Okamura Contessa vs Contessa Seconda: How to Tell Them Apart (Used-Buying Guide)

The Okamura Contessa is Japan's flagship executive task chair, and on the used market its two generations — the original Contessa (2002) and the Contessa Seconda (also sold as Contessa II, introduced 2016) — circulate side by side under nearly identical names. Both came out of Okamura's collaboration with Giugiaro Design and share the signature idea: the controls live in the armrests, so you adjust recline and height without reaching under the seat. Here's how to tell the generations apart and what to check before buying either one used. Sources are at the bottom, checked September 12, 2026.

What the Seconda actually changed

• Backrest frame: streamlined to a slimmer profile with more flex, following the body's movement more closely than the original's frame.
• Mesh: a lighter, more permeable back mesh, and a new "luxe" seat mesh option.
• Smart operation levers: the left armrest lever locks/unlocks recline; the right lever adjusts seat height across a documented 435–545 mm (≈ 17.1–21.5 in) range.
• Arms: adjustable in four dimensions (height, depth, width, angle) on the adjustable-arm configurations.
• Colors: a wider palette than the original, including a white frame option that didn't exist in the first generation.

Telling them apart in a listing

• Model code on the label: Seconda configurations carry CC8… codes (CC85/CC86/CC87 appear across current listings). Ask the seller for a photo of the under-seat label — it's the fastest check.
• Frame silhouette: the Seconda's back frame is visibly slimmer; the original's frame is heavier-set.
• White frame = Seconda era. The original didn't offer it.
• Sellers often write just "Contessa" for either generation — price the chair only after the generation is confirmed.

Used-buying checks (both generations)

• Armrest levers first: the control-in-armrest design is the chair's core value — cycle recline lock and height from the levers and confirm both respond crisply.
• Mesh condition: check the seat mesh (or cushion) edges for sagging; mesh replacement on imports can be slow and costly.
• Original-generation age: a first-gen Contessa can now be 15–20+ years old — cylinders and casters are consumables at that age; factor replacement into the price.
• Import paperwork: many US listings are imports; confirm who handles any warranty claim before assuming Okamura coverage applies.

One owner report from our index worth reading if you're cross-shopping: a user considering the switch from an Aeron Remastered to a Contessa II specifically for the adjustable seat depth and the seat-edge comfort — a fair summary of why people land on this chair.

Where this fits in your shortlist

For the full picture of the current model — configurations, documented specs and the buy path — see our Contessa II deep-dive (a US Amazon listing for the Seconda exists; the deep-dive links it). Cross-shopping premium options? Start with Aeron alternatives by budget, and before paying for any second-hand premium chair, know what each second-hand tier actually promises and what a return costs by store.

Sources

Checked September 12, 2026:

• Okamura — Contessa II official product page (design lineage, smart operation, mesh)
• Back2 — Introducing the Contessa Seconda (generation changes, lever functions, seat-height range)
• Current retail listings (CC85/CC86/CC87 model codes, configuration naming)

This is a research-based guide; we have not measured the two generations side by side, and used-market condition varies chair to chair — the checks above are the point.