Hamilton-Ricoh Electrics - Vintage-Hamilton-Wristwatches

The Hamilton Ricoh was a joint venture. The electric components were made by Hamilton and mechanical ones were made in Japan (realize this was the 1960’s – Japan was cheap labor). The company marketed the movements as Ricoh. I owned a Vantage watch with a 130E Standard Time Corp movement. I bought it in a lot of quartz watches on eBay, only the Vantage wasn’t quartz. It cost me about $1.25. It was actually a Hamilton-Ricoh.

Originally, Hamilton and Ricoh came together with the notion of breaking into the Japanize market dominated by Seiko, who didn’t have an electric watch as the time. They formed the Hamilton Ricoh Watch Company, Ltd.- 1962 and 1964. The company installed Ricoh 555E movements into the cases.

When they didn’t sell, Hamilton remarketed them as Standard Time Corp. 130E. The watches are very similar to the Hamilton 505. I was very fortunate to find one.

When I did research on it, I found out that they were dumped on US military bases in Japan. Hamilton did not offer this product Japan or the US.

Notice the similarities

There’s not much else to say about this failed venture. Though Hamilton Electrics are the most popular collectors’ items now, the company failed to make a profit in the electronic watch business. The Japanese attempt was just one more in another series of screw-ups.

Sometimes I wonder if the popularity of the Hamilton Electrics came about because of Rene Rondeau.

Recast as Standard Time

For additional information click to go to the Hamilton Ricoh Watch Company site.