Originally a jewellery design school established in 1966, the watchmaking courses were launched in 1997. Today there are approximately 150 students in the process of studying watchmaking. There are 2 courses of 2- and 3-year durations. The longer course includes learning about chronographs, and the students are required to take and personalise a large caliber movement, (examples are shown below). In total there are 14 teachers in Tokyo. In addition, there is a second watchmaking school connected with the college based in Osaka with an additional 30 students and 3 teachers.
The courses comprise of all of the rudimentary aspects of watch micro-mechanics, watch design and marketing during the first year. The second-year more advanced practical and watch theory, and the final year chronographs, finishing and precision adjustment (in conjunction with the personalisation study). The majority of the students are from Tokyo and the surrounding territory although present was a Swiss, French plus Russian student plus several students from other Asian countries.
Standing with a student about to finish the course is Daizo Makihara, an independent watchmaker who also teaches at the school and the senior course director Mari Shimizu.
The watchmaking course goes beyond assembly and technical understanding of modern watches, included are exercises to refine manual dexterity.
The exercise of filing perfect shapes, round and straight-edged in different materials, to be able to place the circle into the square and the triangle into the circle without seeing any light between the touching surfaces, is a difficult task and an excellent lesson for developing dexterity.
As has been historically made in many watchmakers schools the students make their own tools to the schools specifications. The student below is Russian, she came to the school because of its reputation and the lack of any equivalent in her own country.
The students below are about to take a 3 hour test, dismantling, cleaning, adjusting and reassembling the Casio automatic wristwatch. They are then marked on the quality of their work, cleanliness, lubrication, tolerances and final regulation.
One of the aspects of the course which allows the students to express their own creative spirits is shown below. Each student that completes the third year takes the large manual calibre and personalises it to their own design and technical preferences.
To the right, the standard industrially finished calibre.
Above, the bridges in process of being decorated have been altered in shape, angled and polished.
The barrel and train bridges have been decorated using a circular Geneva stripe finish, then plated in red gold. The balance cock is hand engraved, also hand angled and yellow gold plated to match the balance wheel .
Straight Geneva Stripes, angling and finished with a grey rhutanium plating.
The barrel bridge has been partially skelletonized to high-light the centre wheel, the bridge form is altered and angled. The surface has a Geneva stripe decoration. The mainplate spotted (pearlage).
All of the train jewels have been set into chatons and held in place by screws, set into the newly made 3/4 bridge covering the barrel and train wheels. The ratchet wheel is finished with a double angular sun-burst effect. The balance cock is hand engraved.
A mix of spotting, skeletonization, altered forms and angling.
Altered bridge forms, angling, hand engraving and frosted finish.
Below are two advanced students developing their own constructions of calibres.
The wrist watch below was designed and made by the watchmaker in the white T-shirt.
One of the advanced students Masahiro Kobayashi with his first two watches.
The watch on the left is a full calendar pocket watch. On the right a tourbillon with off-centre time indication.
To learn more about The Hiko Mizunoi College of Jewellery.