Rarity: Takano Château Deluxe “Superior” – 21 Jewels (approx. 1961–1962)

A rare Japanese dress watch from the legendary, short-lived Takano era – a true collector's item of early Japanese watchmaking history. This Château Deluxe Superior was manufactured by Takano Precision (高野精密工業株式会社) , a company considered a pioneer of later Ricoh watch production .

This model impresses with its classic 1960s design, featuring a fine silver sunburst dial , gold-tone dauphine hands , and applied indices. The elegantly curved , gold-plated case (20 microns TGP = Triple Gold Plated) underscores its high-quality character. The stainless steel case back is engraved with "Takano Precision – 20 Microns TGP" and two serial numbers, identifying the case and production batch. Based on historical production data, this piece can be precisely dated to 1961–1962 .

The Château series was Takano's top-of-the-line watch – produced shortly before its integration into Riken Optical (Ricoh) . These watches represent the upper echelon of Japanese dress watches of that era, comparable to the Seiko Cronos or Citizen Deluxe . Due to the extremely short production run and limited exports, Takano is considered one of the rarest and most value-retaining brands among vintage collectors of Japanese watches.

Technical data

• Movement: mechanical, hand-wound
• Bearing stones: 21 Jewels
• Case: gold-plated (20 microns TGP), stainless steel case back
• Diameter: 35.8 mm (excluding crown)
• Height: 9.5 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 43.5 mm
• Lug width: 18 mm
• Weight: 37 g
• Bracelet: original New Old Stock lizard leather strap ( Genuine Lizard )
• Condition: good vintage condition (dial almost flawless, crystal scratch-free, technically perfect), moderate wear on the case (especially the back)

Collector's value and rarity

• Rarity factor: very high – production only lasted a few years (1957–1962)
• Availability: extremely limited outside of Japan
• Design & Quality: Top-class Japanese dress watches
• Collector trend: rising sharply since 2020; growing international interest

This watch is a historically significant piece of Japanese watchmaking with potential for appreciation in value – both aesthetically and in terms of collectability.

Warranty (used)
This is a used item . The limitation period for claims based on defects ( statutory warranty ) is 12 months from delivery .

Notice
As this is a used watch, water resistance cannot be guaranteed . To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.