KIH's report on the Hiko Mizuno watchmaking school's graduation exhibition in Japan offers a rare look into the emerging talent in independent horology. The post highlights two ambitious student projects—a Clover Seed Leaf Tourbillon and a Twin Retrograde Tourbillon—showcasing the intricate craftsmanship and innovative spirit cultivated in Japanese watchmaking education. This provides valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities for young watchmakers in the industry.
I had a pleasure of seeing the graduation exhibition of Japan's jewelry and watchmaking school, Hiko Mizuno (see my report on the "petite" Lange Academy held there: alang.watchprosite.com
)
There were two projects from the graduate students or interns, both of which are pretty impressive:
1. Clover Seed Leaf Tourbillon (by Makoto Yokoyama) Twin barrel for the more torque to work with the heavier tourbillon carriage.
"Tourbillon carriage with motif of four-leaves clover, almost all parts are hand made. Tried to make it not too big (39mm). Twin barrel for stable torque."
Photos by Mr. Yokoyama.
And here is the video of when the movement started working for the first time.
2. Twin Retrograde Tourbillon (by Ryuhei Amaike)
"Hour and minute hands both moves as retrograde. The gears of the function were all made by hand."
Still in the assembly stage - to be completed soon.
They are equally impressive work. It took 6 months for design and took another 6 months for actual construction, assembly. Now they want to sharpen the accuracy department.
A bit sad part is that with these creativity, there are not many places they can use or expand such talent here. Graduate tend to find jobs at watch repair shops, brands' service department, etc.... Only few can continue such creative work, including Mr. Kikuno ( ahci.watchprosite.com
). Well, that may be true in any watchmaking school in the world, though....
I just hope the best for those two young watchmakers. Mr. Yokoyama is going to work for the servicing department of a famous brand, and Mr. Amaike will stay at the school for one more year.
Japan's young watchmakers: Mr. Yokoyama, Mr. Kikuno (Alumni of Hiko Mizuno, AHCI Candidate), and Mr. Amaike.
Thank you.
Ken
This message has been edited by KIH on 2013-03-23 09:42:03
Key Points from the Discussion
The Hiko Mizuno watchmaking program is a two-year course, with an additional year for those who choose to remain and pursue advanced projects like the tourbillons, dedicating six months each to design and construction/assembly.
While impressive, dedicating a full year to a school watch, compared to shorter periods in other programs, raises questions about the breadth of practical watchmaking skills (timing, chronographs, vintage repair, refinishing) students acquire.
There's a strong desire among community members to see these talented students receive scholarships or support to foster new, innovative Asian watch brands, despite tourbillons being a common complication.
The industry needs watchmakers skilled in servicing and repairing timepieces, not just creating them, suggesting a balance between creative projects and practical training is crucial.
The retrograde tourbillon, in particular, is praised for its unique layout and aesthetic appeal, with some comparing its innovative quality to Breguet.
The post highlights a potential challenge for graduates: despite their creativity, many find jobs in repair or service departments rather than continuing creative work, though some, like Mr. Kikuno, do pursue independent paths.
The community expresses interest in follow-up reports on the graduates to track their progress and contributions to the watchmaking world.
The relatively short 6-month design and 6-month assembly time for these complex student tourbillons contrasts sharply with the multi-year development cycles often cited by major brands.
Advertisement
The Discussion
PU
Pulli
Mar 23, 2013
Great article.
Ken. All of your articles are very interesting.
PA
patrick_y
Mar 23, 2013
Congrats!
Congrats to the graduates. Thanks Ken. Looking forward to seeing their impact in years to come.
RO
Ronald Held
Mar 23, 2013
Ken is normal for that school to have project that have the...
Student design and assemble a tourbillon watch?
KI
KIH
Mar 23, 2013
Well, apparently, so...
... there are lots of students and some stay after 2 year program and start designing and making complicated watches. And those are such "interns".
FO
foversta
Mar 23, 2013
A great article Ken!
And even more important: it shows that Japan has a bright watchmaking future. Thanks! Fx
KI
KIH
Mar 23, 2013
Well, I hope so and...
.... we have to make room for them! Thanks, Fx! Ken
Continue the conversation
This thread is active on the Independents forum with 30 replies. Share your knowledge with fellow collectors.
