Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Toki-Doki!

Okay, regular insomniacs... I mean readers!  Regular readers will know that I lived in Japan for a bit in the early to mid nineties. I was not as aware of watches then as I am now, which given my very limited salary was probably just as well. That being said, while there was cool stuff around then, things have gotten very interesting the last two years in terms of independent and micro brands. And for those of you sharp of credit card, and nimble of wifi connectivity - you will have your opportunity this Friday (that's two days from now) to order something very special from one of the world's preeminent watch makers, Hajime Asaoka -
Courtesy of Kurono Tokyo
And what is Kurono Tokyo? It is a sincere and very welcome effort from Asaoka-san (or Hajime Sensei depending on which honorific you prefer), to offer a truly beautiful everyday watch at a price that everyday watch fans might be able to afford. This one marks the second anniversary of this project.

Previous models have sold faster than the waffle's sexier cousin, the hotcake. So much so that the inevitable arrival of speculators has driven up resale prices of earlier offerings quite dramatically in the secondary market. So much so that the man behind this noble project has decided to take matters into his own hands to ensure that anyone who wants one will have an opportunity to own one.

すごい
(that's amazing to you)
Courtesy of Kurono Tokyo
This is the KURONO ANNIVERSARY  朱鷺:TOKI
And in their own words:

BACK TO BEGINNINGS

The Kurono Anniversary special edition is a significant part of the brand line-up. It serves as an important reminder of our humble beginnings and the reason why the initiative was started - To create high-quality, Japan-made luxury timepieces that shares the design DNA of celebrated independent Japanese watchmaker Hajime Asaoka's exclusive handmade atelier watches.


Because of this, we spend a little more time in the consideration of every year's anniversary watch not just on the design phase, but across the entire manufacture process to deliver on two core promises - That every Anniversary watch will be exceptional yet highly affordable; and that whoever that has been waiting for one shall get one. 


To understand Kurono Anniversary is to understand Hajime Asaoka's philosophy as a watchmaker - his personal beliefs, inclinations, and motivations - and his approach to this year's Kurono Anniversary watch. It is our hope that his words will give you a better insight to the beginnings of this initiative, and the result of almost a year of planning - Kurono Tokyo is proud to present the Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:TOKI. 


This year's anniversary watch is something Hajime-sensei crafted first and foremost as a watch he himself would like to wear, and then to extend his personal sense of style and refinement to a wider audience. 


The new Kurono Anniversary 朱鷺:Toki is priced at priced at USD1,738 / JPY189,900, and is available for time-limited order on 21st May 2021 2300hrs JST at www.kuronotokyo.com


So watch fans, here's the 10 minute drill:
Online orders will be open for 10 minutes ONLY.  BUT - every order that comes in within that time period will be honored.  

And one VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL:
You must have a registered account to be able to order.  You can (and should, if you hope to order within the 10 minute window) create that account with this link:


So set your alarms and reminders, here are the times as listed -

Pre-orders start 21st May 2021 2300hrs JST
JST 23:00 PM - Tokyo, Japan 
PST 07:00 AM - California, United States
EST 10:00 AM - New York, United States
CET 16:00 PM - Central European Time
GST 18:00 PM - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
AEST 00:00 AM - Canberra, Australia 
SGT 22:00 PM - Singapore, Singapore

Delivery: Starting Mid-June 2021
Price: JPY189,900 / USD1,738 excluding applicable taxes

Here are the pertinents -

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Premium-grade Miyota 90S5 movement
  • Mechanical automatic winding 
  • 316L high-polished 37mm stainless steel case
  • Case Diameter: 37mm
  • Thickness: 7mm incl sapphire
  • Bracelet Strap: Black calf leather
  • Dial Finish: Metallic coral radial sunburst
  • Power Reserve: 40 hours
  • Jewels: 24 rubies
  • Glass: Sapphire crystal
  • Frequency: 28,800bph
  • Water Resistance: 3 ATM
  • Strap Widths: 20/16mm
  • Made in Japan

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