An interview with Ruri Ohashi of the long-established clock shop "Ohashi Clocks" in Kumamoto: The origin of clocks and the rise of clocks

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 Ohashi Ruri, Managing Director of Ohashi Watch Co., Ltd., which was founded in Kumamoto in 27. The watch that Ohashi cited as his starting point was a Hublot wristwatch with a bear motif. He also cited the Jaeger-LeCoultre Dazzling Rendez-Vous Night & Day as his "final watch." Let's take a closer look at the kind of person Ohashi is based on these words.

The watch experts we interviewed

Ms. Ruri Ohashi
Ohashi Watch Store Co., Ltd. / Managing Director
Originally from Kumamoto City, she studied gemology at GIA Japan while attending Rikkyo University, and after graduating, she obtained a Gemological Institute of America certification. She joined Richemont Japan as a new graduate and gained sales experience at Cartier stores, including the Ginza flagship store. She returned to her hometown in 2011 and joined Ohashi Watch Shop, where she has been in her current position since 2019. She is the second daughter of Yoshiharu Ohashi, who we introduced last time, and is currently working on store management and organizational reform as the next president.

The original watch was a Hublot watch given to the company by Carlo Crocco.

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

A. The watch I received from Hublot founder Carlo Crocco is my starting point. He came to Japan from Switzerland when I was a first-year high school student. I met him when I worked as a guide there. My father was working so my sister and I would travel around Kumamoto, and Carlo taught us Italian while we were there. When I wrote him a letter of thanks in Italian, I used stationery with a teddy bear design, which I loved.

　When I turned 20, I sent an email with a photo from my Coming of Age ceremony attached, and he gave me this watch as a gift. I think he must have known I liked teddy bears. It has a pink dial with a gold teddy bear design. When I first held it in my hands, the vanilla scent wafted from the rubber strap, and I was delighted by how elegant the watch was. It was an expensive watch for a student, but I liked it so much that I wore it a lot, and it ended up with lots of scratches. I still treasure it as a special piece.

The "Rising Clock" is Jaeger-LeCoultre's "Rendez-Vous Jewelry Dazzling Night & Day"

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

A. I had two watches to choose from, and one was a Breguet "Reine de Naples." There was a female senior colleague who I looked up to as a mentor when I was working in Tokyo, and after I returned home, she went out of her way to buy me a Reine de Naples at Ohashi Watches. I was so happy, and I've never forgotten its beauty, so it became a watch I've always admired.

　The other watch is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Jewels Dazzling Night & Day. Its most captivating feature is the 168 diamonds set in a griffe setting on the outer edge of the bezel. My father had a strong attachment to Jaeger-LeCoultre, so I chose it as my final piece, with the hope that it would remain a part of our company's portfolio even after the company took over.

Anecdotes from the interview

　Ohashi Ruri, who is set to succeed Ohashi Watch Shop as the fourth generation owner, agreed to be interviewed alongside her father, Zenji. She listened carefully as Zenji spoke, and her delighted smile left an impression as she said, "It's nice to hear my father's old stories, even though most of our conversations are practical." She is currently interacting with fellow business owners across industries, and is exploring new possibilities for watch shops that go beyond simply selling watches. "I'm always thinking about what I should do. Going forward, we must find a new perspective on what we are fighting for. In these tough times for retailers, I want to go back to basics, sell our products with care, and continue to propose a rich 'culture of time.'" Her serious gaze was also shining as she spoke.

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