{"product_id":"vintage-watch-ricoh-automatic-day-date-president","title":"Vintage Watch | Ricoh Automatic Day-Date “President” (Close to NOS)","description":"\u003ch2 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 128, 0);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRicoh Automatic Day-Date “President” Style – 21 Jewels, Fluted Bezel (Fully Serviced)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA Japanese day-date that wears the language of a President without the President price. This Ricoh Automatic puts the full weekday at 12, the date at 3, and a coin-edge fluted bezel around a silver sunburst dial — the same silhouette collectors chase on Swiss icons, built by Japan’s often-forgotten fourth in-house watchmaker. The case is in amazing condition. During the last full restoration the lume on the dial and hands was relumed so the watch glows again, leaving the piece close to NOS.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0299\/7639\/5913\/files\/IMG_6329_600x600.jpg?v=1788232196\" alt=\"\" style=\"float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRicoh’s Watchmaking Story\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eMost people know Ricoh for copiers and cameras. The watch story is quieter and more interesting. Ricoh began in 1936 as Riken Kankoshi, an optics firm. Its watchmaking arm came from \u003cstrong\u003eTakano Seimitsu Kogyo\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Nagoya precision house founded in 1938 that moved from clocks into wristwatches. After Takano collapsed in the early 1960s, Riken Optical took it over on 8 May 1962 and renamed it \u003cstrong\u003eRicoh Tokei\u003c\/strong\u003e that August.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThat made Ricoh the \u003cstrong\u003efourth Japanese company\u003c\/strong\u003e to develop its own mechanical movements, after Seiko, Citizen and Orient. In October 1962 it launched the Dynamic automatic — a 33-jewel calibre with instant day-date. Early batches had teething problems; once sorted, Ricoh kept building automatics through the 1960s and 1970s. Quartz arrived in 1971. The parent company later put its energy into imaging, and the watch side faded into Ricoh Elemex. What remains are honest mid-century Japanese machines that never got the collector spotlight Seiko did.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rocoh Movement\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis example is marked \u003cstrong\u003e21 jewels, automatic\u003c\/strong\u003e, with day and date. That specification points to Ricoh’s workhorse \u003cstrong\u003e30-series\u003c\/strong\u003e family (from 1966): about 12¾ ligne, 18,000 bph, central seconds, Monorex-type shock protection and a ball-bearing rotor on many variants. Day-date versions in this family typically use the crown for setting. It is not a Seiko 7S or an ETA clone — it is Ricoh’s own architecture, built to be worn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0299\/7639\/5913\/files\/IMG_6334_600x600.jpg?v=1788232196\" alt=\"\" style=\"float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClose to NOS After Full Restoration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThe stainless-steel case is in amazing condition — sharp fluted bezel, clean lines, and a presence that reads far newer than its age. The last full service included a proper relume of the dial plots and hands, restoring night-time visibility rather than leaving dead vintage lume in place. Combined with the clean silver sunburst, the watch sits close to NOS: restored to work and glow as it should, not left tired. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy This Is a Strong Day-Date Alternative\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA vintage Rolex Day-Date is a different conversation. This Ricoh gives you the same \u003cem\u003eidea\u003c\/em\u003e on the wrist: spelled-out day at 12, framed date at 3, fluted steel bezel, applied batons, silver sunburst, three-piece steel bracelet. You get a mechanical Japanese automatic from a real manufacturer, in the classic ~36 mm dress-sport size that still works with a shirt cuff — now with a case that looks exceptional and lume that actually works again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis Watch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eDial codes read \u003cstrong\u003eJAPAN A 3 40\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e415 F5F\u003c\/strong\u003e — part of Ricoh’s 415-family President-style day-dates of the late 1960s–1970s. Similar fluted Ricoh day-dates measure about \u003cstrong\u003e35–36 mm\u003c\/strong\u003e across (roughly 36 × 43 mm without crown on comparable pieces), with ~19 mm lugs. On the steel bracelet as shown. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA wearable Japanese President silhouette from the house that sat just behind Seiko, Citizen and Orient — The watch is fully restored, and the dial and hand have been professionally relumed, and close to NOS.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eMaker: Ricoh (Ricoh Tokei \/ Japan)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eModel: Automatic Day-Date, fluted-bezel “President” style\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eReference codes : 415 F5F \/ JAPAN A 3 40\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eEra: Circa late1960s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eCase Diameter: approx. 36 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eLug Width: approx. 19 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eCase Condition: Amazing condition after full restoration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eDial \/ Hands: Silver sunburst; lume on dial and hands relumed to bring it back to the orignal factory setting\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eMovement: Automatic, 21 jewels, day-date (Just serviced by our watchmaker in Japan)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eCase \/ Bracelet: Stainless steel with fluted bezel and original Ricoh steel bracelet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAsk if you would like a leather strap option alongside the bracelet, we can do a great deal in top up.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Samurai Vintage Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51569906778358,"sku":null,"price":319.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0299\/7639\/5913\/files\/IMG_63192.jpg?v=1788232196","url":"https:\/\/thesamuraivintage.com\/products\/vintage-watch-ricoh-automatic-day-date-president","provider":"Samurai Vintage Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}