A special watch sale, "Mechanical Watches Embodying Beauty and the Universe," takes place at Hanshin Umeda Main Store on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 2026, for two days only. The sale is hosted by Shellman Co., Ltd., a Komehyo Holdings group company that handles antique watches and works by independent watchmakers. It is held in the Premium Room on the 9th floor as part of a special event for World Watch Day (October 10), a global celebration of watch culture.
Through the event, Shellman aims to present watches not only as objects but as items with a cultural value that is handed down across generations. Based on the idea of "relay use," which Komehyo Holdings describes as the belief that things fulfill their purpose when they are passed from person to person and put to good use, the event aims to pass quality on to the next era and spread appreciation of watch culture.
About World Watch Day and the Event
October 10 is World Watch Day, a global observance that celebrates watch culture, art, technology, and history and shares them with the public. The date was chosen because the two hands of a watch form a beautiful "10:10" position. The initiative began in 2025, and events around the world rediscover the history of watches, the handwork of craftspeople, and the appeal of their beauty and knowledge.
To mark the day, Hanshin Umeda Main Store hosts a panel exhibition on the history of mechanical watches, starting from astronomy. Pim Koeslag, CEO and Chief Watchmaker of CVDK (Christiaan van der Klaauw), also visits Japan for a program introducing the world of astronomy and watches that the brand has pursued.
Shellman, which handles everything from antique watches to works by today's independent watchmakers, supports the ideals of World Watch Day and takes part in the event. The sale brings together representative models from four renowned brands: CVDK, Louis Moinet, Armin Strom, and Wempe. The lineup includes astronomical watches that reproduce the movements of celestial bodies on the dial, watches that express physical phenomena through their mechanisms, and watches that carry on the history of navigation and high-precision timekeeping. The event presents the "small universe" contained in a watch only a few centimeters across, and aims to offer an intellectually stimulating encounter even to people who are not familiar with watches.
Pim Koeslag, CEO and Chief Watchmaker of CVDK
Pim Koeslag was born in the Netherlands in 1981. Building on a background in the fine arts, he studied watch engineering and gained experience at independent houses and renowned brands. He has been involved in the development of about 30 movements and has served as a technical director and CEO. Combining technical skill with aesthetic sensibility, he is regarded as one of the leading watchmakers of today.
Venus Annual Calendar
The sale includes a special unveiling of CVDK's latest prototype, "Venus." The Venus Annual Calendar is made to order, and the reference numbers and planned prices are as follows. The displayed prices are planned selling prices and may change.
- ref. CKVN3335 (stainless steel): ¥11,000,000
- ref. CKVN1135 (18K rose gold): ¥15,620,000
Featured Models
CVDK GRAND PLANETARIUM/ECCENTRIC Manufacture
- Movement: Automatic, in-house movement
- Case: 18K rose gold (44mm)
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
- Price: ¥39,600,000 (tax included)
LOUIS MOINET 1816
- Movement: Manual winding, in-house movement
- Case: Titanium (40.6mm)
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Price: ¥6,930,000 (tax included)
ARMIN STROM GRAVITY EQUAL FORCE INDIGO
- Movement: Automatic, in-house movement
- Case: Stainless steel (41mm)
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Price: ¥5,445,000 (tax included)
WEMPE Chronometerwerke Automatic Moonphase
- Movement: Automatic, in-house movement
- Case: Stainless steel (41mm)
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Price: ¥1,188,000 (tax included)
Event Information
- Event name: Mechanical Watches Embodying Beauty and the Universe (美と宇宙を宿す機械式時計)
- Dates: Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (closes at 6:00 PM on the final day, October 11)
- Venue: Premium Room, 9th floor, Hanshin Umeda Main Store
- Brands: CVDK, Louis Moinet, Armin Strom, Wempe
- Details: Special booths introducing the world of each brand, display and sale of representative mechanical watches, and a special unveiling of CVDK's latest prototype, "Venus"
Comment From the Organizer
The following comment comes from 佐藤健, General Manager of the Business Development Group at Shellman Co., Ltd.
Today, we can know the exact time at any moment through digital devices. That is exactly why the meaning of owning a mechanical watch is no longer just about telling the time. Inside a small watch are packed the wisdom of humankind in its effort to understand the movements of the universe, techniques passed down over hundreds of years, and the handwork of watchmakers.
What we want to share with this event is not only the experience of owning an expensive watch. Whether it is astronomy, physics, machinery, or design, we hope visitors will first see the watches in front of them and enjoy the moment when they are moved by a thought like "What is this?" or "This is fascinating."
A watch comes to hold its owner's memories as it spends time with them, and someday it may be passed on to the next generation. Among the watches on display this time, there may be one that someone will treasure 50 or 100 years from now. I hope to make World Watch Day a day when people encounter the world that lies behind the watch and feel their everyday time to be a little richer.
