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The Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 5 Kai is Jiro Katayama’s latest innovative creation, but is it a step in the right direction?

The Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 5 Kai is Jiro Katayama’s latest innovative creation, but is it a step in the right direction?

Borna Bošnjak

Now that hype has become a well-established presence in the watch industry, it’s time for the original hypebeasts to ascend to the level of pure unobtainium, and let some new players into the fray. And hype is no longer the playground of giants that few could afford in the first place – the MoonSwatch proved that – paving the way for smaller, more affordable brands to get on the hit lists of enthusiasts. Jiro Katayama and Ōtsuka Lōtec are absolutely on their way to becoming one of them, growing from a niche Japanese independent to a GPGH-winning brand that everyone wants to get their hands on. As it tends to go with smaller brands, much of this excitement is fully warranted, as Katayama’s work is unique and in-house developed, which is exceedingly rare for watches of this cost. The No. 5 Kai is the latest in line, bringing a satellite hours display to his signature monochromatic look, though it does depart from certain design elements of the watch that really put him on the map. This made me wonder whether this is the Ōtsuka Lōtec people want to see, or whether Katayama should’ve gone a different way.

What’s new

otsuka lotec no 5 kai dial

The Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 5 Kai is Katayama’s latest development, and unique from pretty much any angle. Look at it front-on, and you’re met with a wandering hours display, while the profile shows off an ultra-thin case with an ultra-thick, box sapphire crystal perched on top. The finishing is as you’d expect from Ōtsuka Lōtec – which means visible brushing, media-blasting, and a generally low-contrast look that makes do with sharp angles and jutting-out elements. The 4 o’clock crown is the ideal example of such a design: an almost brutal approach to industrialism, where the caseband gives way for the crown tube, which mushrooms into a large, knurled knob.

otsuka lotec no 5 kai assembly

The No. 5 Kai is more than just its brutish looks, though, as it’s also impressive mechanically. While the original No. 5 and the No. 5 Kai (roughly translating to “No. 5 Revised”) share some case design elements, their functionality is where the similarities stop. Rather than the regulator display of the No. 5, the Kai sports a wandering hours display, in which three discs with four numbers each traverse across a side-positioned minutes track, before rotating away and the next number appearing. This, as a concept, isn’t all that novel, but what is unique to Ōtsuka Lōtec is that the module is developed in-house by Katayama atop a Miyota 9000-series movement, ensuring the cost stays low – ¥748,000 (around US$4,900) to be exact.

Now, this is no affordable impulse purchase like many micro/independent brands, but compared to an Urwerk or Audemars Piguet Starwheel, there’s not much to complain about. When it comes to its operation, my favourite is the quirk that ties it into its No. 5 predecessor and the ethos of Katayama’s watchmaking, and that’s the use of ball bearings. Rather than use rubies – the standard when it comes to micromechanical, low-friction bearings – the No. 5 Kai uses two teeny-tiny ball bearings in prominent locations. One interacts with the hour disc to allow for a jump hour-like transition, while the other sits in the middle of the running seconds disc. And when I say tiny, I mean it. The one used for the seconds disc is the smallest ball bearing in the world at just 1.5mm in diameter, and Ōtsuka Lōtec proudly states that it was manufactured by MinebeaMitsumi of Japan. Furthermore, to eliminate any jittering as the wheels jump from one hour to the next, the No.5 Kai uses two spring-connected reduction gears that smoothly deliver power.

Design-focused market

Jiro Katayama Otsuka Lotec No6

The market, however, is currently vastly skewed towards design-forward watchmaking as Zach already alluded to – and I’m in complete agreement. We went through the ultra-complicated period, briefly flirted with Tiffany blue and pink dials, and have landed squarely in the realm of the asymmetrical and brutalist. What started with the Cartier Crash continued, whether via homages like the Exaequo Softwatch, alt takes like the Anoma A1 and Toledano & Chan B/1, or what was arguably the watch of the year – Berneron’s fantastic Mirage. Naturally, it’s not all about asymmetrical shapes: watches that simply put forward good design have been lauded, and I feel like this is a niche that Ōtsuka Lōtec exploited so well with the No. 6.

It immediately grabs your eye, not because you can’t quite tell what’s going on from all the complexity, but because it’s not immediately obvious that this is a time-telling device. And yet, this steampunk-meets-industrial oddity has something to offer to the watch geeks too, with its in-house double retrograde module. I mean, it uses guitar strings in its mechanism – how awesome is that? Coupled with the fact that it’s also affordable and JDM-exclusive, and you’ve got yourself the horological equivalent of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Wagon. When it comes to the No. 5 Kai, it absolutely delivers on the geeky complication front, but I fear that it’s missing some of the mystique that made the No. 6 (and to a lesser extent, the Antiqua-esque No. 7 and No. 7.5) so desirable.

Stick or twist?

otsuka lotec no 5 kai movement

While the No. 5 Kai is the first “new” design from Katayama in some time, I’m already wondering about the direction this is signalling for Ōtsuka Lōtec in the future. Whereas the No. 6 hides its complexity with an industrial designer’s dream dial, the No. 5 Kai is not shy about it at all. Even though the No. 5 Kai is a completely different complication proposition, its form factor still resembles the No. 5 regulator model, making it more of an evolutionary change.

I’ve clearly set myself up for a grand finale where I say something like “I hope to see Jiro Katayama return to form”, but to be honest, I don’t think he’s lost it, but rather showed that he’s got serious watchmaking and design chops – as you’d expect from an automotive designer-turned-watchmaker. So, what’s the right way to go forward? The selfish watch lover in me says it’s both, of course, as it would give fans who want to show off their complicated pieces something to strive for, while pieces like the No. 6 are more subtle about their complex innards. With support from Hajime Asaoka’s Precision Watch Co. (which means Katayama no longer focuses on tasks like making the screws himself) opportunities for exploring more of his ideas are even greater.

Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 5 Kai pricing and availability

The Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 5 Kai is available only in Japan via an online lottery hosted on the brand’s website. Price: ¥748,000 (~US$4,900)

Brand Ōtsuka Lōtec
Model No. 5 Kai
Case Dimensions 40.5mm (D) x 12.2mm (T)
Case material Stainless steel
Water Resistance Not stated
Crystal(s) 4.6mm-thick box sapphire front
Dial Open
Lug Width 22mm
Bracelet and strap Double-padded calf leather, steel pin buckle
Movement Miyota 90S5 with in-house wandering hour module, automatic
Power Reserve 40 hours
Functions Wandering hours, minutes, small seconds
Availability Japan-only, sold via online lottery
Price ¥748,000