Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot and top Japanese artist Takashi Murakami have released two pieces of digital NFT artwork inspired by Hublot’s ‘Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami’ watches shown at the international watch exhibition ‘Watches & Wonders.’

These pieces of digital artwork were inspired by the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black watch and the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow Watch. Both items were released in 2021 and marked the first collaboration between Hublot and a Japanese artist. These two watches were released in quantities of 200 and 100 pieces, respectively, and both sold out in only a few days.

The collaboration includes two pieces of digital artwork featuring smiling flowers, a symbolic theme of Murakami’s work and the Superflat art movement. There are 216 digital art pieces inspired by the All Black watch and 108 pieces inspired by the Sapphire Rainbow watch. These NFTs are primarily intended for current owners of the two limited-edition watches. Current watch owners must apply for the NFT between April 1 and April 25.

But don’t worry: these NFTs will also be available to the public in limited quantities in May 2022!

Naomi Osaka is one of the fiercest young athletes in sports today. Now a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, she’s caught the attention of aspiring athletes all over the world with her authenticity and skill. Now, she’s teaming up with Levi’s® to release a new collection, available at select stores in Japan beginning August 24. The pieces will also be sold at the official online store. 

Crystal Fringe Short : ¥33,000 (Tax Included)

Lace-Up Short : ¥19,800 (Tax Included)

Trucker Jacket Bustier: ¥24,200 (Tax Included)

Denim Kimono : ¥40,500 (Tax Included)

The collection utilizes vintage or upcycled denim to capture Osaka’s preferred silhouette, with each piece utilizing her unique designs based in femininity and sportiness. 

The Denim Kimono is a respectful homage to traditional Japanese culture. “I loved wearing kimono as a child,” Osaka commented. “I thought if I included one made of denim in the collection, it would be super unexpected and surprising.” 

This collection also includes two denim shorts: the Lace-Up Short is sportier, and is a clever reimagining of the classic Levi’s® denim shorts. They feature cutouts above the knees, a feminine lace-up back, and were made from upcycled men’s Levi’s® jeans. For those wanting something more girly, the Crystal Fringe Short features a collection of shimmering fringe gracefully dropping down the sides of the cut-off pants. 

Rounding out the collection is the Trucker Jacket Bustier, a denim bustier with a lace-up back. This is a remake of the Levi’s® trucker jacket, cut in the traditional corset style with classic lines, flap pockets, and recognizable buttons. “When I was sketching, the idea of the bustier came to me and I absolutely loved it. Now that it’s been made and is actually real, it’s so much cuter than I imagined. I love it even more!” Osaka commented. 

This blend of sporty and feminine makes the collection a perfect shoutout to Naomi Osaka’s rich heritage. Most importantly, the collection is made from vintage and upcycled denim, breathing new life into already existing Levi’s® items and reducing impact on the environment. “Sustainability initiatives are important to me. What I love most about the collection is how responsibly the pieces were made,” the tennis star said. 

Which of these four pieces would you like to rock this summer? 

Netflix released their new three-episode docuseries Naomi Osaka worldwide on July 16 which shines a spotlight on the titular Japanese professional tennis player.

Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka has consistently been a standout tennis player amongst her peers. Filmed over the course of two years, the series dives deep into Osaka’s life with home video footage from her childhood to today, following her climb to becoming a top player in the world of tennis.

It looks at her historical play at the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Australian Open, which saw her win her first two Grand Slam singles titles. We see the times she wore masks with the names of those who have died at the hands of police in the US written on them for each round of the US Open. It delves into her exploration of her cultural roots and her multifaceted identity as a tennis champion and rising leader.

A new promo video was released exclusively on the Netflix Japan YouTube channel which features narration by Osaka in English. In it, Osaka reveals how her mother worked overtime and would sleep in her car, and that her purpose for playing tennis was to make her mother happy.

You can also watch the official global trailer below.

