The new Naoya Hida Type 3A represents the finest form of Japanese watchmaking.
When it comes to Japanese watchmaking, Naoya Hida is usually not the first brand that comes to mind. In fact, Naoya Hida represents the excellence of Japanese watchmaking, but due to the maison’s short history, it remains unfamiliar to most.
The history of Naoya Hida
Naoya Hida & Co. is a watchmaking maison established in Tokyo in 2018 by the homonymous founder, who after 30 years of experience gained through collaborating with brands of the stature of F.P. Journe, has decided to give life to his own independent watchmaking house.
Naoya Hida’s creations stand out due to their style, strongly inspired by the most elegant watches produced from the 30s to the 60s, and for their excellent quality, achieved through a manufacturing process combining traditional Japanese watchmaking techniques with modern production processes.
A first look at the Naoya Hida Type 3A
The latest creation from the Japanese manufacturer is the new Naoya Hida Type 3A. This model differs from the previous ones due to the presence of a complication (and what a complication!), missing in the previous timepieces offered by the Japanese brand. At 6 o’clock, in fact, a window in the dial leaves room for a precious golden disc which hosts one of the most classic complications: the moon phase.
But let’s proceed one step at a time, as the latter is only the icing on Naoya Hida’s cake, and we certainly don’t want to miss out on the rest of this latest example of Japanese haute horology.
Dimensions and case of the Type 3A
The new Naoya Hida Type 3A features a round SUS 904L steel case, measuring 37 millimeters in diameter and only 5.6 millimeters in thickness; it is therefore noticeable how the dimensions recall the great classics of the most elegant examples watchmaking has to offer.
What is remarkable about this apparently simple case is the alternation of glossy and satin surfaces, the juxtaposition of which creates a sequence of sharp and blunt edges. These shapes, far from obvious, were obtained thanks to the microfabrication Naoya Hida uses to achieve such high quality standards, worthy of the highest ranks of Japanese watchmaking.
The dial: where craftsmanship meets modern techniques
The dial of the Naoya Hida Type 3A is certainly one of the most striking elements of this latest creation from the Japanese maison. It is in fact a German silver disc featuring a very light satin finish, uniform throughout its surface. The uniformity and precision of the lines of the dial, achieved through the same microfabrication techniques employed for the case, meets the softer lines of the hour markers, engraved in Roman numerals. The fluidity of the lines of the indexes is the direct consequence of the fact that they are engraved by hand and subsequently filled with a particular Japanese lacquer.
Yes, each index is carefully crafted by the work of a skilled artisan, who not only makes each timepiece produced by Naoya Hida unique, but certifies how this maison is able to offer some of the best Japanese watches.
But the details of the dial don’t end here; as already seen in earlier models, the new Naoya Hida Type 3A also sees the seconds indexes engraved on a disc separated from the rest of the dial and placed over it only at a later time. Finally, another element of continuity with the previous models is represented by the hour and minute hands, in blued steel, already featured in the Naoya Hida Type 1A and 1B.
And finally the moonphase
After coming this far, I would say I have kept you on your toes enough and it is finally time to talk about the most striking detail of this latest creation by Naoya Hida: the moon phase disc. This disc is in fact made out of 18K yellow gold and has the same satin microbead finish as the rest of the dial, along with the hand-engraved stars. The shape of the moon is subsequently applied to the moon phase disc and, unlike the latter, it shows a shiny surface, also handcrafted.
The yellow gold this complication is made out of breaks the chromatic uniformity of the dial and creates a beautiful contrast with the blue of the hands, giving the entire timepiece a touch of dynamism and modernity that set it apart from the elegant watches Naoya Hida is inspired from.
The movement
Behind a simple caseback lies the beating heart of the new Naoya Hida Type 3A: the manual caliber 3021 LU. It consists in a heavy remodeling of the classic Valjoux 7751, which has always stood out for its durability, from which the rotor and chronograph module have been removed. The 3021 LU oscillates with a frequency of 28,800 vibrations and an approximately 45 hours power reserve.
Price and availability
This latest creation by Naoya Hida confirms the Japanese maison’s intention to reinterpret the classic timepieces of the past with a modern twist. The traditional silhouettes, in fact, perfectly pair with the modern details of the watch, such as the very light satin finish of the dial and the alternation of polished and satin surfaces of the case.
Similarly, the choice of combining one of watchmaking’s most elegant complications with a much sportier blue alcantara and leather strap shows how the maison is trying to stand out in today’s landscape.
Only 15 examples of the Naoya Hida Type 3A will be produced, sold at a price of approximately € 20,000 (2,640,000 JPY), underlining how Naoya Hida represents an excellence of Japanese watchmaking.
Author: Giulio Magnelli
Translator: Enrico Della Guerra
