My Own Watch | The Watch Tomoyuki Tanaka (FPM) Loves

Days Spent with an Antique Watch

Vol. 1 | Tomoyuki Tanaka (FPM) x Breguet Type XX

What Matters is Whether Wearing It Elevates You

This new series introduces beloved timepieces of prominent figures making strides in various fields. For the first installment, we feature Tomoyuki Tanaka, known as FPM, who is active both domestically and internationally as a DJ, remixer, and producer. We spoke with Mr. Tanaka, a global talent, about his cherished antique watch.

Photographs by JAMANDFIXText by Nogami Aki

A Cherished Piece: Breguet's TYPE XX, Where Ruggedness Meets Subtlety

Tomoyuki Tanaka of FPM is a devoted lover of antique watches. His current favorite is Breguet's "TYPE XX." Breguet developed this model for the French Air Force, a restartingchronographHowever, Mr. Tanaka explains that he encountered this watch through a fortunate connection.

"I recently received it from a senior watch enthusiast. I'm deeply drawn to the idea of a military watch created by a brand known for its elegant image. In that sense, this might be the ultimate watch for me. I tend to own mostly sports watches. When I'm DJing, I often bump into various equipment (laughs). While the TYPE XX has been reissued, the original possesses a unique, exquisite 'ruggedness' that modern versions lack. I believe the aura emanating from something that has endured time is different. I also love the feel of winding the TYPE XX."

And recently, he acquired another favorite, also passed down from a friend: a Rolex "Oyster Cosmograph." This particular piece catches the eye with its exotic dial, commonly known as the "Paul Newman," and it's a rare double-signed model with Cartier.

"My fascination with antique watches began when I turned 40. I wanted a manual-wind Daytona from my birth year, but when I looked into it, the price was several times what I had imagined. That surprised me, and I became curious about why the prices had risen so much, which led me to research them. After the Lehman Shock, prices seemed to regain some sanity, and I felt it was the right time to acquire one."

Mr. Tanaka's beloved watch: a 1950s Breguet "TYPE XX."

A recently acquired Rolex manual-wind Daytona "Oyster Cosmograph," a Cartier double-signed model. This is the "exotic dial" variant, commonly known as the "Paul Newman model."

A Collection of Antique Watches, Sparked by Rolex

From there, Mr. Tanaka became completely captivated by the allure of antique watches. However, the world of collecting means that desired pieces are often hard to come by. He speaks of feeling a sense of "destiny" when he finally encounters something he's long sought.

"Perhaps the difficulty in acquiring them is part of their appeal. Opportunities sometimes arise when you least expect them. Beyond watches, I'm generally drawn to Mid-Century pieces, and I suppose I'm attracted to items with a 'story.' Ultimately, I believe clothing and watches are the same: rather than how others perceive them, what matters is whether wearing them elevates you. For instance, wearing this Rolex makes me feel more upright."

Tomoyuki Tanaka (FPM) | TANAKA Tomoyuki
Born in Kyoto in 1966. FPM is Tomoyuki Tanaka's solo project. He is active worldwide as a DJ, remixer, and producer. Late last year, he released his sixth original album, "FPM." He also produced the music for "UNIQLOCK" and "UNIQLO CALENDAR," dance music projects that won Grand Prix awards at the world's three major advertising festivals, showcasing his diverse talents. On August 4th, he will release his new DJ-MIX series, "Versus - JAPANESE ROCK VS FPM." Launched with the concept of tackling all types of music outside his usual repertoire head-on, the first installment in this series challenges "Japanese Rock," featuring a non-stop mix of 22 artists and 22 tracks selected from his unique perspective, all in the house music style.