August 27, 2026
Serialized Series: The People Who Connect Time | "I don't want what I've taught to simply stay where it is."
The People Who Connect Time | Hideya Yamazaki (Seiko Time Lab)
Hideya Yamazaki has spent over 30 years repairing wristwatches in Seiko's repair division and was the first to achieve the company's highest internal title for repair technicians, “STL Meister.” Yamazaki has a guiding principle he emphasizes when training junior staff: he wants them not only to master the fundamentals he teaches but to go beyond them. This is both a message to newcomers and a principle Yamazaki himself has adhered to for years.
Text by TSUCHIDA Takashi｜Photographs by OHTAKI Kaku
Disassembly and Assembly Were Enjoyable
He didn't have a particular interest in watches. Since childhood, he enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. Influenced by his older brother, who was skilled in metalworking, he would use the drill press and milling machine at home to make any parts he needed.
In high school, he was on the cycling team and customized his own bike to his liking. He adjusted the gears by studying their structure, without any instruction. It was there he realized the joy of maintenance. He realized that he was more suited to quietly focusing on something rather than talking to people. Around that time, he saw the phrase “watch disassembly and assembly” on a job posting and applied to only that one company, where he was hired. He didn't have a strong passion for watches themselves; he simply felt that the work of disassembling and adjusting intricate mechanisms suited him.
Although bicycles and watches differ greatly in size, they share commonalities, Yamazaki says. He has always enjoyed understanding the mechanism by which gears combine to create a function. Even now, he disassembles and adjusts bicycles and rebuilds car suspensions. The feeling of "liking to be engaged with something" has always been at the core of his being.
40 Minutes for a Single Second Hand
Yamazaki joined Seiko Service Center (now Seiko Time Lab) in 1994. At the time, there were no specialized educational institutions that systematically taught watch repair; skills were learned by observing senior technicians.
There were three other people hired the same year as repair technicians. They weren't taught theory first, but the fundamentals of “touching the object.” It took about 40 minutes just to attach a single hand, and they would repeatedly be told, “This won't do,” after presenting their work. They honed their skills on internal training machines, and it took a three-to-four-month training period before they could handle customer watches.
“I never felt discouraged. I simply found it interesting.”
When he first joined, Yamazaki viewed watch repair as simply “making a stopped watch run again, and that's it.” This perspective changed as he accumulated opportunities to hear from customers through his work. There were expressions of joy, but also requests like, “I wish it had been done a little differently.” Through these comments, he realized that each watch held the owner's sentiments.
“I think my approach to repairing watches truly began to change from that point on.”
The change wasn't sudden; it gradually evolved as he heard various voices over time. Moreover, this evolution continues even now.
What a Manufacturer Can Do
When asked about Seiko Time Lab's strengths, Yamazaki immediately mentioned its capability to handle complex mechanisms like Spring Drive (※).
※ Seiko's unique drive system that uses a mainspring as its power source but is controlled with the precision of a quartz watch's crystal oscillator and IC.
Without a deep understanding of the structure, disassembly and assembly are impossible. After assembly, it's necessary to collect data beyond what normal measuring instruments can capture to identify any defects. The technology and know-how to achieve quartz-like accuracy with a mechanical movement are found nowhere else.
The supply system for genuine parts is another strength of a manufacturer. Parts are meticulously managed at the parts center, and if requested, they arrive the next day or the day after. “It’s almost like Amazon,” Yamazaki remarks.
Another strength is the ability to feed back the observed trends of malfunctions to the manufacturing and design departments. Yamazaki states that only the repair site knows what happens to watches once they are in the market.
“It's not just about disassembling, reassembling, and returning the watch to its original state; if we find a component prone to breaking, we update it with a new specification. I believe this is the advantage of having a repair division as a manufacturer.”
What, then, is truly difficult in watch repair? Yamazaki's answer was surprising. Complex watches like chronographs actually rely heavily on technician experience, and can be handled as long as one can read the exploded view diagram.
What is truly difficult is precision adjustment. While looking at measurement data, the technician must search for the source of the problem—is it a gear, a balance staff? It starts with a hunch, like “maybe around here,” and only becomes a certainty after reviewing the data. It's not always correct. This diagnostic skill directly impacts the number of repairs that can be completed in a day, in other words, productivity. If one cannot find the issue, it's one watch a day; if one is experienced, it's three watches a day—a stark difference.
Another aspect Yamazaki still finds challenging is instructing junior staff. Even when consulting with other technicians, he can only offer advice based on imagination, as he hasn't seen the actual object.
