The Gear Baton Dialogue has been well-received, with Chronos Editor-in-Chief Masamasa Hirota passionately discussing the appeal and attention to detail of watches.
At the end of last year, we held a special edition, inviting Tomonari Nakagawa of the independent watch manufacturer KIKUCHI NAKAGAWA as a guest to discuss the "conditions for a good watch."
This was the first time that the Gear Baton was held in an open format, and it was conducted in a casual style that allowed selected attendees to easily participate.
Participants commented, "Listening to the talk while actually looking at the clock made it more convincing," "It was a great time because I was able to ask the questions I wanted to ask directly," and "What I was most happy about was being able to hear the two of them speak directly."
produced by MITSUKOSHI WORLD WATCH GALLERY
Tomonari Nakagawa "The perfect balance between certainty and challenge" 1
Masamasa Hirota, Editor-in-Chief of Kronos Japan
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Representative of KIKUCHI NAKAGAWA, Tomonari Nakagawa
Japan is a leading watch-producing nation, boasting unique, cutting-edge technologies like GPS solar technology and traditional watchmaking techniques. In addition to major manufacturers, many new independent brands have emerged. KIKUCHI NAKAGAWA is one such brand. Established last year by two watchmakers, Yusuke Kikuchi, who studied watchmaking in Paris and built a successful watch repair business there, and Tomonori Nakagawa, who trained as a swordsmith before switching to watchmaking, working for Citizen Watch and experiencing the process of small-scale watchmaking. Their debut work, MURAKUMO, features the classic style of a small two-hand watch with a small seconds dial, accented with design elements in keeping with Swiss watchmaking traditions, such as Breguet numerals and spade hands. In addition to this respect for its predecessors, the brand's unique character is expressed through the polished case and hands. The exceptional beauty of this watch is accentuated by the handwork of contemporary artisans. Classic yet modern, this is a noteworthy creation born of Japan's unique aesthetic sensibility and expert craftsmanship.
Hirota: First of all, why did you decide to become an independent watchmaker? Recently, there have been many excellent independent watchmakers, as well as interesting manufacturers such as Knott.
Nakagawa: I don't really have any particular preferences. Whether I'm an independent watchmaker or a manufacturer, I'm still making watches. But the most important thing is to make good products.
Hirota: When did the planning for Murakumo begin?
Nakagawa: I left my previous company in January last year, and by around April I had decided on the design and started prototyping. The company was launched in June, and the project was completed by the end of August.
Hirota: Now, to our main topic today, what do you think make a good watch?
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