Aizawa: I think the first one was "Swatch. I was in my first year of high school. There was a lot of excitement in magazines like "Boon," and there was a trend to choose between Casio's "Data Bank" and "Swatch. I think I bought both. I think I also bought a G-Shock.

Aizawa: That's right. I didn't have a lot of money, so when I asked what a high school student could buy with his allowance, it was something like that.

Aizawa: I simply felt like an adult. It was a time when everyone wore a watch when they were in high school or so. Later, when I was a college student, I worked hard and bought a (Omega) "Seamaster," and I guess I wore that for quite a long time.

Aizawa: Well... My father passed away when I was still working at my former company, and I inherited this "Speedmaster" as a legacy. My father was not a big fan of luxury watches, but he had an interesting watch, and that was all that was left at the end. I thought, "Oh, I like this kind of watch. That was when I was about 25 or 26 years old. I didn't have a lot of money at the time, so I couldn't afford to buy a watch myself, but that was probably when I started to think that watches were nice.

Aizawa: By the time I had reached my current age, I was working overseas more and more, and I noticed that the brand owners and designers I met in my various activities were all wearing unique watches, which really caught my attention. So I decided to buy myself a nice watch, and I bought a Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris, which had just been reissued. I bought a Polaris, which had just been reissued, and I was asked by people I met on the job, "Is that the new one? I was asked by people I met at work, "Is that a new one? In my mind, there is a similarity between soccer conversation and watch conversation. It is something that is easy for men to understand and have as a trigger for communication.

Aizawa: I don't care about status at all. I treat even good watches very roughly (laugh) and just throw them in my bag. I have no intention of selling them second-hand. Besides, I don't really like the feeling of an investment project. For example, with Rolex, I always think, "Can I buy it? Can I afford it? I don't like the idea of a second hand. Rather, I look at it from the perspective of whether or not there is a story behind it.

Aizawa: I understand, but I think it's kind of sad. I think I have a designer's point of view, but I still want to value the story of the product. The "Nautilus" is a wonderful watch, and I would like to have one someday, but not now. I also bought an Audemars Piguet watch, but I found it somewhat difficult to wear and thought, "This doesn't suit me at all right now," and I have kept my distance from it.

Aizawa: That's right. I think I might do it again when I get older, say in my 50s or 60s. I think it is like an investment in yourself. A car loses value the more it is driven, but a watch is not an expendable item. I don't wear necklaces or earrings very often, so I think of my watch as my only accessory. So I want to link my watch to my fashion, my house, my car, and so on.

Aizawa: It's about whether it fits me or not. I don't want to have only my arms walking alone. I also try to research the background of the brand and model to see if there is something I can relate to. I rarely try to measure by price or scarcity.

Aizawa: I may not be interested in second-hand pieces whose prices have gone up too much. It is difficult now that art and watches have become money games as investment targets, but as a person who makes things from a distance, I think it is important to have a fair value. Except for antique watches, I prefer to buy from the brand's store as much as possible. I have a rule in my mind that I buy from authorized stores whenever possible.

Aizawa: I don't know that much about the contents. I understand that there is romance in the movement, for example, but I prefer the design, form, and story behind it, rather than the engine, like an enthusiast in the case of a car. Watches are interesting because you can imagine them. I can imagine what the person is like. I also like snowboarding and playing tennis, but if I wore an expensive mechanical watch, people would think that I am a person who does not think much. I think it is important that a watch fits the person who wears it, and if you wear it all the time, it will become more like you.

Aizawa: Well...I don't think I have one right now. If I had to say, I have never worn a German watch, so I would like to have a Lange & Söhne "Zeitwerk," but I don't think it would suit me at this time. I think that watch wouldn't look good on me if I drove an SUV, and I wonder if it would look good on me when I am about 60 years old. I'm concerned about the fit of all these things.

Aizawa: I usually wear the same kind of clothes, but I actually change the material, silhouette, etc., depending on my mood that day. I also choose a watch at the same time. I also match my outfit to the people I meet, or maybe the car I'm driving at the time. I like to change my car depending on the situation, such as when I am going for a drive in the mountains today, when I have an important project at work, or when I am going to watch a soccer game.

Aizawa: The one I drive the most is the (Porsche) "964. Of all the watches I brought today, I think the "Transatlantique" (by Breguet) fits it best. I don't like large watches because they don't fit when I hold the steering wheel. （A case diameter of up to 40 mm would be fine.

Aizawa: I have another new "Defender" (Land Rover), and when I drive it, I'd like to have a "Grand Seiko" or something like that.

Aizawa: Like I said in the beginning, the things you could buy when you were young were things like "data banks" and "G-shocks. I also like Japanese cars, and the one in my studio in Karuizawa is a Subaru, and I used to drive a Lexus. I think Japanese craftsmanship is the best in Asia, and I wanted to make watches in my own image, which is why I started working with Seiko. Besides, Rolex, for example, is very common with other people, isn't it? I thought it would be interesting to wear a "Grand Seiko" while everyone else is wearing a "Rolex. Well, I am completely self-satisfied.

Aizawa: (laughs). Watches are a reflection of a person's background, aren't they? Many of them are expensive, so in a sense, they are easy targets of criticism, but I think it is the coolest when that is balanced with individuality. I generally remember why I bought that watch. The job I was doing at the time, the city I visited, and so on. I like watches that leave such memories behind.