Ocean to Orbit "HIMALAYAN PROJECT": A "ultimate tool watch" created by an automotive designer, proven in the extreme environment of K2. Shinwa Shoji has begun distributing the product in Japan as the official distributor.
The ultimate "tool watch" is coming to Japan.
Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd. is the official sole distributor in Japan for "Ocean to Orbit," an up-and-coming watch brand originating in Australia and manufactured in Switzerland. We are pleased to officially announce the start of pre-orders in Japan for the "HIMALAYAN PROJECT," the flagship model symbolizing the brand's second chapter. Please note that product delivery is expected to be after March 2026, depending on the circumstances.
This is not simply the announcement of a new watch. It's a project to deliver to sophisticated Japanese consumers a story of the functional beauty inherent in a true tool, and the absolute reliability that can only be proven through extreme adventures. Japanese consumers have traditionally highly valued "authentic" gear that seamlessly combines functionality and design, and is durable enough for long-term use. The "HIMALAYAN PROJECT" directly addresses this demand with its uncompromising concept of a "pure tool watch."
Ocean to Orbit: Where the passion of automotive designers meets Swiss precision engineering.
Ocean to Orbit was founded in December 2020 by two prominent automotive designers. The founders are David Dewitt, former exterior designer at Ford Australia, and Siddhartha Kazami, who serves as a lead designer at Toyota.
Their journey began with conversations about historical explorers and the watches they wore, particularly those worn by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay during the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 (such as the Omega CK2887, Rolex Oyster Perpetual, and Smiths A409). They were deeply captivated by the "purposeful design" of these historical timepieces and decided that the only way to create "the perfect watch that they truly wanted to own" in the modern era was to start their own brand.
The core uniqueness of the brand lies not in the history of traditional watchmaking, but in the "design thinking" brought in from a different industry: the automotive industry. The founders introduced the creativity, passion, and "process of refinement" that they had cultivated for over 35 years in the automotive industry directly into the world of watch design. Automotive design demands aerodynamics, ergonomics, materials science, and the "ultimate in refinement" to bring thousands of parts together into a single beautiful and functional form. This rigorous process is why Ocean to Orbit watches are not merely imitations or homages to the past, but are functionally superior and possess original forms.
Brand DNA: Challenging extreme environments (demonstrated in the first product, "Lhotse")
The brand name "Ocean To Orbit" is, as the name suggests, a direct reflection of their mission statement: to create watches that are versatile enough to withstand all kinds of harsh environments, from the deep sea to outer space.
To demonstrate its philosophy, the brand undertook an unprecedented endeavor with its debut model, the "Lhotse." Named after the world's fourth highest peak (8,516m), this watch was designed not merely as a tribute in name, but with the premise that it would "function in that environment."
The brand has partnered with Purnima Shrestha, a Nepalese woman who transitioned from photojournalist to mountaineer and is now a brand ambassador. In 2022, she successfully summited Lhotse wearing a prototype of the "Lhotse" watch. The timepiece withstood the life-threatening extreme conditions of -60°C in the "death zone," the area above 8,000 meters.
This demonstration holds significant meaning beyond just a durability test. According to Purnima's report, while other climbers' smartwatches and electronic devices successively ran out of battery and stopped functioning in the extreme cold, only the mechanical "Lhotse" watch continued to accurately keep time, serving as the sole timekeeper and, essentially, the "lifeline" for the entire team.
This episode provides the most eloquent answer to the fundamental question of "why are mechanical watches necessary in the modern age?" The answer is "absolute reliability that does not depend on electricity." With this first challenge, Ocean to Orbit proved that watches are both a "romantic" object and a "practical tool" with value in life-or-death situations, thus completing the brand's vision.
"HIMALAYAN PROJECT": Chapter Two, An Overture to Modern Adventure
The successful experience with "Lhotse" and the valuable feedback received from Ms. Purnima solidified the brand's confidence and led to the next, more ambitious "HIMALAYAN PROJECT."
While the first "Lhotse" was a modern interpretation of classic "explorer style" watches from the 1950s, the brand's second creation, the "HIMALAYAN PROJECT," clearly plants its flag in the "modern" era. Its design is "bigger, bolder, and more tactical," and it is defined as a "pure tool watch," designed not for luxury, but for pure functionality.
For many emerging brands, their first product is often a battle against constraints such as funding and market suitability. However, the second product, the "HIMALAYAN PROJECT," is free from those constraints and is a pure visualization of the answer to the question, "If there were no constraints, this is what the ultimate tool watch designed by us, the car designers, would look like," based on the knowledge gained from the Lhotse project. The result is an extraordinary level of attention to "materials" and "design," which will be detailed in the following section.
Core technology and design: Wearing the topography of the Himalayas on your wrist.
The design of the "HIMALAYAN PROJECT" is summarized by the philosophy of its founders, who are car designers: "Every line and feature has a meaning."
Material: Grade 5 titanium with 1200HV surface hardening
The case is manufactured by forging "Grade 5 titanium," a lightweight and strong material also used in the aerospace industry and F1 car parts. However, Ocean to Orbit wasn't satisfied with just that. While titanium is lightweight, it has the weakness of being more susceptible to scratches compared to stainless steel.
