Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
We appreciate you taking a peek into the new Timepieces section of your Power Wheels Magazine. To generate more interests in this section, especially among Seiko watch enthusiasts, we will endeavor to feature a different Seiko wristwatch from our own collection each and every day this September.
This Thursday, September 3, 2026, we look at our Seiko Sportsman wristwatch (Reference No. 661990) from January 1965. Part of the Seiko’s post-war entry-level mechanical watch lineup in the 1960s, this vintage timepiece is powered by a Seikosha 436 hand-wind movement (which was later renamed as Seiko 66) with 17 jewels and the Japanese watchmaker’s exclusive DiaShock shock-protection system.
Light, simple and easy to wear, the Sportsman 661990 features a clean minimalist silver satin dial with silver baton indices, silver dauphine hour and minute hands, and a sweeping second hand. Its acrylic crystal has squared edges that raises the thickness to 12.4 mm. The crown is at the usual 3 o’clock position.
Weighing only 36 grams with the leather strap, the Sportsman can be worn as a casual everyday watch or as a dress watch since it can slide easily under a shirt cuff. Its chrome-plated brass case has a diameter of 36 mm and a lug-to-lug length of around 41 mm.
We fitted the 19 mm lugs of our 1964 Seiko Sportsman 661990 with a black Veloce lizard skin leather strap to make it look classy and elegant for formal occasions. However, we found that it also looks unassuming and sporty enough to be worn with just a shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers.
The best compliment that we got while wearing this Sportsman 661990 was when our good friend and watch guru Jun Cajayon took a quick glance at it and mistook it for a vintage Seiko Lord Marvel, which was the precursor of the Grand Seiko premium timepieces.
It’s the simple things that we are very happy with and extremely proud of!
Model: Seiko Sportsman
Reference No. 661990
Month/Year of Manufacture: January 1965
Type: Dress/Casual Watch
Movement: Manual Wind
Caliber: Seikosha 436/Seiko 66
No. of Jewels: 17
Diameter: 36 mm
Thickness: 12.4 mm
Lug-to-lug Length: 40.8 mm
Lug Width: 19 mm
Weight: 36 grams
