Hello,

I have just received a Seiko KS from Japan. The caseback is very nicely engraved, but it is in Japanese and I can't read it/ don't know how to translate it. I suspect it is a corporate gift for a 50th anniversary (birthday, career milestone, retirement?) and there seem to be a date on it. I was told the owner's name was engraved on it, but obviously there is more.




A view from the front:



I would appreciate some help, thanks!

 

It celebrates fifty years of service at a place called Chūōtei in Kobe. The guy's name is at the top-left although I can't read the surname clearly; Yoshio Something, I think. Chūōtei is probably a restaurant -- the 亭 suffix is common in restaurant names. I had a brief look and it appears as if the business currently registered under that name is this one: https://tabelog.com/hyogo/A2801/A280102/28000924/, although it's entirely possible that things have changed since 1998; the records I found only go back as far as 2015 so I don't know whether the previously existing Chūōtei got shut down and a new place opened up with the same name in the meanwhile, for example.

If you ever visit Kobe, you should ask them!

 

My wife is from Kobe, and she’s even eaten there in the distant past !

The only things she can add is that the guys family name is Takei, and the year is likely 1973 (Showa Era 48).

 

Oh of course, I didn't even stop to think about which calendar the year would be written in! 1973 makes a lot more sense Thanks to your wife (mine is from Awaji-shima)

 

@kidviddy and @w154 : Thanks a lot!



The date makes sense, the serial begins with 26 so it was made in June 1972.

 

贈 武井良雄殿 勤続50周年表彰
株式会社 中央亭(神戸) 48.4.22

On April 22, 1973, a company called Chuotei in Kobe, Japan, presented this watch to Mr. Yoshio Takei as a gift in recognition of his 50 years of service

 

Well, thanks to you all I learned about Japanese years... I thought 48.4.22 meant, well, 1948 April 22th . Interesting!

I found a clear explanation about the Japanese date system for those who, like me, did not even suspect it existed: https://notesofnomads.com/japanese-date-system/

 

I enjoyed reading this. What a charming thread, interesting and helpful, well done to all who participated