The HYPE - NYC 2026! The Countdown is On!

                                                     The HYPE - NYC 2026

  Friday October 16, Saturday October 17, and Sunday October 18

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

   

Come see us at The Draper New York -         

4-6 West 37th Street, New York, New York

Friday                                    Saturday & Sunday

1776 Atelier (Friday only)                     5280
5280                                                     Carl Suchy & Söhne
Carl Suchy & Söhne                             Elka
DLoke (Friday only)                              GoS   
Elka                                                      ISOTOPE   
GoS                                                      Kneijnsberg
Hager (Friday only)                              Minase
ISOTOPE                                             Moriarty
Minase                                                 Nepro
Nepro                                                   Ollech & Wajs    
Ollech & Wajs                                      Sartory Billard
Sartory Billard                                      Schaefer & Companions
Statera                                                 Sherpa

                                                                            Statera

                                                            Tesse

                                                            Version

The Norrsken

 From GoS -

Courtesy of GoS

Not since peanut butter and jelly first got together has the world been treated to such a dynamic result!

Courtesy of GoS

At first glance, you see a beautifully engraved case the likes of which GoS watches are famous for, and a stunning guilloche dial which, if I have read correctly was aided by the skills of Jochen Benzinger. But when you turn out the lights...

Courtesy of GoS Watches

you see the handiwork of the Black Badger, the nom de lume of James Thompson.  But wait!  There's still more!  Notice that chapter ring?

Courtesy of GoS Watches 

That isn't just any chapter ring. It is the handiwork of Mikael Kenlind, a master artisan working with glass, or more specifically - hand blown Swedish crystal. And this chapter ring is the result of his efforts.

Courtesy of GoS Watches

So what? What's the big deal?  Well, gentle reader, allow me to make it plain -

Patrik Sjögren and Johan Gustafsson have been grinding it out for as long as I've been writing about watches. Several stops along the way they probably could have cashed in on easy opportunities, dumbed down their offerings, gone for the easy money. But in a watch world full of gimmicky, me-too offerings, GoS has been a true North Star reminding watch brands big and small what it means to stand firm on what you believe in.

And then add the calculated whimsey of the master of all things lume, the Black Badger, and it's as if a new watch making super hero group has been formed to battle the forces of a boring hegemony.  I mean, don't get me wrong - the big dogs make some perfectly nice watches. But if you really and truly want something different, something special, this "Fantastic Five Mashup" is the Shit That Killed Elvis!

Here are the pertinents -

Functions
Hours, Minutes Seconds
Small second at 6h:00 in the shape of the GoS triskele

Movement
Manufacture movement by Schwarz Etienne with GoS-specific modifications and finishing
Automatic winding with a micro-rotor and damascus steel counterweight
GoS triskele engraved on click wheel
Handpolished bevels on all bridges
Separate bridge for escape wheel
21,600 vibrations/hour
86h power reserve
Stop-seconds mechanism
33 jewels – 199 parts
30.40mm x 5.25mm

Case
41.5mm x 12.1mm (8mm at edge)
Stainless steel with optional Black Damascus case ring and/or Damascus steel bezel
Sapphire crystals front and caseback – Front crystal domed with double sided anti-reflective coating
Transparent crystal gaskets in new Swiss developed material
5ATM water resistance (50m)
Crown with double gaskets and GoS internal impact protection

Dial
Damascus steel:
Handforged Swedish tool steel by Johan Gustafsson - machined and finished by Patrik Sjögren
Guilloche:
Silver dial handturned by master Jochen Benzinger - machined and finished by Patrik Sjögren
Hour index recesses filled with emerald green Badgerite, developed by James Thompson together with Swiss SuperLuminova
Transparent index ring in Swedish Crystal - individually handmade by master glass artisan Mikael Kenlind
Solid ring of Badgerite applied round the Crystal index ring

Hands
GoS viking spearhead – Rhodium plated
GoS triskele small seconds hand

Strap
Polished Salmon leather – black – Made in Stockholm
Tapered 21mm to 20mm with rounded padding
Pin buckle in stainless damascus steel with GoS triskele logo

Presentation box
Individually handcrafted presentation box in Swedish crystal, handmade by glass artisan Mikael Kenlind

Ghosts of BaselWorld Past - 2013 and GoS Watches

I have known Patrik Sjögren for a wee little while now, and have taken a lot of personal pleasure in seeing the growth of GoS.

