The Japanese watch brands you need to know now

Naoya Hida & Co is based in Chuo-ku in central Tokyo, and since 2018, Hida-san has carved his own niche on the Japanese indie scene. The brand’s monochrome Type 1 to 4 collection has carefully evolved as a collection, with notable limited collaborations with The Armoury spicing up the range. Simple, textured dials in German silver with engraved, lacquer-filled numerals are set in slim cases for a recognisable language based on a deep appreciation of the power of perfectly honed small details. This spring, Naoya Hida surprised us with a 37mm interpretation of a perpetual calendar, a grained Sterling silver dial boasting blued pointers and hour and minute hands from hand-formed 18K yellow gold. The NH Type 6A dial is inhabited by a wealth of information elaborately engraved by the skilled hands of engraver Keisuke Kano. The new Cal.3025PC movement in the NH Type 6A was designed with ex-IWC legend Richard Habring and Dubois Dépraz.

As Japanese independent brands go, Kikuchi Nakagawa is one of the most quietly spoken, both in terms of their classical design language and literally, as the production is very limited. The brand has a distinctive, monochromatic presence with a small yearly production based on two models, the Murakumo and Ichimonji. Kikuchi Nakagawa is the only brand that bases their collection on a 37mm black polished steel case, a remarkably time-consuming technique usually reserved for movement parts. This devotion to finishing means the KN production is very limited, and order books are routinely being closed with a 3-4 year wait for an order. But it doesn’t take a loupe to deeply appreciate the level to which each part of a Murakumo is finished. This watch has been the signature piece of Yusuki Kikuchi and Tomonari Nakagawa since its 2018 inception, their ethos inspired by what Kikuchi-san and Tomonori Nakagawa consider the golden age of watchmaking, the 1930s to 1950s. You will see distinct traces of Patek Philippe in the 36.8mm case, but the Murakumo has a strong identity distinguished by having what might be the world’s best set of hands-polished spade hands.

Hajime Asaoka is the main reason for the world’s appreciation for Japanese independent watchmaking, and in addition to his eponymous Atélier brand, Kurono Tokyo was created for a simple reason. Asaoka-san is a self-taught watchmaker and was the first Asian member of the prestigious Swiss AHCI, the official association of independent watchmakers. And ironically, his handcrafted haute horology pieces were time-consuming enough to negate the possibility of time left over to make a watch of his own creation that he himself could wear. Kurono (phonetic Japanese for Chrono) has become the go-to brand for accessible Japanese indie chic. Kurono Watches are designed by Hajime Asaoka, keeping to his trademark Art Deco language and small-cased comfort. This includes the first watch to be released this year, the Jubilee Sensu EOL. This is Asaoka-san’s second design with a guilloche dial, and the brand’s much anticipated Anniversary watch. Set in Kurono’s trademark polished 38mm case, a greenish-blue guilloche dial with Kanji characters set a vibrant tone for a watch featuring a black onyx cabochon marking Hajime Asaoka’s own 60^th Diamond Jubilee, set into the rounded crown, another brand first. The heartfelt attention to detail is remarkable for the price, and as with all Kurono releases, this version is limited and will not be reproduced.

Otsuka Lotec is the brainchild of Japanese watchmaker Jiro Katayama and offers a contrasting semi-industrial vibe to the Japanese polished aesthetic. With a limited production mostly assembled by Katayama-san, he won a GPHG award in Geneva last November. Please take note that this was accomplished despite the fact that his less than 200 watches a year have only been available for the Japanese market. And even with this pure JDM approach, the production output has been allocated to interested domestic collectors via a raffle, as his mostly sub-£ 3K watches offer big, micro-engineered bang for the Yen. This year’s single release was the No.5 Kai, a watch that in context can be seen as a slim-cased, tall-crystal take on the industrial vibe of Urwerk. It is a highly complex, open-worked design with a fascinating satellite hour display, where Jiro Katayama produces all the principal components in-house. The design is based on a barely recognisable solid Miyota movement, a detail that helps the No.5 Kai maintain a very reasonable price.