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Number of Items Found: 9

DATE SOLD: 2024-05-04
LOT#: 240504-117

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, mvt signed "San Jose Watch Co, California," 16-17J, 18S, gold-filled original osaka Watch Co. HC, white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, two-tone gilt and nickel damascene, s#*5450. The osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendant of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California: the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. Following the demise of the San Jose Watch Co, the equipment and parts were boxed up and shipped to Japan where a deal was struck to make brand new 18 size watches in Japan of the same design and on the same machinery; thus the osaka Watch Co. was formed. The majority of 18 size osaka output was signed as "osaka Watch Co." but a smaller portion was produced with the San Jose Watch Co. signature reflecting the origins of this repurposed material. This example, with its combination of San Jose movement signature, unusual higher jewel count, beautiful two-tone movement finish, and excellent original condition, is truly exceptional and makes for a magnificent cornerstone piece to a collection of Otay, San Jose, and osaka watches. This example is also notably the highest serial numbered 18 size osaka we have seen. Although the present watch is of Asian manufacture, we have chosen to present it among the American portion of this auction's offerings due to its interest being largely associated with its maker's American roots with the pair of rare California companies.
CONDITION: Mvt: Running, excellent-plus cosmetic mvt condition overall, good two-tone color with strong gilt tone and with some mild toning of nickel portion, scattered micro-fine scratches and some mild small surfaces spots, regulator assembly with mild oxide; dial with few scattered light to very light hls, fine scratch near 9; fine hour hand and seconds-hand with some areas of oxide and finish loss, fair minute hand with oxide and majority of its finish lost; case shows very little wear, cuvette with some fine scratches from slipped past openings, mild ding to lower-left shoulder of front, good engine turning detail, front lift spring needs some assistance opening lid through the initial portion of its range; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $7,600

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DATE SOLD: 2024-05-04
LOT#: 240504-118

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, mvt signed as "O.W.Co.," 7J, 16S, chrome-plated base metal original HC with characters engraved to front, inner front of case marked with a crescent moon and star symbol, SW-SS, two-tone gilt and nickel damascene, s#511. A very rare watch that is highlighted by a beautiful two-tone gold and nickel damascene plate finish, this is the only example of this finish we have encountered among 16 size osaka production which is more typically seen with simple gilt plate finish. The osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendant of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California, the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. Following the demise of the San Jose Watch Co, the equipment and parts were boxed up and shipped to Japan where a deal was struck to make brand new 18 size watches in Japan of the same design and on the same machinery; thus the osaka Watch Co. was formed. Following the introduction of their 18 size model, two additional models were offered by osaka, a 16 size movement (as seen with the present example) that closely copied the design of Waltham Watch Co.'s Model 1888, and a 6 size pendant watch with movements contracted from Seth Thomas. Each of these osaka products is quite rare, as the original production was presumably relatively small and as the attrition rate is likely unusually high due to events such as the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, the subsequent firestorm following the earthquake, and the numerous bombing raids on Japan during World War II. The present watch is fresh to market having come to our consignor from a source in Japan. Although the present watch is of Asian manufacture, we have chosen to present it among the American portion of this auction's offerings due to its interest being largely associated with its maker's American roots with the pair of rare California companies.
CONDITION: Mvt: Running, excellent cosmetic mvt condition overall, good two-tone color, plates with scattered fine to micro-fine scratches, oxide to winding wheels, oxide to regulator and screw heads; dial with hls at 1, 3:30, and 7:30, few very small edge nicks under bezel; excellent hands, oxide and finish loss to tip of minute; case shows medium wear, cuvette with long fine scratches from slipped past openings, exterior with scattered dings, good marking detail to front characters, areas of pitting and chrome loss with the most notable around front and rear shoulders, case front and rear closing with notable gap to band along left side; tight bow, crown shows light wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $850

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DATE SOLD: 2023-12-07
LOT#: 231207-329

