Since 1960, a lion has been the symbol of Grand Seiko and has graced the case back of each Grand Seiko watch.  The lion was chosen by the Grand Seiko team because they were determined to create the most advanced practical watch in the world, a timepiece that would be the “King of watches”.  So when they contacted the Taro’s Origami team about creating an origami version of their lion, they wanted something that spoke to the heart of their company.

To start with the Seiko team was interested in finding a lion model that could be mass produced, so the Taro’s team worked on a few models that were simple enough to fold easily in large quantities.  They also had to be a certain size so that they could possibly be included in mailings to clients.

This photo is for noting the sizes of the models.

After talking with them about what origami was capable of re-creating though, the Grand Seiko team agreed that they would like to go ahead and look into more complex origami models that would do a better job of creating the sense of power and prestige of their lion.  From there the Taro’s Origami staff, headed by Taro Yaguchi himself set out to try and recreate the Grand Seiko Lion as faithfully as possible.  In fact, the first attempt was to make an origami version of the model with the same pose found in the Grand Seiko logo.  This version of the model actually used two sheets of paper so that it was able to be twice as large as the previous simpler versions.  It also helped with the model becuase the more complex a model is, the smaller the final model usually ends up.

Here you can see the logo and the origami interpretation side by side.

Now that the project was getting closer to their final vision, the Grand Seiko staff asked the origami studio to make one final lion- one that incorporated both the prestige of the logo version, but also one with enough size and three-dimensionality to be displayed in their Soho store along with their watches.  Here is the final version:

The final Grand Seiko origami lion model

After the model was chosen and the folding process ironed out- the next step was to decide on the paper that they wanted for the model.  They knew that they wanted a traditional look, so the choice was made to use Chiyogami, which is a traditional Japanese patterned paper that usually has a more cloth-like feel than other origami papers.  Taro’s provided 12 different paper color options and once the final choices where made the Taro’s artists went to work folding the models.

In the end becasue of the size of the models and the sive of the traditional papers, each lion contains 8 sheets of 15cm chiyogami paper (a 30cm square for both the front and back of the model).

Once the models were finished and shipped to the store location in Soho Manhattan they were prominently displayed on and in the watch cases.

Finally, to top the entire experience off, the Taro’s Origami team was also invited to a series of events at their store to teach and fold origami models to clients and guests throughout the holiday and 2019 year.  Grand Seiko also requested that the Taro’s staff bring samples of other complex versions of origami so that people can appreciate what origami can do.  The staff was able to make models as far-ranging as simple flowers to giraffes and unicorns for delighted guests throughout the event.

In fact, if you’re in the New York and Brooklyn area, please feel free to stop on by the event location @ Watches of Switzerland at 60 Greene Street in SoHo on these dates and we’d be happy to fold you something!

Jan 5 from 4-6 PM

Jan 13 from 4-6 PM

Jan 26 from 12-2 PM