The “poising” of the balance spring, in particular, highlights the limitations of verbal instruction. Even if he demonstrates, “You bend it like this,” only the action is conveyed. The balance spring has a restoring force when bent, and the degree to which that sensation is perceived cannot be fully explained with words.
Even if the finish looks aesthetically pleasing, Yamazaki's eyes may not perceive the subtle distortions. Furthermore, there's a difference between something finished after hundreds of adjustments and something finished in just a few. However, one cannot tell the difference just by looking at the completed piece. If he were to examine it by touch, the balance would be disturbed again. There are realms beyond this that others cannot easily enter.
Facing a Watch Left as a Memento
Repairing vintage models presents further challenges. Since parts replacement is generally not an option, the primary approach is to make do with existing components. Then, careful adjustments are necessary to avoid breaking the balance staff.
Such watches are often brought in as mementos. Some technicians might decide, “It’s better not to touch it.” However, Yamazaki tends to adjust them thoroughly.
“I want the customer to be able to use it properly, but I must admit there's also a significant element of personal satisfaction. The underlying motivation is to return a meticulously adjusted watch.”
Even if told that such extensive work is unnecessary, he will repair it without comment. “Returning something that has been completely restored is a source of pride for me.”
How does Yamazaki perceive his role in supporting the history of the Seiko brand from within?
Seiko's origins trace back to 1877, when it began as a watch repair shop. In 1881, it was founded as Kintaro Hattori's watch shop, expanding into product sales alongside repairs. The founder, Kintaro Hattori's motto, “Good products will always earn customer loyalty,”—the spirit that sincere work earns customer trust—forms the foundation of today's Seiko brand.
“Even if it's a good product, the brand value won't increase if it's simply made and sold. It's only when a good product can be used for a long time, and its value endures, that it can receive such high acclaim.”
In recent years, he has also been involved in activities outside the company, emphasizing the importance of after-sales service. The demonstration of the balance spring poising technique has garnered significant attention. When attendees were lent his own tweezers to try it themselves, the balance spring would easily bend out of shape with just a slight touch.
“Everyone's is like this,”
he says, and the room erupts in surprise. This way, he explains, they take away a tangible sense of “this is done by human hands.”
Passing the Baton
Under the theme “The People Who Connect Time,” how is Yamazaki attempting to pass on his skills to the next generation? There are two main things he wants to convey. First, the fundamental techniques necessary for repair. Second—
“I don't want what I've taught to simply stay where it is.”
The company has a “Meister system,” where those who achieve the highest title are called Meisters. Yamazaki was the first. He earned this title not through instruction but as a result of his own thought and effort.
That is precisely why he doesn't want junior technicians to stop at simply preparing for exams. Even with tweezers, he teaches how to make them, but also advises, “Find tweezers that are comfortable for you to use.” He believes that growth lies in the process of making multiple pairs, testing them, and finding the ones that suit him.
When asked what he is inheriting, Yamazaki replied:
“I believe we must pass on the trust and solid skills inherited from our predecessors to the next generation.”
Within the large corporate structure of Seiko, he is merely one worker playing a part. Yet, transmitting skills is akin to passing a baton.
“The weight of that single baton is immense, and it must not be dropped. I feel a mission to ensure it is passed firmly to the next generation.”
Honestly, he is not particularly adept at simply doing as he is told. He respects what he is taught, but immediately afterward, he cannot help but add his own personal touch.
“The feeling of doing it yourself is more important than feeling like you're being made to do it. And work must be enjoyable to continue.”
Making a stopped watch run again. What Yamazaki has inherited is not just the skill of precision adjustment. He aims to pass on the very attitude of striving to go beyond what has been taught.
Hideya Yamazaki
Belongs to the Tokyo Watch Service Station Repair Team, Service Department, Seiko Time Lab Co., Ltd. Holds a Grade 1 Watch Repair Technician certification and is an Iwate Watch Meister. He is a holder of the company's internal certification system "STL Bronze Meister" (certified as the first in the company in 2019). Joined Seiko Service Center Co., Ltd. (now Seiko Time Lab Co., Ltd.) in 1994. Won the "17th National Watchmaking Skills Competition" in 2004.
Seiko Time Lab Co., Ltd.
A company specializing in wristwatch repair, handling repairs for various products within the Seiko Watch Group. Inquiries can be made through purchasing retailers, or directly by users online.https://www.seiko-stl.co.jp