2013 was when I first clapped eyes on GoS.  This was back when BaselWorld still had The Palace, which hosted a BUNCH of small and independent brands, and was the precursor for what would evolve into Les Ateliers.  

A lot has happened for GoS and for Tempus Fugit in those seven years, but GoS is still ticking away, and although I won't get to see my friend this year, he and his partner Johan Gustafsson did have something special, so for those of you who missed earlier, here it is again -

Courtesy of GoS Watches

Patrik Sjögren is perhaps one of the nicest people I've met in the watch business. And in many ways I've followed along with him as GoS has progressed, and grown. And honestly? Anyone who comes to my house and has my cat instantly fall in love with him? He must be a pretty great guy!

Courtesy of GoS Watches

This is the Skadi - the Norse goddess of Winter.  And it is truly something special.  Like much of the GoS collection, this piece is inspired by and named for a figure from Norse mythology.  And as I've known Patrik for quite some time, I'm going to let him tell the story in his own words -

The new model from GoS combines black damascus steel with red gold and glacier-blue luminous Mother of Pearl to illustrate the landscape ruled by Skadi - the Winter Goddess in Norse Mythology. Skadi is pronounced Skah-dee and she personifies strength, courage, and endurance. Her most mentioned attributes are her bow and skis as she is very skilled at using them both to hunt and to engage in battle.

And in addition to the phenomenal work of Patrik's partner Johan Gustafsson who is responsible for the Damascus steel work that has helped to make GoS so well known, two other artisans have joined this effort.  Anders Hedlund is a master knife maker who previously worked on the Sarek Trollius, and he is responsible for the engraving on both the lugs and the movement of the Skadi. And per GoS -

GoS introduce another master craftsman to the GoS collective as master goldsmith Peter deWit cast the gold parts for the case and also fit the premium quality blue sapphires in all indexes and the damascus steel crown.

The dial is a true point of interest.  To look at it you would not think that it was what it is - white mother of pearl.  But appearances can be deceiving - the blue hue is achieved through the use of Super-Luminova.

Here are the pertinents -

Specification - GoS Skadi – Limited to 5pcs

• ●  Case: 44.5mmx10mm (5ATM)
• ●  Lug width: 22mm
• ●  Glass: Flat sapphire glass with double sided AR coating, extra hard on outside
• ●  Movement: Soprod Chronometre grade 6498 with screwed balance. Bridges made from one solid piece of damascus steel handforged by Johan Gustafsson.
• ●  Dial: Three-layered dial with premium white mother-of-pearl on top and a thick layer of Swiss Super-LumiNova below for the best available afterglow and colored luminescence. The luminescent material is enclosed by a thin rhodinated brass plate with hand-soldered dial feet. The dials have a EU design protection and are manufactured and assembled by hand in the GoS workshop.
• ●  bezel: Black damascus steel made from stainless damascus steel.
• ●  Index ring/rehaut: Two layers combining previous GoS design with inspiration from viking bracelets. The upper ring and the 
  GoS logo are gold plated.
• ●  Hands: GoS spear shape in Johan 
  Gustafsson ́s handforged damascus steel. 
  The hands have a high contrast finishing 
  on the upper surface and handpolished bevels.
• ●  Crown: GoS design in handsculpted stainless damascus steel with a large goldfitted blue sapphire 7.5mm in
  diameter and with double gaskets.
• ●  Case: Case ring in black damascus steel made from stainless damascus steel provided by Swedish masters from Damasteel and reworked by GoS. Industry-strength PVD coating by ionbond Sweden, in Linköping.
  Case back, glass ring and lugs from 18k gold – all handmade in Linköping Sweden.
• ●  Strap: Handcrafted and tapered 22-20mm strap in premium Moose leather, fitted with premium GoS 20mm Swiss made folding buckle 18k gold
• ●  Limited edition to 5pcs and every watch is engraved X/5 to indicate number in sequence.
• ●  Five year guarantee
• ●  Delivered in presentation box in Swedish Walnut, handcrafted by Kanevad workshop in old Linköping

Skadi - the Norse Goddess of Winter

From GoS -

Courtesy of GoS Watches

Patrik Sjögren is perhaps one of the nicest people I've met in the watch business. And in many ways I've followed along with him as GoS has progressed, and grown. And honestly? Anyone who comes to my house and has my cat instantly fall in love with him? He must be a pretty great guy!