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, 11J, 18S, gold-filled original osaka Watch Co. HC, white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, gilt damascene, s#*685. A rare original example from this seldom seen maker; the osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendant of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California - the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total, and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. Following the demise of the San Jose Watch Co, the equipment and parts were boxed up and shipped to Japan where a deal was struck to make brand new 18 size watches in Japan of the same design and on the same machinery; thus the osaka Watch Co. was formed. It's unknown just how few watches were made by osaka but surviving examples are quite rare, as the original production was presumably relatively small and as the attrition rate is likely unusually high due to events such as the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, the subsequent firestorm following the earthquake, and the numerous bombing raids on Japan during World War II. Although the present watch is of Asian manufacture, we have chosen to present it among the American portion of this auction's offerings due to its interest being largely associated with its maker's American roots with the pair of rare California companies.
CONDITION: Mvt: Running, fine cosmetic mvt condition overall, scratch to right side of barrel bridge, some circular scratches concentric around left side barrel bridge screw, some typical fine scratches elsewhere, oxide to regulator, mismatching among mvt screws with a mix of flat and rounded heads; dial with some scattered outer chapter hls, short fine scratch within seconds-register right of its center; fine hands with some areas of oxide; case shows medium wear, cuvette with some fine scratches from slipped past openings, front, rear, and band with some scattered dings and nicks, reduced engine turning detail with some portions of full loss to rear, case rear and cuvette opening a bit wide of 90 degrees (to approximately 100 degrees and 105 degrees, respectively); tight bow, crown shows medium wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $2,200

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DATE SOLD: 2023-12-07
LOT#: 231207-330

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, mvt signed as "O.W.Co.," 7J, 16S, coin silver original C.W.C.Co. (Crescent Watch Case Co.) HC with albata (nickel) cuvette, "N.W.C." signed white enamel SS dial, SW-SS, gilt mvt, s#8841. The osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendant of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California - the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. Following the demise of the San Jose Watch Co, the equipment and parts were boxed up and shipped to Japan where a deal was struck to make brand new 18 size watches in Japan of the same design and on the same machinery; thus the osaka Watch Co. was formed. Following the introduction of their 18 size model, two additional models were offered by osaka, a 16 size movement (as seen with the present example) that closely copied the design of Waltham Watch Co.'s Model 1888, and a 6 size pendant watch with movements contracted from Seth Thomas. Each of these osaka products is quite rare, as the original production was presumably relatively small and as the attrition rate is likely unusually high due to events such as the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, the subsequent firestorm following the earthquake, and the numerous bombing raids on Japan during World War II. The present watch is fresh to market having come to our consignor from a source in Japan, and this is in fact the first example of an osaka Watch Co. 16 size that our firm has had the pleasure to sell. Although the present watch is of Asian manufacture, we have chosen to present it among the American portion of this auction's offerings due to its interest being largely associated with its maker's American roots with the pair of rare California companies.
CONDITION: Mvt: Running, fine-plus cosmetic mvt condition overall, plates with scattered surface spots with the largest above the "W" of "O.W.Co." signature, otherwise good gilt tone, winding wheels with mild oxide, movement with slight bit of front-to-back play within case; nearly flawless dial with minuscule flake to left rim of center hole, few negligible scattered micro-fine scratches; nearly hands, very small bit of oxide to spade of minute; case shows very little wear, an attractive patina, two small very tightly spaced dings just inside right shoulder of rear, few lesser mild small dings or nicks elsewhere to rear, small lightly protruding ding to cuvette, excellent engine turning detail; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $1,600

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DATE SOLD: 2023-05-07
LOT#: 230507-136

