Masa's Pastime "Nayuta Model": The story of an original watch created by a team

Masa's Pastime, a renowned watch restoration workshop, has produced a completely original watch called the "Nayuta Model." This was made possible by Nayuta Shinohara, a watchmaker who has been with the company for three years, and the definite teamwork.

Masa's Pastime original watches "Nayuta Model A" and "Nayuta Model B"

　Located in Kichijoji, Tokyo, Masa's Pastime is a watch restoration workshop run by Masaharu Nakajima. In addition to repairing, restoring, and selling antique watches, the workshop also offers bespoke production, including custom-making and engraving of watches from the movement itself, according to customer requests. In recent years, the workshop has also launched a project to create original watches, which were commercialized in 2023.

　The central figure in this project is Nayuta Shinohara, who has been with Masa's Pastime since 21. Shinohara began training at Masa's Pastime while studying at Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry, and soon became involved in the production of original watches. Nakajima had had an idea for an original watch for some time, and meeting Shinohara helped bring this idea to fruition.

　Approximately two years have passed since the project began. Two original watches have finally been completed. One is the "Nayuta Model A," which features a guilloched dial with hand-engraved Breguet numerals and a small seconds hand at 6 o'clock. The other is the "Nayuta Model B," a two-hand watch with a sector dial and bar indexes.

　What's noteworthy about this original watch is the movement, designed and manufactured by Shinohara. The Nayuta Model A's escapement is particularly interesting. The balance wheel is made of a new material called "Alboron." Alboron is a composite material developed by Advanced Composites (Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture), consisting of approximately 60% aluminum and 40% ceramic. Lightweight and easy to process, it's also highly rigid, making it ideal for parts that handle rotation and high-speed vibrations. However, this is the first time it's been used in a wristwatch. When asked why Alboron was used, Shinohara cited the importance of "lightness." This movement features a free-sprung balance wheel, with a platinum mass slot attached to the balance wheel. While heavy platinum allows for greater tolerances during precision adjustment, it also presents the challenge of making the balance wheel itself heavier. Therefore, Alboron contributes to the balance wheel's lighter weight. The Nayuta Model A's see-through back allows for viewing of the regulator, which takes up a significant portion of the movement. The goal is to achieve accuracy up to COSC levels.

　On the other hand, the Nayuta Model B does not use Alboron and has a solid back, so the movement cannot be seen. It is said that the precision is not as high as that of the Nayuta Model A. However, Shinohara says that this model is "the design I wanted to create." The Nayuta Model A is based on the concept of the classic design seen in antique watches, but this model was designed from scratch by Shinohara, and the dial incorporates that idea. Indeed, the organic pattern floating in the center of the sector dial is an accent to the simple design, allowing you to enjoy its subtle originality.

　However, what makes these two original watches so unique is the way the project was carried out. As mentioned above, Shinohara began creating the original watches immediately after joining Masa's Pastime. At the time, store owner Nakajima left everything to Shinohara and did not interfere in the product development process. "I watched, wondering how it would turn out. This project had no deadline, and the longer it took, the more money it would cost. I also worried about whether it would even be viable as a product. However, my biggest concern was that dividing up each process and dispersing responsibility would result in a mediocre product, with no clear purpose or purpose. That's why I decided to entrust Shinohara with the project, even though he was a newcomer." Still, it's difficult to make the decision to entrust a project that requires significant time and effort to a newcomer. Nakajima continued, "When a product isn't well-received in the market, the person who made it suffers the most is the person who made it."

　However, both agree that the realization of the original watch was not the work of Shinohara alone, but rather the work of the team at Masa's Pastime. "I don't have the skills to do all the processes 100%, including the fine finishing, so I work with the help of those around me. Also, rather than making it by myself, I try to incorporate the opinions of other staff members to create a better product," says Shinohara.

　The reason behind saying that this watch was "accomplished by a team" is likely due to the collaborative nature of the work, with Kento Sasaki exchanging opinions and finishing the movement during the development stage, and Kei Tsujimoto creating the dial for the Nayuta Model A. However, Nakajima emphasized that the current state of the original watch is the result of the teamwork of those around him who supported the project. "Staff members who were not involved in the project also supported the development by performing their regular duties. Shinohara and Sasaki were directly involved in the production, but I believe that it was all the staff who made it possible for it to be completed."

　After orders for the Nayuta model began, there were more applications than expected, so a lottery was held. Many orders were also received from overseas. In order to meet these needs, the company will continue to manufacture the Nayuta model, while also simultaneously progressing with Nakajima's original watch production project.

　The original watches that are supported, nurtured, and created by the team are sure to show even greater growth in the future.