Celebrating 120 years rooted in Kobe, Kamine, a specialist watch and jewelry store, unveils its unique timepieces.

Since its founding in 1906, Kamine, a long-established watch and jewelry specialty store rooted in Kobe, is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, Kamine has collaborated with three brands—Grand Seiko, Laurent Ferrier, and NAOYA HIDA & Co.—to release special timepieces that only Kamine could create. Furthermore, an unveiling event for these special models was held recently, and we will introduce the event along with comments from key figures from each brand and from Toru Kamine himself.

Kobe's long-established watch and jewelry store "Kamine" celebrates its 120th anniversary.

　Kamine, a watch and jewelry specialty store that started its history in 1906 and now has 10 stores in Kobe, will celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2026. To commemorate this milestone, three brands—Grand Seiko, Laurent Ferrier, and NAOYA HIDA & Co.—have released commemorative models. These four commemorative models, made possible only by Kamine, which has a history of creating anniversary models and has handled numerous luxury watch brands in Kobe for many years, were launched at an event held at The Orient Kobe on June 5th. Toru Kamine, the current President and CEO of Kamine Co., Ltd., and key figures from the three brands were surrounded by Yu Sekiguchi, Editor-in-Chief of 'HODINKEE Japan', Masaharu Wada, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Masayuki Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of 'Chronos Japan', and men's fashion writer Naomi Maruyama. The highlights of each model and the stories behind their development were revealed, including things that "cannot be written in articles."

Looking back at past anniversary models

　The launch event began with a greeting from Toru Kamine, the fourth president of Kamine.

"We have created special models for Kamine's 100th and 110th anniversaries. For this 120th anniversary, we were able to create a watch that reflects various eras and symbolizes each period, after tough negotiations, including deciding which brands to commission. Everything is for our customers, and we have created this commemorative model to mark our 120th anniversary, a milestone in which we have always walked the path of putting the customer first. We wanted our valued customers, who have supported us over the years, to see it first, so we have invited you to this launch event. As watchmakers, it is a joy and an honor to be able to show our anniversary model to everyone gathered here. Thank you very much."

　Furthermore, a look back at past anniversary models was also presented. From Philippe Dufour to Jaeger-LeCoultre, FP Journe, and Laurent Ferrier, the audience reflected on the lineup and the history of Camine.

　When Sekiguchi brought up the topic by saying, "It must be difficult to release anniversary models like this every 10 years," Hirota replied, "The reason Kamine can do things like this is because we have the great strength of being a specialty store for watches and jewelry. Because we are a specialty store, all the staff are knowledgeable. Moreover, our customers are also knowledgeable. In other words, if there is a special timepiece, there are people who will be moved by it, and for the brands (that we collaborate with), it leads to a sense of security that 'Kamine has been handling watches for many years so they will handle it properly.'"

　However, Uekane chuckled and said, "When creating anniversary models, there are always issues with quantity and price. If we mass-produce, it becomes indistinguishable from limited edition models of major brands. We proceeded with negotiations on the premise of releasing a reasonable quantity at a price that everyone would be satisfied with, but that was a struggle."

Grand Seiko's "Evolution 9 Collection": First model available exclusively at watch specialty stores.

　The Kamine 120th Anniversary commemorative model released by Grand Seiko is the "Evolution 9 Collection" Ref. SLGH037. Kiyotaka Sakai, Seiko's watch designer, known for establishing the "Evolution 9 Style," Grand Seiko's new design language, and for designing the popular "Heritage Collection" Ref. SLGH005, also known as "Shirakaba," took the stage as a key person in its creation. Kamine first mentioned that there were high hurdles from the negotiation stage of the collaboration. This is because, since its introduction in 2020, there had never been a limited edition model released in collaboration with a watch store from the Evolution 9 Collection.

"I previously served as the chairman of AJHH (Japan Association of Authorized High-End Watchmakers), and during that time, I created an AJHH limited edition model. When we were planning the 120th anniversary model, I told Seiko that I wanted the limited edition to be from the Evolution 9 collection, but they kept saying, 'That's absolutely not going to happen' (laughs)."