The docuseries was directed by American filmmaker Garrett Bradley who is perhaps best known for her documentary Time which was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Netflixドキュメンタリーシリーズ『大坂なおみ』７月１６日(金)Netflixにて全世界独占配信

Japanese electronics giant Casio has announced its second collaboration with The Pokémon Company to release a Pikachu design watch as part of its BABY-G shock-resistant line of wristwatches. The Pikachu BA-110PKC watch will drop worldwide via G-SHOCK’s official website on February 5, 2021.

The watch comes as part of BABY-G’s 25th anniversary celebrations as Pikachu is number 025 in the Pokédex. It features classic Generation I inspired artwork of Pokémon’s leading mascot.

BA-110PKC | ¥19,800 (Tax Included)

Casio describes the watch: “This second collaboration is an analog-digital watch with an outdoor theme, representing the active image of the BABY-G brand. The entire BA-110PKC band showcases a camouflage pattern and female Pikachu with a heart-shaped tail. The Pikachu design is infused with subtle details like the silhouette of the pink tail on the strap keeper and the Pikachu image etched on the case back. The hour and minute hands also evoke the face of Pikachu, a playful touch that will delight the wearer whenever they check the time.”

The watch is boxed with a Poké Ball inside which Trainers will find their trusty new Pikachu watch companion.

© 2021 Pokémon. ©1995-2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Pokémon, ポケットモンスター, and ポケモン are registered trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and GAME FREAK inc.

Louis Vuitton has announced tennis champion Naomi Osaka as the new face of the brand.

The Japanese professional tennis player is a three-time Grand Slam singles champion and known the world over as the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles. Lauded not only as a tennis player, but for her daring attitude to push the boundaries of fashion, she now hails as the new House Ambassador for the French fashion brand Louis Vuitton.
 

Osaka makes her ambassador debut promoting the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2021 Collection campaign which is photographed by Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière.

“Aside from tennis, my most treasured passion is fashion, and there is no brand more iconic than Louis Vuitton,” says Osaka. “It is such an honour to work with Nicolas – he’s a designer I admire so much and we share a mutual love of Japanese culture and style. To become a global brand ambassador is truly a dream come true for me.”

“Naomi is an exceptional woman who represents her generation and is also a role model for everyone. Her career and convictions are inspiring. I am in awe of Naomi, she stays true to herself and doesn’t compromise on her values,” Ghesquière said.

Louis Vuitton was founded in 1854 in Paris, France. Known for its unique style which blends innovation and style, the high-quality luxury brand puts out a wide selection of products from bags and accessories to shoes, jewellery, watches, and more. It continues to maintain both creativity and elegance while keeping utility in mind, a process captured in its brand purpose “L.V the Truth.” It has opened the doors for artists, designers, and architects through its long history, and continues to push its vision when it comes to fashion items, jewellery, and more.

Naomi Osaka is the perfect candidate as the brand’s newest House Ambassador, serving bold energy, fashion, and influence, and as such it seems this is only the beginning of her style journey.

Citizen Watch brand wicca released a new emerald green wristwatch to commemorate the release of the new anime film Sailor Moon Eternal. The item was released exclusively on PREMICO’s online shop in Japan on January 6, 2021, with a limited stock of just 3,000.

Wicca x Sailor Moon Eternal Special Collab Watch | ¥29,800 (Before Tax)

The watch features intricate nods to the film such as a crescent moon at the 12-o’-clock mark with a rhinestone, Pegasus and white wings on the bottom half, an emerald blue round face, the Crystal Carillon on the 6-o’-clock mark, and more.

The mesh strap is pink and gold to complete the a beautiful and feminine appearance. And since only 3,000 have been made, each watch also has its own Edition Number engraved into it. The watches are packaged in special gold leaf box with a Swarovski® crystal on it.

©武内直子・PNP／劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンEternal」製作委員会

Swarovski® is a registered trademark of SwarovskiAG.

Customisable watch brand UNDONE released a new collection of wristwatches in Japan on Tuesday (December 15).