Courtesy of GoS Watches

This is the Skadi - the Norse goddess of Winter.  And it is truly something special.  Like much of the GoS collection, this piece is inspired by and named for a figure from Norse mythology.  And as I've known Patrik for quite some time, I'm going to let him tell the story in his own words -

The new model from GoS combines black damascus steel with red gold and glacier-blue luminous Mother of Pearl to illustrate the landscape ruled by Skadi - the Winter Goddess in Norse Mythology. Skadi is pronounced Skah-dee and she personifies strength, courage, and endurance. Her most mentioned attributes are her bow and skis as she is very skilled at using them both to hunt and to engage in battle.

And in addition to the phenomenal work of Patrik's partner Johan Gustafsson who is responsible for the Damascus steel work that has helped to make GoS so well known, two other artisans have joined this effort.  Anders Hedlund is a master knife maker who previously worked on the Sarek Trollius, and he is responsible for the engraving on both the lugs and the movement of the Skadi. And per GoS -

GoS introduce another master craftsman to the GoS collective as master goldsmith Peter deWit cast the gold parts for the case and also fit the premium quality blue sapphires in all indexes and the damascus steel crown.

The dial is a true point of interest.  To look at it you would not think that it was what it is - white mother of pearl.  But appearances can be deceiving - the blue hue is achieved through the use of Super-Luminova.

Here are the pertinents -

Specification - GoS Skadi – Limited to 5pcs

• ●  Case: 44.5mmx10mm (5ATM)
• ●  Lug width: 22mm
• ●  Glass: Flat sapphire glass with double sided AR coating, extra hard on outside
• ●  Movement: Soprod Chronometre grade 6498 with screwed balance. Bridges made from one solid piece of damascus steel handforged by Johan Gustafsson.
• ●  Dial: Three-layered dial with premium white mother-of-pearl on top and a thick layer of Swiss Super-LumiNova below for the best available afterglow and colored luminescence. The luminescent material is enclosed by a thin rhodinated brass plate with hand-soldered dial feet. The dials have a EU design protection and are manufactured and assembled by hand in the GoS workshop.
• ●  bezel: Black damascus steel made from stainless damascus steel.
• ●  Index ring/rehaut: Two layers combining previous GoS design with inspiration from viking bracelets. The upper ring and the 
  GoS logo are gold plated.
• ●  Hands: GoS spear shape in Johan 
  Gustafsson ́s handforged damascus steel. 
  The hands have a high contrast finishing 
  on the upper surface and handpolished bevels.
• ●  Crown: GoS design in handsculpted stainless damascus steel with a large goldfitted blue sapphire 7.5mm in
  diameter and with double gaskets.
• ●  Case: Case ring in black damascus steel made from stainless damascus steel provided by Swedish masters from Damasteel and reworked by GoS. Industry-strength PVD coating by ionbond Sweden, in Linköping.
  Case back, glass ring and lugs from 18k gold – all handmade in Linköping Sweden.
• ●  Strap: Handcrafted and tapered 22-20mm strap in premium Moose leather, fitted with premium GoS 20mm Swiss made folding buckle 18k gold
• ●  Limited edition to 5pcs and every watch is engraved X/5 to indicate number in sequence.
• ●  Five year guarantee
• ●  Delivered in presentation box in Swedish Walnut, handcrafted by Kanevad workshop in old Linköping

Who's Next?

Speaking with a brand owner the other day and the question he kept asking - who is next?

What did he mean by that? Well, up until the (if we're honest) late 90s / early oughts nobody really gave two tosses about who ran what watch brand. And designers were, by and large, only really recognized by a handful of people.

Now the funny part of all of this is that no single thing so dramatic happened to change the landscape inside of the industry. It was a lot of little things that all took place around the same time, and created a snow ball effect. More on this for a different post, but it's important to bear in mind that there was a time not so very long ago where we neither knew or cared about who designed our favorite watch, or who ran the brand.

Now back to the opening salvo - Who's next?

The watch industry is just that, an industry. But within every industry there are always glimmers of excitement, mavericks, people who chart their own course and in doing so offer something truly remarkable, that stands the test of time.

Names that were mentioned during this conversation included the obvious - Biver, Hayek and Schnyder. But some others came through - Silberstein, Genta and Richard Mille. And the question again was - "Who is next?" and the honest answer that I gave was pretty blunt - nobody.

