Watchmaker Tsutomu Ito is awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon.

Seiko Watch Corporation is delighted to announce that Tsutomu Ito, head of assembly at Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, has been awarded this year’s Medal with Yellow Ribbon. This honor is given by the Japanese government to individuals who have become public role models through their diligence and perseverance in their professions.

Tsutomu Ito began his career at Morioka Seiko Instruments in 1991. Since 2000, he has been in charge of the assembly and adjustment of luxury mechanical watches. Today, Ito leads the assembly team at Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi, located in Iwate Prefecture. He is one of the few assembly and adjustment experts in Japan who can adjust the hairspring and other watch components, and the space between the parts, to achieve the high level of precision required of Grand Seiko mechanical watches. Ito’s contributions to watchmaking include seminars and assembly demonstrations in and outside of Japan, as well as training the next generation of Grand Seiko watchmakers.

“I am very honored to receive the Medal with Yellow Ribbon. I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to my seniors for their guidance and to my superiors, colleagues, juniors, and all those who have supported me during my 30-plus years in watchmaking. I am determined to continue to devote myself to delivering high-quality watches to our customers and to nurturing the next generation of watchmakers,’’ Ito commented.