Special Doraemon 50th Anniversary Series

The celebratory line-up commemorates Doraemon’s 50th anniversary and includes limited quantity models, customisable made-to-order models, and more, each with references to the beloved series.

50TH ANNIVERSARY

50TH ANNIVERSARY (Limited to 150 models) | ¥39,600 (Tax Included)

The ’50TH ANNIVERSARY’ model features an illustration of Doraemon as seen in the early days of the manga series.

The early artwork of Doraemon is nothing short of adorable

Back of wristwatch features vintage style design

FRIENDSHIP

FRIENDSHIP (Limited to 150 models) | ¥39,600 (Tax Included)

Best friends Nobita and Doraemon come together for this special design.

Spot Doraemon’s tiny bell at 12-o’clock

Doraemon and Nobita on the back side

The watch has simple white dials, and it has a function where it lights up at night to reveal Doraemon and Nobita. The design captures the beauty of the pair’s everlasting friendship.

THE BELL

THE BELL (Customisable Model) | ¥29,700 (Tax Included)

This cute watch just screams Doraemon’s design with its colouring and his iconic bell in the centre.

The bell turns as the hands go around

Doraemons everywhere on the back side

This watch is customisable with various different designs. If you look closely at the 50-minute mark you’ll see a red dot representing Doraemon’s tail. It’s also a nod to his 50th anniversary.

©Fujiko-Pro APPROVAL NO.S611617

Seiko is teaming up with Pokémon to release four limited-edition watches on December 11, 2020. Each model will be available to buy from Seiko in Japan.

Pikachu Icon Design Model SCXP175 | ¥30,800 (Tax Included)

The Pikachu Icon Design Model SCXP175 features a modern design with a yellow dial and black Pikachu silhouette. Pikachu’s tail is used as the watch hands, underneath which is a nod to Pikachu’s effectiveness as a lighting-type Pokémon against water-types. The watch has a leather strap with Pikachu’s paw prints running down it.

Pikachu Green Model SCXP177 | ¥30,800 (Tax Included)

The Pikachu Green Model SCXP177 features a green dial inspired by Pikachu running through Viridian Forest. The second hand also has Pikachu’s tail and the leather strap has Pikachu’s paw prints.

Eevee Model SCXP179 | ¥30,800 (Tax Included)

The cute Eevee Model SCXP179 has coloured dots for the hours which represent Eevee’s nine different evolutions. The leather strap has Eevee’s paw prints.

Mewtwo Model SCXP181 | ¥30,800 (Tax Included)

The Mewtwo Model SCXP181 is purple to represent the Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon Mewtwo. The leather strap reads “Pokémon” on it.

There are three different underside designs featuring a closed Poké Ball, an open Poké Ball, and a closed Great Ball.

Each watch comes in a special box and with an additional nylon strap, which you can swap out with the leather one, as well as a Poké Ball design cloth.

©Nintendo･Creatures･GAME FREAK･TV Tokyo･ShoPro･JR Kikaku　©Pokémon

PAC-MAN turned 40 years old on May 22, 2020. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of one of the most recognisable video game characters, UENI TRADING, the sole Japanese distributor of American watchmakers Timex, released three new Timex 80 x Pacman watches on July 30, 2020. The watches are available in select stores and online stores in Japan.

This collaboration previously took place in November 2019 where the watches were a hug success amongst American fans. The watches have now arrived in Japan in the year of PAC-MAN’s 40th anniversary.

Timex 80 x PAC-MAN Watches: ¥11,000 (Before Tax)
TW2U32000 | TW2U31900| TW2U32100

The watches are an arrangement of Timex’s “Classic Digital” which capture that retro 80’s design of PAC-MAN.

The LCD, back of the case, and bracelet all feature iconic PAC-MAN motifs. The alarm sound of the watches are also the PAC-MAN game sound. The watches feature all the typical functions like a stopwatch, calendar, and alarm, but with a PAC-MAN flair. They’re also equipped with the Timex INDIGLO® night light which Timex first introduced back in 1992.

