If you ever stumble across a steampunk watch, try squinting at the dial and you’ll realize it is one of master craftsman Haruo Suekichi’s labors of love. While the whole world is pursuing sophistication and is going digital, this nimble-fingered watchmaker has chosen to rewind time (pun intended!). He has lost count, but an estimate quickly tells him around 6000-7000 of his antique creations wow people across the world. Fabricated with brass and leather primarily, each of the watches tell a story – a reminiscence of how a stint in the flea market unwound the watchmaker’s creativity. And no two watches are similar, if you pay attention. Kuromati, the dragon tail watch, appeals to the child in you, while the corked canon watch and the holster watch take you on a wild ride into the fantasy realms, conjured by Jules Verne.
Work: During a rendezvous with Haruo Suekichi, an interviewer from PingMag discovered that the precision in the clock hands and the mechanical parts are not machine-induced but handcrafted. And each of the watches follow a theme. For example, the design of the watch holster—the Energy Drink watch—is actually based on an energy drink called Lipovitan D. And there is the Time Machine watch with a dial that reminds you of Verne’s magical machine. The Corked Canon pretends to be intimidating with a corked brass barrel attached to the dial, while the Steamboy Anime stakes its claim to be the perfect showpiece antique item. And if you seek something simpler, there are regular watches with just an antique leather strap attached to them.
Watch This: Haruo Suekichi’s creations charm you not just with their appearance, but also with timeless stories of their existence. Right from the self-closing watch for a one-armed guy to the Ultraman-inspired energy drink watch, every watch is worth its weight in gold. And make no mistake, if you aren’t self-conscious, you can actually wear them around to flaunt your taste for the exotic.
Designer: Haruo Suekichi has been a steampunker for the last 13 glorious years. He started out with his now-folkloric watches and recently developed an interest in creating antique fountain pens. We hope his story doesn’t end here.
Via: PingMag