Now before you beetle over to the comment button to leave your bon mots, allow me to elaborate. There are plenty of creative, talented people out there making some wonderful things -

Sarpaneva -

Shamelessly borrowed from the Sarpaneva Facebook page

Fiona Krüger -

Courtesy of Fiona Krüger

Patrik Sjögren -

Courtesy of GoS

But these folks have been at it for awhile, and in fairness, they are taking different approaches from the luminaries that preceded them. Because back in the day, you had to have a benefactor. The Royal Oak is a great watch, but (and I say this with all due respect), it would not have been anything more than an interesting idea without the weight of Audemars Piguet behind it. And even that, on it's own, was not enough, a certain amount of luck was involved and it is safe to say that it was lightning in a bottle. Think I'm full of it? Well let's see... there is the Nautilus. It was backed by a tiny, insignificant little Swiss firm... Patek Philippe.

And yet there were other really dope designs such as the Overseas and the Laureato. But neither one has really enjoyed the same level of "thingness" that the Royal Oak or the Nautilus have.

So who or what is next remains really hard to know, and here's
why - fear. I am a risk averse fellow myself, but fear is what drives the majority of decisions made in the larger brands. Fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of looking bad. And now that Vacheron, GP, Blancpain and others are part of larger groups that are answerable to investors, etc.? That fear is on steroids.

What many of us are waiting for is to see brands develop and grow talent IN HOUSE. Talent that will be encouraged to take some risks, and make watches that are out of the norm and challenge the status quo. Now it would be easy to say that there is nothing new in watches. Well, I wouldn't necessarily buy that, but I would say that at the rate we are going we will never know if the big brands don't start letting the next generation take their turn at the wheel.

In this day and age, you don't necessarily need a benefactor, but more and more it becomes impossible for the independent creator to do more than merely create. It can be the most beautiful, technically advanced, cutting edge watch out there. But if nobody knows about it, nobody buys it.

We are ready to find out who's next. So big brands? The ball's in your court. And I hope that the independents maintain their independence. If the big dogs aren't willing or able to take some chances? Let them labor on in mediocrity.

The HYPE

So in the interest of full disclosure, I am one of the people behind the event you will read about below.

BaselWorld is nearly upon us once again.  And as I am sure you know, watch brands will not be restricted to Hall 1. 

This year, something rather unusual happened.  10 independent brands all agreed to work together and support each other in an open format that will be more accessible to journalists, potential retail partners and collectors.  To make this possible, these brands wanted a location that would invite curiosity and discovery, and they felt that there was no better place to do that than the lobby of the Hyperion.  What they wanted was a way to show their watches and connect with people without all of the noise, signage and HYPE found in a typical trade show environment.  What they wanted was something different - an opportunity to simply show their watches, to speak with journalists, collectors and retail partners honestly and openly without all of the noise.  A simple meeting where you can simply come and see the watches, and talk about them.

They didn't want a show, they wanted a collaborative space to share their creations, to meet with people one at a time, and to do it in a more stripped down environment.

It started out with the two brands that I represent - Minase and Sartory-Billard.  And then a few other brands heard about our idea, and they wanted a similar opportunity.  And The HYPE now involves 10 brands who will be working together during five days of BaselWeek - Thursday - Monday.

More details below -                                                                                                                                                                    

February 5, 2019

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about a special collaboration of small, independent and micro brands who will be hiding in plain sight at the Hyperion hotel during BaselWeek this year.

10 brands have come together to support each other and share their products with journalists, retailers, distributors and collectors in a less formal, more inviting atmosphere.  Come by the Hyperion (Formerly the Ramada) Hotel’s ground floor (in a secret location to be revealed in March) and experience the HYPE of BaselWeek 2019!

The following brands will be participating –

Minase                                              

Sartory-Billard                                  

Holthinrichs Watches                      

Lundis Bleus                                      

Straton                                               

Muse Swiss Art Watches                 

ISOfrane / Tropic                              

Vortic                                                 

GoS                                                     

Ophion                                              

The format is open and brands, their owners and representatives will be on hand to show their watches and share their opinions and insights. 

                               

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The Sarek Sunset and Sarek Glacier

From GoS -

Courtesy of GoS

This is the latest offering from the dynamic duo at Gustafsson & Sjögren.

Available in a version for men (above), and a ladies version (below)

Courtesy of GoS

While GoS is known far and wide for their pioneering work in Damascus steel, they have also done quite impressive things with mother of pearl as well, as hardcore GoS fans will well remember the Stockholm -

Courtesy of GoS

With this new collection, it is clear that GoS has continued to grow and evolve with an extremely pleasing set of dial variations.

