Japanese watchmaker Hajime Asaoka has created an accessibly priced timepiece inside his Kurono sub-brand that makes use of new outdated inventory Citizen mechanical actions.
The Kurono Particular Tasks Réserve de Marche “Sensu NOS” is a compact costume watch, offered in a 38 mm x 11.2 mm (45.6 mm lug-to-lug) stainless-steel case, with premium domed sapphire crystals, accessible with both a cream or mild blue dial.
In 2022 Kurono bought the whole stability inventory of the discontinued premium 4Hz, 26-jewel computerized caliber 9134 from Citizen. Kurono redesignated the motion with caliber 9134PWT to mirror the corporate’s in-house timekeeping modifications, together with eradicating the date operate.
That includes a fan-shaped energy reserve complication with a guilloché-work the dials have been designed with Hajime Asaoka’s “interpretation of the classical guilloché-dialed watch with an art-deco aptitude.” The corporate states that the curved dials are matched with curved fingers (bent by hand) and a curved domed sapphire crystal and that the curved profile requires a thicker dial, thus making the guilloche patterns a “problem” to create. Nevertheless, regardless of a really lengthy description of the dials and the processes, nothing was said on the strategy of guilloché used, so with that in thoughts, and contemplating the value, it’s secure to imagine the method was automated, not the hand-made guide guilloché-work you see on dearer timepieces.
For cream dial variant, the fingers have been blued, and for the blue dial, the fingers are metal. “The ‘SENSU NOS’ in blue affords a window into Japanese heritage with its Kanji hour markers. These logographic characters kind the core of the Japanese writing system and are artistically rendered in Hajime-sensei’s signature calligraphy model. Positioned at 3 o’clock, the Kurono Tokyo brand deviates from the traditional 12 o’clock placement,” in keeping with Kurono. “With the ‘SENSU NOS’ in Cream, the Arabic numerals mirror an old-world allure and the wealthy historical past of arithmetic. This basic model, characterised by its clear aesthetic and familiarity, enhances legibility.”
From the case dimension many lovers desire the distinctive dials, and the folding Japanese fan (扇子 : sensu) styled energy reserve indicator that reveals the automated motion’s energy ranges (0-40-hours) as you cost the watch through wrist actions, Hajime Asaoka seems to have created one other watch that’s visually interesting and that varies from Swiss aesthetics. Will the Citizen motion deter from the compelling timepiece, or will the few collectors care extra concerning the distinctive design and modifications made by Asaoka?
Each variations have stable casebacks, are waterproof to 50 meters, and are paired with 20mm/16mm black pebble grain calfskin leather-based straps made in Japan. The retail worth is $2,150 and pre-orders open later this month.
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Images by Kurono.
