Why I Bought It: Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
by GaryG
This is the story of a daily-wear watch: the Tsunami by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka.
It’s not a “beater” as it’s too beautifully made for that description, and some folks justifiably take offense at characterizing a five-figure expenditure in those terms. But it is a watch that I suspect I will be wearing a lot and in a variety of settings.
The author’s customized Tsunami by Hajime Asaoka
How the Hajime Asaoka Tsunami fits and why I bought it
In my pal Terry’s taxonomy of watch collecting, the Tsunami is pretty clearly a “patronage” watch: one that celebrates the ingenuity and hard work of a leading independent maker and supports his or her ongoing self-expression.
And this is a gorgeous piece! But there was something else that drew me to the Tsunami: its ability to serve as a versatile workhorse that could be worn for business and leisure and that would seem completely at home regardless of the occasion.
Straight to the back: movement view, Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
When it comes to defining what constitutes a great “daily-wear” watch, I’m sure that each of us has his or her own criteria and desires. For many, the need for robustness is at the top of the list, and so there are a lot of Casio G-Shocks and Rolex Submariners out there. For others, the desire for something dressier but still functional and somewhat subtle helps to account for the popularity of Jaeger-LeCoultre Reversos and simple Patek Philippe Calatravas.
Perhaps somewhere in between are pieces that span the gap between sporty and dressy, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
When I first saw a photo of the Tsunami in 2012, it immediately occurred to me that this was a watch that I could imagine owning and wearing for a very long time with its handsome and rugged proportions, quite wearable at 37 mm in diameter, durable in steel, and with both striking looks and interesting technical features such as its 16 mm titanium balance.
First of a line: Asaoka Tsunami No. 001 (photo courtesy Hajime Asaoka)
Buying the Hajime Asaoka Tsunami: the journey
And so, the quest began!
One of the great paradoxes of dealing with Asaoka-san has been that while he lives his life quite visibly through frequent and often quite detailed Facebook and Instagram posts (on both professional and personal matters), until his fairly recent relationship with business associate Noritake Sakurai he has been virtually impossible to contact, not just for me but for many frustrated would-be collectors around the world.
Elusive prey: Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
Message after message sailed off into the void over a period of almost three years until early 2015, when by a very fortuitous coincidence I sent a message to a Japanese collector friend who just happened to be sitting next to Asaoka in the AHCI booth at Baselworld!
My kind friend took on the role of intermediary, and through some fits and starts (including a failed attempt to order two identical Tsunamis as a pair of “buddy watches” with a good friend from Australia) I was finally able to lock in a subscription and place a deposit with delivery promised for 2016.
Early mockup by the author, with simplified logo and red index at 12 o’clock
As part of the specification process, we passed a number of potential options back and forth, including the one shown above for dial designs simpler than those on Tsunamis number 001 (pictured earlier in this article) and 002.
I was keen to have a very simple and sober dial-side appearance without the “16mm Titanium Balance” labeling of No. 001, and much simpler than the Deco-style appearance of No. 002 with its index at 12 o’clock reminiscent of an inverted NTT Docomo Tower.
Striking, but not for me: dial of Asaoka Tsunami No. 002 (image courtesy tokeibegin.jp)
For better or worse, one of the big watch manufacturing groups solved the problem of the “titanium balance” labeling for me by asserting a patent on the use of that metal for watch balances; as Asaoka was in no position to afford a fight on the topic, some time was needed while he redesigned the movement to incorporate a 15 mm steel balance.
And then, more time passed. Quite a bit of it, in fact, including an entire year that Asaoka devoted to the design of his splendid chronograph but during which he did not make my watch – or as far as I can tell any other watch.
This one’s for you: plates and bridges of the author’s Tsunami shown in a Facebook post made by Hajime Asaoka
While I never had any worries at all that my piece might not be forthcoming, as you can imagine I was beginning to get a bit impatient when at last, slowly but surely, Facebook posts began to emerge showing the fabrication of my watch and describing the improvements relative to the first Tsunamis that Asaoka was making to my example, importantly including new approaches to dial making and printing of the indices.
Dial blank of the author’s Hajime Asaoka Tsunami crafted from German silver (photo courtesy Hajime Asaoka)
Finally, at Baselworld 2018 the moment arrived: a delightful dinner with Asaoka, Sakurai, and longtime watch pal Michael at which I was presented at last with my Tsunami – and a request.
