Since 1881, Seiko has been pushing Japanese watchmaking to new heights, becoming one of the best loved brands. Now, Seiko has unveiled a luxury-centered project that captures various elements of Japanese culture, including nature’s beauty, artisans’ skill, and seasonal time.
This project features an inspirational film titled ‘The Gift of Time.’ The 24-minute film, which was directed by Paula Chowles and produced by Godfrey Dadich Partners, captures various aspects of time and how it impacts our lives. The film features professionals in different creative fields — like art, architecture, and music — who explain their viewpoints on time and how it influences them. Interviewees include Architect Kengo Kuma, contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, composer and Commissioner for Agency for Cultural Affairs Shunichi Tokura, and singer and newly appointed Seiko Group Ambassador MISIA.
Shunichi Tokura explains that while technological advancements have reduced the time spent on a task, nature has been the same for thousands of years, and it is in harmony with time. Shunichi Tokura says entrusting yourself to time is better than racing against time.
Shinji Hattori, the CEO of Seiko Group, backed these claims by stating, “In Japan, time and nature coexist in harmony.”
As the grandson of the founder of the Seiko Group, Shinji Hattori breaks down the evolution of time from the 19th century to the 20th century. Japanese time in the 18th century was tracked through the passing seasons, so Hattori was quite intrigued with new ways of measuring time. Later, his newfound discoveries were shared in Japan through the Seiko Group.
“Since ancient times, ‘nature’ and ‘time’ have been at the core of Japanese culture,” Hattori said. “The Japanese have always valued a unique sense of time, living in harmony with nature. Japanese luxury, which has been described as ‘quiet luxury,’ is based on the unique Japanese ‘culture of time’ and ‘artisan skills’ that have been nurtured in harmony with nature from season to season. Through the film, we hope that you will experience the depth of Japanese culture and the feelings toward ‘time’ held by the top creators representing Japan.”
