SEIKOSHA

(SEIKO)

CHRONOGRAPH

UNIQUE AND RARE EXAMPLE OF TIMEPIECE
VERY BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE WATCH CA 1940’s
VERY BEAUTIFUL MECHANICAL WORK

I am pleased to offer for sale this ca 1940’s WWII – ERA timepiece with CHRONOGRAPH function. This timepiece features BLACK MILITARY DIAL, ORIGINAL CASE and HIGH GRADE CHRONOGRAPH MECHANISM.

THE CHRONOGRAPH MOVEMENT IS AN EXTRA HIGH QUALITY!

History of the Chronograph Watch

The Greek words "chronos" and "graph" stand for "time" and "writing". A chronograph is a chronometric (time-measuring) device which contains a mechanism that allows to stop at least one hand to facilitate reading of the elapsed time.

The chronograph was invented by a Frenchman, named Rieussec, back in 1821. Literally, this was the only timepiece that bore the name Chronograph rightly. It was actually written on the dial with a small pen attached to the index. The length of the arc of the circle displayed the time that had passed. The index was fixed, while the dial turned. In 1822, Rieussec was granted a patent for his invention.

Around 1910, the chronograph, also refered to as stopwatch, was introduced as a wrist watch. Soon it was a very sought after type of watch, only to gain in popularity through the years. When the Swatch watch company started the production of affordable and fashionable chrono's in early 1990, they sold like hot cakes, as were the later versions. Nowadays, almost every respectable watch company has a chonograph in its collection.

The Real Chronograph

Chronographs are watches that can meassure time in different ways. Besides normal timekeeping, they can be used for one or more specific time measurements. For this, the dial has several sub dials with a scale, from which the measurements can be read. A central second hand can be started and stopped, without interfering with the continuous time.

The design of the dial of chronographs depends on the number of subsidiary dials. This can be two, three or even four. One of them is likely to be situated on the "9" of the dial, and shows the continuous seconds. When the chronograph is activated by pushing the top button, the central seconds hands starts moving. After one complete cycle is completed and the hand has returned to "12", the minute-indicator, located at the "3", will jump one position. With this simple type of chronograph a period of 30 or 45 minutes can be measured.

More complicated chrono's have a subregister for total hours, often located at 6 o'clock on the dial. This enable to take measurements up to 12 hours. Even fairly simple chronographs have a very complicated movement.

Technical Innovations:

The developpement of the chronograph folllowed the technical innovation of the wrist watch very closely. When in the 1930's manufacturers started producing waterproof watches, this know how was used in the production of chronographs shortly after.

In 1933, the firm Universal introduced the first waterproof chronograph to the public under the name "Colonial". And shortly after developpers managed to protect the movement of a watch against magnetical influences, the first anti-magnetic chronograph followed.

The Sporting Image:

At the beginning of this century, stopwatches were used mainly by sportsmen and the military. Professionally, they had to be able to measure the time of certain events accurately. For them, a chronograph was a practical choice.

The difference between Gold and Silver is very often a matter of hundredths of a second. Mechanical watches can't measure this, so quartz chonographs are used.

To racing ehthusiasts, a stopwatch with tachometer is very useful. For example, to measure the speed of a formula 1 race car, the time to cover a distance of 1000 meters is measured, and the tachometer scale automatically indicates the speed in kilometers per hour.

Divers have their own time piece as well. Basic requirement is that the case is waterproof. That is why a diver's chronograph has round pushers, a screw on crown, and a screw back case which is provided with rubber gasket-rings to keep water out. At a depth of 30 meters there is hardly any daylight penetrating, so luminescent numereals and hands on a dark dial are necessary.

The most important feature of any diver's watch is the diving ring. This is a rotating bezel around the dial or the crystal. It is divided in minutes and often has a triangular fluorescent marking at 12. Before divers take to the water, they have calculated the time they can spend under water.

For Fashion:

Today, wearing a chronograph is a matter of taste, rather than professional. The chronograph is becoming a fashion statement. Practical applications are still plentyful, of coarse, like the boiling of "the perfect egg", which requires very accurate timing. the biggest appeal of the chrono is probably the exciting and sportive image, for it is the watch for astronauts, racing car drivers and pilots. Professions that are known to be adventurous.

Beside those who choose functionality or image, there is a small group of enthusiasts (collectors) that considers the movement to be the most beautiful part of the watch. If you have ever seen a chronograph opened up, you might know what this is about.

As a rule, a chronograph is more expensive than a normal or automatic watch, due to the complexity and craftmenship necessary for manufacturing.

