When we talk about Japanese watchmaking, industry stalwarts like Seiko, Citizen, and Orient would inevitably spring to mind. However, there’s a burgeoning group of independent watchmakers who have been steadily winning over global, albeit niche, enthusiasts with their individual vision. Brands that ought to be on your radar (if they aren’t already) include Naoya Hida & Co., Masahiro Kikuno, and, of course, Hajime Asaoka. The namesake founder of the latter is perhaps the most prolific in the scene, and he’s announced that his company, Precision Watch Tokyo, is reviving a defunct mid-20th-century brand, Takano, with the new Chateau Nouvelle Chronometer.
Although short-lived as a watch brand, Takano has a history that dates back to 1899 as the Nagoya-based Takano Seimitsu Kogyo that made clocks and other precision instruments. It only…
