The Entry-Level Jewel of the Chateau Series Introduced around September 1960 (Showa 35), this Takano Chateau Nouvel 19J is the entry-level model of the celebrated Chateau series — sharing its DNA with the highest-grade Chateau 541 but carefully engineered to a slightly more accessible specification. The exact release date cannot be pinpointed with complete certainty, but chronological evidence places it approximately three months after the 21-jewel "531", making it one of the last references launched before Typhoon Ise-Wan brought Takano's brief golden era to a close.

Movement — Caliber 521 The movement architecture and finishing are directly derived from the 23-jewel Cal.541. For this model, three jewels were removed — the barrel arbor (lower), fourth wheel (upper), and pallet fork (lower) — reducing the upper cap-jewel count to a single stone, giving a total of 19 jewels. The result is a beautifully finished manually wound movement at 3.5mm thick: the slimmest Japanese wristwatch of its era. Shock protection varies by example — documentation references NeutroShock and RubyShock, while examples with KIF-210 · Trior have also been encountered in practice.

Specifications
• Release: c. September 1960 (Showa 35)
• Caliber: 521 (also designated 521N for NeutroShock variant) · Manual Wind
• Jewels: 19 · Shock: NeutroShock / RubyShock / KIF-210 · Trior
• Beat rate: 18,000 bph •

Movement diameter: ⌀25.6 mm (11½ ligne) •

Movement thickness: 3.5 mm •

Case: Gold-plated · ~34mm · Ultra-slim dress watch

Condition The dial shows some pale marks to the right of the centre (around 2 o’clock). They are clearly visible in the photos.

Shipping to the USA: UPS Expedited with tracking. Import duties, VAT and customs charges outside the EU are the buyer's responsibility and are paid on delivery. Example: a recent shipment to the USA was charged about 12% of the watch's value; actual charges may vary. To be certain, please check with your local customs authority.