A CLOSER LOOK / JAPAN
Time, with
a Japanese
perspective.
Discover the details that make a watch worth knowing. A guide to Japanese watchmaking, thoughtful buying, and life with your timepiece.
Explore Japanese watchmakingKentex Craftsman Tokiho S901X-01.
Japanese craft, seen in a different light.
NEW / FIVE BRAND PORTRAITS
Find your point of view.
Five watchmakers. Five places to begin.
Explore their history, collections and character.
Seiko
From Ginza origins to 5 Sports, Prospex and Presage. Find your route through a broad watchmaking world.
Read the brand portrait ↗TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERY DAYCitizen
Understand Eco-Drive, explore the collections and choose the technology that fits your routine.
Read the brand portrait ↗FUNCTION & PERSONALITYCasio
From Casiotron to G-SHOCK and beyond. A guide to the displays, functions and details worth comparing.
Read the brand portrait ↗A MECHANICAL POINT OF VIEWOrient
Mechanical roots, a collection map and the relationship between Orient, Orient Star and Epson.
Read the brand portrait ↗FUNCTION MEETS CRAFTKentex
Discover the brand through Marine GMT S820X-13 and Craftsman S901X-01: two distinctive starting points.
Read the brand portrait ↗ALSO EXPLORE · Grand Seiko’s official collections ↗
LATEST / THE BUYING EDIT
A more considered shortlist.
Compare the details that matter.
Choose for your wrist and your routine.
SOLAR WATCHES
Three ways to go solar.
Citizen, Seiko and Casio: compare three distinct formats, dimensions and everyday functions.
Read the buying guide ↗SEIKO 5 / SIDE BY SIDE
SRPE55 or SRPD55?
Compare case size, thickness, bezel and strap width before choosing between two Seiko 5 references.
Read the buying guide ↗STRAPS & FIT
Find the right strap.
Width, length, material and attachment: the details to check before ordering a replacement.
Read the buying guide ↗THE PRE-OWNED NOTEBOOK / FIELD GUIDE 04
A second life.
A closer look.
Buying a pre-owned Japanese watch? Check its condition, service history, replacement parts and written terms with our practical counter checklist.
Read the used-watch buying guide ↗ESSENTIAL FIELD GUIDES
Know more. Choose well.
Practical reading for your next watch,
your next trip, and the watch you already own.
WATCH CARE
Find the right manual.
Locate the caliber or module number, then find the official Seiko, Citizen or Casio instructions.
Read the guide ↗BUYING GUIDES
Quartz, solar or automatic?
Follow the energy from its source to the hands, and compare what each movement asks of your routine.
Read the guide ↗TRAVEL JAPAN
Ask with confidence.
Twelve Japanese phrases for the watch-store counter, with English meanings and text you can show on your phone.
Read the guide ↗THE OPENING STORY
What makes Japanese
watches special?
Precision, practical invention, and an eye for everyday life. Start with the ideas behind Japan’s approach to watchmaking.
Read the feature
03 / A WATCH LOVER’S JAPAN
A little preparation.
A better watch hunt.
Make room to look, compare, and try things on. The most useful souvenir may be a clearer idea of what you actually enjoy wearing.
Build a reference list.
Save the exact references you want to see. Use official brand store directories, then confirm opening hours and stock with the shop before making a special trip.
Ask about support back home.
Confirm where the warranty is valid, who can provide service in your home country, and which documents you need. Do not assume every model or seller offers the same coverage.
Compare the complete purchase.
Consider the final price, payment conversion, return terms, and after-sales service together. If relevant, verify current tax-free procedures and your home country’s import requirements with official sources.
04 / LIFE WITH YOUR WATCH
Good habits. More time together.
Start with the instructions for your exact watch.
Small differences between models matter.
Before setting the time or date
Identify the model or movement number and find its manual. Check how the crown operates and whether there are restrictions on calendar adjustment. Do not force a control that feels stuck.
Before taking your watch near water
Check the case-back marking and the manufacturer’s guidance for that model. Choose activities according to that guidance; a water-resistance number alone is not a complete usage instruction.
Read Seiko’s water-resistance guidance ↗If a light-powered watch has stopped
Consult the model’s charging instructions before assuming it needs a new battery. Citizen’s Eco-Drive converts light into energy; the correct charging conditions and recovery steps depend on the watch.
Learn about Citizen Eco-Drive ↗When asking a repairer for help
Note the model reference, the symptoms, when they began, and anything unusual that happened beforehand. Bring any service history and describe what you have already tried.