So why "go back" to mother of pearl?  Well, the folks at GoS put it pretty succinctly like this:

GoS tempered damascus steel dials have deep and dynamic colors, but one limitation is that they do not emit any light. Mother-of-pearl is translucent and let both color and light through the material. GoS is the first watch brand to use this property and present mother-of-pearl dials that glows in colors. 

So there you have it!  Here are the pertinents -

 

Specification - GoS Sarek Glacier and Sunset

• ●  Case: 43.0mmx10.5mm (5ATM)
  
• ●  Lug width: 22mm
  
• ●  Glass: Domed sapphire glass with double sided AR coating, extra hard on outside
  
• ●  Movement: Soprod A10 with GoS triskele rotor, dark satinized and additional counter weight with
  model engraving “Glacier” or “Sunset”.
  
• ●  Dial: Multi-layered dial with premium white mother-of-pearl and Swiss Super-LumiNova for the
  best available afterglow and colored luminescence. The dials are manufactured and assembled by
  hand in the GoS workshop.
  
• ●  Bezel: Stainless damascus steel from the masters at Damasteel in Söderfors Sweden. The bezel is
  manufactured and finished in the GoS workshop.
  
• ●  Index ring/rehaut: Two layers combining previous GoS design with inspiration from viking bracelets. The
  hour markings are opened to show the color and light from the dial.
  
• ●  Hands: GoS spear shape in high gloss polished Rhodinated finish
  
• ●  Crown: GoS design in highgloss polished with satinized grooves. 7mm in diameter and with double
  gaskets.
  
• ●  Case finishing: Stainless steel, worked and finished with inspiration from viking bracelets.
  
• ●  Strap: Handcrafted and tapered 22-20mm strap in premium Moose leather, fitted with premium GoS
  20mm Swiss made folding buckle in stainless steel.
  
• ●  Every watch engraved with “Sarek 1/1” to indicate that every watch is a unique piece in addition to a serial number.
  
• ●  Five year guarantee
  
• ●  Delivered in handcrafted presentation box in Swedish crystal, made by Vas Vitreum glass artists in
  Vadstena, Sweden
  Specification - Ladies ́ GoS Sarek Glacier and Sunset
  

• ●  Case: 31.5 x 40 x 9mm (5ATM)
  
• ●  Lug width: Single lug, 16mm strap
  
• ●  Glass: Flat sapphire glass with double sided AR coating, extra hard on outside
  
• ●  Movement: Soprod A10 with GoS triskele rotor, dark satinized and additional counter weight with
  model engraving “Glacier” or “Sunset”.
  
• ●  Dial: Multi-layered dial with premium white mother-of-pearl and Swiss Super-LumiNova for the
  best available afterglow and colored luminescence. The dials are manufactured and assembled by
  hand in the GoS workshop.
  
• ●  Bezel: Stainless damascus steel from the masters at Damasteel in Söderfors Sweden. The bezel is
  manufactured and finished in the GoS workshop.
  
• ●  Index ring/rehaut: Two layers combining previous GoS design with inspiration from viking bracelets. The
  hour markings are opened to show the color and light from the dial. All elements have polished bevels
  and satinized top surface.
  
• ●  Hands: GoS spear shape in high gloss polished Rhodinated finish.
  
• ●  Crown: GoS design in highgloss polished with satinized grooves. It is 6.5mm in diameter and has double
  gaskets.
  
• ●  Case finishing: Stainless steel worked with inspiration from viking rings and then highgloss polished to
  provide lustre.
  
• ●  Strap: Handcrafted and tapered 16-14mm in either black moose leather or pastel colored premium leather
  with Swiss made stainless steel GoS deployant buckle.
  
• ●  Every watch engraved with “Unique piece 1/1” and a serial number.
  
• ●  Five year guarantee
  
• ●  Individually handcrafted presentation box in Swedish crystal, made by Vas Vitreum glass artists in
  Vadstena, Sweden
  

 

7 Days with the Minase Divido

So a quick point, although I announced the start of the 7 day review of this watch in Part 3 of my Minase visit report -

A Grand Day Out - Minase 3

The review actually started last Tuesday, February 27th.

