Vintage Alba Ozeki Watch 280e — Moonphase (1991)
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Movement guaranteed for 1 year
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Photo taken on a 17.5 cm wrist
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Atelier Note
Behind a white cloud cut into the dial, a moon smiles at sake cups set against a starry sky. A brewery founded in 1711 was celebrating its two hundred and eightieth anniversary.
An Alba issued for the 280th anniversary of the Ozeki brewery
This Seiko Alba watch is a Japanese promotional piece, dated 1991, issued for the 280th anniversary of the Ozeki brewery. The words 280th Anniversary are printed below the OZEKI signature, in the centre of the dial.
Ozeki is a sake house founded in 1711 in the Nada district, Hyōgo Prefecture, under the name Manryo; it took the name Ozeki in 1884. In 1964, the year of the Tokyo Games, it launched One Cup Ozeki — sake in a Crystal cup with a foil lid, which became part of everyday life in Japan. These are the cups seen on the dial, drawn with their blue label.
The white dial has twelve black Roman numerals and a double railway minute track. Its upper half opens onto an arched aperture through which a midnight blue disc passes: a smiling-faced moon, stars, and two One Cup cans. A cut white cloud masks the lower part of the aperture and serves as the horizon line for the scene.
The round case is gold-tone with a hammered finish, 31mm in diameter, with a steel caseback. The movement is a Seiko quartz, calibre V535, with moonphase: it has been checked by our watchmakers and carries a 1-year guarantee.
Three points to note
01
Dial dated by its own text — 280th anniversary of a house founded in 1711, making it 1991.
02
Promotional piece, never sold in shops — these series circulated through the sponsoring brand, in Japan only.
03
Handmade leather strap — fitted by us, not original.
Why choose this vintage Seiko Alba?
This pre-owned Seiko watch occupies a singular place among our vintage watches: it is not a dress watch from a catalogue but a Japanese advertising object, produced in a limited series for a company anniversary and distributed outside watch retail channels. The dial design is found nowhere else, and its date is engraved in its own text. It is as much a conversation piece as it is a watch.
Like all our pre-owned luxury watches , this one has been opened and checked by our partner watchmakers: verification of the movement, examination of the dial, hands and case. Each Seiko vintage watch that we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice serving as a certificate, a 1-year guarantee and guaranteed lifetime authenticity.
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Technical specifications
- Brand: Seiko
- Model: Alba, Ozeki 280th anniversary
- Reference: V535-6B10
- Estimated year: 1991
- Serial number: 18••••
- Origin: Japan
- Gender: Men's watch, women's watch (Unisex)
- Movement: Quartz Seiko, calibre V535
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, moonphase
- Case: Gold-tone with grained finish (steel back), round shape
- Diameter: 31mm (32.5mm with crown)
- Lug-to-lug: 37mm
- Thickness: 7.5mm
- Lug width: 16mm
- Crown: Gold-tone, original
- Dial: White, black Roman numerals, moonphase aperture with One Cup Ozeki decoration, OZEKI and 280th Anniversary inscriptions, ALBA JAPAN V535-6B30 D marking, original
- Hands: Black with ringed counterweight and gold-tone hand, original
- Crystal: Mineral (condition 9/10)
- Strap: Brown lizard-embossed leather, handmade, not original
- Buckle: Steel pin buckle, not original
Condition and guarantee
- Overall condition: Good state of preservation. The dial is clean: Roman numerals, minute track, inscriptions and printed decoration perfectly preserved, moonphase disc intact, hands without alteration. Mineral Crystal in very good condition (9/10). The grained gold finish of the case shows marks of use on the edge of the bezel and the lugs, visible in our photographs.
- Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
- Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
- Mechanics: Checked and functional quartz movement, 1-year guarantee
- Included: Atelier Victor invoice, protective case
- Not included: Original box and papers
Frequently asked questions
What does this dial celebrate?
The 280 years of the Ozeki sake brewery. The house was founded in 1711 in the Nada district, Hyōgo prefecture, under the name Manryo, and took the name Ozeki in 1884. Its 280th anniversary therefore falls in 1991, which dates the watch to the exact year.
What are the blue cups drawn on the dial?
These are One Cup Ozeki, the sake sold in a sealed Crystal cup that the brewery launched in 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The format brought sake into stations, trains and local shops; the cup and its blue label have since become a familiar object in Japan.
What is Alba in relation to Seiko?
