There is an archetypal image of a watchmaker: a man who works intently at a wooden table with an Alpine view outside the window. Of course, this is a stereotype that has nothing to do with today’s reality, but we often cannot escape it. And when we hear the word “watchmaking”, most of us think of Switzerland or possibly Germany.

When planning the next round of my “deliberations”, I came to the conclusion that the overwhelming majority of texts about watches published by the world media focus on Swiss manufacturers. In addition, articles are usually devoted to only a few of the top brands and models. So, it seems that next to the word “watch”, writers have the word “Swiss” coded in, as if this country was the centre of the universe. In a sense, this is true, but as well as the centre, there is also the rest of the universe.

For the Swiss, the hegemonic position is comfortable, although at the same time it may prove to be quite a challenge because it can lead to lower vigilance and it does not force constant development. No, I’m not worried about Swiss watch manufacturers because they have survived various crises, including the biggest one, the quartz one. But diversity is always better for customers, so the increasingly visible competition coming from Japan is a good sign.

Does Japanese watchmaking have a chance to become the main rival of the Swiss again and regain the same share in the global market as it had in the 1970s?  Probably not, because times are completely different, but after many years, Japanese brands are starting to gain more and more wealthy customers. Much of this is due to the manufacturers themselves, who have changed their strategy and no longer just focus on availability, but also try to reach collectors. The Swiss used this strategy for many years (they produced fewer and fewer watches, which they offered at increasingly higher prices), and today it is clear that this business model has proven successful.

The pandemic and the time immediately after have shown that focusing on traditional, iconic models brings the best results, which the Japanese are also trying to do. For now, in the match between Switzerland and Japan, the former is still the unconditional winner. But the paradox is that Japanese manufacturers can supply calibres all over the world and at the same time offer watchmaking masterpieces, drawing on their centuries-old cultural heritage. Moreover, Japanese craftsmanship also fascinates Swiss brands, as they use traditional decorative techniques such as urushi or maki-e varnish in their luxury watches and collaborate with famous Japanese artists.

Grand Seiko played an important role in dispelling many myths about Japan, as it perfectly reflects the aesthetics of the country it comes from with its harmonious design, inspiration from nature and wonderful craftsmanship. The international success of this brand has contributed to changing the perception of Japanese watchmaking by global collectors. But this popularity did not come out of nowhere: the Grand Seiko factory produces mechanical calibres of the highest quality as well as complex masterpieces, such as the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon model introduced in 2022, which received the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. And global media outlets write about this distinction.

Next up is the Credor brand, probably the most underrated and sophisticated brand belonging to the Seiko group, whose watches are currently only available in Japan.

But as well as large, well-known manufacturers, there are also more and more independent watchmakers worthy of attention in the Japanese ecosystem: first of all, Hajime Asaoka, well-known among global collectors, but also Naoya Hida, Kikuchi Nakagava and Jiro Katayama, the creator of the Otsuka Lotec brand.

Let us remember, it is always better when there is more diversity on the market, because competition encourages manufacturers to act. It is therefore high time to free ourselves from the stereotype that a good watch must be Swiss.