About five Featured Watches ago, I covered the ‘humble Homer’ (https://sweep-hand.org/2012/02/23/this-weeks-featured-watch-23-the-homer/). However, one model I didn’t include since I believe it warrants a feature of its own, is the the so-called railroad watch. And it has this name for good reason, since it was official issue to Japan’s National Railways staff in the 1960s and 70s:
Simplicity and clarity appear to be the design priorities for this one, as well as the use of ‘second setting’, more commonly called ‘hacking’ – a feature not normally found on the Homers. This allows watches to be synchronised and was no doubt a requirement on the famously reliable and punctual Japanese railway network. The white dial, which has a slightly blue tint, has very clear numbers, with lumed hands and pips outside the hour markers:
Other than second setting, the 21 jewel movement appears to be standard Homer, although I don’t know if any additional adjustments were made for accuracy at the factory before issue (note the crown is pulled out in this shot to ‘hack’ the watch):
Inside the somewhat pitted caseback there’s evidence of servicing fairly recently:
But it’s the outside of the case back that is particularly interesting, since it is specially marked:
The upper symbol and ’50’ is the Showa year of issue, so this is 1975. Here’s a conversion chart for the Japanese calendar for information: http://photojpn.org/PPC/gui/year.html (with thanks to Philbert Ono)
I presume 1934 is the issue number of the watch, whilst I understand that the lower characters probably read ‘National Railways’ (West Division).
This shot better shows the chrome frames of the hands:
The signed crown on this one is the earlier type, more usually seen on pre-1970s watches:
A classicly simple watch, perfect for use on the railways of Japan:
Sweephand's Vintage Citizen Watch Blog 