Seiko's "Exclusive Watch Exhibition" features unique and interesting watches that are "exciting, thrilling, and surprising."

Having been covering watches since the 1990s, I honestly sometimes feel like saying, "I'm getting bored of them." This is because about 80% of new watches are evolved versions of "classic" models or "color changes," and there are very few watches that are "excited, thrilled, and surprising." However, a design event where you can find such watches is currently being held in Harajuku, Tokyo. It's Seiko's "Extremely Exclusive Watch Exhibition."

Conservative is the "royal road" of watch design

　At the beginning, I wrote that I'm getting bored with 80% of new watches. But that's not the fault of the watch brands. The reason this happens is because the market, that is, watch journalists like me and many watch enthusiasts like you who read this watch column, are conservative. This is because, rather than watches with innovative functions and designs, people want watches like Rolex or reissues of classic watches from the past that have "greatly evolved internally since the old days, but the basic design remains the same."

　In the case of luxury watches in particular, when considering their symbolism as fashion icons and their value as easily transferable movable assets, in other words, their "investment value," it is best for the design to be conservative and "orthodox" so that anyone can instantly recognize at a glance, "Ah, that's that watch from that brand." This is the biggest difference between watch design and the design of cars and home appliances, whose designs inevitably evolve along with their functions.

　Unfortunately, the watch industry is a place where it is difficult to create watches with previously unseen functions and designs. However, watch designers, who are the creators, cannot rest on their laurels.

　To address this issue, the Seiko Watch Design Department has been holding a project called the "Power Design Project" once a year, with some gaps in between, to exhibit works created by its designers who challenge new possibilities in watch design. The theme of the previous project was "REBIRTH," a modern redesign of past models.

A watch designer takes on the challenge of creating the "exclusive watch you want"!

　The "Extremely Exclusive Wristwatch Exhibition" we're introducing today is the 2024 edition. It's being held from Friday, January 19th to March 31st at Seiko Seed, located right in front of Harajuku Station in Tokyo.

　When I received the invitation email, I only looked at the title of the event and thought, "I wonder if I'll be able to see special watches for professionals in various fields." I missed the trick hidden in the word "too" in "too exclusive." It's a very conservative, or rather, ordinary way of thinking.

　However, when I visited the venue, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were many unique and interesting watches filled with unexpected excitement, thrills, and surprises. Among them were several that made me think, "If they were to be commercialized, I would definitely want them."

Have fun and freely interpret "exclusive to XX"!

　There are a total of seven pieces on display this time. The watch designers have had fun creating these pieces, interpreting the theme of "dedicated to XX" freely and personally, without being bound by conventional wisdom. They are all very interesting.

　By the way, the seven "dedicated" works are: 1) for hide-and-seek, 2) for pattern makers, 3) for sukiyaki, 4) for panda lovers, 5) for masking tape lovers, 6) for sunny people, and 7) for ambidextrous people.

　Even the most imaginative and intuitive person would not be able to tell what kind of watch it is just from the name. Perhaps they can vaguely imagine the purpose and function of the watch. However, each of the seven watches has an interesting "craftsmanship" that goes beyond expectations, or perhaps shows attention to detail.

　I'm going to refrain from spoiling the contents of the seven works here. After all, the exhibition is still ongoing. To do so would ruin the precious thrill, excitement, and surprise that the works provide. Seiko Watch, the organizer of the exhibition, likely thinks so too. The press release only includes the names of the works and close-up photos of only a small portion of them.

　This is an exhibition that can be enjoyed by anyone, from adults to children, so if you have a chance to go to Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji Jingumae, or Omotesando, be sure to stop by and see and touch the works. Whether you're a watch lover or not, you're sure to experience a sense of excitement, thrill, and amazement.

Exhibition summary

Exhibition: “power design project 2024”
Dates: Friday, January 19th, 2024 to Sunday, March 31st, 2024 *Open every day during the event
Venue: Seiko Seed
Location: WITH HARAJUKU 1F, 1-14-30 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Event hours: 11:00-20:00 (entry until 19:45)
Admission: Free
Special site:https://www.seiko-design.com/powerdesignproject2024/