Asaoka was going to participate in the Watchmakers: The Masters Of Art Horology exhibitions of independent watchmaking in Rome, New York, Hong Kong, and London. Might I be willing to lend my watch for the tour?
Easy come, easy go: world tour for the author’s Asaoka Tsunami (original book cover photo by Guy Lucas de Peslouan)
And just that quickly, “incoming” turned into “outgoing” until, six months later, Sakurai came to California with a fully refreshed version of my watch for a “re-delivery” lunch with some great friends.
Noritake Sakurai reviews the Tsunami’s warranty with GaryG (photo courtesy AllenS)
Why I love the Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
I’d never even seen a Tsunami in person when I ordered mine, and after such a long wait the fear is always that reality won’t live up to one’s hopes. But what I love the most about my Tsunami is that it turned out to be better – cleaner, sharper, more solid – than I’d expected.
Lights, camera, action: Tsunami No. 005 by Hajime Asaoka
The case, made by Asaoka, has clear shapes and sharp edges, and the quality of both the polishing on the bright surfaces and brushing on the case band is superb.
Rear profile view of the Asaoka Tsunami
The dial is massively improved from Asaoka-san’s first pieces; instead of being made up of a separate outer ring and a rough-surfaced matte central insert, the subtly domed one-piece German silver dial is now filled with multiple layers of enamel on the outer ring and features a glassy inner circle made from two blended colors of ceramic clay.
The “zen garden” surface of the seconds subdial is the visual icing on the cake of this small treasure under curved sapphire crystal.
Dome-o arigato: domed surface of the Tsunami dial (photo courtesy Hajime Asaoka)
The printed indices are another great story, nicely raised through multiple applications of a mixture of inks developed by Asaoka and applied with a gelatin tampon he makes himself using a shot glass as a mold!
Printing tampon and mold from an Instagram post by Hajime Asaoka
On the back side, the movement has the type of visual and structural depth that I like, and that still-substantial 15 mm balance wheel draws the eye. The balance itself hides a “secret” poising method that allows it to swing symmetrically without the use of peripheral weights.
Into the depths: movement view, Asaoka Tsunami
If you’ve been studying the movement photos at all, you’ve no doubt noticed what a friend of mine has dubbed “the Tako Wheel”: that octopus-shaped wheel beneath the balance. If you have a half million bucks or so, you can get the same kind of wheel on a Patek Philippe Reference 5016, with admittedly somewhat better finishing and as part of a minute repeating tourbillon perpetual calendar.
But let’s not split hairs here, shall we?
Movement detail, Asaoka Tsunami with octopus wheel
Speaking of finishing, the overall movement finishing is of a very solid quality in my view; in macro views we don’t see the buttercream-smooth striping or polished tooth profiles of a Philippe Dufour Simplicity. But the movement pops very nicely indeed as seen with the naked eye.
The Tsunami winds with a satisfying, firm click that is a bit chunkier than that of, say, an A. Lange & Söhne Datograph, but considerably kinder to the fingers than the super-stiff action of a Peseux 260.
And to return to the external elements of the watch, the handmade buckle with its subtle curves is a treat to peek at from time to time and easy to use.
Handmade buckle, Tsunami by Hajime Asaoka
Finally, it’s all about the people! Getting to know Messrs. Asaoka and Sakurai and sharing not one, but two delivery celebrations with groups of watch buddies have already added a great deal to how special this piece is to me.
And knowing that enthusiasts around the world will have had the opportunity to see my watch as part of the “Watchmakers” exhibition and its related book makes the entire experience of owning Tsunami No. 005 even more fun.
Meet the maker, want the watch: Hajime Asaoka at Baselworld 2018
Hajime Asaoka Tsunami on the wrist
I’ve now worn the Tsunami for a couple of weeks with dress shirts, golf shirts, and even tee shirts, and it does not disappoint.
On the wrist: Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
At 37 mm in diameter and with a moderately wide bezel and black and grey dial, it can seem a bit small when strapped on immediately after wearing a considerably larger piece, but that sensation quickly passes.
