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October 28, 2026
[Series] A Discerning Eye | Trusting what you love and connecting with those who share that vision
A Discerning Eye | Daisuke Eguchi (Owner, Eguchi Store / Eguchi Watch Store, Shoto)
The watch market has weathered a tumultuous decade and is now entering a new phase. We have seen soaring asset values, the total dominance of luxury sports watches, and the advent of the Apple Watch. Amidst this turbulence, one man has consistently championed the appeal of the dress watch: Daisuke Eguchi, owner of “Eguchi Store / Eguchi Watch Store, Shoto” (hereinafter “Eguchi Watch Store”). With an expertise honed across diverse genres—from vintage clothing and luxury cars to vintage timepieces—where is his keen eye looking now, and where is it heading?
Text by OPENERS Editorial Team Photographs by [Photographer Name]
Flea markets and first class: opposing landscapes of origin
Shoto, Tokyo. Tucked away in this quiet, upscale residential neighborhood lies the appointment-only Eguchi Watch Store. Exactly a decade has passed since owner Daisuke Eguchi established his shop here. While today he is celebrated both in Japan and abroad as a mecca for vintage Cartier, Eguchi’s career began in a world far removed from the watch industry mainstream.
“My business roots date back to 2004. At the time, I was working for a solo entrepreneur who imported new, unregistered Ferraris and Porsches from Asia. Business trips meant flying first class and staying in Ritz-Carlton suites. In my early twenties, I was witnessing this incredible world of luxury up close.”
Yet, another one of Eguchi’s roots stands in stark contrast to that glamour.
“I was born in Minami-Senju. Behind my childhood home, there was a flea market called the ‘thieves' market.’ It was a chaotic place where everything from a single sneaker to worn-out Hermes clothing was lined up. I started my business using an old computer and a digital camera I’d been given, selling items I’d sourced at that market on the then-nascent online auctions.”
The brilliance of top-tier, brand-new luxury versus the “raw potential” stirring in the secondary market. This dual perspective shaped the sensibility of the man who would later be known as a true connoisseur.
“There is undeniable value in pre-owned branded goods. Once I became convinced of that, I became obsessed with the intrigue of the secondary market—buying Armani suits for 500 yen and wholesaling them for 30,000. I would check the latest offerings in the boutiques of Omotesando, while simultaneously gauging how they would be valued in the secondary market. I was always searching for opportunities within that gap.”
Cartier as “counter-culture”
Following his fashion business, which focused on the secondary market, Eguchi entered the watch world in earnest during the first half of the 2010s. The watch market at the time was dominated by sports models, led by Rolex. Yet, in an unexpected move, Eguchi chose the “dress watch” by Cartier.
“Even just ten years ago, Cartier was not properly appreciated in the Japanese men’s watch industry. People would say, ‘It’s a jeweler’s watch, not a watchmaker’s watch.’ But if you look at the history, it’s clear how seriously they had pursued the creation of elegant timepieces. The perceived value was abnormally low. That’s exactly why I felt it was worth betting on.”
It was a choice rooted in “counter-culture” against the mainstream.
“While everyone else was running toward Rolex or Panerai, I dared to wear gold dress watches with casual attire. I was confident that this style would resonate with fashion-conscious individuals. As someone from the clothing industry, I didn’t view watches as individual sets of specs, but as a part of one's overall style.”
His gamble paid off. After successful pop-ups at fashion-forward retailers like Tomorrowland and L’Échoppe, the atmosphere in the market changed. He didn’t treat luxury as luxury; instead, he presented it with an unconventional perspective, almost as if casually scattering items across a palette. What Eguchi presented was not the “object” of the watch itself, but the “style” that surrounds it.
The “dimension” shift caused by the pandemic and the challenge of the Parco store
The global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought a decisive change to the watch market.
