My Own Watch | What Timepiece Does Hiroki Ando Cherish?
7th Edition | Hiroki Ando x Hamilton Lloyd Chrono
The Joy of Choosing a Watch with Your Own Unique Style
Appearing in the 7th installment of My Own Watch is TBS announcer Hiroki Ando. Known for his love of cars and his distinct tastes, Ando-san also seems to have his own unique approach to watches.
Text by SHINICHIRO AKIZUKI (OPENERS)Photo by HIROYUKI KONDOH
The Criterion for Choosing a Watch: It Must Be a Chronograph
Ando-san, dressed casually in a shirt, jeans, and brown boots, arrived at a cafe along the gingko-lined avenue in Jingu Gaien. On his wrist was the GSX "ni Produce Heart Cocktail," a "Made in Japan" brand meticulously finished by artisans, and in his hand, a case holding another watch: the Hamilton "Lloyd Chrono." The commonality between these two timepieces? Both are chronographs. How does Ando-san, who owns these watches of different colors and designs, choose which to wear?
“Actually, when I joined TBS, a senior colleague once cautioned me. At the time, I only owned a watch with a black strap. When I wore it with a suit and brown shoes, he told me, ‘It’s basic rule to match the color of your belt, shoes, and watch strap.’ I had never paid attention to it before, but from then on, I started changing the strap color depending on my outfit.”
Indeed, Ando-san’s boots today were brown, which explains why the GSX with its brown strap was on his wrist. He purchased this GSX about 15 years ago, and despite a strap breakage once, he still cherishes it.
“My approach to enjoying cars is quite the opposite, but I generally use one thing for a long time,” says Ando-san, who also admits to having trouble finding watches that meet his specific criteria.
The GSX "ni Produce Heart Cocktail" is Ando-san's favorite chronograph.
“Because my wrists are thin, watches with large case diameters make my arms look even thinner, or rather, just not cool. So, after trying many, I realized that a case diameter in the 30mm range is just right for me. Therefore, my conditions are: 30mm range, chronograph, and quartz movement. Surprisingly, there aren’t many like that. Of course, mechanical watches are also appealing…”
The Hamilton "Lloyd Chrono," an ideal watch finally found.
His insistence on quartz chronographs stems from his profession as an announcer, where the ability to accurately measure time and seconds is an absolute necessity. The Hamilton "Lloyd Chrono," which he purchased this year, perfectly fits Ando-san's requirements.
“It feels like I finally found it. I thoroughly searched for my ideal watch, and that’s when I discovered the Hamilton brand. I thought, ‘This is it!’ A 30mm case, black leather, black dial, and a chronograph. It fit perfectly.”
He doesn't plan to change his lineup of two watches, the GSX and the Hamilton, anytime soon. But if he were to buy another one? When asked, Ando-san paused for a moment before replying:
“What I seek in a watch, besides accuracy, is a touch of coolness. And of course, the fact that it’s not a brand known to everyone is also a point (laughs). With something like the GSX, which most people haven’t seen, I often get asked, ‘What is that? Where did you buy it?’ And that makes me happy.”
Hiroki Ando
Born in 1967. Joined TBS as an announcer in 1991. He has hosted programs such as "Wakkō ni Omakase," "Hirubi," and "Kattoku," as well as "Weekend Asobi Navi" on TBS Radio with Yoshinari Tsuji, introducing adult leisure activities centered around cars. Known as a car enthusiast, he has owned 35 cars to date.