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Japanese Sense of Aesthetics: The Preservation and Evolution of Grand Seiko Design (with Special Guest)

  • HSNY at the General Society Library 20 West 44th Street New York, NY, 10036 United States (map)

Video recordings of lectures are available immediately to HSNY members, and the general public with a two-month delay.

PLEASE NOTE MAY’S LECTURE WILL TAKE PLACE ON WED, MAY 15.

Joseph Kirk, Brand Curator and Director of Marketing, Grand Seiko Corporation of America (New York, New York)

Grand Seiko design adopts its ethos from Japan itself, embodying elements of nature, light, and shadow, and even from architectural design to bring to life a unique sensibility in the watch industry. While Grand Seiko established its design code in 1967, the design traits of the brand have continued to evolve over time.

At the May lecture of the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), Grand Seiko Brand Curator and Director of Marketing Joseph Kirk, along with special guest Junichi Kamata, Grand Seiko Design Director, will discuss how the brand has mastered its manufacturing and craftsmanship, attained through years of experience and today defined by its unique dials, Zaratsu polishing, and even movement designs that reflect the natural beauty surrounding the studios where the watches themselves are made. 

*Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture to begin at 7PM ET. RSVP is required.

** The lecture video will be available to members immediately, and to the general public following a two-month delay.


About Joseph Kirk

Joseph Kirk is the Brand Curator and Director of Marketing for Grand Seiko Corporation of America. Kirk has worked in the watch industry for over 18 years, in retail, media and educational formats. His knowledge of timepieces was gained through hands-on experience and time; along with the help of many watchmakers, engineers and designers from the industry overall, as well as the brand itself.


Special Guest: Junichi Kamata, Grand Seiko Design Director. Kamata began his current role as Design Director in 2019. Finding beauty in the natural world and changing of the seasons, he and his team evoke the brand’s philosophy of “The Nature of Time.”