Introduced about 1972, using calibre 550. Available in stainless steel or gold plated. Advertised in Feb 1973 "Playboy" magazine as the “Ricoh quartz crystal wrist computer, guaranteed accurate to 5 seconds a month ... miniature miracle ... guaranteed for two years” for $295 (the mechanical watches carried a ten year guarantee)
The 550002 features better accuracy than the 550003 (+-5 secs/month vs +-15 secs/month) despite using the same movement. There is a difference in cost reflecting this (¥93,000 vs ¥55,000)
"... 550002 88,000 yen and "Tiger Eye" is 5 yen. In the company he is 55,000 March 1,000 students of course "iron". A wide variety of steel materials developed at the appropriate materials center... We use "Tiger Eye," which is made from "Requartz." It was announced that it would be released from the end of August. A new crystal watch should cost 50,000 yen for the first time."
Note first digits range from 1 to 7, second digits are 1 or 2, third digits are 2 or 3
Case number | Movement number | Case material | Dial | Date | Notes |
122342 | Stainless steel | Two tone silver without stone | |||
122376 | 011346 | Stainless steel | Two tone silver without stone | ||
122646 | Stainless steel | Two tone silver without stone | |||
122797 | 022966 | Stainless steel | Fading brown dial | Sep 1972 | Also marked B54AB |
123098 | Stainless steel | Silvered without stone | |||
123117 | Stainless steel | Silvered without stone | |||
123148 | Stainless steel | Fading brown without stone | |||
123509 | Stainless steel | Jul 1972 | |||
123605 | 015227 | Stainless steel | Flat white without stone | Jul 1972 | |
123??? | Stainless steel | Jul 1972 | |||
312205 | Stainless steel | Silvered | |||
312603 | 024188 | Stainless steel “550002 CA” | Sep 1972 | YouTube | |
312928 | Stainless steel "550002 CA" | Two tone silvered | |||
313224 | Stainless steel “550002 CA” | Plain silvered | |||
313465 | Stainless steel “550002 CA” | Two tone painted | |||
313468 | 012683 | Stainless steel “550002 CA” | Two tone painted | Oct 1972 | |
313709 | 024887 | Stainless steel “550002 CA” | Two tone silvered | ||
322389 | 015145 | Gold plated | Brown fade | Aug 1972 | Gilt open bracelet jrussbeauchamp.com |
322478 | Gold plated | Two tone gold | Sep 1972 | ||
323264 | 021906 | Gold plated “550002 CA” | Brown fade | Gilt mesh bracelet jrussbeauchamp.com | |
323393 | Gold plated "550002 CA" | Gilt open bracelet | |||
422295 | Stainless steel | Tiger eye | |||
422372 | Stainless steel | Tiger eye signed "Tiger eye" | 93.000 yen tag | ||
522230 | Gold plated "550002 CA" | Tiger eye signed "Tiger eye" | |||
622112 | - | Stainless steel “550002 BA” | - | Dec 1972 | Case only. Serial number faint so not 100% |
622170 | Stainless steel “550002 BA” | Two tone silver | |||
622272 | Stainless steel “550002 BA” | ||||
722353 | Gold plated "550002 BA" | Two tone gold | |||
722439 | Gold plated "550002 BA" | Two tone gold | |||
?????? | 017906 | Gold plated | Two tone gold with stone | ||
?????? | 014283 | Gold plated "550002 BA" | Two tone gold with stone 09-327 | Original flex bracelet Instagram could be 014233? | |
30 watches recorded |
July 1972 - 123605
Dec 1972 - 622112