　Uekane continued to recount his struggles, but it was finally realized, and Hirota was impressed, saying, "Uekane's strong will."

　The highlight of this model is its dial, which is inspired by the sea of ​​Kobe.

"The dial of this 120th-anniversary model is inspired by the calm sea of ​​Kobe, and is a grayish color with a bluish tint rather than a pure blue. I'm from Yokohama, so I feel a sense of kinship with it. I wanted to capture the beautiful feeling of the sea, the image of it sparkling in early summer, and the surface of the water," (Sakai)

"I was deeply moved when it was finished. I gave him a lot of feedback before it was completed, telling him that the dial color wasn't ideal. I live in a place where I can see Kobe Port, and I wanted to capture the sparkling effect of the water's surface illuminated by the morning sun, and the deep blue color, on the dial. He (Sakai) has created wonderful, artistic dials such as 'birch trees' and 'water surfaces,' so I had high expectations that he could definitely do it." (Kamimine)

"Honestly... this color was really difficult (laughs). If the blue is too deep, the color becomes dull. The image of the sea in Kobe is a little lighter, and we needed to get that subtle balance right. With blue, even a slight difference in shade completely changes the impression. Not only the color, but also expressing this pattern with stamping was difficult. The first version we made was too sparkly, so we had to be careful about how to tone that down." (Sakai)

"The fact that this pattern is created using stamping rather than engraving is unique to Japan. I also want people to appreciate the skill in dial manufacturing. If the stamped pattern is made too prominent, the indices will be lost, but they have managed to strike a clear balance in that regard. It's not simply a matter of making it finer. It's impressive how they responded to Mr. Uekane's unreasonable request for 'Kobe's sea'." (Hirota)

"Each of Mr. Sakai's watches has a story behind it. The image of the surface of Lake Suwa, the expression of 'Omiwatari' (a phenomenon where ice cracks across the lake)... It was because I was moved by these stories that it led to the story about the sea in Kobe." (Kamimine)

　Aside from the dial, it is identical to the regular Evolution 9 collection models equipped with the Cal. 9SA5 movement. Uekane and Sakai also emphasized this point as a positive feature.

"The Cal.9SA5 is a high-precision movement that achieves a power reserve of approximately 80 hours while maintaining a high beat rate (10 vibrations per second) thanks to its dual impulse escapement. It would have been impossible to achieve anything better with domestic production. That's why we deliberately chose this movement. It's a watch that is not only visually stunning but also has a wonderful inner workings." (Kamikone)

Laurent Ferrier offers a cloisonné model designed by Anita Porsche!

　Following their collaboration on the 110th anniversary, Laurent Ferrier will also be collaborating on the 120th-anniversary model. Luca Orduña, President and CEO of Swiss Prime Brands, the sole importer of the brand and Romain Gauthier in Japan, made an appearance and held a talk session with Uekane.

　When the 120th-anniversary model for the brand was launched, it caused a stir at the venue. It was a "Classic Tourbillon" with an enamel dial created by Anita Porsche.

　Anita Porsche is, of course, a renowned Swiss enamel artist. Hirota couldn't help but praise her, saying, "Anita is one of the world's leading enamel artists. You normally can't get her to make something for you. You did a great job. The design is also interesting." As is typical of Anita Porsche's work, who excels at miniature painting, the cloisonné technique is used.

"We had a picture of Kobe Port from the era of modernization, and we showed her several variations of it, and she chose the design for this dial. For the 120th anniversary, and with Kobe as the theme, we wanted a picture like this (rather than something simple). Of course, this could only have been realized thanks to the trust between Laurent Ferrier and Anita," (Kamikone)

"For Mr. Uekane, it was a dream to create a 120th-anniversary model using Anita's enamel. When he told Laurent about it, she said, 'If it's President Uekane's request,' and proceeded to negotiate directly with Anita," (Orduña).

