Takeshi Matsuyama is a pioneer among Japanese watch journalists. This is a new series that introduces the watches and people he has encountered.

The thing that connects people to time is the device called a clock, a crystallization of human knowledge.

Since ancient times, humans have known time from the periodic movements of celestial bodies and the shadows cast by the sun.
Eventually, by making full use of inventions in gears and springs, mechanical clocks were created and further refined, making efforts to measure time more accurately.
In the 20th century, clock mechanisms became smaller, and watches became tools that told time on the wrist.

Now, I would like to introduce you to a Japanese watchmaker who is currently drawing my attention the most.

Living with his family in Switzerland, he creates mechanical watches with sincerity and care.

The person in question is Yosuke Sekiguchi, who lives with his family in Le Locle, Switzerland, and makes beautiful yet sturdy mechanical watches.
The watches he makes, named "Primvert," incorporate the elements of the excellent watches made by watchmakers active in the same Le Locle area from the 19th to the early 20th centuries, and are simple yet attractive.

While many of the latest watches tend to have tricky movements or are overly decorated, his watches have a clean, simple design that makes them reliable.

The design of the movement was inspired by the masterpieces left behind by the Jürgensen family, who came from Denmark and set up a watchmaking atelier here. The beautifully divided bridges are carefully chamfered using a technique called angling, and large ruby ​​hole stones are used to position the gears and balance.

Each part is carefully hand-finished, giving it a lustrous shine that captivates anyone who sees it.

Yosuke Sekiguchi creates a simple and sturdy style

Surprisingly, he did not attend a watchmaking school, but instead taught himself how to make watches. He eventually went to Switzerland and gained experience, meeting various people who helped him gain residency and permission to work as a watchmaker in Switzerland.

We visited his atelier in Le Locle, a town in northern Switzerland on the French border, and learned about his watchmaking process and why he is so fascinated by Jürgensen-style movements.

Although he respects the elegant style of the movement produced by Geneva's finest fashion houses, he declares that he personally prefers the simple and robust style created by Jurgensen and others.

Jergensen's home country of Denmark is a maritime nation like Japan, and perhaps he sees himself in the Jergensen family, who left their homeland to forge a history of high-quality watchmaking in the mountainous region of Switzerland.

The first time I met him was when I went to cover the watchmaking workshop of Christophe Claret, who was famous for making complicated watches, and he called out to me, "You must be Matsuyama."

I was surprised to find a Japanese watchmaker working in a workshop that produces some of the world's most complicated watches.

He then went independent and began to create his own original watches while restoring various complicated watches at a vintage watch shop called "Jubal" located in front of the La Chaux-de-Fonds Watch Museum.

The person who supports him is his wife, a musician whom he met when he was a university student, and they now enjoy life in Switzerland with their two children.

"Primvert" is the name of a lovely flower that blooms first when the snow melts in Le Locle.

Currently, only a few people have been able to get their hands on this beautiful watch with its old-fashioned enamel dial, but along with the watch, you will surely also get a sense of pride.

Yosuke Sekiguchi

Born in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture in 1980. After graduating from Meiji University, he moved to France alone at the age of 23. In 2007, he self-studyed and obtained the French national watchmaker qualification (CAP). The following year, he joined the Swiss watch movement manufacturer La Joux Perret. After that, in 2011, he moved to the Swiss watch movement manufacturer Christophe Claret. In 2016, he worked as an exclusive watchmaker for Juval Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, while also undertaking antique repairs for several major watch brands. In 2020, he launched "YOSUKE SEKIGUCHI Le Locle". The following year, he released his first model, "Primevere".

Takeshi Matsuyama

Japanese lyricist, writer, and editor. Born in Kyoto in 1946. In 1968, he wrote "Yopparai Returns" with his friends Kazuhiko Kato and Osamu Kitayama of The Folk Crusaders, which became a million-seller. In the 1970s, he was involved in the launch of magazines such as "Popeye" and "Brutus" published by Heibonsha (now Magazine House). Since the 70s, he has been fascinated by the world of mechanical watches, and has been promoting the appeal of watches. His many books include "Porridge of Wisdom and Tea of ​​Thought," "Great Japan Doraku Travelogue," and the play series "Chaai" and "Ororoji."