History SEIKOSHA (Seiko):

Seiko Holdings Corporation (セイコーホールディングス株式会社 Seikō Hōrudingusu Kabushiki-gaisha), more commonly known simply as Seiko, is a Japanese watch company.

The company started in 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called "K. Hattori" (服部時計店 Hattori Tokeiten) in the Ginza area of Tokio, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clock under the name Seikosha (精工舎 Seikōsha), meaning roughly "House of Exquisite Workmanship." According to Seiko's official company history, titled "A Journey In Time: The Remarkable Story of Seiko" (2003), Seiko is a Japanese word meaning "exquisite," "minute," or "success." (The meaning "exquisite" is usually written 精巧, while the meaning "success" is usually written 成功.)

The first watches produced under the Seiko brand appeared in 1924. In 1969, Seiko introduced the Astron, the world's first production quartz watch; when it was introduced, it cost the same as a medium-sized car. Seiko later went on to introduce the first quartz chronograph. In 1985, Orient Watches and Seiko established a joint factory.

Grand Quartz, produced in 1978.

The company was incorporated (K. Hattori & Co., Ltd.) in 1917 and was renamed Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990. After reconstructing and creating its operating subsidiaries (such as Seiko Watch Corporation and Seiko Clock Inc.), it became a holding company in 2001 and was renamed Seiko Holdings Corporation as of July 1, 2007.

Seiko is perhaps best known for its wristwatches, all of which were at one time produced entirely in-house. This includes not only major items such as microgears, motors, hands, crystal oscillators, batteries, sensors, LCDs but also minor items such as the oils used in lubricating the watches and the luminous compounds used on the hands and the dials. Currently watch movements are made in Shizukuishi, Iwate (SII Morioka Seiko Instruments), Ninohe, Iwate (SII Ninohe Tokei Kogyo), Shiojiri, Nagano (Seiko Epson) and their subsidiaries in China, Malaysia and Singapore. The fully integrated in-house production system is still practised in Japan.

Seiko produces both quartz and mechanical watches of varying prices. The least expensive are around ¥4,000 (US$45) (Alba); the most expensive (Credor JURI GBBX998) costs ¥50,000,000 (US$554,000). Seiko's mechanical watches are highly prized by collectors—from the Seiko "5" series (the 5 reflects the five essential features of the watch, namely shock resistant, water resistant, automatic, and day and date display), which is the most common; the Seiko automatic Chronometer series; the "Bell-Matic," with a mechanical alarm; to the highly prized luxury "Credor," "King Seiko," and "Grand Seiko" lines. Seiko Kinetic watches account for a large proportion of sales nowadays and combine the self-energizing attributes of an automatic watch with quartz accuracy. The watch is entirely powered by its movement in everyday wear. On 7 October 2005, Seiko announced the launch of the Seiko Spring Drive, a new movement that provides 72 hours of power compared to 40 hours for mechanical and 3 years for battery powered quartz watches. This new movement uses a "Tri-synchro Regulator". The power from the spring is used to turn the gear train and a generator. The generator powers a circuit that includes a low consumption (~25 nanowatts) quartz crystal oscillator. The oscillator is a part of a continuous feedback circuit, which holds the speed of the generator close to eight revolutions per second. According to Seiko records the resulting movement delivers accuracy commensrate with other quartz timed watch movements.

The Hattori Clock Tower in Ginza, Tokyo, former headquarters and main store building of K. Hattori & Co., currently houses Wako.

To the frustration of collectors, Seiko does not release all of its watch lines in every region; some are exclusively available in Asia, for instance. Many online retailers will ship watches overseas, though.

Seiko Corporation of America is responsible for distribution of Seiko watches and clocks, as well as Pulsar brand watches, in the United States. The models available in the United States are normally a smaller subset of the full line produced in Japan. Seiko Corporation of America has its headquarters (and Coserv repair center) in Mahwah, New Jersey. In the United States, Seiko watches are sold primarily by fine jewelers and department stores as well as 19 company stores located in various cities.

Seiko's 2004 marketing campaign emphasized that a watch, as opposed to other traits (such as what car they drive, for example), tells the most about a person.

Various Seiko watches were worn by the cinematic James Bond 007 in four films starring Roger Moore from 1977 to 1985. Also, a Seiko watch was worn by Sean Connery in the 1983 Bond film Never Say Never Again. A Seiko Chronograph is also worn by Jason Bourne in the book "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum.