“The price surge after the pandemic was staggering for watches. Before that, buying used was an option people took ‘because new is too expensive,’ but now vintage itself has been swallowed by the massive luxury market. There was talk of an ‘Apple Watch shock,’ but it’s beyond that level now. With more time spent at home, people rethought what they needed to own long-term as an ‘asset of value’ in their lives, and the interest in watches exploded.”
As the market overheated and prices skyrocketed, Eguchi opened a new shop in Shibuya Parco in 2025. Unlike his hideaway-style main store in Shoto, this was a location in a commercial facility accessible to everyone. There was a sense of “social responsibility” in that move as a connoisseur.
“The store in Shoto can be intimidating. But I felt we needed a touchpoint for the younger generation starting to discover watches, and for people who want to encounter the real thing while out exploring fashion. At the Parco store, we also carry realistically priced Omega and IWC watches, as well as vintage jewelry. If a young person who just bought the latest streetwear at NUBIAN takes a look at our shop next door and thinks, ‘I want to become an adult who suits a watch like this one day’—that, to me, is a way of giving back to the industry.”
“Connoisseurship” is believing in your own aesthetic
When I ask Eguchi, “Do you consider yourself a connoisseur?” he answers “Yes” without a moment’s hesitation.
“A connoisseur is someone who doesn’t follow what’s trending, but has their own values based on what they personally find beautiful. The things I say are ‘good’ become the standards for the market. I am aware that I happen to be in that position now. To maintain that, I have to constantly take risks and continue sourcing products with my own money. Testing my own sensibilities in the serious arena of business—that is the condition for remaining a connoisseur.”
Regarding future trends, Eguchi predicts a “return to the dress watch.”
“After the heyday of luxury sports watches, the market is beginning to seek a more calm and sophisticated style. Delicate dress watches suit the clean, stateless aesthetic of brands like The Row. From watches that resemble instruments with many hands to simple, beautiful timepieces—that shift is spreading beyond just a core group of enthusiasts to the general public.”
As they mark their 10th anniversary, the Eguchi Watch Store is aiming for greater heights. Yet, Eguchi’s own ambitions are surprisingly lighthearted.
“I’m not obsessed with chasing high revenue. I just want to trust what I believe is good and connect with people who resonate with that. The stereotype of a watch shop owner used to be someone carrying an exotic leather bag, but I want to be freer, to keep talking about watches within the context of fashion and culture. I want to remain a trusted place that people think of first when they are torn between buying new or used.”
The sense of smell honed at the flea market and an aesthetic eye that understands the essence of luxury. Beyond the gaze of Mr. Eguchi, where these two elements melt together, lies a vision of an essential “beauty” that does not fade, no matter how the times change.
Daisuke Eguchi
Representative of Eguchi Watch Store. Born in the 1980s. After working in luxury car imports and buying for vintage clothing, he established “Eguchi Store / Eguchi Watch Store, Shoto” in 2016. He has created a new trend in the watch world through his selection of dress watches, primarily Cartier, curated with a unique aesthetic eye. In 2025, he opened a new format in Shibuya Parco. He is active in many fields as a key person bridging fashion and watches.
Eguchi Store / Eguchi Watch Store, Shoto
“Eguchi Store / Eguchi Watch Store” was founded in Kichijoji in 2016 and moved to Shoto, Shibuya-ku in 2024. Centered on vintage items, the store offers a selection of watches, clothing, and jewelry, connecting the stories of the makers and previous owners to the next custodian. Handling brands such as Cartier, Rolex, and Omega, the store also provides repairs in collaboration with their in-house workshop in Kichijoji. It is a shop that supports a long relationship with the things you own, helping you choose a piece you’ll grow attached to while touching on the aesthetics of the era, and then continuing to care for it over time.
Address | 1-28-6 Shoto, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone | 03-5422-3070
Hours | 11:00–19:00
Closed | Tuesdays
Visit | By appointment only
Phone | 03-5422-3070
Hours | 11:00–19:00
Closed | Tuesdays
Visit | By appointment only