Otsuka Low-Tech, which has developed a unique world with industrial designs and unique mechanisms created by Jiro Katayama, has announced its first manufacture movement, the new "No. 9," featuring a complex mechanism.
Text by CCFan (Watch Media Online)
Edited by Yuto Hosoda (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2025 issue of Kronos Japan]
Otsuka Lowtec's new product "No. 9"
This square-shaped watch evokes a yearning for complex machines encased in glass (transparent material), such as retro electricity meters and vacuum tubes. It's the brand's first complication watch equipped with an in-house movement, and comes with a one-year warranty. Manual winding (Cal. SSGT). 30 jewels + 5 ball bearings. 18,000 vph. Power reserve of approximately 40 hours. Stainless steel case (48mm x 30mm, 13mm thick). Water resistant for everyday use. Price: 17.6 million yen (tax included).
Unlike previous models that combine their own display module with a base movement, Otsuka Low-Tech's "No. 9" has finally been announced, with most of the base part designed and produced in-house.
The highlight of this watch is undoubtedly its Caliber SSGT. The name "SuShiGeTa" derives from the way the complex mechanisms (or "neta")—including a tourbillon with a custom-made balance wheel, a jumping hour and rewinding minute display on a transparent sapphire crystal disc, and the hourstriking and power reserve—are all mounted on a square baseplate, evoking the image of sushi clogs (SuShiGeTa). A particularly distinctive feature is the rewinding minute display, located at the very front and center. This is a kind of retrograde mechanism using a disc, with the minute scale markings not around the entire disc but over a half-circle plus a little. Every hour on the hour, the energy stored in the central torque storage hairspring resets the display to zero. This movement advances the jumping hour by one notch and strikes the hour-striking hammer. Taking advantage of the transparency of the disc, the base of the hour and minute displays is inlaid with luminous paint, ensuring readability in both bright and dark environments.
The gong for the hourstriking is one of the motifs of this work, and has been hand-bent into a complex shape reminiscent of the voltage and current coils of a mechanical power meter (induction watt-hour meter). While emphasizing the mechanical design, the linear shape creates a contrast with the rotating gears and discs.
The power reserve is indicated by a linear indicator, which extends from a rod-shaped pointer. The tourbillon is relatively hidden at the back, which is interesting in its understated appearance. No. 9 is a "culmination" of his previous works. I highly recommend seeing the actual watch.
