Touched by the 'god-hand'

Manote Tripathi

The Nation

 How long does it take your average businesswoman to fold and pack the 20 or so personal belongings into a suit?

case for an overseas trip? Perhaps half a day?

 Chitose Masuda assembles the 416 parts of a mechanical timepiece in three hours. The only woman in all of Seiko Watch Corporation who's nationally recognised as a "god-hand", Masuda is proving that a woman can make a name for herself in the male-dominated world of watchmaking.

 On a recent trip to Bangkok for the launch of Seiko's latest spring-drive mechanical watch, the Ananta, the Japanese watchmaker shared the secrets behind those stunning statistics.

 "My work involves a lot of concentration. A good way to train the mind to concentrate on a particular activity is by playing golf. I practice golf once a week and play once a month," she says adding:  "During the three hours assembling a timepiece, I take only one break of 15 minutes to rest my eyes on the green trees outside. I can  put together three Seiko Anantas a day."

 At Japan's Seiko factory's master workshop, there are 94 male

watchmakers, five of them recognised as god-hands. Of the five

females, only Masuda is a god-hand.

 Her route to the prestigious title was a steep one. Back in

1999, Masuda lined up against 30 of the country's finest

watchmakers at Japan's National Skills Competition. She

shocked them all, and the judges too, who declared her

First-Class Skilled Watch Artisan of 1999 - a god-hand.

 Masuda, 40, has clocked up 23 years at Seiko, time

she's proud to have served.

 "Seiko is the only company in the world to have mas?

tered the four technologies of watchmaking: mechanical,

quartz, kinetic and spring-drive" she says.

 Currently in charge of after-sales service for spring-drive

watches and head of the master workshop, Masuda takes

delight in passing on her experience and knowledge to the next

generation of watchmakers coming to Seiko.

 As well as her prowess, she's treasured for her friendliness and generosity in sharing the skills she has built up

over the years.

 She says repairing watches is her biggest challenge, requiring the sleuthing skills of a detective to work through

the intricate jigsaw puzzle that each timepiece presents.

 "My focus is the spring-drive mechanism. Each craftsman assembles the complex movement of a watch from

scratch - it's a huge responsibility. While I'm working, I like to imagine the customer who will buy the watch I am

making."

 Masuda explains that the Ananta (Sanskrit for infinite) is unique for displaying the same craftsmanship found in

Japan's 800-year-old art of samurai sword-making -- katana.

 Still made today, katana swords are much-prized for embodying the height of Japanese tradition and technology in

the sharpness of their single-sided, curved blades.

 "When our development team embarked on this project, it was given infinite scope to build a watch that drew from

the same vision," said Masuda. "The result is the Ananta - a collection that expresses Seiko's dedication to infinite per?

fection."

 These themes of precision, artistry, parabolic curves and sharpness all find expression in the new watches.

The single-piece case has the distinctive Katana curve and a three-stage "blade" polishing process produces the mirror finish that Samurai swords are famous for.

  Inside, the unique glide motion of the spring-drive system produces an industry-leading loss/gain accuracy of a second per day.

Top watch in the Ananta collection is the Spring Drive Chronograph -- 5R6 calibre, 416 components and 50 jewels - billed as the only luxury wristwatch to measure elapsing time precisely, and not to the nearest tick.

 Alongside it is the Spring Drive GMT in which the extended power reserve of 72 hours is recorded on a katana blade-shaped sub-dial (Bt223,850).

 The Ananta Automatic Chronograph (priced at Bt112,000) is equipped with an 8R28 movement described as "the most accurate alarm system" with a frequency of 28,800 rounds/hour. With its black stainless steel finish, the sleek "skeleton" case oozes luxury and reveals the high-grade mechanical movement ticking within. A black-leather or stainless-steel strap holds it to your wrist and the watch is water resistant to a depth of 100 metres.

 "I love the simplicity," says Masuda. "There is something human - almost emotional - in creating such fantastic accuracy without a battery."

 And she reckons women's greater reserves of patience and concentration make them better suited to that act of creation.

"In watchmaking, there is no inequality. If a woman becomes skilled in the craft, she is recognised for it."

 For a closer look at the new Ananta collection, pop into the Seiko Boutique (first floor, the Emporium shopping complex). Or for more info, call (02) 677 4500.