The watches will be available to purchase in Japan on the official online stores of Timex and ontime move as well as in-store at ontime Shibuya LOFT and ontime Umeda LOFT.

*Available online at Timex from July 30. General sales will begin on August 4.

Pop-up stores will also open at ontime Shibuya LOFT and ontime Umeda LOFT where you can get your hands on an original PAC-MAN sticker, play the original game, and more.

Japanese watchmakers MARUZEKI released a new collection of Hello Kitty wristwatches as part of their KAORU model series on June 27, 2020.

KAORU x Hello Kitty Sweets Collaboration: ¥4,180 (Tax Included)

MARUZEKI’s “KAORU” watches are inspired by aromatherapy, implementing a world-first concept that lets the wearer enjoy their favourite fragrances on the go. Designed and created with Japan’s state-of-the-art materials and technology, the Hello Kitty collection of 3 watches come with vanilla, strawberry, and coconut scents.

The ‘Vanilla White’ fragrance is like a waft of sweet candy. It’s a popular scent seen in products, and uses a mix of aroma oils and perfumes to create the uplifting fragrance. The watch face has an illustration of Hello Kitty enjoying a cup of tea.

‘Strawberry Pink’ is inspired by strawberry milk and strawberry shakes. They recommend this one if you’re wanting a change of pace. This clock face has Hello Kitty enjoying some apple pie and talking on the phone.

‘Coconut Mint Green’ is a relaxing blend of coconut and passion fruit. Hello Kitty is dressed adorably as a mother making an apple pie for this design.

The watches are packaged in special boxes with a cute pop-up Hello Kitty inside like that of a picture book. This itself serves as kawaii decoration, and makes for a great gift to someone (or yourself!)

CASIO G-SHOCK has announced a collaboration with the popular anime series One Piece and Dragon Ball Z, with watch designs for each show releasing in July and August respectively.

GA-110JOP: ¥26,400 (Tax Included)

The GA-110JOP One Piece watch uses the popular GA-110 model G-SHOCK which has a distinct big case. It’s covered in a black base colour and features an illustration of Luffy strong and grown up. At 9-o’clock is a motif of Luffy’s straw hat, while at 3-o’clock is the word “WANTED.” Additionally, when the hour and minute hands both strike 2-o’clock and 4-o’clock, they combine with slanted golden lines to create the “X” shape that Luffy has on his chest.

The back cover features the “G-SHOCK x One Piece” logo.

GA-110JDB: ¥26,400 (Tax Included)

Like the One Piece watch, the Dragon Ball Z one also uses the GA-110 model and is coloured in that iconic DBZ orange. The design is inspired by Goku going through training to become stronger. The lettering and logo is gold for accent. At 9-o’clock is the Four-Star Dragon Ball while at 3-o’clock is the letter “Z.”

On the back cover of this one it features the Dragon Ball Z logo.

Both watch designs will for sure be appreciated by fans for their detailed designs and references.

Seiko Watch Corporation has announced that it’s opening two new shops simultaneously inside WITH HARAJUKU in Tokyo’s hub for fashion and culture Harajuku on June 17, 2020: Seiko Boutique WITH HARAJUKU and Seiko Prospex Boutique WITH HARAJUKU.

Seiko launched its “Seiko Boutique” chain of stores in 2004 which are situated in major cities around the world and offer the full experience of the Seiko brand. It currently has around 80 branches worldwide. Seiko also opened its newest “Seiko Prospex Boutique” branch in Ginza last year, making it the third branch in the world.

At Seiko Boutique, customers can enjoy looking through the brand’s many watch varieties, such as Grand Seiko which offers leading watch functionality and a sophisticated design, Seiko Astron which hails as the first GPS solar watch, the popular casual Seiko 5 Sports watches, and more.

From Left: SNE537PC / SNE533PC / SNE535PC

From Left: SRPD35KC / SRPD31KC / SRPD33KC

To commemorate the opening of the two new shops in WITH HARAJUKU, Seiko will sell a limited 10 number of watches each from 6 models that are currently unavailable in Japan.