　Uekane also emphasized the importance of the collaboration with Laurent Ferrier.

"Following our 110th anniversary, we collaborated with Laurent Ferrier again because the brand's watches have incredibly beautiful forms. The soft curves of these watches suit Japanese tastes, and I personally love them. Since the 110th anniversary, I've been making unreasonable requests to Laurent (laughs). The essence of Laurent Ferrier's brilliance lies in the balance between the thickness and diameter (of the case). This model has a diameter of 39mm and a substantial thickness. Furthermore, the case back features a tourbillon. And not just any tourbillon, but one with two balance springs. It exudes a sense of luxury. I was convinced that combining this Laurent Ferrier wristwatch with Anita Porsche's enamel would be the perfect combination."

"The case diameter of a regular Classic Tourbillon is 40mm, but this 120th anniversary model is 1mm smaller. Also, it doesn't have a seconds hand, and the color of the outer ring on the dial and the dots placed every 5 minutes have been changed. All of these are to make Anita's artwork look beautiful. Moreover, it's not just a 'painting,' but this dial is cloisonné, so the design is created by making a frame with metal wire and pouring enamel into it, which makes it even more difficult to manufacture," (Orduña)

　The surprises at the venue didn't stop there. Three more 120th-anniversary models with enamel dials were also on display. These three models also utilized the cloisonné technique and were produced by the Anita Porsche Studio.

　The dials of these three watches feature passenger pigeons. Having long admired Vacheron Constantin's "Audubon," a masterpiece by Anita Porsche, Uekane had always dreamed of creating a wristwatch with a bird motif, and his wish has finally come true.

"The passenger pigeon is not extinct now, but it was once a bird that flew long distances between continents, like a carrier pigeon. We incorporated the meaning of it being a bridge between distant Switzerland and Kobe. The dial was made by young apprentices at Anita's studio." (Kamikone)

"This enamel production studio is supervised by Anita, and she is involved in the initial and final stages of the process. Anita values ​​craftsmen and has a strong belief in nurturing the next generation of artisans," (Orduña)

"The dial is of high quality and has a charming, sophisticated feel that is typical of Anita. It shows that her skills are being properly passed down to the younger generation. I was surprised that Mr. Kamizono chose a bird, but I understand the reason after hearing it. As can be said of the Grand Seiko that was unveiled earlier, the watches that President Kamizono chooses are characterized not so much by their details, but by their overall high level of perfection as a complete watch package." (Hirota)

"I believe that a wristwatch is only worthwhile if it has substance inside. This trilogy also features a micro-rotor automatic movement, which is difficult to manufacture. It's not just about the looks." (Kamikone)

　However, only one model was displayed at this launch event. The other models were still under development at the time of the event.

"Anita is an artist. She has a studio and home in nature, and she creates her work in nature. She probably doesn't know what time is like." (Ordunya)

"I have always strongly felt that we must pass on this kind of culture, including the artistry of watchmaking, to future generations. That's why creating unique pieces like this one is an important job. I think Anita shares that sentiment as well," (Kamikone)

Even Naoya Hida is struggling? 120th anniversary model created with NAOYA HIDA & Co.

　The last item to be unveiled was a collaboration model with NAOYA HIDA & Co., founded by Naoya Tobita, with whom Uekane has had a close friendship for over 30 years, as Uekane himself laughed and said, "We're inseparable." Of course, Tobita himself took the stage.

"NAOYA HIDA & Co. watches are incredibly popular and sell out almost instantly as soon as they're released. They primarily sell directly to customers, but there are only two shops in the world that sell Mr. Hida's watches. One is The Armoury, run by Mark Cho, and the other is Kamine," says Hirota.

