Hitori Yoshino

This review is going to anger one group of watch nerds and delight another. That’s fine. I’m used to it. I suspect you knew which camp you were in the moment you laid eyes on this photo of the Hitori Yoshino and saw its Grand Seiko inspiration. If your first reaction was to yell, “Sacrilege!” then you probably should just hit the back button and find something else to read. Those of you who saw the watch and thought, “Cool!” should read on, because the Hitori Yoshino Snowdrift White is a lovely little watch, for the outstandingly good price of $389, and only 70 of them will be made.

Hitori comes to us from Gnomon Watches, the respected Singaporean watch merchant, who generously let me keep this sample in exchange for my review. The company’s literature explains that the brand is inspired by Japanese culture and aesthetics, specifically Toro Tanaka’s “grammar of design” philosophy that focuses on the interplay of light on various elements of a watch’s surface, and which underpins many of Seiko’s most iconic pieces. The connection to Japan is reinforced by the name (translated as “one person”), its Hiagana logo, and the Yoshino’s inspiration, which is described in a very Grand Seiko fashion as, “the cherry blossoms of Mount Yoshinoyama” and “the snow season in Yoshino.” Of course, Singapore is not Japan, and inspiration aside, Hitori is not and does not claim to be, a Japanese brand.

The Yoshino’s brushed and polished stainless steel case reminds me of a Grand Seiko Snowflake with a box crystal and no bezel, which, I must say, is a very good look. It measures 39.6mm wide, 46.8mm long, and just a tad under 11mm thick, not including its tall sapphire lens. It’s a tidy fit on my 6.75″ wrist.

Arched case sides bracket the face. Brushing on top and below gives way to a broad mirror-polished facet and another bright sliver plane where the lugs turn inward, opening up a view of the polished central barrel. The combination of the bezel-free case and tall crystal gives it a late-1960s vintage appeal. It was a joy to photograph.

For a sub-$400 watch, I’d expect competent finishing, but Hitori has gone above and beyond. It may not be Zaratsu polishing, but it is shockingly good for the price. Every edge is crisp. Every transition is clean. The light just dances across this case. Am I being too effusive? I think not. I’ve seen some beautifully finished cases in my life, and some that were an absolute dog’s breakfast. The Hitori Yoshino is closer in price to some of those dogs, yet it looks like a watch that costs far more.

I don’t normally do this, but I’m going to start my analysis of the dial by zooming all the way down to the surface texture because this is what makes it sing. If you peer at my somewhat inelegant macro, you will see a series of random, overlapping patches with striations like brushstrokes. Each of those tiny groves catches the light, and, depending on length and vector, bounces it differently, creating a richly mottled field of white-on-white.

Step back and take a look at another angle or time of day. Depending on the conditions, the dial can appear silvery or flat, dynamic or static, pronounced or subtle. It may remind you of snow, or falling cherry blossoms, or … I don’t know. You can insert the haiku of your choice here. It’s just glorious.

Now, add other elements to the mix. The hands and markers are satin-brushed across their top surfaces, and polished on their faceted sides. The beveled date frame and applied logo are also polished. Each adds a touch more sparkle and variation. A polished blued second hand and printed blue model name provide the only color, and it is enough. A silver-white chapter index finishes things off.

I love this dial, love it. Really, I do. And yet, I have to criticize it. I’m sorry. It’s what I do.

My first issue is with the logo. This may be purely a function of my English-speaking bias, but when I look at the three Hiragana characters “ひとり,” I see the Roman alphabet “UEN.” It doesn’t mean anything or offend me, but I find it to be an unattractive combination of letters. This issue is subjective and possibly irrational, so take that as you will.

The second issue is the placement of “Japan Movt” between the 6 and 7 o’clock markers, and the little “NH35” all on its own just to the right of the 6. None of this text was even remotely necessary. With all the Japanese elements all over this watch, we did not need the word “Japan” to remind us. If anything, reminding us that the movement is Japanese only highlights the fact that the rest of the watch is not. If they really insisted, then they could have flanked the 6 marker with the two words and dropped the “NH35” because even though they do not have the same number of words, they have better symmetry than what is printed there now. Instead, someone made the deliberate decision to position this text in a wildly lopsided manner — and in black, no less, so you cannot possibly overlook it. Is it the worst thing in the world? No. Does it ruin the dial for me? Also, no. I don’t understand the logic.

Let’s just cleanse the palette with another shot of that snowflake shimmer and move on.

Ahh… Much better.

Fancy though it may be, the Yoshino is still equipped to function as a practical, everyday piece. That polished and signed crown screws down to help seal it for a useful 100m of water resistance, and the brushed and polished 20mm bracelet (finished as meticulously as the head) features separately articulated center links, a diver’s clasp with a signed flip-lock and push-button release. I have no issues with the clasp, but I will mention that when the traitor I mean, my friend Mike Razak* first saw the watch, he mentioned how much nicer it might have been with a butterfly deployant that would have maintained a seamless line right through the links. The man has a point, particularly given that the Yoshino is not a tool watch.

If you are a strap swapper like me, you will appreciate the drilled lugs. I could easily envision this watch on navy Shinki Hikaku shell cordovan or Simple Union vintage Kofu indigo cloth. I had neither on hand, but this Rios blue gator looked rather fetching.

Turning it over, you will get a look at the aforementioned Seiko NH35 (24 jewels, 21.6k bph, Diashock protection). The real attraction here is the Ultraviolet Rotor, decorated with what appears to be heat treatment that leaves a riot of color that will be different on every watch. The samples’ was a deep purple, fading to blue and green at the edges.

So, now you have read the whole review. If you are still offended that a small brand tried to emulate Grand Seiko, well, I tried to warn you and I never expected to change your mind. On the other hand, if you are impressed at how well they did it, and how much they delivered for such a low price, then I encourage you to head over to gnomonwatches.com. As I mentioned, they are making only 70 of these, and this one is mine. You would do well to order your Hitori Yoshino Snowdrift White Limited Edition before they are all gone.