Kintarō Hattori (服部 金太郎, November 21, 1860 – March 1, 1934) was a Japanese businessman and one of the first and most important Japanese watchmakers in history, as well as the founder of Seiko, one of the world's largest manufacturers of watches.[1] He was a permanent council member of the Japanese Red Cross.[2]
Kintarō Hattori was born in Uneme-cho, Kyōbashi, Tokyo in 1860, to a well established family of merchants.
At the age of thirteen he was initiated in commercial and technical training and was engaged the following year by Kobayashi Denjiro, one of the main watch and clock traders in Japan, where he began his first internship at the Kameda Clock Shop. In 1877, he opened 'Hattori Clock Repair Shop' (服部時計修繕所, Hattori Tokei Shūzensho) in the Ginza area.
Career overviewedit
In 1881 at the age of 21, Hattori established his first business "K. Hattori & Co." (服部時計店, Hattori Takeiten), opening his own watchmaking shop.[3] At 25 years old, K. Hattori initiated trade with the Swiss firms based in Yokohama, focusing on wholesaling and retailing of imported Swiss timepieces.[4] After almost two decades of retailing Swiss watches from foreign firms, Hattori decided to manufacture his own watches locally, establishing a watchmaking factory in Tokyo called "Seikosha" (精工舎, Seikōsha).
Following the great success of his first Japanese manufactured timepieces, he traveled to Europe to inspect and purchase machinery tools to keep up with western technology and productivity. With great success, Hattori returned to Japan with new watchmaking equipment and several new production lines were born as a consequence. At the age of 35, he launched a line of pocket watches called the "Timekeeper" and just a few years later released his first line of alarm clocks, in 1899. By 1905, Hattori had expanded his trading operations all over Japan as well as Shanghai and Hong Kong, and becoming the largest watch and clock dealer in Japan. In 1913, when Hattori was 53 years old, Seikosha manufactured and introduced the first Japanese wristwatch: the "Laurel."
In 1917, K. Hattori & Co. was converted to a joint-stock corporation "K. Hattori & Co., Ltd." (株式会社服部時計店, Kabushiki-gaisha Hattori Tokeiten) (currently Seiko Group Corporation). In 1924, the "Seiko" brand was launched. His company later revolutionized watchmaking with the introduction of the first quartz movement, becoming one of the world's largest watch manufacturers. Hattori died in 1934, at the age of 73, in Tokyo, Japan.[5]
Life achievementsedit
Kintarō Hattori was one of the key figures in establishing the watchmaking industry in Japan. His career accomplishments include founding the first watchmaking factory in Japan named "Seikosha", in 1892. Kintarō Hattori also founded the watch and jewelry shop K. Hattori (Hattori Tokeiten in Japanese) in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan, currently named Seiko Group Corporation and globally known as Seiko.[6]
kintarō, hattori, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Kintarō Hattori news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Kintarō Hattori 服部 金太郎 November 21 1860 March 1 1934 was a Japanese businessman and one of the first and most important Japanese watchmakers in history as well as the founder of Seiko one of the world s largest manufacturers of watches 1 He was a permanent council member of the Japanese Red Cross 2 Kintarō HattoriBornNovember 21 1860Kyōbashi TokyoDiedMarch 1 1934 aged 73 Tokyo JapanCitizenshipJapaneseOccupation s Watchmaker businessmanKnown forFounder of Seiko Contents 1 Early life 2 Career overview 3 Life achievements 4 ReferencesEarly life editKintarō Hattori was born in Uneme cho Kyōbashi Tokyo in 1860 to a well established family of merchants At the age of thirteen he was initiated in commercial and technical training and was engaged the following year by Kobayashi Denjiro one of the main watch and clock traders in Japan where he began his first internship at the Kameda Clock Shop In 1877 he opened Hattori Clock Repair Shop 服部時計修繕所 Hattori Tokei Shuzensho in the Ginza area Career overview editIn 1881 at the age of 21 Hattori established his first business K Hattori amp Co 服部時計店 Hattori Takeiten opening his own watchmaking shop 3 At 25 years old K Hattori initiated trade with the Swiss firms based in Yokohama focusing on wholesaling and retailing of imported Swiss timepieces 4 After almost two decades of retailing Swiss watches from foreign firms Hattori decided to manufacture his own watches locally establishing a watchmaking factory in Tokyo called Seikosha 精工舎 Seikōsha Following the great success of his first Japanese manufactured timepieces he traveled to Europe to inspect and purchase machinery tools to keep up with western technology and productivity With great success Hattori returned to Japan with new watchmaking equipment and several new production lines were born as a consequence At the age of 35 he launched a line of pocket watches called the Timekeeper and just a few years later released his first line of alarm clocks in 1899 By 1905 Hattori had expanded his trading operations all over Japan as well as Shanghai and Hong Kong and becoming the largest watch and clock dealer in Japan In 1913 when Hattori was 53 years old Seikosha manufactured and introduced the first Japanese wristwatch the Laurel In 1917 K Hattori amp Co was converted to a joint stock corporation K Hattori amp Co Ltd 株式会社服部時計店 Kabushiki gaisha Hattori Tokeiten currently Seiko Group Corporation In 1924 the Seiko brand was launched His company later revolutionized watchmaking with the introduction of the first quartz movement becoming one of the world s largest watch manufacturers Hattori died in 1934 at the age of 73 in Tokyo Japan 5 Life achievements editKintarō Hattori was one of the key figures in establishing the watchmaking industry in Japan His career accomplishments include founding the first watchmaking factory in Japan named Seikosha in 1892 Kintarō Hattori also founded the watch and jewelry shop K Hattori Hattori Tokeiten in Japanese in the Ginza area of Tokyo Japan currently named Seiko Group Corporation and globally known as Seiko 6 References edit SEIKO Museum Kintaro Hattori Chronological List museum seiko co jp 日本赤十字社録事 1920年6月26日官報 Wikisource ja wikisource org in Japanese Retrieved 6 December 2021 Seiko Instruments history Seiko Instruments Retrieved 2 October 2009 in English Relationship between Seiko and the Swiss trading firms of Yokohama Burial Tama Cemetery Fuchu City Fuchu shi Tokyo Metropolis Japan Hattori Kintaro 服部金太郎 1860 1934 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kintarō Hattori amp oldid 1178908357, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
