History

1930

Better Lifestyle through
Availability of Electricity

Hard, wear-resistant Sapphire Bearings allow highly accurate wattmeter readings.

1939: Namiki Seisakusho is founded in Kamiyacho, Kita-ku, Tokyo. Starts production of synthetic sapphire jewel bearings for electrical measuring instruments.

1940

From Clocks to Wristwatches

Accurate time-keeping becomes possible with Jewel Bearings for watches.

1940: Company moves to larger production facility at Shinden, Adachi-ku, Tokyo. During early 1940s the factory is placed under government control, and used primarily to manufacture jewel bearings for aviation instruments and marine radio equipment.
1946: Resumes manufacturing jewel bearings for electrical measuring instruments.
1949: Starts production of watch jewel bearings and sapphire phonograph styli.

1950

Shift in Music Scene to Our Home

Namiki produces low-cost, long-life Phonographic Styli, with record-breaking sales worldwide.

1953: Namiki Seisakusho is incorporated as Namiki Precision Jewel Co., Ltd.
1957: Adamant Shoji Co., Ltd., is founded; watch jewel division is split up and partly transferred to Adamant Shoji Co., Ltd.

Origin of the company nameAt the time of our company's founding, our main product was jewel bearings that were made of hard materials. The company thus incorporated into its name the word "adamant," meaning "extremely hard." The word is derived from the Greek "adamas," which came to denote "diamond." Processing such materials is our core technology.

Starts sales of jewel bearings for watches.
1959: Company changes its name to Adamant Kogyo Co., Ltd.

1960

From Treasure to Daily Accessory

Development of unbreakable Crystal Glass helps watches to become an accessory used every day instead of only on special occasions.

1962: Develops technology for bonding diamond tips onto metal; starts production of bonded diamond stylus components.
1966: Develops crystal glass for watches.
1967: Opens Akita Yuzawa Factory.
1968: Starts production of magnetic tape heads for tape recorders.
1969: Starts production of super-hard metal watch cases.
Starts manufacture of medical equipment parts.

1970

From Heavy Cassette Player to Lightweight Portable Player

The world's smallest Micro Coreless Motor (10mm in diameter) contributes to the invention of the portable cassette player.

1970: Starts production of synthetic sapphire watch crystals.
1971: Develops and introduces diamond stylus for four-channel records jointly with JVC.
Starts manufacture of telecommunications, electronic, and applied equipment parts.
1973: Develops the world's smallest coreless motor, with a diameter of 10mm.
1974: Opens New York sales office.
1975: Starts production of box glass for watches.
1976: Starts manufacture of liquid-crystal display panels and audio component parts.
1977: Develops and starts production of tempered glass for watch crystals.
1978: Starts manufacture of optical equipment parts.
1979: Starts manufacture of ruby capillaries.

1980

From "Sound" to "Vibration" Mode

The world's first Vibration Motor adds a new function to mobile phones.

From Paper to Cyberspace

Micron-level processing of Optical Communications Parts supports reliable high-speed networks and broadband internet.

1980: Starts production of floppy heads.
Starts manufacture of ferrules.
1981: Starts manufacture of sleeves.
1982: Opens Aomori Kuroishi Factory.
Starts production of MicroRidge styli for 4ch (quadraphonic records).
1983: Starts manufacture of high-performance temperature/humidity sensors and ruby surgical knives.
1984: Starts production of infusion pumps on OEM basis.
1985: Starts production of vibration motors for pagers.
Starts manufacture of semiconductor parts.
1987: Starts production of hybrid ICs.
Develops garnet crystal.
1989: Establishes Akita Adamant Co., Ltd., in Yuzawa City, Akita.

1990

From Incandescent Light Bulb to LED

Growth of Single-Crystal Sapphire and micron-level polishing technology allow production of environmentally friendly LEDs.

1991: Establishes manufacturing technology for synthetic single-crystal sapphire.
1992: Starts production of optical isolators.
Starts manufacture of touch panels.
1993: Opens Namiki Precision (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (production division), in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Akita Adamant Co., Ltd., moves to Yokote City, Akita.
1995: Begins production of ceramic watch parts.
1996: Starts production of lensed fibers for optical communications.
1997: Establishes Namiki Precision Singapore Pte. Ltd.(business division).
1998: Establishes Adamant America, Inc., in United States. (business division).
1999: Establishes Namiki Precision of California, Inc., (business and R&D division) in California, USA. Starts production of vibration speakers.

2000

Greater Accuracy in Shorter Time for Surgical Procedures

With the world's smallest Micro Coreless Motor (0.9mm in diameter), catheter and endoscopic procedures become faster and more accurate.

2000: Starts production of sapphire wafers.
2003: Starts production of MEMS products.
2004: Develops the world's smallest metallic glass micro-geared motor, with a diameter of 1.5mm.
2005: Develops production technology for step wafers with a step height of 0.22nm.
2007: Develops a diamond needle with the world's highest aspect ratio.
Establishes precise micro-machining technology with femtosecond laser.
2008: Establishes gallium nitride (GaN) polishing technology.
2009: Develops the world's smallest metallic glass micro-geared motor, with a diameter of 0.9mm.

2010

2012: Starts production of dental zirconia disks.
2014: Develops the world's first plasma fusion chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processing technology with Kyushu University and Osaka University.
(Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) Number 24226005)
Develops a 0.6mm diameter micro motor.
2015: Develops hetero-epitaxial diamond growth technology with micro-needle growth method.
2018: Namiki Precision Jewel Co., Ltd., and Adamant Co., Ltd., are merged; company name is changed to Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Co., Ltd.
2019: Starts production of Optical Inner Wall Metrology System.

2020

2021: Develops 2-inch hetero-epitaxial diamond growth technology with step-flow growth method.
2023: Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Co., Ltd., and Akita Adamant Co., Ltd., are merged; company name is changed to Orbray Co., Ltd.