What is the first watch that inspired these watch sages, and the last watch they aspire to own—the so-called "final watch"? In this series, we interview key figures in the watch industry and glimpse into their watch-related lives and philosophies through their answers. This time, we spoke with Keiji Niimoto, the sixth-generation president and CEO of Tenshodo, a long-established store in Ginza, Tokyo. The watch that inspired Niimoto is the Volkswagen diver's watch, and the "final watch" is the FP Journe Chronometer Optimum. Let's hear what he has to say.
The watch experts we interviewed
President and CEO of Tenshodo Co., Ltd.
Born in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, he is the sixth-generation president of Tenshodo, which was founded in Ginza in 1879. After graduating from university, he worked for an auction management company in Osaka, where he honed his aesthetic sense while dealing in paintings and sculptures. He joined Tenshodo in 2006, initially working in the corporate sales department, which produced commemorative items such as trophies and baseball championship rings, and gradually developed a sense of overall company management. He has been in his current position since 2014. Tenshodo began importing and selling Swiss and American watches in 1889, and by 1919 accounted for 70% of the nation's watch import value, making it a pioneer in the sale of luxury overseas watches. Founded as a stamp shop, the company now handles a wide range of activities in addition to watches, including the sale of jewelry, the manufacture and sale of model trains, and the production of corporate commemorative items.
●Tenshodo Official Website http://www.tenshodo.co.jp/
The origin of the watch is the Volkswagen diver's watch
Q. Tell us about the first watch you ever owned.
A. My father, the previous president, bought me a Volkswagen diver's watch as a gift for entering junior high school. To be honest, I wasn't interested in watches as a child, and whenever I visited Tenshodo, I would always be in the model train section. I don't remember much about this watch, but I chose it myself, so I think it was the first watch I chose that I thought was cool. The second watch I got was a Tag Heuer Formula 1, so I guess I preferred sports watches at the time.
The "finishing" watch is the FP Journe "Chronometer Optimum"
Q. Tell us about the dream watch that you hope to own one day, the so-called "previous generation watch."
A. The FP Journe Chronomètre Optimum. Ever since it was released, I've admired it as a cool watch. I love the originality of all FP Journe watches, but I'm particularly drawn to this one's asymmetrical design and the complexity of its movement with a remontoire mechanism. I don't have a specific idea of when I want to get it, but once the store, which is aiming for a remodel in the summer of 2021, has completed its renovation to my satisfaction, I'd like to look for it in the FP Journe lineup again.
Afterword
Tenshodo celebrates its 140th anniversary this year. Since the Meiji era, the store has welcomed a long list of prominent figures from various walks of life and has been featured in numerous essays. The store is currently undergoing renovations, having relocated from Ginza 4-Chome to 6-Chome. "Tenshodo was once a pioneer in the import and sale of watches, but now many of the international brands we handle are located in Ginza. This renovation also marks a time for us to reexamine our purpose in life," says Niimoto. At the same time, he adds, "Tenshodo's future goal is to promote the beauty of Japanese traditional crafts to the world through timepieces. For example, we are currently offering lacquered dial models as part of our original Tenshodo watches, and we would like to focus more on developing such products." He hopes to overcome this period of change and return to the shining presence in the heart of Ginza.