Courtesy of Minase

So it is time to sum up and wrap up what it has been like to wear the Minase Divido for one week.  I was given the watch at the factory, and then had it sized in Tokyo.  And a big "Arigato Gozaimasu" goes out to Ysuyoshi Hoshino who was kind enough to hustle over from the Minase HQ in Kashiwa, Chiba-Ken to Tokyo to do the adjusting!  Needless to say, I think Seiko would have said "take it to a watch maker" ; )

As you may recall, I was first introduced to this particular Divido the day before during the tour of the Minase factory.  It was, as you see above, somewhat disassembled.  

This was to enable one of Minase's watch makers the opportunity to demonstrate the how the pieces fit together, and to give some visual understanding about why some of the design choices were made.

Minase started out in the watch business doing OEM work, making cases and bracelets for some other more well-known brands.  And in the process of doing this, decided that they could perhaps build a better watch themselves.  The case of the Divido is unique, but also somewhat traditional.  It is the only piece in the current Minase collection that is round.

The case is a very balanced, very sensible 40.5 mm in diameter.  It is round, but with lugs that extend out slightly to create a bit of depth and structure (both visibly and physically).  

The size was perfect for me, with the lug horns just reaching the edge of my wrist.  

The case is the beneficiary of Minase's incomparable Sallaz polishing technique.  The results speak for themselves.

The watch is water resistant to 5 ATM or 50 meters.  This is achieved without a screw down crown or a more traditional case design.  

So as you can see from the exploded view of the Divido, you will note that the case contains several elements that help comprise what Minase refers to as their "case within a case".  You will notice from the bottom piece to the top there are several layers, or "stages" of the watch.  

The bottom of the watch is pretty straight forward.  It acts both as the case back and the "anchor" to the "interior case" with comprises the movement, the dial, and the index ring.  This achieves a great level of depth and creates a very interesting visual effect.  Essentially, the center of the watch almost "floating" in the "outer case".

This is a little easier to conceptualize with a light glowing through the case back -

The watch is very legible owing in no small part to the "layering effect" that is achieved through the case in case concept.  Another important note - while you can see the light from the phone glowing through the back, this is not a watch that utilizes lume with the exception of a small bit on the hands. 

Yes, that is me with a flashlight in my mouth

And I think I get this.  This is a watch to be worn and admired in normal light conditions.  And in fairness, there are plenty of watches that eschew lume completely.  But I also know that a lot of watch collectors are very, very partial to lume and will only buy a watch with heavy amounts on the dial.  And fair enough.  For the record, I personally have found no shortcomings from this, but if copious lume is a deal breaker for you, this might not be for you.

The one thing that I thought I would be put off with was the "open" date window showing the date as well as yesterday and tomorrow.  But the date for today lines up perfectly both with the arrow and the 3 o'clock marker.  It was a pleasure to look at the watch, and it was always easy to get the date and time with a glance.  The only challenge was my wandering eye admiring the case within case and the deep blue of the dial.

This is the inner case on the bench, so not locked in and 100% aligned, but it gives you a sense of the depth and hence, the legibility of the watch face.  The outer chapter ring is a stand-alone stainless steel piece that provides the hour indications.  

Courtesy of Minase

 So again, this sets Minase apart.  It would be easy to simply slap a dial in there, but the goal was to create something unique and special.  Just to give you an idea, here are the constituent parts that help make up the whole of the inner case of the Divido -

Oh, and it bears mentioning - all of those seemingly unimportant parts that you might not be able to see 100%?

Sallaz polishing.  While a few better known brands might simply use Sallaz polishing for their cases, Minase feels that every part that is potentially visible and is important. 

Courtesy of Minase

I have appropriated a photo from Minase to show the crown in better detail that what I was able to manage...

as you can see ; )  On the plus side, this does help highlight the floating effect of the case in case design.  The crown is sort of a hybrid of those found on a traditional big crown pilot watch.  The crown itself is tactile and solid, engages smoothly in all positions.  Now without crown guards, it appears to sit out a bit more prominently than it actually does.  Having said that, it is out there and can snag on sweaters, etc. as any other prominent crown could do.

I am borrowing a shot I took at the factory of the same model, but with a rubber strap (i.e. easier to photograph).