"I founded the brand in 2018 and started selling watches the following year. There were seven of our first model, the 'NH TYPE1,' and among the customers who purchased it were Mark Cho and Mr. Uekane. Because of that connection, we hold trunk shows for my brand at these two stores," (Tobita)

"I've known him for 30 years, but after he left Ralph Lauren, we lost touch for a while. Then, after some time, he contacted me at Baselworld. When I heard he was making watches, I thought, 'Really?' (laughs). Making a watch from scratch is an incredibly difficult task. After I returned to Japan and saw his work, I immediately decided to buy it. I truly wanted it, and I still cherish it," Uekane said, to which Tobita responded with a smile, "I'm honored."

　This long-standing connection between the two led to the creation of the 120th-anniversary model.

　The model launched was the "NH TYPE1D-6," which features a dark gray dial. This is the final model of the fourth generation of the NH TYPE1, which Uekane also purchased. According to Tobita, when production of the 120th anniversary model began about three years ago, the NH TYPE1 was chosen from models that were being manufactured at the time and that would likely still be in the lineup three years later. Uekane commented thoughtfully, "I felt that his brand really wanted to create an anniversary model using the NH TYPE1, which was the very first model they ever made."

"However, Mr. Tobita hardly ever listens to what I have to say, so we were constantly battling (during the production process)," Uekane said, prompting Tobita to talk about the development secrets. Tobita retorted, "Not at all, I'm making it up," drawing laughter from the audience.

"Mr. Kamimine's first request was that the dial be different from the regular NH TYPE1. Up until then, the dial had only been available in silver, and there were no other colors. So we used DLC (diamond-like carbon) to create a dark gray dial. Furthermore, silver hands were to be fitted through this dial. Because the hands would be fitted through it, we initially proposed using stainless steel for the dial and giving it a perfect finish. However, Mr. Kamimine expressed concerns, saying, 'Looking at it in the long term, I'm worried about corrosion. Certainly, if it's polished to a shine, it won't corrode, but what if there are any areas that aren't polished properly...?' As a result, it ended up being manufactured with the only NH TYPE1 with an 18K white gold dial." (Tobita)

"It's a minor point, but even setting aside the corrosion issue, using white gold resulted in a finish that's different from stainless steel, with a certain smoothness to it," (Kamikone)

"We've also put some thought into the minute markers on the outer edge of the dial, and the small seconds marker at the 9 o'clock position. Initially, we planned to use nickel silver for these parts, but the color would have looked dull against the DLC dial. So, we switched to argentium silver, which we started using last year. It doesn't tarnish, and the contrast stands out clearly, which is something I'm very happy with," says Tobita.

　Furthermore, the logo at the 6 o'clock position also reflects an extraordinary commitment to quality.

"My personal preferences are also reflected in the width of the logo at the 6 o'clock position. Just 'KAMINE' was too small and left a lot of white space, so I experimented with adding something like 'Co.' or 'KK.' In the end, 'KAMINE 1906' was the perfect width. I love double signatures, and it was one of the things I wanted to do in this collaboration with Kamine-san." (Tobita)

　Apparently, there are also some "unreasonable demands" from Uekane regarding the index.

"We even received an unreasonable request: 'We want Roman numerals.' And what's more, it had to be hand-engraved by Mr. Kano (Keisuke Kano, the engraver at NAOYA HIDA & Co.). For this model, the indices were engraved first, and then white cashew lacquer was poured into them. It's a point where we were able to bring out our unique texture. By the way, our indices are basically only Arabic numerals. You're the only company that uses Roman numerals (laughs)." (Hida)

"The moment I saw the finished model, I was surprised at how much better it was than I had expected, about ten times better. It had a real aura about it." (Kamikone)

The enjoyable evening continued as customers admired the 120th-anniversary commemorative models on display.

　This event, held at The Orient Kobe to celebrate Kamine's 120th anniversary, featured the unveiling of the 120th-anniversary commemorative model. Following this, a social gathering was held in the space where the rare timepieces were displayed. In addition to Toru Kamine himself, key figures from each brand also attended the gathering, engaging in lively discussions and Q&A sessions with customers.

　Watching the customers leave with satisfied expressions, I was once again reminded of Kamine's customer-first philosophy and was reminded of its long-lasting future in the city of Kobe.