Citizen Homer Second Setting – 21 Jewels – JNR Railway Watch – Shōwa 44 / 1969 – original railway employee's service watch - freshly serviced

A genuine Japanese railway employee service watch – not a modern railway design, but an instrument actually used in the operations of the Japanese National Railways.

This Citizen Homer Second Setting 21 Jewels dates from Shōwa 44, which is 1969, and was manufactured for employees of the then Japanese National Railways – 日本国有鉄道 (JNR).

The case back bears the historical service engraving:

昭44
948
三鉄

The first line clearly indicates the year of issue:

昭44 = Shōwa 44 = 1969.

The number 948 is an individual service or inventory number.

The marking 三鉄 refers to the organizational assignment within the JNR at that time.

Thus, this watch possesses something that many vintage watches lack: a real occupational provenance documented directly on the object.

The "Kokutetsu Homer"

Among collectors, these watches are known in Japan today as 国鉄ホーマー – Kokutetsu Homer.

This is not an independent sales designation from Citizen, but rather refers to those Homer Second Setting watches that were actually issued to employees of the state-owned Japanese railway. Japanese vintage specialists explicitly describe these watches as professional JNR service watches, whose value is significantly determined by the year, service station identification, and original condition.

Second Setting – for synchronization to the exact second

The name Second Setting refers to the crucial professional function.

Pulling the crown stops the second hand.

This allowed the watch to be set precisely to an official reference time.

For railway personnel, this function was essential: timetables, departures, and train sequencing required a common, precise time base.

What seems self-evident in many mechanical watches today was a deliberately used professional function in the late 1960s.

A watch for daily railway operations

The Homer was deliberately designed with a sober aesthetic.

The light dial features large black Arabic numerals and a full minute track.

Small luminous dots are located on the outer edge.

Black hands provide strong contrast to the background.

Below 12 o'clock, it elegantly reads:

Citizen Homer

and above 6 o'clock:

Second Setting
21 JEWELS

Thus, the watch combines objective functionality with an astonishingly elegant appearance.

Citizen and the Japan National Railways

Citizen was one of the most important suppliers of wristwatches for the JNR.

While Seiko became particularly known for its large railway pocket watches, Citizen established itself with the Homer Second Setting as a robust wristwatch for professional use.

Historical JNR-Homer watches therefore often have engravings on the back with:

Year,
Service or inventory number
and responsible railway administration.

These engravings are now a significant part of collector valuation.

1969 – early phase of the JNR-Homer

1969 is particularly interesting within this model family.

The Homer Second Setting belongs to the classic JNR wristwatches of an era when the Shinkansen was just five years old and the Japanese railway network played a central role in the country's economic rise.

A watch with 昭44 thus comes directly from this heyday of Japanese post-war railway history.

Condition

The watch is in authentic vintage condition. It has been freshly serviced by a Japanese watchmaker and extensively tested again before sale.

The dial shows age-appropriate patina, but is very legible.

The case and case back show signs of wear, as would be expected for a watch actually used as a service instrument.

Of particular importance is the well-preserved engraving on the back:

昭44 / 948 / 三鉄

It is not a decorative detail, but rather the historical proof of provenance of this specimen.

The mounted brown leather strap is a later replacement.

The actual condition is shown unretouched in the product photos and agreed upon as the condition.

Collector's Appeal

The Citizen Homer Second Setting has now become an established collecting area for Japanese Railway Watches.

This particular example combines:

genuine JNR service provenance,
exact dating to 1969,
individual service number,
historical administration engraving,
21-jewel hand-wound movement
and the Second Setting function developed for railway operations.

Crucially, this watch is not merely inspired by railway design.

It was itself a part of Japanese railway operations.

The current valuation by specialized Japanese vintage dealers reflects this historical character. Even later JNR-Homer watches are regularly offered there for around ¥110,000–118,000; special service station provenances are priced higher.

Technical Specifications

Brand: Citizen
Model: Homer Second Setting
Collector's designation: 国鉄ホーマー / Kokutetsu Homer
Type: JNR Railway Watch / Railway employee service watch
Year: Shōwa 44 / 1969
Service engraving: 昭44 · 948 · 三鉄
Service/inventory number: 948
Movement: mechanical hand-wound
Jewels: 21 Jewels
Functions: Hour, Minute, Central Second, Hacking Second
Case: Stainless steel
Diameter: approx. 36–37 mm
Lug width: approx. 18 mm
Crystal: Acrylic
Dial: Cream with black Arabic numerals
Strap: brown leather strap
Origin: Japan

Warranty (used)

This is a used item. The limitation period for claims for defects under the statutory warranty is 12 months from delivery.

Note on water resistance

No current water resistance is guaranteed for this historical railway service watch.

To protect the historical movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.