Minase refers to the movement as the KT 7001.  Look closely and you will see Swiss Made on the rotor.  This is not anything that Minase is trying to hide.  When deciding what movement to use, Minase didn't dwell on keeping it 100% down-home 日本 (Japan).  They start with a Swiss ebauche from the folks at ETA (2824-2) in this model, and then put their touch on it -

In terms of timekeeping, it was flawless.  No noticeable deviations.  I had asked about this, a Swiss movement in an otherwise Japanese watch (one that in many ways is more Japanese than some other bigger operations who do a lot of their manufacturing "off shore", and the answer was simple.  They wanted the best.  Minase's case has a very complex design and assembly.  And this was not done just for the sake of complexity.  It was (and continues to be) done in the interest of longevity.  Even the lug pieces can be replaced in a Minase watch.  So the belief is that the best, most reliable movement available should be used to ensure that it will be solid right out of the gate, and will be able to be serviced well into the future.

The bracelet is perhaps the most impressive that I have encountered in a watch at this price point.  

The links are tight, but very movable when the watch is worn, ensuring a very comfortable fit on the wrist.

The bracelet is secured with a twin button clasp, but it is not a butterfly on the underside, but rather a single side.  This is what creates the slight gap between the bracelet end and the clasp.  

This is not evident when worn normally (i.e. watch face up) but when the watch is face down with the wrist and clasp "sunny side up", the natural pull of the watch downwards accentuates the space.  This is also a very clever design choice because it allows for the free movement of that section of the bracelet ensuring that the actual link piece can move, not pinch.

The bracelet was incredibly comfortable and did not pull on my very hairy wrist.  Because the bracelet uses alternating sized links, the fit and feel of the bracelet is quite good.

Also interesting to relate, there are no visible screw heads or pin and collars on the side of the bracelet as you would see in other bracelets -

The links are removed by removing the screws on the underside of the links themselves.  This is not intended to be a "do-it-yourself" touch, but rather a more elegant solution.  Minase would strongly encourage you (assuming that you are not a trained watch maker) to have the bracelet adjusted by a trained watch maker.

Overall, this is a very, very impressive watch.

But this is where we get to the question - is this the watch for you?

Minase is not now, (nor do I expect it ever will be) a manufacturer of the size and scale of Seiko.  And frankly, I do not get the impression that they ever want to be.  So the first question you have to ask yourself - do you identify with the brand, or the watch?  Then secondly, if you do identify with the brand, what type of brand do you appreciate - is it a massive commercial concern, or is it a small, local concern staffed by local craftspeople who have been apprenticed by the company from a young age?

If we are simply talking about performance, I would put the Divido up against anything from Grand Seiko, or frankly just about anything else at its price point.

If we are talking about the emotional content, the stuff that hits you with a visceral gut bomb?   The intangible stuff that makes you feel things without you necessarily understanding why?  Well, then the Minase Divido ticks those boxes as well.

When you consider brands like GoS, ochs und junior, Sarpaneva and other esoteric brands that still manage to captivate us?  That's about more than just a watch, and a financial calculation.  That is about passion, about feeling, about romance.  And the Divido well and truly belongs in that category.

Should you buy the Divido?  I have to be honest, it is not for everyone.  Not everyone will "get" the design philosophy.  Not everyone will feel safe buying a relatively unknown, small production, (let's face it) micro brand.  Some purists will not be able to get their heads around a Japanese watch with a Swiss ebauche.  Well, fair enough.  Some people like vanilla ice cream...

And some of us like pistachio ; )

But in all seriousness, this is not a watch for everyone.  Minase is not design by committee for the masses.  And that's okay.  On a personal note, I will be very, very sorry to see it go back to Japan.  It has been a real joy to wear.

Here are the pertinents, straight from Minase -

Specs:

Case

Stainless steel 316L. Domed box type sapphire crystal (non reflective coating), flat sapphire crystal on the back.

Water resistant up to 50 meters (5 ATM).
Diameter - 40.5 mm. Thickness: 12.0 mm. Weight: 100 / 150 g.

Movement
KT 7001/1 by MINASE with hand-made polishing and "perlage" on plates and bridges.

Dial 

"Case in Case" structure: the essential feature of HiZ concept and exclusive development where individual components are assembled to become a 3- dimensional dial. Together with the movement and the hands, this structure
becomes an independent entity assembled inside the case.

Functions
Hours, minutes and central second hands. Date at 4.
 

Strap
Rubber (EPDM) with stainless steel deployment clasp or in a solid stainless steel execution featuring MORE concept. The patented design feature individual links that are screwed individually instead of the traditional pin-system

Clasp
Deployment buckle with steel side pushers.