Minase's Windows Collections Get a Dial Upgrade

This is the latest from my favorite Japanese brand, Minase -

 

Courtesy of Minase

The Windows collection has been expanded to include these new dial designs in the Yukihira design pattern.

Per Minase -

The YUKIHIRA pattern, as it now appears on the dials, originates from a hammering process. It reflects light beautifully and creates a sense of depth and shadow. It is enhanced by the beautiful indexes and case, treated with Minase’s exclusive handmade sallaz polishing.

Courtesy of Minase

Specifications

Case: 

Stainless Steel 316L or 18K rose gold

Dial: 

Copper, electroformed and lacquered in blue, ice blue, green or white

Dimensions: 

38 x 47 mm. Thickness: 13 mm.

Movement: 

Swiss ETA 2892. Hand-finished surfaces with perlage, blue screws, bridges with diamond polished bevels and a main plate and bridges in black or. MPS lubrication-free bearings, ETACHRON regular system, Top-range execution. 21 Jewels. Frequency 28’800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz), 50 hours power reserve.

Hands: 

Polished steel, minute and second bent at the tip, luminous material on hours and

minutes

Functions: 

Hours, minutes and central second hands.

Bracelet: 

Stainless steel 316L or hand-made genuine black or brown leather band

The Horizon GEN DLC

From Minase -

Courtesy of Minase

This is the latest offering from one of my all-time favorite watch brands. Right about now in Akita-ken, I suspect the locals are shoveling the snow off of their roofs, and enjoying massive amounts of chanko nabe -

Shamelessly borrowed from the worldwide info-web

But all that shoveling and eating hasn't stopped the folks at Minase from putting together something extra special!

Courtesy of Minase

The case is of stainless steel with a black DLC finish. It measures 38 x 51 mm, and is 12 mm thick. It weighs in at 160 grams.

Under the hood is the ETA 2892A2, with a customized rotor. The functions are hours, minutes, seconds, and date.

This is a limited series of 25 pieces and is available to order now through Minase International. It is priced very fairly at CHF 4'700.

Here are all the pertinents, straight from the source -

Case:

Stainless steel 316L plated with black DLC. 

Dimensions - 38 x 51 mm. Thickness : 12,0 mm. 160 g.

Dual spherical box type sapphire crystal (non reflective coating), see-through case back. 

Water resistant up to 50 meters (5 Bar).

Movement:

Swiss ETA based components (2892A2) high end execution with hand-finished surfaces with perlage, bridges and main plate in black “or”. Blue screws. Bridges with diamond polished bevels. Customized Minase rotor. ETACHRON regulator system. MPS lubrication-free bearings. Very high precision TOP range execution. 50 hours’ power reserve. 21 Jewels. Frequency 28’800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz)

Dial:

Steel with PVD cover in Black, Blue or Grey, polished steel indexes

Functions:

Hours, minutes and central second hands. Date at 3.

Hands:

Polished, luminous material on hours’ and minutes’ hands.

Strap and Buckle:

Rubber (EPDM) strap with stainless steel deployment clasp and side pushers.

Some Urushi Goodness

From Minase -

Courtesy of Minase

As previously mentioned, I worked for Minase to help bring them to North America. As of the turn of the year, I am no longer an official team member, but absolutely an unofficial brand evangelist! And therefore, after nearly 2 years, I can put on my enthusiast's hat and write from the heart.

The Divido is a huge favorite, particularly in North America. In many ways it sums up the thesis behind Minase's watches, extremely well executed design combined with painstakingly extensive hand finishing. And as with the other dials (particularly the blue/purple), the Urushi dial is the crowning touch to an already impressive time machine. And as much as the blue/purple dialed Divido was a rare find, the Urushi dialed Divido is a true unicorn, selling out in the blink of an eye. 

But don't worry, the folks in Akita-ken are hard at work to make some more! For now the replenishment pieces are available for pre-order.

Here are the pertinents -

Model : Divido Deep Blue Urushi Silver Maki-e dial

Case : Stainless steel 316L. Domed box type sapphire crystal (non reflective coating) on top, see-through sapphire case back. Water resistant up to 50 meters (5 Bar).

Dimensions : 40.5 mm. Thickness : 12,0 mm.

Lug to lug: 48 mm

Weight total : 150 g.

Movement : KT7001/1, power reserve 38 hours, Swiss ebauches, customized by MINASE with hand-made polishing and « perlage » on plates and bridges. Minase customized rotor, treated in black or.

Face : Deep blue, Urushi sprinkled in silver Maki-e

Hands : polished, luminous material on hours’ and minutes’

Functions : Hours, minutes and central second hands. Date at 3.

Bracelet : 316L stainless steel with deployment buckle. MORE concept.

The Unicorn!

Regular readers of Tempus Fugit will recall that last September I journeyed once again to Japan, this time to visit Casio and the G-Shock side of their business.  It planted an unexpected (and as of yet still) unexplained love for all things G-Shock.

At the time everyone, with the exception of the one guy who already had one) was desperately trying to lay hands to the GMWB5000 - or as I like to refer to it, the "Digital Santos" -

Needless to say, we all struck out.  A few pieces trickled in here and there, but it was like lining up to buy the latest drop from Nike - you had to have your finger at the ready 24-7 to hit that buy button.   Needless to say, I have a day job ; )

But patience, as they say, is a virtue.  And rather than buy one through a secondary source, I bided my time, and lo and behold WatchGauge became an authorized G-Shock dealer!  

But, that in and of itself did not necessarily solve everything.  Because it seems that although WatchGauge had all of the groovy, dare I say it - very hard to obtain G-Shocks, I was once again a late comer to the conga-line.

Shamelessly borrowed from the world-infoweb

Because, it would seem that WatchGauge has developed a pretty damn devoted following.  And owing to this there were more than a few sharp shoppers who pipped me to the line.  But patience was rewarded, and just a few days ago, the much sought after unicorn found its way to yours truly!

So here's what I know, once I wrote a few times about the GMWB5000, I was deluged by people looking for exactly the same unicorn that I was.  

Well, I've bagged my unicorn, I wish the rest of you the best of luck in finding yours!