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, 11J, 18S, silver original osaka Watch Co HC, nickel-plated cuvette, white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, gilt mvt, s#605. An excellent and attractive original triple signed example from this rare maker. The osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendant of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California: the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. Following the demise of the San Jose Watch Co, the equipment and parts were boxed up and shipped to Japan where a deal was struck to make brand new 18 size watches in Japan of the same design and on the same machinery; thus the osaka Watch Co. was formed. It's unknown just how few watches were made by osaka but surviving examples are quite rare, as the original production was presumably relatively small and as the attrition rate is likely unusually high due to events such as the great Kanto earthquake of 1923, the subsequent firestorm following the earthquake, and the numerous bombing raids on Japan during World War II. The present watch is fresh to market having come to our consignor from a source in Japan, and this is only the second example of an osaka watch our firm has sold in the 21st century. Although the present watch is of Asian manufacture, we have chosen to present it among the American portion of this auction's offerings due to its interest being largely associated with its maker's American roots with the pair of rare California companies.
CONDITION: Mvt: Running with a fresh overhaul in March of 2023, excellent cosmetic mvt condition overall, plates with somewhat darkened tone, plates with some scattered spots with the most notable a mild fingerprint type etching to main plate in area between s# and barrel bridge, few fine to micro-fine scratches, regulator with oxide; dial with some outer chapter fractures, some faint hls, short vertical scratch above seconds-register; excellent hands, oxide to tip of minute, some oxide to seconds-hand; case shows very little wear, an attractive moderate patina with an area of lesser toning at lower front, no dents or dings, excellent engine turning detail overall though lower front with some relative reduction, cuvette with finish loss to much of its outer surface likely from a past polishing; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $4,000

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DATE SOLD: 2022-09-25
LOT#: 220925-359

DESCRIPTION: PW case only - osaka Watch Co, 18S, nickel OF case with osaka Watch Co. marking and symbol within rear, rear shield with initials, s#371703. The osaka Watch Company of osaka, Japan was the descendent of a pair of short-lived and ill-fated American companies based in California; the Otay Watch Company which produced approximately 1200 watches in total, and the San Jose Watch Company which only produced approximately 10 to 12 watches in its extremely brief existence. For a collector with an osaka Watch Co. open face movement in need, our offering of the present case is an exceedingly rare opportunity at a correct case for this maker's production.
CONDITION: Case appears to have at some time in its history held a non-osaka movement as it has been slotted for an additional lever-set position and as it shows a second set of movement case screw witness marks, case shows little wear, an overall tarnish, ding to lower-right perimeter of rear, engine turning detail with mild reduction at shoulders; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $250

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DATE SOLD: 2015-10-04
LOT#: 1502-186

DESCRIPTION: APW - osaka Watch Co, osaka, Japan, made with Otay machinery and material sold to Japan, two-tone mvt, 18S, GF original Crescent HC lacking its cuvette, SW-LS, signed WE-DSD, lever escapement with unique oblique micrometric regulator system, 15J, wavy chrysanthemum pattern gilt & NI damascene, s#30783. Extremely rare. Fossette Collection.
CONDITION: Mvt: GRO, fine mvt condition overall, light plate speckle overall, cloudiness; dial extensively fractured and hairlined, signature graphics slightly rubbed; hands fair, mismatched, oxidized; case shows little wear, missing cuvette, might have been NOS case associated with this mvt, few MFS, no dents, a ding in front more lick a nick, complete detail; bow tight, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal.
PRICE SOLD: $1,800

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DATE SOLD: 1998-05-30
LOT#: 9802-425

DESCRIPTION: osaka WATCH CO, osaka, JAPAN, GF HC RECASE, 15J, SECONDS BIT BLEACHED, HANDS NOT MATCHING, RUNNING AND SETS, TWO TONE MV
CONDITION:
PRICE SOLD: $5,400

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DATE SOLD: 1998-05-30
LOT#: 9802-426

DESCRIPTION: osaka WATCH CO, 18S, IN SILVEROID HC, DIAL HAS FAINT HL'S, ORIGINAL HANDS, SIGNED DIAL, NICKEL 30714 MVT WITH T DEVICE,
CONDITION:
PRICE SOLD: $1,200

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Number of Items Found: 9

DATE SOLD: 2024-05-04LOT#: 240504-117

DATE SOLD: 2024-05-04LOT#: 240504-118

DATE SOLD: 2023-12-07LOT#: 231207-329

DATE SOLD: 2023-12-07LOT#: 231207-330

DATE SOLD: 2023-05-07LOT#: 230507-136

DATE SOLD: 2022-09-25LOT#: 220925-359

DATE SOLD: 2015-10-04LOT#: 1502-186

DATE SOLD: 1998-05-30LOT#: 9802-425

DATE SOLD: 1998-05-30LOT#: 9802-426