Seiko also produces other electronic devices. Notably, during the 1980s, the company produced a range of digital synthesizers, such as the DS-250, for use in electronic music. Today, the music division, a part of Seiko Life Sports, produces metronomes & tuning devices.

Almost every Japanese military timepiece seen to date has carried the mark of watch manufacturer SEIKOSHA or K. HATTORY, the fore runners of the modern day SEIKO CO. LTD. GINZA, TOKIO, JAPAN. The mark of another producer, Aititokei Denki KK, appeared on a ship*s clock and also on f detonator timer. Swiss and German products, in particular chronographs and wristwatches, were undoubtedly worn by Japanese flight crews as well.

This timepiece features a MILITARY WW2 - ERA handsome new BLACK dial. It features a 60 minute checkered outer track border with red enamel five minute Arabic numerals and inner chapter with red Arabic numerals, white enamel painted main Arabic numerals, steel skeleton Sword-style hands with luminous fill and TWO sub-dials: sub-second dial with “sweep” steel seconds hand and 60 second outer chapter and sub-dial for the 30 minutes chrono register with steel “sweep” hand. The dial has a centre steel hand for the chronograph function. Signed SEIKOSHA above the 6 and painted Japanese hieroglyphic below the 12.

Kanji character for the “Time”

This model features an ORIGINAL four piece, double-hinged nickel case that provides for a useful dust cover over the movement and the front rotated bezel. The case was made especially for SEIKOSHA. Turning the watch over I note that the back lid is nice and clean. This watch was converted from pocket watch. The lugs are in great condition while the winding crown is in very good shape and operates properly. The inside of the outer case lid is stamped SKS and signed case referent number #70110. This stamp repeat on the inner case lid. The back lid is signed Japanese hieroglyphs and the referent number #8363.

Lifting this lid reveals an inner dust cover lid, also nickel. This was used to protect the mechanism from dust and debris and to provide an extra layer of protection from shock or moisture.

AIRCRAFT CLOCKS:

Manufactured by SEIKOSHA, pre-1940 flange with four holes allowing the clock to be fitted to aircraft instrument panels, which was pulled out to set the clock, ca. 7.5cm diameter. Such clocks were fitted in the instrument panels of all Japanese aircraft. All clocks originally had the manufacturer*s name-plate. In some cases the specifications can be translated as “Type 100 Clock” The army Air Force used some clock identification-plates showing the Army star alongside various quality control markings.

The chronograph shows Army Air Force kamikaze pilots before embarking on their last mission. They are wearing clocks around their neck. Some of the winders are pointing upwards, some downwards. To the observer, all the clock are facing the wrong way.

Peeking inside via the glass lid I find a spotless and HIGH QUALITY, manual wind nickel plated lever escapement CHRONOGRAPH MECHANISM with FULLY (17) JEWELS. The movement that is signed SEIKOSHA – 17 JEWELS.

The number of jewels used in watch movements increased over the last 150 years as jewelling grew less expensive and watches grew more accurate. The only bearings that really need to be jeweled in a watch are the ones in the going train - the gear train that transmits force from the mainspring barrel to the balance wheel - since only they are constantly under force from the mainspring. The wheels that turn the hands (the motion work) and the calendar wheels are not under load, while the ones that wind the mainspring (the keyless work) are used very seldom, so they do not wear significantly. Friction has the greatest effect in the wheels that move the fastest, so they benefit most from jewelling. So the first mechanism to be jeweled in watches was the balance wheel pivots, followed by the escapement. As more jeweled bearings were added, they were applied to slower moving wheels, and jewelling progressed up the going train toward the barrel. A 17 jewel watch has every bearing from the balance wheel to the mainspring barrel jeweled, so it was considered a 'fully jeweled' watch.

It has an one pusher (in the crown) to start, stop and reset chronograph function.

This beautiful wristwatch has the Original movement in an excellent status which was very well saved, considering age of this watch. Mechanism has been recently serviced to ensure it winds and sets smoothly while keeping great, accurate time.

It is fitted on a new 26mm black high quality strap with contrasting white stitching and matching chrome silver buckle, ready to be worn and enjoyed or made the new “prize” of your wristwatch collection.

Diameter (with crown):        62.00 mm
Diameter (without crown):   62.00 mm
Watch crystal diameter:       46.00 mm
Thickness:                           18.00 mm

This rare watch winds and set smoothly while keeping very good, accurate time.

Because of the vintage nature of the watch I cannot guarantee its absolute time keeping accuracy even if they are in good running condition and in some rare occasions may require additional adjustment.

Always an EXTRA FINE watches at a no Reserve Price!!!

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