Today, we move on with our series to discuss the best Japanese watch brands. As a country, Japan is one of the major watchmaking capitals of the world. Given its broader reputation for design excellence and skillful innovation across many other industries, this is unsurprising. But, particularly in relation to watchmaking, Japan has excelled. It’s responsible for many of the industry’s biggest milestones, the most prominent being the development of the quartz movement. Such devotion to outstanding craftsmanship and passion for the industry at large can only be rivalled by fellow watchmaking powerhouse, Switzerland.
However, comparatively, it became involved in the horological scene fairly late on. In fact, Japan only produced its first wristwatch in 1913. This is because at this time, as in America, the commercial watches sold in Japan were primarily European imports. But, in the ensuing years, it certainly made up for lost time. Led by the likes of Seiko, the industry quickly began to break from the mould solidified by foreign watchmakers and push the boundaries of the industry. Consequently, Japanese watchmaking both bloomed and boomed in a relatively short span of time, eventually revolutionising it forever.
The competitors on our Best Japanese Watch Brands list are not only some of the best of today but also actively shaped the roots of the industry in one way or another. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Best Japanese Watch Brands
Seiko
Amassing a huge following in its prosperous lifetime, the first of our best Japanese watch brands is Seiko. This is a brand that has had an enormous, almost immeasurable, impact on the industry. In fact, both Seiko and its founder, Kintarō Hattori, are largely responsible for putting Japan on the horological map in the first place.
Hattori opened up his first clock repair shop (Hattori Tokei Shūzensho) at age 21, which lay the foundation for Seiko. Primarily, he made a living from selling imported Swiss timepieces, which eventually inspired Hattori to make his own. In 1892, the ‘Seikosha’ factory opened its doors, and the rest is history. Priding itself on being “one step ahead of the rest”, Seiko produced many milestone models for both Japan and the globe. These include the aforementioned first-ever Japanese wristwatch, as well as the globe’s first commercial quartz watch in 1969.
Our Pick: Seiko Prospex ‘Great Blue’ Turtle Scuba PADI Special Edition SRPK01K1
One of our favourite Seikos is this Prospex Turtle PADI special edition. Launched in collaboration with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, this model expands the Prospex’s longstanding association with the organisation.
Immediately drawing the eye in, the dial features a blue texture which mimics a view from underwater. It’s beautifully detailed so that it looks like sunlight is leaking through the water from above. Upon it are luminescent divers indices, with chunkier markers to accent the 12, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. As an added functional touch, a weekday and date display replaces the 3 o’clock marker. Framing the dial is a blue ceramic bezel, which sits on top of the 45mm ‘turtle-shaped’ stainless steel case. Its sturdy build protects the watch against water damage up to 200 metres or 20 bar, making it great for any adventure. Beating from within the case is the model’s 4R36 calibre automatic movement, which has a 41-hour power reserve. Finally, to top off the stunning design is a stainless steel bracelet.
Citizen
Our next runner-up is Citizen. With almost a century’s worth of expertise under its belt, the brand is certainly a deserving contender on the list. Citizen was first established in 1918, although it was only officially founded later in the 1930s by Japanese and Swiss investors.
Initially, one of the brand’s central goals was to create affordable timepieces for the budding Japanese market. However, whilst this gained traction for the brand, its greater successes came later when it strived more towards technological innovation. In 1959, Citizen produced Japan’s first fully waterproof timepiece, the Parawater, which paved the way for their successful diver’s line. And in 1993, it was Citizen was also responsible for the development of the world’s first multi-band atomic timekeeping watch. However, the 1970s saw the debut of the brand’s best-known innovation, the Eco-Drive. One of the first solar-powered movements, the brand’s Eco-Drive technology is still known and widely respected industry-wide even today.
Our Pick: Citizen Men’s Radio Controlled Perpetual Calendar CB5887-55H
Powered by the brand’s aforementioned Eco-Drive technology, we recommend this particular Citizen model. Its multi-functional black dial features blue accents, giving a stylish feel to the utilitarian design. To the same end, there is also a sleek internal tachymeter bezel which beautifully frames the design. Other functions include a power reserve indicator, a 24-city world timer, a date display and a chronograph. With such an abundant array of functions, there really is little left to be desired on this watch.
Adorning the dial are silver-tone baton indices, as well as three central hands. As an added detail, the central second hand features an ornate counterweight. Housing the design is a black ion-plated stainless steel case that measures 43mm in diameter. To tie the design together, a matching bracelet secures the watch to the wrist.
Casio
And finally, last but by no means least, is Casio. It’s no surprise that a brand that is so influential in multiple industries has earned a place on our best Japanese watch brands list. Founded in 1946, Casio has evolved from manufacturing cigarette holders to appliances like musical instruments and digital cameras. However, Casio particularly shined in the watch industry with the dawn of the quartz revolution of the 1970s. It was one of the first brands to dedicate itself to quartz watches, which ultimately led to its booming success in an era when many brands were facing the opposite. Today, Casio remains one of the giants in the industry with affordable yet high-performing watches at the core of its portfolio.
Our Pick: Casio G-Shock Frozen Forest Extra Bezel and Strap Set / Black Dial GAE-2100GC-7AER
Whilst there are hundreds of Casios to choose from, we particularly like this G-shock. The G-shock range is one of Casio’s most renowned subsidiaries and boasts both a devout and loyal following.
With this model, Casio branched out aesthetically. Its 48.5 mm case, bezel and bracelet are made from a patterned white resin, which gives the watch quite an eye-catching edge. However, the model also comes with a complimentary replacement bezel and band, transforming it into an all-green design. This addition is both handy and generous, giving you the flexibility to switch up your watch’s look whenever you please. Moreover, with whichever look you choose, you can be sure of the watch’s durability. Constructed with the brand’s new carbon core guard structure, the watch is incredibly resilient and boasts 200 metres of water resistance.
Encased by a toughened mineral crystal, its black dial is both analogue and digital. Consequently, it’s incredibly functional. Some of its capabilities include alarms, a weekday and date display, a countdown timer, a world time function and a stopwatch. Moreover, with its display illumination and hand shift function, the design is both practical and incredibly well thought out.
And that concludes our Best Japanese Watch Brands list for today. We hope you learned lots of new information about these incredible companies! Have a favourite? Let us know below.
