Hello All,

A few years ago, I purchased a copy of the Bulletin, August 2002, Vol. 44/4 No. 339. In the issue, there is an excellent article by Konrad Knirim on Japanese Military Timepieces of WWII. I have a Seikosha deck watch that was not covered in his article and was wondering if someone has additional information on this watch.

The Kanji on the box and watch translate to “Deck Watch B”. The watch also has “No. 91” stamped on the back. The box has a locking latch but is missing the key. Are these Japanese deck watches common? Does anyone have a similar Seikosha watch in their collection?

Thanks in advance.

Rich

Hello Rich, and welcome to the forum.

Imperial Japanese Navy deck watches are not at all common. The construction of the case, using a smaller movement in a larger case, is like the Imperial Army pocket watches of WWII. However, the Army watch had a 7 jewel movement, while yours has a 15 jewel movement. The Army watches did not use Roman numeral dials. The dial of your deck watch resembles an older English watch more than a Japanese pocket watch of WWII.

All and all an interesting find. Thank you for the excellent pictures.

Best regards,
Greg

Hi, I have an identical Seikosha Deck Watch with wooden case with same markings. The Serial Number is 261. Story with the watch says it came from the Japanese Naval Base at Chi Chi Jima Island. Was found in a military footlocker. Regards, Mike

Fascinating piece, thanks for sharing.

I collect Japanese military artifacts in a very small way and always appreciate seeing such a neat piece of history.

Recently I purchased a "signed" battle flag that came with an interesting story. The veteran who acquired the flag was a Marine in the 8th Marine Regiment and wrote of his experiences in Japan at the end of the war on occupation duty in the Marine magazine Leatherneck a few years ago.

I communicated via email with the veteran's daughter and she said her father acquired the flag and several other souvenirs at an abandoned airbase near Nagasaki where his unit was billeted. A Japanese-American collector friend translated the kanji characters to a steel refinery with the same name as the airbase- Kasumoto, and suggested the soldier it belonged to had worked at the refinery and was gifted the signed flag upon entering the service. The Marine was named George Zimmerman and his daughter was kind enough to send me a copy of the Leatherneck magazine with the article her father had written. The article is mostly a rather touching story about the Marines "adopting" the kids at a local orphanage during the Christmas holidays.

Hope this doesn't constitute "hi-jacking" a thread, and hopefully others might find the story interesting.

Thanks to all for the posts.

Michael, can we compare Seikosha deck watch serial numbers? My serial number is "1444786" on the inside of the screwdown back (directly below "SKS NICKEL").

Best Regards,

Rich

Hi Rich,

My serial number is 164716. My case cover also has a dark blue ink stamped anchor and a kanji character in a small circle which I bellieve means "naval". These Japanese deck watches are very seldom seem as most went down with the ships they were used on. Regards, Mike

Rich, Just saw your post on the Japanese Military Watch Forum. student3 is wrong in his statement on the "SEIKOSHA PRECISION" marking being a 1949 or later marking. I don't know where student3 gets his information,, but it is not correct with respect to these Japanese military pocket watches. I have seen this marking on several WWII Japanese military pocket watches. They are all legitimate Japanese WWII unmessed with watches. They all had the "SEIKOSHA PRECISION" marking on the click wheel. Some are even posted on the Japanese Military Watch Forum. My case serial number is 164716 and the outside Japanese military serial number engraved on the back of the case is 261. Carry on. Mike

Hi Rich,

i read your post and i would like to ask whether the s/n
1444786
you have reported is correct.

tnks rgds
enzo

Hi Michael Carroll,

I would suggest posting your information about these pocket watches on the Japanese Military Watch form directly. Although he may or may not agree with you, Student3 appriciates knowlage and different points of view. All of us may stand to gain further insight from the exchange.

Japanese Watch Forum

Best regards,
Greg