Citizen Pocket Watch – Honorary Gift from Japanese Probation, 2008 – with Box and Chain

A pocket watch that was never commercially available: it was presented as an honorary gift to a volunteer probation officer who was retiring from office – complete with engraving, association emblem, and date.

The case back bears the emblem of the Japanese Ministry of Justice, the dedication line marking the retirement from office, and the date in the Japanese era calendar: Heisei 20, May 24th – May 24, 2008. The lid of the gift box names the association: 社団法人 全国保護司連盟, the national association of volunteer probation officers.

The Office of the Hogoshi

Japan maintains a probation system that has no direct equivalent in Europe: alongside full-time probation officers, there are around 47,000 volunteer Hogoshi (保護司)—citizens appointed by the Minister of Justice who support offenders after their release from prison within their own local communities. They receive no salary, only reimbursement for expenses, and the service often spans decades.

Those who retire from this office receive an honorary gift from the national association. This watch is one such piece. It was never available for retail sale, and the number produced corresponded to the number of retirees in that given year.

The dial features the organization's guiding principle, which translates roughly to: "All people live because life is gifted to them." It is unusual to find such a phrase on a watch dial – and it explains what the association's work was all about.

Design

The case is gold-colored and high-gloss polished, with a narrow profiled edge and a bow at the top. The cream-colored dial has a classic layout: black Arabic numerals in a slender serif font, fine minute track, and matching slim hands. The Citizen logo is positioned below the 12, and the aforementioned guiding principle in small Japanese script is located below the center.

The real aesthetic appeal lies on the back: the engraved emblem of the Ministry of Justice—the character 法 ("Law") set within a radial chrysanthemum wreath—is finely and flatly executed, providing a matte contrast against the polished surface.

The watch is delivered in its original blue velvet box with gold-embossed lid lining, along with a gold-colored chain and fob.

A Note on the Engraving

In addition to the title and date, the dedication also includes the name of the recipient. For privacy reasons, we have not included this name in the description or the product photos. It is present on the object itself—whoever acquires the piece receives it with the full, unaltered engraving.

Dating

The engraving dates the piece to May 24, 2008.

Condition

The watch is very well preserved and appears to have been worn very little—which is not unusual for an honorary gift of this type. The dial is clean and free of spots, all printing is complete, and the hands are undamaged. The crystal is clear.

The case shows only slight signs of handling; the gold plating is intact. The engraving on the back is complete and sharp. A new battery has been installed, and the watch is running.

The gold-colored chain and fob are complete. The blue velvet box is preserved and shows only minimal signs of storage.

The actual condition is shown unretouched in the product photos.

Technical Specifications

• Brand: Citizen
• Occasion: Honorary gift for retirement from volunteer probation service
• Issuer: Japan's National Association of Volunteer Probation Officers
• Movement: Quartz, battery-powered (new battery installed)
• Functions: Hour, minute, second
• Case: Metal, gold-colored
• Diameter excluding crown and bow: 39.9 mm
• Height: 8.4 mm
• Weight: 34 g
• Chain: Original gold-colored chain with fob
• Engraving: Ministry of Justice emblem, dedication line for retirement from office, recipient's name, date May 24, 2008
• Origin: Japan
• Included: Watch, chain, original gift box

For whom?

For collectors looking for objects with a verifiable provenance and who prefer a piece with a story to tell. For anyone interested in Japanese social history—this form of volunteering has no European counterpart. And for buyers looking for a functional pocket watch with chain and box at a price a collector's item without a history would also cost.

Warranty (pre-owned)

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

Note on Water Resistance

Water resistance is not guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.