For comparison purposes, take a look at the Tsunami in the photo below next to the 37 mm Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic Jumbo and Philippe Dufour Simplicity. In my view, the Tsunami gives up nothing in terms of wrist presence to either of these two favorites of mine.
Size comparison: Jaeger-LeCoultre Futurematic, Asaoka Tsunami, Philippe Dufour Simplicity
Any quibbles?
I’m still very much in the honeymoon period with this watch so if there’s anything that bothers me too significantly about it I haven’t discovered it yet!
Big appeal, small package: the Tsunami from Hajime Asaoka
Of course, I wish that the piece had been delivered on its original schedule, but in the interim period Asaoka seems to have raised his game substantially in areas such as dial making so I can’t be too unhappy about it.
In terms of the watch itself, I would have preferred solid external surfaces on the lugs to the pierced lugs that it actually has; this is one consequence of Asaoka making his own cases, but I might humbly suggest that going forward he consider developing the capability for internal drilling of the spring bar holes.
Consistent time: movement view, Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
Finally, while the good news is that my Tsunami keeps quite consistent time so far in real-world conditions, the bad news is that so far the consistent time seems to be about 9 seconds per day fast.
I’m hopeful that a relatively simple adjustment will be possible at some point to bring the deviation closer to zero. Happily, the current performance of the watch is still within my benchmark range of being able to set a watch precisely on Monday morning and having it indicate within one minute of the correct time when I take it off on Friday evening.
Closing thoughts
It’s a privilege for me to own any watch from one of today’s leading independent watchmakers, and even more so such a rare example from a watchmaker who is so single-mindedly devoted to his art.
I’m also very happy to have a watch like this one in my collection that can serve as a daily wearer but isn’t a piece that I’m going to see on other people’s wrists; the ability to follow my own instincts and collect somewhat off the beaten path is something I very much enjoy.
If anything, my concern is that the Tsunami is just too nicely made to become a true daily-wear piece for me; but I’m more than willing for now to keep wearing it to see how that works out!
Parting shot: taking final delivery of the Tsunami from Hajime Asaoka (photo courtesy AllenS)
Quick Facts Hajime Asaoka Tsunami
Case: 37 mm, stainless steel case with polished bezels and brushed case band; domed front saphhire crystal and exhibition back with sapphire crystal
Dial: German silver base milled in cloisonné style with lacquer and clay surfaces; grooved seconds subdial; printed numerals, logo, and indices
Movement: manually wound, 40-hour power reserve; 18,000 vph/2.5 Hz frequency
Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds
Price: JPY 3 million (approx. $26,700)
Production years: 2012 onward; fewer than 10 examples made as of late 2018
You may also enjoy:
A Superlative Self-Made Chronograph From Self-Taught Independent Watchmaker Hajime Asaoka
You Are There: ‘Watchmakers: The Masters Of Art Horology’ At The Maxxi Gallery, Rome
Behind The Lens: Beat Haldimann’s H1 Flying Central Tourbillon
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What a stunning watch, congratulations and thanks for the nice write-up and images. Enjoy your Tsunami.
Thanks very much, Robert-Jan! I’m wearing it as I type this and expect that this will be a common occurrence!
Best, Gary
It is always a great moment when a collector supports a rather unknown but fantastically gifted and motivated independent watchmaker “newly” established. Hajime’s story is really unique at every level and its watches gather plenty of significant features. They can then be considered with respect and as serious and honorable fine watches. I hope this story will inspire other amateurs to pay a visit at Hajime during next BWD – because independents won’t leave the place.
Thanks for commenting, LN — it is a privilege for me to be able to support Mr. Asaoka in his work, and I strongly support your advice for other collectors to visit with Hajime at Baselworld or to contact Mr. Sakurai for more information!
This is the most ridiculous article I’ve ever read. While the watch is beautiful and exceedingly well made, to have the author act as if he would use this as a “daily beater” is disgusting. It’s a $27,000 watch!! Get off of your high horse and be realistic
Some people regard the PP Nautilus as a beater; there may even be people who treat a Greubel Forsey as a beater. Let’s face it, some people have a lot more money than most of the ordinary mortals who read Quill&Pad. Best not to get an inferiority complex about it though!
