Cazalea provides an exclusive look into the newly opened Grand Seiko Morioka Studio, emphasizing the brand's philosophy of situating its fine watchmaking facilities in serene, natural environments away from urban bustle. His report highlights the studio's design, which prioritizes natural light and a peaceful ambiance, intended to foster both meticulous craftsmanship and future collector engagement. This piece offers a rare glimpse into the physical spaces where Grand Seiko's mechanical movements come to life.
I'm sure you have seen pictures of downtown Tokyo, buzzing like a huge beehive!
Seiko believes that the excitement and fervor of the city are at odds with the calm required for fine watchmaking, and thus has situated its main GS studios in small towns, hundreds of miles away:
You will be surprised at the quiet towns of Morioka and Shinsu. Click on the highlighted links to read my first-hand, in-person visit reports to those studios, from a few years ago.
- to the North - Morioka - home of Shizukuishi Studio, subject of today's post, which assembles mechanical movement watches. Check out the weather and terroir, which are notable for their trees, water and ice! (these are GS PR photos)
- to the West - Shinsu - Japan's Napa Valley and home of Shiojiri Sudio, which houses the Micro Arts Studio, Credor, Spring Drive, 9F Quartz, Astron, etc. (These are my photos)
BTW, we ate lunch in a vineyard, in a tiny house/restaurant specializing in home-made Italian style pasta (PR lady Keiko had read a few of my food & wine posts, and "cooked up" this decidedly non-Japanese meal).
But I digress!
The Morioka Studio now has been separated completely from the massive factory behind it.
The facility is natural wood, natural light and peaceful ambiance. It is intended to facilitate visits from collectors (after the pandemic ends). You can look out and see what the watchmakers are doing without bothering them (too much).
BTW - the wooden desks are made from trees cut down from the site, retaining a natural link to the countryside. There's a whole folder of sustainability stuff, but I haven't time to tackle it today.
Well, okay, I can find time to tell you that the trees in the forest are all numbered and have their health monitored. How many yen per GS that overhead adds, I cannot say.
Seiko built insect hotels to give the dispossessed bugs a place to hang out where trees have been taken away.
Birds likewise have lodgings provided if they desire to use them.
FINALLY (I hear you saying), here is the special edition High-Beat Grand Seiko watch available (according to press release) only to visitors who come to the studio.
I hope you have enjoyed this visit to rural Japan. Please read on below for the press material:
A new chapter in the 60-year history of Grand Seiko opens with the inauguration of an entirely new studio dedicated to the production of Grand Seiko’s mechanical watches. It will be home to the craftsmen and women who assemble and adjust each and every Grand Seiko mechanical watch.
The Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi was declared opened on July 20th, 2020 in a ceremony that took place simultaneously at the Wako building in Tokyo and at the studio in Shizukuishi. In Tokyo, Shinji Hattori, the Chairman and CEO of Seiko Watch Corporation, was joined by the studio’s distinguished architect, Kengo Kuma, while, in Shizukuishi, the Governor of Iwate Prefecture, Takuya Tasso, graced the occasion with his presence alongside the studio’s directors.
As he announced the opening of the studio, Shinji Hattori said, “The studio provides the ideal environment for our craftsmen and women to bring Grand Seiko’s mechanical watches to life and for the next generation of watchmakers to be trained and their skills developed. It embodies Grand Seiko’s philosophy, The Nature of Time, and is clear evidence to the world of our dedication to the art of mechanical watchmaking.”
Explaining his design for the studio, Kengo Kuma said, “Grand Seiko’s view of the importance of nature is reflected in every corner of its design and construction. I greatly enjoyed the challenge of making the clean room from wood, where watches of the highest precision are assembled. To balance natural materials with the room’s high technology technical requirements was a new and intriguing task.” The studio has a floor area of 2,244 square meters and not only gives the Grand Seiko watchmakers an enhanced working environment but also opens up future production potential.
The studio also incorporates an exhibition space where visitors can immerse themselves in Grand Seiko’s history as well as explore the manufacturing characteristics that make Grand Seiko’s mechanical watches so special. Events will be held at which visitors can try their hand at assembling a mechanical watch themselves in a dedicated space known as the Studio Seminar Room.
A lounge on the second floor looks out at Mt. Iwate, the mountain that inspires many aspects of Grand Seiko’s designs. The lounge contains an exhibition that explains the world of Grand Seiko and will also showcase the brand’s first ‘concept creation’, a watch movement which will reveal the full extent of the ingenuity and skill of every one of Grand Seiko’s specialists, from designers to technicians. Full details of this remarkable ‘concept creation’ will be released at a later date. In addition, a Grand Seiko watch made exclusively for, and at the studio, will be presented in the lounge and will be available for purchase. It is a limited edition Hi-beat 36000.
As soon as the Coronavirus situation allows, the new studio looks forward to welcoming visitors. For information and reservations, please visit
HERE.
