• M, WP Design Engineering Department (ExteriorDesign)


• ●Favourite colour = green
  I’m a fan of Matsumoto Yamaga Football Club in the J-League, and their team colour is green! Seiko Epson is actually the main official sponsor of the team.


• ●Favourite food = soba noodles
  The Shinshu region is famous for its soba (buckwheat) noodles. The reason for this is that not only can you harvest high-quality buckwheat here, but the water is very pure as well. Clean water is also important in watch making.

What is the appeal of Orient Star?

I would say that above all, it’s the unique designs that set it apart from other brands. The background stories behind the designs and product concepts are distinctive and very well crafted, too.

Tell us the name of your favourite watch.

Right now, the model I wear the most is the M42 Diver 1964 2nd Edition F6 Date 200ｍ Titanium (RK-AU0701B *Japan limited model). I bought it last October as soon as it was released, partly because I designed the model and feel an attachment to it.

What attracted you to it?

I lead an active lifestyle and love sports so when I buy a watch I often gravitate towards diver’s designs, but this is my first diver’s watch made of titanium. When I began wearing it in daily life, I was struck by titanium’s lightness and ease of use. The 50-hour power reserve is also attractive. In case you are wondering, the Orient watch I usually wear is the M-FORCE model.

What do you like about the design?

The dial is simple and stylish! Also, it has a distinctive hour hand. I previously worked on the designs of Orient Star’s M45 F7 Mechanical Moon Phase and M34 F8 Date models, but this is the first diver’s watch that I was involved in designing. It made me reaffirm my love for diver’s watches.

If you were to buy another model, what would it be?

It would be the M34 Avant-garde F8 Skeleton (RE-BZ0001S). The dial and hands were designed not by me but by a colleague whom I respect, and it turned into a very cool watch. At Orient Star, we work as a team by combining different parts to create a single product together. To borrow the slogan of Yamaga Football Club, we work as “One Soul” [laughs].

Why are you attracted to this particular model? Also, what points do you consider when choosing a watch?

This is an excellently designed watch. The skeleton reveals the movement underneath, and it features a beautiful blue silicon escape wheel that was developed in-house. As you can see, it’s an intricately designed watch. When you actually hold it in your hand you notice how surprisingly small it is, so I would recommend it for both men and women. When choosing a watch, the points you should consider are whether it suits you, and whether it represents who you are as a person.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

●Editor’s note

The portrait for this interview was shot at Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. Known as the “Switzerland of the East,” the area of Suwa is suited to precision instrument-making due to its low rainfall and beautiful water. It’s been eighty-two years since Daiwa Kogyo, the predecessor of Seiko Epson, was founded in Suwa. Our next instalment will feature another employee with plenty of personality who will share their love for their favourite watch. Don’t miss it!