Japanese Indie Watchmaker Naoya Hida Launches The 36mm Type 4A Collection

I’ve always seen Japan as the other place for fine watchmaking. But for many years, it has mostly been about large companies and mainstream production. Yet, in recent years, we’ve seen the rise of an independent watchmaking scene in Japan, with names such as Kikuchi Nakagawa, Hajime Asaoka or his other venture, Kurono Tokyo. Another name that somehow fascinates us at MONO (we love indie watches, we can’t help it) is Naoya Hida. Offering high-end watches in very limited numbers, with an undeniable vintage charm, the brand has made a name for itself with its superbly finished Calatrava-styled watches. It is time now for the fourth series to be presented, the 36mm Naoya Hida Type 4A Series. New case, new size, sportier style, but still the same spirit.

Quick reminder… Naoya Hida & Co. is an independent watchmaking company based in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 2018 by Mr Naoya Hida, who served as a representative for F.P. Journe, he was later joined by Kusoke Fujita, a WOSTEP-certified watchmaker and a first-class watch repair technician, also with FPJ background. Since the earliest models, the design language and inspirations are very clear; exceptional craftsmanship, impressive attention to detail on the cases, hands and dials, movement entirely reworked from a reliable base, and the charm of 1930s and 1940s vintage dress watches – typical Calatrava-inspired watches, with the precision of Japanese manufacturing.

Last year, we covered the 2022-2023 Collection, with all 3 Series of watches by Naoya Hida, as well as the 3rd-gen case applied on all models. And now, the Japanese independent watchmaker presents its fourth creation, the Naoya Hida Type 4A Series, a watch with a slightly different style, a bolder design yet the same level of refinement on the habillage.

The Type 4A Series differentiates from all other watches thanks to an unprecedented case. While the Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 shared the same 37mm central case (with minor differences on the bezel), the new Type 4 brings a case that is both sportier, bolder, slightly more modern and yet more compact. Made of 904L stainless steel, the new case is 36mm in diameter, with a reasonable 11mm height and a truly compact length, just below 43mm. The design is the main update, with more present lugs and overall, sportier and crisper aesthetics. It still combines hairline finishes with polished accents, a screw solid back and, without a doubt, the same level of execution as before. The old Patek and VC references, and many more acclaimed mid-century time-only beauties, are still there, just with more modernity and casualness.

Basically, the same can be said about the dials of the Type 4A Series. Detailed, hand-made, retro-styled and now a touch more casual. These are time-only watches with a central display, and dials made from German silver, either silver-coloured or dark grey with a DLC coating. What changes are the markers, which are sans-serif Arabic numerals paired with bold, diamond-shaped hands. Hand-engraved into the material, the numerals are later filled with black or ivory lacquer. And the hands, if not the most conventional, look rather stunning. All in the direction of more modernity.

Under the hood, no major changes. The Naoya Hida Type 4A Series still rely on the same base movement, here the Calibre 3020CS. To make it very clear, the movement is based on a 7750 architecture, which has been entirely reworked. Striped out its automatic module and chronograph parts, most parts have been recreated and the movement comes with various upgrades and a fine finishing.

The Type 4A Series also brings a new strap and clasp system. 32 different sizes of leather strap samples can be combined, in order to bring the best comfort. There’s also a new folding clasp, named D-buckle and for now exclusive to the Type 4 watches. It features a micro-adjustment system, with a one-touch spring bar and 6mm of fine-tuning.

The Naoya Hida Type 4A Series (NH TYPE 4A-1 in dark grey and NH TYPE4A in silver) will, as always with the brand, be produced in low quantities. Expect around 15-20 pieces to be produced between 2023 and 2024, for each reference. The dark grey model is priced at JPY 3,190,000 (about 21,500 euros) and the silver model at JPY 3,080,000 (about 20,800 euros). Certainly far from accessible, but the fact that the entire production is reserved for multiple years proves that some find it justified. The superb level of execution too…

For more details, please visit naoyahidawatch.com.