Orient Watch

Template:Nihongo is a Japanese watch manufacturer founded in 1950. Established as an independent company in 1950, it became a functional subsidiary of Epson in 2009 before being fully integrated into the company in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Until it was absorbed into Epson, the Orient Watch Company had primarily marketed mechanical watches (self-winding & hand-winding),<ref name="orient_president_message">Message From the President of Orient Watch Company Template:Webarchive, Accessed 28 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_mechanical">Explanations of Mechanical Movement by Orient Watch, Accessed 30 September 2014</ref> but also produced quartz, light-powered (solar) and radio-controlled models.<ref name="orient_product_list">List of Orient Watch Product (Global Market), Accessed 28 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_movement_list">List of Orient Watch Manual & Movement (Global Market), Accessed 28 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_product_list_japan">List of Orient Watch Product (Japan Domestic Market), Accessed 28 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_movement_list_japan">List of Orient Watch Manual & Movement (Japan Domestic Market), Accessed 28 September 2014</ref> Outside of the main business, the company produced some moving parts and electronic components that were then assembled into Seiko Epson's electronic devices.<ref name="orient_factory_history">Orient Watch Factory History Template:Webarchive, Accessed 28 September 2014</ref>

Currently, Akita Epson Corporation (formally Akita Orient Precision Instruments Co., Ltd.), a group company of Epson, manufactures all of the Orient movements in-house in Yuzawa, Akita, Japan.<ref name="orient_factory">Orient Watch Factory Profile Template:Webarchive, Accessed 28 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_factory_video">Orient Watch Production Process (Video), Accessed 29 September 2014</ref><ref name="orient_movement_assembly_video">Orient In-house Automatic Movement Assembly (Video), Accessed 30 September 2014</ref>

History

The origin of Orient Watch Company dates back to 1901 when Shogoro Yoshida opened a wholesale shop called "Yoshida Watch Shop" in Ueno, Taito, Tokyo, Japan. Yoshida Watch Shop was successful, selling imported pocketwatches. In 1913, Yoshida commenced production of wristwatch cases,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in 1920, established Toyo Tokei Manufacturing Co., Ltd.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Initially producing only table clocks and gauges, in 1934 Toyo Tokei Manufacturing started manufacturing wristwatches. In 1936, the Hino factory was built in Hino, Tokyo, Japan. For several years, Toyo Tokei Manufacturing boomed at the Hino factory. However, the company shut down in 1949 in the Japanese economic devastation following World War II.<ref name="co_history"/>

After Toyo Tokei Manufacturing was shut down, Yoshida's wristwatch manufacturing company was reborn in 1950, founded under the name Tama Keiki Company. Tama Keiki Co. continued manufacturing watches at the Hino factory. In 1951, Tama Keiki Co. changed its name to Template:Nihongo, and in the same year the first Orient Star went on sale. Orient Watch was able to expand their visibility overseas after a memorandum trade agreement with China in 1955. The Royal Orient went on sale in 1960. Other important watches in the company's history include the "Dynamic" in 1956, "Grand Prix 100" in 1964, "Fineness" (the world's thinnest automatic wristwatch with day and date calendar function for its time) in 1967, and the "Tenbeat" in 1970.<ref name="orient_museum">Orient Watch Museum Template:Webarchive, Accessed 20 December 2009</ref>

In 2003, the Orient Technical Center (OTC) was established and the assembly of luxury watches began in Ugo, Ogachi, Akita, Japan.<ref name="orient_factory"/> In 2004, the high-precision caliber 88700 movement went on sale via the Royal Orient watch line. In 2005, Orient Star Retro-Future collection was launched. In 2010, Orient Watch Co. celebrated its 60th anniversary with a limited edition model.<ref name="orient_museum"/> The Royal Orient line was discontinued around 2016, likely to prevent cannibalism between it and fellow Seiko group brands Grand Seiko, and Credor. To celebrate 70 years of the Orient Star line, the Orient Star skeleton watch was introduced with a silicon escapement made using Epson's MEMS technology, which has been used in high end Seiko watches since 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2001 Seiko Epson (one of three core companies of the Seiko Group) became the majority shareholder (52%) of the company. Orient Watch became a wholly owned subsidiary of Epson in 2009.<ref name="co_history">Company history Template:Webarchive, Orient Watch. Template:In lang. Accessed 20 December 2009</ref> After transferring its business to Epson, the company now exists as a dormant company. Epson Sales Japan Corporation markets the Orient watches, while Akita Epson Corporation manufactures them.

Gallery

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External links

• Template:Official website