It is easy to run life on autopilot, day in and day out, until something stops you cold and reminds you how little time we might actually have. Most of us think about that abstractly. For Ryan LeClair and his wife Andrea of Makoto Watches, it became something much more literal.
A few years ago, Andrea was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, with an initial prognosis of four months to live. Ryan did what any husband would do and dropped everything, including selling their furniture business, to be with her. That kind of news shifts your perspective fast. For this couple it became carpe diem, a shared mission to seize every day they had. Andrea encouraged Ryan to follow his passion. As a lifelong watch collector with an eye for design he started designing watches, staying home with her, and combined with a bucket list trip to Japan; Makoto Watches was born.
The Bucket List
With what could have been their last big trip together, Ryan, Andrea, and their daughter set off for where they had always wanted to explore: Japan. Ryan, already with a strong eye for design, fell in love with the country, the people, and the culture. Andrea, a teacher, did too, connecting with people everywhere they went. That trip became the creative foundation for everything Makoto Watches has built since.
Shibuya
Makoto is a Canadian brand, designed entirely by Ryan in Canada and manufactured just outside Hong Kong. Every watch name and design takes its inspiration from Japan. The first model was the Shibuya, a bold, graphic dial designed to turn heads at the Shibuya Crossing, the busiest crosswalk in the world. Just like the crossing itself, it was designed to stop people in their tracks. It was never meant to be a mass seller, just a conversation starter, and it worked.
Kodawari — The Pursuit of Perfection
From there came the Kodawari line, which translates to “the pursuit of perfection”, a name Ryan will tell you suits him perfectly. He admits he spends way too many hours “getting the details just right”, as many of us in the #watchfam will understand. The Kodawari watches are dressy stone dial pieces, starting with the Shino, a green malachite dial (39mm) whose name translates to little bamboo, inspired by the bamboo forests of Japan. The line expanded to include lapis, meteorite, red agate, and then two 37mm pieces, a pink mother of pearl and a turquoise, bringing the collection to a size that works beautifully for smaller wrists without compromising on the automatic Miyota movement inside.
Boken — Carpe Adventure
The newest addition is the Boken, which translates roughly to adventure watch…and in Titanium.
Diver Down! | Hamana (left) & Hakusan(right) Diver
The Hamana with a sunburst blue dial and the full lume dial Hakusan. Either one I would have no hesitation taking down on my next dive.
Makoto x Ando x Vinyl: TRACK ONE - Limited Production Run
Track One sold out in two days flat, and now Track Two now available at time of writing.
Ryan and Andrea
Ryan came to watches via a Timex Iron Man his father gave him as a kid, wore it for ten years, and from there worked his way through over 300 watches across his lifetime, Omegas, Rolex, affordable pieces, everything in between. He sold all but four watches in that collection to fund the brand he has created; and has not looked back.
Then there is Andrea. Not a watch collector at all, but rather, a lifelong teacher of 23 years, as well as the social engine of the operation. Forever on her wrist are the words carpe diem, which has its own story in the second half of the episode when in 2022, her oncologist reminded her to go live her life. Her daughter was competing in a Cirque competition in Las Vegas and Andrea was between treatments, nervous to travel to attend. Her oncologist said to her “carpe diem”, and to go. That moment forever left a mark on Andrea, and a mark that she would later put on her wrist to be that constant reminder. Carpe diem is more than a motto for this family. It is a tattoo now shared by her, her sister-in-law, her 75-year-old mother-in-law, and her 16-year-old daughter. A sisterhood of support, bound together by the words that helped Andrea to constantly look and move forward.
At the show, Andrea was wearing the pink mother of pearl Kodawari on her wrist, the 37mm one Ryan designed with cherry blossoms in mind. She knew from the moment he designed it that it was going to be hers. She also made sure her oncologist had one on their wrist. A malachite dial Makoto, because they gave her the gift of time, and she wanted to give them one back.
Find Makoto Watches at makotowatch.com or on Instagram at @MakotoWatchCompany. Links in the show notes. Find the Analog Explorer in your favorite podcast app or support the show on Substack at analogexplorer.com.
Life can be short. Carpe diem. And fac tempus ad explorandum — make the time to explore.
