Asian watchmakers and their contributions to the industry

The birthplace of the modern wristwatch may be in Europe, but watchmakers in this part of the world have given their counterparts in the West some serious competition in recent times, as they seek to showcase contemporary Asian watchmaking to a global audience

The history of timekeeping devices goes back to when ancient civilisations first observed astronomical bodies as they travelled across the sky. Pre-dating the clocks and watches we rely on today, humankind developed a range of fascinating mechanisms to record the passing of time over the years.

Sundials originated from ancient Egypt and were later used by the Babylonians, Greeks and Chinese. Medieval Islamic water clocks were unrivalled in their sophistication until the mid-14th century. Incense clocks, which may have been invented in India, were being used in China by the 6th century. And then there was the hourglass, a European invention and one of the few reliable methods of measuring time at sea.

Above Ming 37.05 Series 2 with an anthracite dial

But while timekeeping as a concept existed all over the world, it was in the West that wristwatches were created, even though its precise inventor is still up for discussion. Some may argue that Europe—Switzerland, Germany and England—remains the spiritual home of mechanical watchmaking.

Nevertheless, contemporary history has seen a meteoric rise of watchmakers in Asia, bringing to this time-honoured industry a fresh creativity and spirit. In making watches for Asians by Asians—this means smaller case sizes, aesthetic codes drawn from regional design languages, innovation unbridled by years of heritage and history— watchmakers from the region are establishing an identity to be reckoned with.

Japan, the nation that birthed the most historic and notable of Asian watchmakers—Seiko, Orient, Casio and Citizen come to mind—is also where timekeeping traditions of the East truly took flight. In the 1890s, Japanese watchmakers began building pocket watches with lever escapements. According to the Japan Clock & Watch Association, in 1912, there were already 20 watch factories producing almost four million watches a year. World War II completely decimated this industry—much like it did to the watchmaking industry in Germany—but the nation’s industrialists proclaimed during the 1960s post-war boom that Japan would one day become the Asian cradle of watchmaking.

Fast forward to 2023, we now know this to be true as the stalwarts of Japanese watchmaking right down to younger boutique brands like Naoya Hida and Hajime Asaoka have created a globally respected “Made in Japan” label for haute horlogerie.

Above Naoya Hida Type 3B with an 18k yellow gold moon phase

Over in China, the history of watchmakers is slightly different owing to the role it played in the global scene—they were seen more often as parts producers. For a watch to be “Swiss Made”, only 60 per cent of its parts had to be made in Switzerland. The rest were often imported from the sophisticated manufacturing machines based in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan where production was quick, up to the mark, and affordable.

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Celadon takes inspiration from the quiet elegance and delicate grace of Chinese culture, as exemplified in the Century "Peacock and Peonies" watch

Above Celadon takes inspiration from the quiet elegance and delicate grace of Chinese culture, as exemplified in this Century "Peacock and Peonies" timepiece

Tianjin Seagull, which was established in the 1950s, is the largest movement manufacturer in the world, while tourbillons by the Liaoning Peacock Watch Company made it to many major maisons. Eventually, China went from producing just parts to creating full-blown timepieces, with names such as Atelier Wen and Celadon stealing the spotlight from their Swiss counterparts.

In Southeast Asia, the widespread interest in watchmaking is courtesy of retailers who introduced traditional Swiss brands to the market in the 1950s. A burgeoning community of collectors eventually provided the fodder for watchmakers like Ming from Malaysia and Azimuth from Singapore, whose reputation for craftsmanship, creativity and innovation has made headlines even in Switzerland. Increasingly sophisticated younger buyers have done much to fuel the popularity of these cult status brands, further reaffirming the identity of Asian watchmakers.

Above Minhoon Yoo The Carved Piece from South Korea

Which brings us to the big question: What truly makes Asian watchmakers unique? It is an identity that is still being forged, we say, with a great foundation of impeccable quality and unbridled creativity paving the way. Time is a tale as old as life itself but it’s always up for novel ways of being told, and watchmakers in this part of the world are more than primed for the task.

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