The "HIMALAYAN PROJECT" features a titanium case that has undergone a special surface hardening treatment, achieving a Vickers hardness of 1200 HV. This far surpasses the hardness of typical 316L stainless steel (approximately 220 HV), meaning that the watch's exterior will be protected from scratches even in harsh environments like the rugged rock faces of K2.
Integration of design and function: Topography map of the Himalayas
The most distinctive feature of this timepiece is the three-dimensional indices, designed to rise up from the dial. This is not merely decorative, but an homage to the "topography of the Himalayas," artistically expressing the image of "snow-capped mountains protruding from the earth (the dial)."
This innovative design is perfectly integrated with its functionality. With the goal of achieving "The Ultimate in Legibility," this three-dimensional index utilizes "Lumicast," a cutting-edge luminous material made from Swiss Super-LumiNova® particles sintered into a ceramic-like structure. The three-dimensional "mountain" shape allows for a significantly larger volume of Lumicast to be incorporated compared to conventional flat luminous paints.
As a result, this watch "shines like a torch" in the dark, and the hands are also coated with double-thick Super-LumiNova. The design (layout) is conceived to maximize functionality (visibility)—this is the true essence of the "design thinking" that the car designer brought to the project.
The heart of reliability and a versatile strap system.
At the heart of the watch is a Swiss-made "SW200-1" automatic movement, which has a proven track record worldwide for its high reliability and accuracy.
Furthermore, to meet the "multi-functionality" and "hybrid nature" that Japanese consumers value, the following two types of straps will be included as a pre-order bonus.
- Rubber strap: FKM rubber, 20mm lug width, 18mm titanium T5 pin buckle, surface hardening treatment: 1200HV
- Nylon strap: Ribbed nylon, 20mm, titanium T2 folding clasp, surface hardening treatment: 1200HV
This allows it to offer versatility that can handle everything from urban life to serious outdoor activities.
A testament to reliability: Performance recognized by the summit of K2.
Just as Lhotse was tested on Mount Lhotse by Purnima Shrestha, the "HIMALAYAN PROJECT" has also undergone a test befitting its name.
The brand has partnered with Mingma David Sherpa, a legendary Nepalese mountaineer who holds five world records. He is also known as the "unsung hero" who provided on-the-ground support for Nims Dai's seemingly impossible challenge of conquering all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, as featured in the Netflix documentary "14 Peaks".
Minma David wore the HIMALAYAN PROJECT prototype watch as he attempted his seventh summit of K2, an "extreme challenge" at over 8,000m.
This watch is not a "K2 summit commemorative model." This watch is the very "tool" that was created and used to carry out the "project" of climbing K2. The product name, "HIMALAYAN PROJECT," is not just a nickname, but refers to the "R&D activity" itself that Minma David and Ocean to Orbit are undertaking together.
His role is not merely that of a figurehead; he is an active R&D partner who will continue to play a crucial role in the "improvement and development" of Ocean to Orbit watches, testing the products in extreme environments. This fact creates perfect authenticity, leaving no gap whatsoever between the product and the story.
About Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd., the official distributor in Japan:
The distribution of the Ocean to Orbit brand in Japan will be handled exclusively by Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd. as the official general agent.
Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd. was established in June 1961 and is a company with a wealth of experience and trust built over more than 60 years. Our business extends beyond simple import and sales; we also handle "Japanese companies' overseas expansion projects," "overseas companies' business projects (support for the Japanese market)," e-commerce (online store) development, and AI education services.
When Japanese consumers purchase products from emerging overseas brands, their biggest concerns are "warranty" and "after-sales service." By having Shinwa Shoji, a Japanese company with over 60 years of history, act as the official distributor, consumers can rest assured that they will receive comprehensive support, including after-sales service, and can confidently choose this "ultimate tool watch" as a lifelong partner.
Contact Information
For inquiries regarding this product, media interviews, domestic wholesale sales, and partnership opportunities, please contact the following authorized distributor in Japan.
For inquiries regarding reservations for this product, please contact us using the contact information below, or by directly calling your sales representative's mobile phone number.
[Contact information for inquiries regarding this matter]
Company Name: Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd. (Ocean to Orbit Japan Authorized Distributor)
Contact Person: Shintaro Osaki
Phone Number (Main): 052-661-2930
Mobile Number: 090-4448-5256
Email: shinwa@shinwa-japan.com
Inquiry Form: https://shinwa-japan.com/contact
[Company information]
■About Ocean to Orbit: Ocean to Orbit is a Swiss-made watch brand founded in Australia in 2020. Established by automotive designers from Ford and Toyota, its philosophy is to create classically inspired timepieces that can be used in any environment, from "ocean to orbit." Each watch has its own unique story and is designed to accompany the owner on their adventures.
- Official website (global)： https://www.oceantoorbit.com/
■About Shinwa Shoji Co., Ltd.: Founded in 1961. Based on the management philosophy of "believing in human potential through human connections, becoming a life partner for our customers, and aiming for social contribution," we are broadly engaged in supporting the overseas expansion of high-quality Japanese products, supporting overseas companies' entry into the Japanese market, e-commerce business, and AI education business. Based on over 60 years of trust and experience, we handle all aspects of branding, sales, and support for Ocean to Orbit in Japan.
- Official website (Shinwa Shoji)： https://shinwa-japan.com/
