Ask Yoshiharu Ohashi of Kumamoto's long-established Clock Ohashi about the origin clock and the final clock

What is the first watch that inspired these watch sages, and the last one they hope to own—the so-called "final watch"? In this series, we interview key figures in the watch industry and, through their answers, get a glimpse into their timepiece-related lives and philosophies.

This time, we spoke with Yoshiharu Ohashi, the third generation owner of Ohashi Watch Co., Ltd., which was founded in Kumamoto in 1894. Mr. Ohashi cited a vintage Omega watch from the 1950s as his starting point, and a Jaeger-LeCoultre as his "final watch." Let's take a closer look at what kind of person Mr. Ohashi is based on these words.

The watch experts we interviewed

Mr. Yoshiharu Ohashi
Ohashi Watch Store Co., Ltd. / Representative Director
Born in Kumamoto City, he studied industrial engineering at Nagoya Institute of Technology and moved to Tokyo after graduating. He got a job at Seikosha, where he gained knowledge of global watch manufacturing and market trends in the Technical Research Department. He joined Ohashi Watch Shop in 1974. He assumed his current position in 1995 and is the third generation owner of Ohashi Watch Shop, weaving the history of the store.

The origin of the watch is a vintage Omega watch

Q. Tell us about the first watch you ever owned.

A. It's an Omega watch that my father gave me as a souvenir from Hong Kong when I was in junior high school. At the time, I had no intention of taking over the watch shop, and I thought, "Why is a watch even a souvenir, even though it's a watch shop?" (laughs). After I started working in this job, I realized that the price difference between domestic and overseas imports of imported watches was so large that I ended up buying it because it was cheaper in Hong Kong. It's my origin, bringing back memories of my father and the passage of time.

　About a year after I joined our store in 1974, my father passed away while on a business trip. Although we only had a short time to work together, it was a time of great change for the local watch store. Domestically produced watches were being replaced by battery-operated quartz watches, repair technicians were no longer needed, and watch sales were beginning to shift to mass retailers like Yodobashi Camera. I remember telling my father, "Watches are not unnecessary, so let's not chase numbers, we should handle niche imported watches (at the time) that won't get caught up in price wars, and aim to sell watches that will generate profits rather than sales."

　At the time, I sold Rolex watches, which cost 170,000 yen, in 30 monthly installments of 3000 yen each, and 16,000 yen in bonus payments, interest-free, in five installments, without any discounts. This allowed me to become a watch store that primarily sold imported watches, differentiating me from the local market. The introduction of the consumption tax changed the taxation of imported watches, eliminating the disparity between domestic and foreign prices, which was a major boost to my import watch sales. We faced challenges, such as the Lehman Shock, but that decision was certainly the right one. Now it's my turn to pass the business on to my daughter. We are still facing difficult times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I will do my best to help us overcome them.

The "Rising Clock" is the Jaeger-LeCoultre "Master Grande Tradition"

Q. Tell us about the last watch you would like to own in your life, the so-called "end watch."

A. I think Jaeger-LeCoultre is a very good brand. It is a true manufacture that supplies movements to many famous luxury brands, and the fact that it supports the production of high-end brand watches behind the scenes is proof of that. I usually wear a Reverso, and this movement is also thin and highly accurate, and I can feel firsthand how excellent it is mechanically.

　One of my favorite watches is the Master Grande Tradition. While other brands' perpetual calendar models have complicated time settings, this one allows you to switch functions with just the crown, making it very easy to operate. When I ask my acquaintances who use perpetual calendars from other brands, they say that many only use it to set the time because it's difficult to operate. I think practicality is important for a perpetual calendar. As for the price, I think it offers great value compared to other brands, considering its many features. Jaeger-LeCoultre produces a wide range of stainless steel models in addition to gold. Its reputation for creating valuable watches that are easy for anyone to use is another indication of its excellence.

Anecdotes from the interview

　Located in the center of Kumamoto City, Kamitori Shopping Street stretches along the foot of Kumamoto Castle. Ohashi Watch Shop is located in this corner. The founder, Zenjiro Ohashi, acquired his watchmaking skills at a watch shop run by a relative in Kumamoto and founded the shop in Kamitori Town in 1894. He not only focused on business but also on training craftsmen, and watch repair technicians who learned from Zenjiro are said to have worked not only in Kumamoto but throughout Kyushu. The Seiko Museum, which opened in Ginza in 2020, exhibits a "Shumerus Clock" by Hisashige Tanaka (founder of Toshiba, known for its "Perpetual Clock"), which was donated by the shop. Ohashi Watch Shop is a long-established shop with an important history in Japan, and the time spent listening to Zenjiro Ohashi, a storyteller of that history, was also a valuable experience.

●Ohashi Watch Store Official Website
https://tokei0084.co.jp/