning everything from affordable everyday pieces to six-figure haute horlogerie. Over the decades it has launched multiple global brands, including Lorus, Pulsar, and Alba, while elevating its prestige through innovations like Spring Drive, which helped push Seiko into higher-end territory. In the 2010s, Grand Seiko and Credor were separated into fully independent luxury brands, while Seiko’s own global lineup now includes Grand Seiko, King Seiko, Prospex, Astron, Presage, and Seiko 5 Sports, with Credor remaining primarily Japan-focused.
Among Seiko’s key lines, Seiko 5 (born in 1963) is the gateway mechanical series known for durability and value; Lord Matic defined 1970s style with faceted crystals and colorful dials; Astron remains Seiko’s flagship GPS-solar tech line; Presage focuses on traditional mechanical craftsmanship with enamel and urushi dials; and Prospex delivers professional-grade dive, field, and pilot watches often embraced by enthusiasts. At the top end, Grand Seiko emphasizes precision, Zaratsu polished design, and movements like Spring Drive, while King Seiko—revived in the 2020s—brings back sharp, elegant 1960s styling with modern calibres.
Finally, Credor represents Seiko’s pinnacle of artisanal watchmaking, producing low-volume pieces in precious metals and showcasing Japanese decorative arts and haute complications from the Micro Artist Studio. Beyond watches, Seiko has also produced various electronic devices and, historically, jewelry and eyewear—though those divisions have since shifted to other companies.
