Worn & Wound
Tempo Rubato: the World’s First Mechanical Wrist-Metronome by Gaku Okada
I first came across a short video of the Tempo Rubato metronome on Instagram. Before I could message my contact in Japan who posted it, I already had an email waiting for me in the inbox from him introducing this wrist metronome device and its creator to me. I exchanged emails to understand Gaku Okada’s background and details of his wrist metronome. Okada was born in 2002 in Hokkaido and was influenced by music from an early age, especially jazz drumming. Unlike many watchmakers, he did not cultivate a specific interest in watches, however he did develop a knack for making complex mechanical components. After graduating from high school, his skills brought him to Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry, for watchmaking classes. During his freshman year, Okada developed the concept of a mechanical wrist metronome. This idea originated from his practical need as a jazz drummer, as he frequently sought a method to quickly and accurately establish tempo before performances. Although electronic metronomes were readily available, he wanted to create a compact mechanical device that could be worn as a watch. As a student at the watchmaking school, Okada started part time work at the Precision Watch Tokyo company, working with watchmakers Hajime Asaoka and Jiro Katayama. Asaoka is a well known master watchmaker and the creator of the Kurono Tokyo and Takano brands. Katayama is the founder of the popular Otsuka Lotec brand. Under their mentorship, Okada developed his skills and acquir...
