Watchmaking in Japan

Watchmaking in Japan

THE WATCH FILES

Watchmaking in Japan

The traditionally tech-driven Japanese watch industry is crafting a gradual upgrade towards emotion-based luxury. Meanwhile, Swiss watch brands are looking for ways to seduce a new generation less keen on luxury shopping than their parents. Discover our exclusive articles about watchmaking in Japan.

The essence of Citizen in 100 watches

The essence of Citizen in 100 watches

A series of exhibitions has been taking place around the world to commemorate the centenary of the first model to bear the Citizen name. The last one, (...)

Tokyoflash Museum

Tokyoflash Museum

GALLERY

Tokyoflash was established in 2000 in Tokyo by Brent Car, CEO. Tokyoflash designers use the company blog to interact with their market audiences by (...)

控えめ “humble” in Japanese

控えめ “humble” in Japanese

GUEST COLUMN

I am thinking to myself, why on earth did Serge ask us to write for Europa Star on a regular basis? We at heist-out are the self-proclaimed “outcasts” of (...)

When Japan inspires Swiss watches

When Japan inspires Swiss watches

GALLERY

Urushi combination techniques, enamel miniaturisations of heritage artworks, architectural theory, comic influences, origami, engraving and motifs from (...)

0 | 20 | 40

Urushi: rise and shine

Urushi: rise and shine

For 9,000 years, the durable urushi lacquer – a natural sap from the urushi tree – has been used in Japan. It is an exquisite and challenging material that (...)

Otsuka Lotec: a retro touch

Otsuka Lotec: a retro touch

With 1950s engineering design cues, Jiro Katayama and his Otsuka Lotec brand, which makes around 180 pieces per year, have recently started receiving (...)

Hajime Asaoka: a multifaceted contribution to Japanese watchmaking

Hajime Asaoka: a multifaceted contribution to Japanese watchmaking

Hajime Asaoka is arguably the most famous among the growing number of independent Japanese watchmakers. Alongside an extremely individual and subjective (...)

Japanese ephemeral papers

Japanese ephemeral papers

In Japan, it is often said that the packaging is more important than what’s inside. In a gift – or simply with the food one brings home from the market – (...)

Daizoh Makihara: horological delicacies

Daizoh Makihara: horological delicacies

This former cook made a radical career change in the mid 2000s. In a process that is the horological equivalent of slow cooking, he makes one watch per (...)

Knot: the Japanese champion of customisation

Knot: the Japanese champion of customisation

Knot watches range from solar- and quartz-powered fashion-oriented models to premium automatic timepieces incorporating Japanese artisanship, including (...)

Masahiro Kikuno: time is anything but linear

Masahiro Kikuno: time is anything but linear

Masahiro Kikuno made his mark on the horological map with the Wadokei, back in 2011. Since then, he has produced no more than one or two watches a year, (...)

Minase: windows on rare crafts

Minase: windows on rare crafts

The growing Japanese brand specialises in unique case-in-case designs, Sallaz polishing and the inclusion of artisanal crafts.

Casio: calculating time

Casio: calculating time

Exactly 50 years ago, in 1974, Casio, the leading name in calculators, launched the Casiotron – a completely novel concept of time measurement not as gears (...)

Citizen: en route for the next 100 years

Citizen: en route for the next 100 years

In 1924 the Shokosha Institute brought out its first entirely Japanese-made pocket watch and named it Citizen. A century later, Citizen is a heavyweight in (...)

Iconic japanese calibres

Iconic japanese calibres

Our thanks to Hirota Masayuki (Chronos Japan) for this selection.

Credor: 50 years of understated sophistication

Credor: 50 years of understated sophistication

Founded in 1974, Credor is both the most understated and the most sophisticated brand in the Seiko galaxy.

Grand Seiko Dô: the way of precision and elegance

Grand Seiko Dô: the way of precision and elegance

Travellers to Japan in the 2000s discovered that Seiko offered a collection of beautifully made, fine quality mechanical watches. This range, named Grand (...)

100 years of the Seiko wristwatch

100 years of the Seiko wristwatch

A century ago saw the first wristwatch bearing the Seiko name on the dial – the start of a new endeavour that would change the global horological landscape. (...)

“Japanese brands have all come to the same conclusion: move upmarket”

“Japanese brands have all come to the same conclusion: move upmarket”

Hirota Masayuki has been the face of Chronos Japan magazine for two decades. He is also one of Japan’s leading watch market specialists. We asked him about (...)

A year of symbols for Japan

A year of symbols for Japan

EDITORIAL

An interesting development, perhaps even a major shift, is taking place in Japanese watchmaking. The Japanese watch industry has long set itself up to be (...)

Naoya Hida: Japan's handcrafted watches for vintage lovers

Naoya Hida: Japan’s handcrafted watches for vintage lovers

Naoya Hida, a Japanese watch sales professional for several decades, was able to develop a hobby brand into a solid brand and a full-time profession. Since (...)

Orient Star is rising

Orient Star is rising

Orient Star denotes the top range of mechanical watches from Orient, a watchmaker with a history dating back to 1901 but fully integrated into the Seiko (...)

Miyota: from movement-maker to brand name

Miyota is on a mission to convince the global mid-range segment of the virtues and importance of mechanical calibres. In other words, to put the movement (...)

Watch Q&A with... Akio Naito – Seiko, Grand Seiko

Watch Q&A with... Akio Naito – Seiko, Grand Seiko

“A unique sense of beauty rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics – sublime, yet understated and restrained”