A lot of collectors wear watches costing much more than $27K as daily beaters. Nothing wrong with that. This Hajime Asaoka is a work of Art; it is beautifully made and ultra-rare; and as such its price of USD 27K is a Steal. And if I were to own this watch, I too would wear it often as a daily beater.
I appreciate your taking the time to comment. And to be clear, I specifically did not call the watch a “beater” but instead gave it what I consider to be very high praise — that I can easily imagine that I will wear this piece frequently, and in a variety of settings, for many years to come!
Why do you think every watch collector must be of equal means to yourself? And who said “daily beater” necessitates that it will be abused. Relax and don’t be salty.
I don’t understand the concern. While $27k isn’t pocket change it it is the realm of other quality brands steel watches that I would indeed consider daily wearers.
I find myself wearing my P&P Aquanaut more and more. I’m beginning to realize that I can’t really enjoy my collection if it sits in a safe.
The dial is beautiful with those different finishes and lovely arabics. Congratulations on the acquisition. It is a stunning piece!
Thanks, Philip! The dial work is beautiful indeed and so much nicer (in my humble opinion) than the dial on the No. 001 piece — I’m really delighted at how much Mr. Asaoka polished his craft (and the dial!) during the time it took to deliver my watch.
In the crazy world of watches, $27,000 represents astonishing value for a watch of this nature. Better to wear it every day than leave it in a safe.
Thanks — I couldn’t agree more! For me the designation of “daily wearer” is very high praise indeed, and from the moment I saw a photo of the Tsunami my thought was that it would likely be a keeper for me well after I down-size my collection years from now.
Best, Gary
Thanks for this very enlightening review. I enjoyed it.
It’s a very beautiful watch, both front and reverse, and I think is a great independent piece for the price.
The thing that strikes me most about the review is the point you make about the absence of communication. At this level (no matter how many balls he is juggling), I think the watchmaker owes a degree of responsiveness to his patrons. While we all get impatient now and again there should be some kind of regular contact and updates.
Combining that with the request to wait a little longer while the watchmaker uses it as a showpiece to get more interest is a bit much.
Customer service really does make a very large difference to the whole experience. I hope the after sales response is good and your watch gets adjusted soon.
Thanks, Brighty — I am sure that when it can be arranged the slight adjustment on the timing will be quite simple, and in the meantime the daily deviation is not a problem for me.
As for the communication issue, things are much better with Mr. Sakurai in the mix — and from my experience with other independents I have to say that the level of communication does vary quite a bit across the set! And while I missed having my watch after the initial delivery, I was glad to lend it for the exhibition and found that Mr. Asaoka returned it in as-new condition so while I certainly take your point all’s well that ends well.
Thanks again for the comments!
Gary, As always, excellent article. I love this watch, and I am tempted to order one myself. You have explained the Man behind the watch very well, which is most important when discussing Independent Watchmaking.
I am sure the 9 seconds per day will be rectified, and not something to worry about.
Glad you enjoyed it! I’m not at all fussed by the consistent 9 seconds — if it were plus 9 one day and minus 13 the next, then I would start to be concerned!
Best, Gary
Thank you for this great discovery. It’s a great looking/ interesting watch!
My pleasure entirely! I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the No. 001 all those years ago and am really pleased that the stars aligned so that I could have one — and I’m very happy that you like it as well!
He has not been responding to the email mentioned on his website. Any other email or phone number I can try? Would be a great help!!
Oops! Sorry — shame on me but I don’t monitor that email account with regularity. Please try again if the topic is still timely and I’ll be sure to check it out.
Best, Gary
Gary, while your watch was in very rare air during its tour around the world it was for me the star of the show. In part because I’d been fortunate to see the others on previous occasions and therefore it’s appearance was a primary factor in my making time to catch the watches as they passed through.
As always appreciate your sharing of the details behind the purchase. It’s a valuable insight.
Rare air indeed! Some really splendid watches in that exhibition, and I’m really pleased that you enjoyed seeing my Tsunami as part of the mix.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Best, Gary
Thank you for this great review, now years have passed since you’ve been writing this article, how is the watch today ?
Any issues ?
Reliability ?
Where do you service it?
How accurate is it?
Any pro and cons ?
I also try to contact him but very unsuccessful, what would be the way to be in touch with him?
And why is it so complicated to be in touch?
Thank you.