Worn & Wound
Minase and Fratello are Back with a New Version of the M-3, this Time in “Nori” Green
Our friends at Fratello have announced their latest limited edition collaboration, a follow up to last year’s release with Minase. That watch, the M-3 “Very Peri,” marked the first time Minase’s cushion shaped case was available outside of Japan. This year’s version borrows the same case profile, but lands on a very different dial execution. The Fratello x Minase M-3 “Nori” has a subtle green dial inspired by Japanese seaweed, making for a toned down and perhaps more under-the-radar version of the M-3 than last year’s brightly colored purple variant. Minase, for the uninitiated, is a Japanese brand that produces about 500 pieces per year in the Akita Prefecture. They incorporate many traditional Japanese craft elements in their watchmaking, with a focus on hand-made components, but also incorporate plenty of modern manufacturing techniques. If you’ve handled any of their watches (we’ve been happy to have them at several recent Windup Watch Fairs, and they’ll be joining us once again in NYC next month), you know that they machined and finished immaculately. Zach wrote about Minase’s Divido here, which has an extremely complex case and bracelet construction, paired with a dial that’s made with a very traditional Japanese lacquering technique. The M-3 has a simpler case, but it’s machined and finished to the same high standard as Minase’s more complex designs. The cushion style case measures 39mm in diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug, and is just 10...
