or Minase CEO Tsuyoshi Suzuki, there are three elements of Minase watches that make the brand, which was founded in 2005, stand out from the global competition.

“Our Sallaz polishing (also called Zaratsu) that is pushed to an extremely high level of sophistication; the case-in-case construction with a floating structure built inside each case; and MORE, an abbreviation of Minase Original Rebuilding Equation. This makes it possible to disassemble most components on cases and bracelets for repair and repolishing: Minase watches are built to last for a very long time,” he said about the Uruga, Divido, Horizon, 5 Windows, 7 Windows and Masterpieces collections.

The Windows collections are named after the number of sapphire crystals on the front, back and casesides, allowing deep views of the intricate design and decorations.

Since 2019 Minase (an offshoot of still-going-strong watch industry supplier Kyowa, founded in 1963 by Mr. Suzuki’s father) has increased its production by more than 50%, and today the output is between 500 and 600 timepieces per year. The core offer from the brand, based in Akita province, retails at an average of CHF 4,200 plus taxes. Prices for the 7 Windows range from CHF 15,000 to 25,000, whereas the Masterpieces, with unique Japanese lacquer dials made with the Urushi Maki-e and Shibo techniques, range from CHF 15,000 to 45,000. Models in the higher price range are often cased in precious metals.

Tsuyoshi Suzuki, CEO of Minase

Part of the Urushi production has, however, been terminated, as a devastating earthquake on January 1, 2024, destroyed the workshop of Urushi master Mr. Hakose in Wajima. (Minase reported Mr. Hakose, his family and staff to be safe.) The last dials by Hakose for Minase are available in Switzerland and Japan, and can be pre-ordered through its website. Urushi suppliers in parts of the country not hit by the earthquake include Ms. Megumi Shimamoto in Kyoto, who specialises in Maki-e.

Instrumental for the brand’s growth is Sven Erik Henriksen’s Biel/Bienne-based company, H-Development. “I invited some friends for a fondue and Mr. Suzuki, a friend of a friend, was also invited. I had never seen anything like the watch he was wearing, a Minase 5 Windows. He told me it was his dream to place Minase watches with a retailer in Switzerland. That was in 2017 and the start of our collaboration, said Mr. Henriksen.

“Minase watches are handmade in Japan, with high-end 2892 Swiss movements, and internationally commercialised by our international office,” continued Mr. Henriksen, explaining that Minase’s unique design approach includes nature, geometry, architecture, philosophy, and arts and crafts from Japan to reinforce the elements of its timepieces. “The finishing on the Horizon GEN Black DLC is an example: from the front you see the curvature of the horizon and on the side you see the shape of a katana with two shiny Sallaz-polished lines,” he explained of the cushion-shaped case.

Terence, a watch collector in Portland, Oregon, who prefers that we use only his first name, was one of the brand’s first customers in the US. Today he is a proud owner of five Minase timepieces.

“I was intrigued by this article about an unknown brand doing the Sallaz (Zaratsu) that everyone was talking about at the time as a pillar of Grand Seiko greatness. But I could find almost nothing online about Minase, or anyone who had one (this was almost a year before the Shinzo Abe/Donald Trump photobomb when Prime Minister Abe was wearing a Minase watch in 2019). So, I reached out to the author and Sven at Minase. They were very patient in explaining the amount of engineering in the watches, the number of parts, the precision and why the bracelet was so expensive (so many parts, so much Sallaz and polish everywhere),” said Terence, who bought his first Minase watches without even trying them on and has never looked back.

The 5 Windows has five sapphire glasses that provide a view of its intricate design.

So, what is Sallaz? According to Mr. Henriksen, the highly reflective polishing technique with extremely flat surfaces was developed in the 1970s, at a Japanese request, in Switzerland by the Sallaz brothers, a now defunct supplier. “It is completely different from mirror polishing. It is made with machines you don’t find in the market anymore. Large grinding wheels are covered with substrate, allowing skilled craftsmen to carry out sharp and angular polishing in a process similar to cutting and polishing diamonds. Prior to that, the metal needs to be forged to increase its shining beauty and durability. In my opinion, Minase pushes the complexity of the Sallaz a lot further by applying it on more surfaces, including indexes, crown and different case elements,” he said of the highly reflective surface treatment.

While Mr. Suzuki is focusing on the development of an anniversary timepiece for 2025, Mr. Henriksen is exhibiting the watches at shows like Worn & Wound, SIAR Mexico and Toronto Timepiece. “To build brand awareness, all shows are good. You have to see the watches. You really cannot do justice to the Sallaz finishing or the construction in photos – you have to experience it. So, even in these online days it is important to physically show the product and, of course, to meet collectors in person,” concluded Mr. Henriksen.

Minase Divido disassembled