While the realm of independent watchmaking has traditionally been centred around Switzerland, Japan has developed its own increasingly important group of independent makers. Among them, Naoya Hida & Co. has become one of the most recognisable despite having only been founded in 2018.
Prior to establishing his own manufacture, Hida-san spent many years representing brands including F.P. Journe in Japan. His approach with Naoya Hida has been markedly different from much of contemporary independent watchmaking. Rather than pursuing complications or elaborate movement architecture, his watches focus on proportion, typography and traditional details, executed to an extremely high standard and produced in remarkably small quantities.
In fact, actually acquiring a Naoya Hida is perhaps one of the more difficult aspects of the brand. Production across the entire manufacture remains tiny, with individual references often made in quantities measured in the low double digits each year. According to Naoya Hida, just 19 examples of the Type 4A were sold in 2023, followed by another 10 in 2024. Combined with an application-based allocation process and demand that considerably exceeds production, these are watches that remain surprisingly difficult to obtain despite their relatively understated appearance.
Introduced in 2023, the Type 4A debuted a new 36mm case, measuring 11mm thick and crafted from 904L stainless steel. While it retains the restrained, Calatrava-like proportions associated with Hida's earlier watches, there are subtle differences in its construction. Most notably, the Type 4 case incorporates delicate bevels that give greater definition to its otherwise simple profile. It is the sort of detail that is easy to overlook, but becomes increasingly apparent when viewed from different angles.
The screw-down caseback is circular brushed in a manner reminiscent of watches from the 1950s and 1960s, while a domed sapphire crystal gives the appearance of the acrylic crystals found on vintage watches. Together, these details give the Type 4A distinctly vintage proportions without making it feel like a reproduction of an earlier watch.
The German silver dial follows a similar philosophy. Its engraved, sector-like inner circle recalls early watches from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Omega and Longines, while the twelve modern sans-serif Arabic numerals are individually hand-engraved before being filled with glossy black Cashew lacquer.
For me, however, the most beautiful detail of the Type 4A is its hands. Earlier Naoya Hida watches tended to rely more heavily on traditional hand shapes, whereas the Type 4A introduced a distinctive pair of diamond-shaped steel hands. Their sharply faceted surfaces interact with the light beautifully, alternating between bright reflections and darker surfaces as the watch moves on the wrist. It is a relatively small change, but one that gives the Type 4A a noticeably more contemporary identity against an otherwise very classical dial.
Completing the composition is a thermally blued central seconds hand, with its tip individually bent by hand to follow the curvature of the peripheral seconds track. Against the grainy, silver-grey German silver dial, the blue provides just enough contrast without disturbing the restraint of the overall design.
Powering the Type 4A is the manually wound NH Calibre 3020SS, based upon the architecture of the Valjoux 7750. The automatic winding and chronograph mechanisms have been removed, while the movement has been extensively reworked with new main and balance bridges and converted to display indirect central seconds. Hida's team also developed its own winding click spring to recreate the tactile winding sensation of vintage calibres. The resulting 22-jewel movement provides approximately 45 hours of power reserve.
The Type 4A is a great example of what makes Naoya Hida so compelling. Nothing about the watch immediately demands attention, yet the closer it is examined, the more deliberate each decision becomes. Rare, thoughtful, well-made, and so good on the wrist.