Alba is a brand of Seiko, launched for watches that were more accessible than the main line. It was under this name that the manufacture produced most of its promotional and licensed series, including this one. The dial bears the name ALBA above the manufacturing marking.
Does a gold-tone case require precautions?
Yes, more than steel. The gilding is a layer deposited on a base metal: it wears on points of friction, mainly the edges of the bezel and the lugs. It is preserved by avoiding water, household products and cosmetics, and is cleaned with a soft, dry cloth, never with an abrasive or polishing paste, which remove the layer.
Is this piece suitable for a slim or large wrist?
With a 31mm diameter, 37mm lug-to-lug and 7.5mm thickness, it suits wrists of around 14 to 18cm — a guide, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. Its long lugs make it appear slightly larger than its diameter.
Mechanical warranty — 1 year
Each watch is inspected by our watchmakers before shipping. In case of a mechanism malfunction during the first year, we cover the repair.
Authenticity warranty — lifetime
If a watch turns out to be non-authentic, we will take it back and refund you in full. Without time limit.
What is not covered
- Exposure to water or humidity
- Shocks, impacts, or vibrations
- Consumable parts (strap, Crystal, crown, pushers)
- Battery replacement (quartz movements)
- Opening or disassembly of the watch by a third party
- Improper use
The accuracy of vintage watches varies according to the model, movement, and year of production. A request for accuracy improvement deemed within acceptable tolerances cannot be covered by the warranty.
Shipping fees
After-sales service is free. Shipping fees outside the United Arab Emirates remain the responsibility of the customer.
Mechanical warranty — 1 year
Each watch is inspected by our watchmakers before shipping. In case of a mechanism malfunction during the first year, we cover the repair.
Authenticity warranty — lifetime
If a watch turns out to be non-authentic, we will take it back and refund you in full. Without time limit.
What is not covered
- Exposure to water or humidity
- Shocks, impacts, or vibrations
- Consumable parts (strap, Crystal, crown, pushers)
- Battery replacement (quartz movements)
- Opening or disassembly of the watch by a third party
- Improper use
The accuracy of vintage watches varies according to the model, movement, and year of production. A request for accuracy improvement deemed within acceptable tolerances cannot be covered by the warranty.
Shipping fees
After-sales service is free. Shipping fees outside the United Arab Emirates remain the responsibility of the customer.
Authentication Process
Each watch is examined by our partner watchmakers before being offered for sale: verification of authenticity, checking the conformity of the components, identification of any modification or replacement of original parts.
If any element has been replaced during the life of the watch (dial, hands, crown, Crystal, strap), we systematically indicate it in the product sheet. You buy knowing the exact history of your piece.
Certificate of Authenticity
Your Atelier Victor invoice serves as a certificate of authenticity: it attests to the origin and conformity of the piece, and is covered by our lifetime authenticity guarantee — if a piece sold by Atelier Victor were found to be non-authentic, it would be fully refunded, with no time limit.
Free delivery
Delivery is free on all our pieces internationally. Dispatch within 48 to 72 business hours by DHL Express, Emirates Post, EMS or an equivalent carrier depending on the destination, delivery within 2 to 14 business days. Each shipment is insured and delivered against signature.
- Tracking number sent as soon as the shipment is dispatched
- For certain destinations, delivery may be made to a secure collection point in order to guarantee the integrity of the shipment
Collection in Dubai
In-person handover by appointment in Downtown Dubai. Make an appointment.
Taxes and customs
The shipping origin is indicated on each product page. If the delivery country differs from the shipping country, customs duties and taxes may apply upon receipt and are payable by the buyer. Customs inspections may in rare cases extend the delivery time.
For full details, please consult our shipping policy.
FINAL SALES
All sales are final: no return, exchange, or cancellation is accepted after order confirmation. Each piece is authenticated, inspected, and described in detail before being offered for sale.
BEFORE PURCHASE
Our advisors remain at your disposal for any questions and can send you additional photographs or videos upon simple request, by email or on WhatsApp.
NON-CONFORMING ITEM
In the exceptional case of an item that does not match its listing, please notify us within 72 hours: it will be eligible for a refund or an exchange. If the parcel shows damage upon delivery, it should be refused or its opening filmed continuously.
For full details, please consult our return policy.
A piece selected by Atelier Victor
Authenticated, checked, and photographed by us. As all sales are final, our team remains available 7 days a week on WhatsApp to answer your questions, share additional photos or a video of the piece in hand — so that your choice can be made with complete peace of mind.
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