Ricoh Riquartz Ana-Digi watch

Those who've been following this blog for a while have probably seen that I have a liking for ana-digi style watches (although I've not posted so many recently).

From the few that I've blogged, I've also become a fan of the Ricoh Riquartz watches, as there is something about the design and build quality for the range which makes them feel luxurious.

Today's watch joins those two likes as it is a Ricoh Riquartz Ana-Digi model.

The Ricoh brand is a well known Japanese brand who are best known for products other than watches - printers and photocopiers are the products I normally associate with the name Ricoh. The brand was founded in 1936 and are still continuing to this day. They seem to have started the Riquartz line of watches in the early 70s and have been credited with improving the quality of quartz movements and possibly being second behind Seiko for quartz watches in the 70s.

One online forum had a similar watch to my one, and they have suggested that the number on the back of the watch is a model number and not a serial number as I'd thought. On this basis (and that I've seen an original label for another Ana-Digi with this as a reference number style), this watch is a model 122002 and so uses a calibur 122 movement which is a 7 jewel design.

The watch is a rectangular design with curved sides, and has a simple plain face with no numbers, only markers on the raised edge of the face. I think it is the cleanliness of the face design which makes this one look so high class. The analogue display is a 2 hand dial design with a stepping motion for the minute hand. The LCD display is at the bottom of the face and is a 4 digit design with large easy to read numbers. The digital display can be used to show day/date, seconds, dual time, and the alarm (with the modes written along the bottom of the face).

The only thing written on the face of the watch itself is the Ricoh name, along with the Riquartz brand and the logo (a hexagonal stylized Q), and the back also says Ricoh along with Ricoh Watch Co. Ltd. The back also states that the watch is water resistant and all stainless steel.

The watch comes with a Ricoh branded stainless steel strap (with the branding on both parts of the clasp), and the strap has a part number of 329C-U.

If this model is similar to the other I saw online, they dated that to 1980, and I have no reason to disagree. I've also seen that a model 122009 had an original price of ¥31,000, so I'd assume that the original price for this 122002 was something similar.

Ricoh Riquartz 1970s 811 module LCD watch

One of the problems of buying old watches is that sometimes, no matter what you do, the watch won't work. Unfortunately, today's watch is one of those, even though it looks completely unworn!

The watch is by the Japanese electronic and image company Ricoh. They made the Riquartz watches in the 70s and 80s, and this seems to be a sideline from their main office and camera businesses.

This model has a Riquartz 811 module compared to the 812 module of my previous Riquartz post. Judging by the printing on the inside of the back, it was made in June 1976. The module is one of the neatest and cleanest I've seen in a watch with virtually no circuitry visible.

The display is a 3 1/2 digit LCD with a pm marker. I don't know what modes it has, but judging by the age and lack of buttons (1 plus an inset setting button), I'd guess only time, date and seconds displays were possible.

Since the last post, it seems that the 6 digit number on the back is the model number, and there is no serial number. This watch's model number is 811003 and this is shown on the watch back and the tag (which makes me see it doesn't include the serial number).

The tag also shows it cost 27,800 yen which was very expensive at the time.

Ricoh Riquartz 812 module

Another old, and slightly worse for wear, watch today, and by a manufacturer I haven't featured before. There is a loose connection inside, so it only works when I hold the buttons in.

The watch is by Ricoh, who are a Japanese electronics and imaging company. They were founded in 1936, and are much better known for their office equipment (printers, photocopiers etc) and cameras (and they made the processor for the Nintendo Entertainment System). It also seems that they made watches, probably in the late 70s or early 80s under the name of Riquartz.

Today's model is a Riquartz LCD watch. It has a 4 digit display, and only the basic functions of time, date, and seconds (although it does also have a light). Inside the watch is a Japanese made Ricoh 812 module, powered by two AG3/392 batteries. The back doesn't have much information, but has a 6 digit number, the first 3 are the module number, and the last are probably the serial number (although that wouldn't let them make very many...). The strap is a Ricoh stainless steel model, and has a clasp which is more solid looking than the common design.