Seeking a quality timepiece? Start here.
How to judge someone’s fashion sense?
Conventional wisdom is to look at their shoes. Similarly, a quality timepiece can also impress.
So here’s our report on luxury boutiques in Tokyo
where the most dashing and upscale timepieces are sold.
ISHIDA Aoyama Omotesando
Since opening in 2006, ISHIDA Aoyama
Omotesando has taken the concept of a
timepiece store up a notch. Located next to
Omotesando Hills, it screams upscale, stylish
and exclusive. On entry, you’ll be amazed how
spacious it is — with about 600 square meters,
it looks more like an exhibition of high-end
watches.
There is nothing pretentious here, however, and the sales clerks welcome all who swing by. Whether you’re seriously considering buying or just browsing, there’s no pressure. It’s this friendly atmosphere that is hard to come by elsewhere.
But when it comes to timepieces, it’s a serious business, with the most exclusive brands such as IWC, Zenith, Breitling, and A. Lange & Sohne on offer.
“The three top-selling brands of this shop are IWC, Panerai and Breitling. Customers aged in their 30s to 50s, mostly male, buy these as the second or third watch in their collection,” said Shigeru Nawata, sales promotion manager of Best Co. Ltd., ISHIDA’s parent company.
“These brands are popular because they have the quality and functionality that justify their somewhat steep price tags.” Nawata said October-November is the best time to check out new timepieces as the latest models unveiled at the watch fairs in Geneva and Basel earlier in the year arrive in Japan.
ISHIDA deals in almost 60 brands, from
relatively reasonable ones (such as the
company’s original watches produced in
collaboration with Star Wars and Kill Bill, among
others) to top brands. The most expensive
timepiece at ISHIDA is currently A. Lange &
Sohne’s “Cabaret Tourbillon.” The price? A
staggering ¥28 million. And only one was left in
late September, so you’ll have to hurry.Tenshodo
Tenshodo’s line-up includes Omega, IWC
and Baume & Mercier. Omega has a section
dedicated to the brand on the grand floor of
the Ginza store, while the rest decorate B1.
These brands are, of course, very popular,
but Tenshodo also has a collection of its own
originals. They’re part of the “Made in Ginza”
line, initiated by Tenshodo President Hideaki
Shinmoto, with prices from just under ¥100,000
to ¥777,000.
“These original watches are available only at our shops but are just as popular as high-end designer brands. In fact, they account for a significant percentage of our overall sales,” said Koichiro Yonekawa of Tenshodo’s Planning and PR department.
This year marks the 130th anniversary of
Tenshodo, and to celebrate it has collaborated
with Swiss watchmakers Zenith and Ulysse
Nardin to manufacture special anniversary
models. The Zenith version is based on “Elite,”
a model once crowned as the best mechanical
movement of the year, and the latter “San
Marco,” also a very sought-after timepiece.
Both are very classical in their respective design
and are produced in limited quantities.In the truest sense of the word, Tenshodo is well established as a watch and jewelry shop, but it also likes to experiment with new ideas. And it is now set to release a new line of timepieces whose faces are decorated with Japanese lacquer. Yonekawa said it’s not always easy to apply lacquer to items designed for daily use such as watches.
BEST Shinjuku
BEST Shinjuku is nothing less than a tower of precious timepieces. Occupying six floors (from B1 to 5th) with 70 staff, the shop stocks everything from Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin to TAG Heuer and G-Shock.
Each floor has its own theme. The top floor
is dedicated to Breitling and their Breitling for
Bentley models, while the 4th floor displays
the most precious and established of designer
watch brands: if you seek Vacheron Constantin,
Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet this is
your destination. IWC, Zenith, Bell & Ross and
Panerai are all showcased on the 3rd floor.“Customers coming to Best Shinjuku are experts on exclusive timepieces. They’d open a conversation by stating the name of an engineer who’s made a particular movement. What attracts them is not a brand name, but the excellence of a watchmaker’s skills and technology. So we always need to be prepared to answer any inquiries they may have,” said Nawata.
BEST Shinjuku deals in second-hand
watches on the B1 floor, where about 3,000
used timepieces in good condition — including
Rolex and Franck Muller — await their next
owner. Many are difficult to find elsewhere
because they have gone out of production
or were produced in limited quantities. Rare
antique timepieces can be found here too.And more!
One more that stands out among its peers is M&R Salon de Montres, a certified dealer of Rolex and Panerai. As its name suggests, the shop aims to be a showroom where customers can try upscale watches in a relaxing environment. If you don’t have a particular brand in mind and would like to browse as many brands as possible, Hosekihiroba in Shibuya deals with new and used watches of various brands
ISHIDA Aoyama Omotesando
B1, 4-25-15 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Tel: (03) 5785-3600
Tenshodo
4-3-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku
Tel: (03) 3561-0102
BEST Shinjuku Honten
3-17-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Tel: (03) 5360-6800
M&R Salon de Montres
8-7-22 Ginza, Chuo-ku
Tel: (03) 5537-5805
Housekihiroba
A2 Building 4-5F
28-3 Utagawacho, Shibuya-ku
Tel: (03) 5458-5429