Mention vintage high-end Japanese dress watches, and relative newcomers will assert Grand Seiko and King Seiko as the be-all end-all, but experienced hands will always also mention Ricoh – like 1960s Ricoh Dynamic Wide Ref. 32803 automatic dress watch here, on a vintage stainlesss-teel beads-of-rice bracelet – in the same breath.
“Wait, Ricoh?” you ask? “Don’t they make…cameras and copiers?” Yes, but…
Ricoh Company, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company now, but it produced wristwatches primarily from the 1960s to the 1980s, Ricoh watches featured distinct in-house mechanical and quartz movements. The brand's horological roots go back to 1899 through famous Takano Seimitsu Kogyo Co. watch company, founded in 1938.
After being acquired by Japanese electronics company Ricoh – with roots from the 1930's and known for its camera and office equipment – in 1962, the previously-named Takano Japanese electronics company with roots from the 1930's watch division became the fourth-largest producer of in-house movements in Japan, Seiko, Citizen & Orient, producing watches for both the Japanese domestic market and international market.
Ricoh made waves in the 1970s with bold, unique designs. Its watch design aesthetic was highly ambitious, to the point of even briefly collaborating with American watch brand Hamilton on early electric watches – producing the Ricoh Hamilton Electric watch – and later developing their own advanced analog-digital "ana-digi" quartz watches. Ricoh watches embodied 1970s retro design, often sporting hexagonal or cushion-shaped cases, intricate faceted crystals, and vibrant gradient dials.
Ricoh’s Dynamic Wide models were a line of vintage, Japanese-made automatic mechanical wristwatches introduced in the 1960s. Its main claim to fame at the time? A fantastic fusion of traditional and modern design that works for both professional and informal settings.
In contemporary times, Ricoh produces electronic products, primarily cameras and office equipment such as printers, photocopiers, fax machines, and projectors. While Ricoh's Elemex division continues to produce select specialized or commemorative timepieces, true original Ricoh watches were discontinued in the late 1990s.
This Ricoh Dynamic automatic comes on a vintage stainless-steel beads of rice stainless-steel bracelet, and with nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
1960s Ricoh Dynamic Wide Ref. 32803 Automatic Dress Watch
DIAL: Silver linen-textured Ricoh-signed dial, with matching stick hour, minute, and chronograph hands; dial is also signed "Dynamic Wide" in fantastic contrasting cursive script, adding an extra touch of class. Of note, day and date quickset works as designed.
CASE: Stainless-steel case measures 37mm (40mm w/crown) x 43.5mm, with matching caseback, featuring crisply legible script. Uniquely, the caseback also features what is left of the original blue caseback sticker, indicating this watch was rarely worn.
CROWN: Ricoh-signed stainless-steel crown.
CRYSTAL: Domed crystal w/cyclops has no deep scratches, cracks, or edge chips.
BAND: This Ricoh Dynamic Wide comes on a vintage stainless-steel beads-of-rice bracelet, which will fit up to an approx. 7.50 inch wrist; it also comes with a black nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Ricoh Automatic-engraved 21-jewel automatic movement.
