watchesbysjx

Kikuno does not because he has made only a handful of watches. But the income from the kind of work he does - intensive labour, low volume and extremely esoteric mechanics and design - means he will never have the kind of commercial success to make it a big business.

There is only one independent watchmaker ever who has become a multimillionaire (approximately CHF125m net worth) and that is Franck Muller. But his business (which he no longer owns) is a vast, mass production enterprise.

I wrote the article above and also visited Jiro when Jiro himself was making the sushi. There are similarities between both Kikuno and Jiro in their commitment to a craft, almost at the expense of everything else. This is something I rarely find outside Japan (which is also where you find family businesses specialising in niche crafts like temple bells and maki-e lacquerware in their 20th or 30th generation).

But one thing worth pointing out about Jiro is that while the food is very, very good, both in terms of technical execution and taste, the experience is not typical of a high-end restaurant. Jiro the man is extremely severe and focused on his work, while the sushi comes at a very brisk pace. For the boiled octopus for instance, you have to eat it immediately after it is served. If not Jiro will remind you to, once and then a second time more sternly. He expects his clients to respect his craft as much as he does.

- SJX

At that price a Seiko would be my recommendation for durability, reliability and ease of service. Either a Seiko 5 for the low end of that price range, or a Prospex at the high end.

Hi,

I am the author of the original article. Kikuno-san makes all of the watch, except for the hairspring, mainspring, jewels, crystal and leather strap. His dedication to the craft is remarkably complete.