Origin Episode 2: Why I, a Pocket Watch Collector, Chose Vintage Cartier
Since encountering my first vintage pocket watch at the age of 15, I've been captivated by the world of timepieces.
My days were spent visiting watch shops on holidays, reading specialized books, and deepening my knowledge.
Before I knew it, my collection exceeded 50 pieces, and I was collecting various pocket watches, including demi-hunter cases, tactile watches, and minute repeaters.
At that time, market prices weren't as high as they are now, and it was an era when a minute repeater, a complicated mechanism that would cost tens of millions of yen in a wristwatch, could be acquired for hundreds of thousands of yen as a pocket watch.
For me, watches were not just a hobby; they were "learning" itself.
I wanted to know more about watches.
I wanted to experience more watches.
Driven by this desire, I began disassembling watches to study their structure, and after graduating, I became an independent watch wholesaler, trading with dealers both domestically and internationally.
Why I, who pursued mechanical watches, was so shocked by Cartier
For many years, I was drawn to the structure of movements and the craftsmanship of artisans.
However, when I truly engaged with Cartier, my values changed dramatically.
Cartier watches don't just pursue performance.
There's a philosophy in the design itself, and beauty itself becomes the value.
It's generally said that round cases are structurally easier to manufacture and easier to ensure water resistance.
Yet, Cartier deliberately created the square-cased "Tank."
It was an idea that prioritized beauty over mere rationality.
Is this what it means for "a jeweler to make a watch"?
I was profoundly shocked.
Why Ante primarily handles vintage Cartier
The craftsmanship I learned from pocket watches.
The philosophy of design I learned from Cartier.
When these two intersected, I began to feel, "I want to convey the value of vintage Cartier to more people."
This is why Ante currently focuses on introducing vintage Cartier.
What I want to deliver is not just a brand name.
It's the technology, history, aesthetic sense, and culture embedded in a single watch.
We believe our role is to pass these on to the next generation.
