Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
A lot of people nowadays start their week with just another manic Monday* because the reminders and alarms on their smart watch that are connected to their mobile phone constantly reminds them of their hectic, manic schedule. On the contrary, we like to keep it simple around here so we’re “old school” when it comes to alarm clocks, err… devices.
We find that our 1976 Seiko Bell-Matic 4006-6070 is sufficient enough as our mechanical alarm wristwatch. First introduced in 1966, the Bell-Matic transitioned from 27-jewel movements in the ‘60s to 17-jewels in the ‘70s as quartz technology began dominating the market. The 4006-6070 is sought after by collectors for its distinctive retro aesthetic and buzzing mechanical alarm.
The “bell” in our Bell-Matic is actually a curved metal sounding spring that is repeatedly struck by a small hammer powered by a spring that’s unwinding. The quick and repeated blows of the small hammer generate a buzzing sound and its resulting vibration on the wearer’s wrist helps with “alarming” or reminding the wearer of the time.
Our Bell-Matic is powered by a 17-jewel Seiko 4006A automatic movement that has a dual-spring system where one mainspring is used for timekeeping while a separate manually-wound spring powers the mechanical alarm. The crown at 3 o’clock handles time setting, date adjustments, and alarm winding while the push-pull button at 2 o’clock engages/disengages the alarm function and allows quick-set of the date.
Our monochromatic Gold** Bell-Matic encases a sunburst gold-colored dial, gold-plated lume-lined baton hands and indices, day/date display, and a gold rotating inner alarm bezel/cursor ring inside a 36 mm gold-plated case that’s 41 mm long and weighs around 90 grams with the gold-plated steel bracelet. It’s almost like a golden opportunity just to hear the mechanical alarm buzz and feel the vibration*** on your wrist.
Forgive us if you found it alarming that we referencing hit songs by The Bangles (*), Spandau Ballet (**), and Marky Mark (***) in today’s Timepiece section. We just can’t help ourselves…
Model: Seiko Bell-Matic
Reference No.: 4006-6070
Month/Year of Manufacture: November 1976
Type: Dress Watch with Alarm
Movement: Self-Winding/Automatic
Caliber: Seiko 4006A
No. of Jewels: 17
Diameter: 36 mm
Thickness: 12.4 mm
Lug-to-lug Length: 41 mm
Lug Width: 18 mm
Weight: 90 grams
