In recent years, watchmaking has increasingly recognized and rewarded the creations of independent brands, often the product of the brilliant minds that give these brands their names.

This is the case of François-Paul Journe, Rexhep Rexhepi or Philippe Dufour, to name a few. Their success is evidenced not only by the endless waiting lists to get one of their creations, but also by the extraordinary results their watches achieve in auctions, as confirmed by the thematic one at Phillips last month.

This scenario also includes several independent Japanese watchmakers, who over the years have perfectly embodied the values of precision and high quality traditionally associated with the Land of the Rising Sun.

These creations not only harken back to the current trend that rewards independent watchmakers’ attention to detail, but also to the incredible bond that has united Japan and this industry since the last century, a bond made famous especially by brands such as Citizen, Seiko, Casio, and Grand Seiko.

In this article we will learn about some of the Japanese master watchmakers and their extraordinary creations.

Hajime Asaoka

The first among the independent Japanese watchmakers we want to tell you about is Hajime Asaoka, considered one of Japan’s most important and recognized watchmakers.

Born in 1965, he graduated from Tokyo University of Arts, creating, in 1992, his own independent design company. In 2005, he was commissioned to design a watch; an experience that enraptured him enough to create a brand that still bears his name. In 2009, the first entirely Japanese-made tourbillon wristwatch was born from his designs, and then he actually launched his brand in 2011.

Although his top-quality creations are produced under the brand that bears his name, Asaoka has gained some notoriety through a sub-brand of mechanical watchmaking, Kurono Tokyo, characterized by more affordable prices of around 3,000 euros. This brand, particularly during the pandemic, attracted considerable attention.

Last July, spurred by the success his two projects are experiencing, Asaoka decided to launch a third, relaunching a now extinct Japanese brand, Takano.
The brand was born in 1899 producing mainly table and wall clocks, to concentrate from 1957 on the production of wristwatches, becoming a supplier of watches for military forces.

Unfortunately competing with giants such as Citizen and Seiko, the brand was unsuccessful in wristwatch production, ceasing production in 1959 and being purchased a few years later by Ricoh.

Naoya Hida

We continue with Naoya Hida, owner of the Tokyo-based brand of the same name, now internationally recognized as one of Japan’s leading independent watchmakers. The brand’s production is extremely limited and, as the founder repeatedly explained, is inspired by the classic watchmaking of the 1930s-60s. The design recalls European stylistic traits, but enriched with incredible Japanese precision and craftsmanship.

The watches available for purchase, if you are lucky enough to be selected, range from classic round cases to the new Type 5A rectangular-case model, introduced in 2024 and inspired by the Cartier Étanche à Double Boîtier, a waterproof example produced in the 1940s.

The world of Japanese independent watch enthusiasts was particularly amazed this year: considering the only 243 pieces made in six years by Naoya, the launch of a new shape-caliber watch represented a truly extraordinary novelty.

One of the brand’s most famous models is the Type 3B-1, a steel watch with a 37 mm gold bezel, equipped with hours, minutes and moon phases.

If, looking at the picture, you fell in love with it, I regret to inform you that only five examples will be produced in the next two years.

Kiuchi Nakagawa

Independent Japanese watchmakers include the Kikuchi Nakagawa brand, founded by watchmaker Tomonari Nakagawa and designer Yusuke Kikuchi in 2012, following a meeting in Paris. At the time, Kikuchi was attending a watchmaking school and then gaining experience in watch repair at a workshop.

Meanwhile, Nakagawa had initially trained as a sword finisher, a crucial experience that allowed him to transfer his metalworking skills to the watchmaking field, finding employment with Citizen. Their previous experiences, combined with their love of 1930s watchmaking, emerge clearly in the timepieces they produce.

There are currently two models in the catalog. The first is the Murakumo, with a steel case and a dial equipped with small seconds at six o’clock, available in a black and a white configuration with Breguet numerals. The second is the Ichimonji, which shares the same features but adopts a sportier look, thanks to baton hands and Arabic numerals. Given the exceptional quality of finish and attention to detail, production does not exceed ten pieces per year.

Masahiro Kikuno

Kikuno is perhaps the most interesting and faithful interpreter of the Japanese watchmaking tradition among Japan’s independent watchmakers, with creations characterized by extremely meticulous workmanship and the use of the highest quality complications, including the Wadokei: a traditional system of timekeeping based on the alternation of the seasons and the movements of the sun.

As proof of Masahiro’s exceptional craftsmanship, the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants welcomed him as its first, and so far only, member of Japanese nationality.

As he himself admitted, his favorite watch is the Wa-Dokei Rev, a milestone in his career. This timepiece marks time, a method widely used between the 1600s and the mid-19th century.

Making and adapting such gauges to a wristwatch was an extremely complex challenge for the Japanese craftsman, but it enabled him to further solidify his international reputation.

Masa’s Pastime

In Tokyo’s well-known Kichijoji district, famous for its many stores selling antiques and collectibles, including watches of all kinds, stands Masa’s Pastime, a store specializing in the repair and maintenance of timepieces.

For the past few years, however, the workshop has been doing more than just maintenance: it has been creating new watches with an unmistakable Japanese flair. This initiative stems from the boundless passion of Masa Nakajima, the store’s owner, and the requests of customers, who are often fascinated by the idea of fitting ancient pocket gauges, dating back hundreds of years, into modern wristwatch cases.

After a period of inactivity, the project of making an all-Japanese watch was resumed early last year. The creation of the first two pieces in April and the production of eight more by the middle of next year represent an important milestone in the independent watchmaking scene.

Ōtsuka Lōtec

Another brand that attracted considerable interest this year among Japanese independent watchmakers because of its truly unique designs was Ōtsuka Lōtec. Confirming how well this brand is working, the maison earned the GPHG’s Challenge Award, reserved for creations under $3,000 list price.

The award in particular went to model number 6, which features a sandblasted steel case and dial, with both hour and minute displays of the retrograde type, with two baton hands set at six o’clock. The watch also features a day of the month display, positioned at four o’clock.

Jiro Katayama, the mastermind behind this brand, given the limited production, has decided to reserve his creations only for Japanese customers, and especially after the success of the GPHG award, this has led to prices on the second wrist market well above the list price, even above EUR 10,000.

Bonus: Credor

Although not to be considered among independent Japanese watchmakers, being a brand owned by Seiko, we wanted to add Credor, a high-end brand launched by Seiko in 1974 with the goal of creating a stand-alone brand representing the pinnacle of Japanese watchmaking, to this list.

The Masterpiece collection is an example of this, making simplicity but, at the same time attention to detail, its strong point.

This year the brand reintroduced to the catalog the Locomotive, a watch with a hexagonal case and integrated bracelet designed for the brand in 1978 by Gérald Genta, thus adding a watch with a sporty character to the offering.

Conclusion

With this article I hope to have introduced you to an incredible part of watchmaking not yet known enough, by us European enthusiasts, but which is becoming more and more popular thanks to the incredible quality of movements and finishing of every single detail that we find in these fantastic Japanese watches.

Having kicked off your curiosity in the world of independent Japanese watchmakers, when is a trip to discover them in the Land of the Rising Sun?

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