182 articles · 8 videos found · page 1 of 7
Fratello
Kiwame Tokyo launched two new models, and I got a chance to go hands-on with them. Meet the Kiwame Tokyo Mune in two colorways. These watches subtly nod to Japanese roof architecture. As I tend to be skeptical about thematic watches, my first thought was, “Do these hold up if you strip away the backstory?” […] Visit Hands-On With The Kiwame Tokyo Mune — Raising The Roof In Style to read the full article.
Time+Tide
It goes without saying that here at Time+Tide, we love to champion microbrands. While we all love to see what’s new from the biggest brands, the microbrand sphere is the lifeblood of the watch collector scene; it’s where everyone can explore new things and express themselves with interesting, under-the-radar brands. There are niches within that … ContinuedThe post Kiwame Tokyo introduces the MUNE(棟), inspired by iconic Japanese architecture appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Kiwame Tokyo introduces the MUNE Series, featuring lacquered dials, a 38mm case, and Miyota 9039, blending dress and field watch design cues.
Monochrome
A fairly new brand from Japan with the goal of delivering “honest watchmaking from Asakusa” and “affordable Japanese watches,” Kiwame Tokyo has made quite some noise with its first two releases, the Kurotsuki and Usuki models as its inaugural pieces, and the IWAO Field series at the end of last year. Mixing vintage Calatrava elements, […]
Time+Tide
This restrained and elegant take on a field watch from a Japanese watch industry veteran is an exquisite example of "honest watchmaking".The post Japanese microbrand Kiwame Tokyo introduces the Iwao series with dials inspired by stone appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Kiwame Tokyo introduces the Iwao, a thoughtfully designed field watch emphasizing clarity, balance, and detail.
Fratello
We have seen a massive increase in interesting small Japanese brands in recent years. Great examples are Kurono Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka, Kikuchi Nakagawa, and Minase. One of the newest microbrands is Kiwame Tokyo, which presented its inaugural Kurotsuki and Usuki models not too long ago. The watches stood out because of their beautiful dials. For […] Visit Hands-On With The Refined Kiwame Tokyo Iwao Ginkai And Sumi to read the full article.
Monochrome
It’s only been a couple of months since we talked about Kiwame Tokyo, a new micro-brand from Japan with the goal of delivering “honest watchmaking from Asakusa” and “affordable Japanese watches.” The project of industry veteran Masami Watanabe, the brand started with an appealing Calatrava-inspired pair of watches offered at a fair price, the Kurotsuki […]
Worn & Wound
The independent watch space in Japan is one of the most interesting in the world right now. There have, of course, always been a lot of great watches coming out of Japan, but the last few years have seen a real surge in enthusiast focused releases from brands at literally every price point, and they’ve been redefining what a Japanese watch looks and feels like. We recently covered the latest release from Ōtsuka Lōtec, a daring haute horology experiment with a six figure price tag, and this year also saw the unveiling of Naoya Hida’s first perpetual calendar, which, for me personally, is still one of the very best watches I’ve laid hands on in 2025. These watches, and others, make for great examples of the breadth of Japanese watchmaking, but not everything new and interesting is prohibitively expensive. Case in point, Kiwame Tokyo, an entirely new brand that recently came across our radar. Kiwame is the brainchild of Masami Watanabe, a 30 year veteran of the watch industry who began his career importing luxury watches from European brands to his native Japan. Over time, he also became interested in the burgeoning microbrand scene, and the stated goal of Kiwame is to create a “truly Japanese” microbrand that captures the refinement and craft that is often associated with Japanese design principles. Kiwame debuted their first two watches only a short time ago and they quickly sold out of each 99 piece limited edition (an additional run is promised for Novembe...
Fratello
Switzerland, Germany, and Japan make up my “big three” of the watchmaking world, with France on the rise. Yet, of all these hubs, Japan has been slow to embrace the microbrand trend. Big brands, including Seiko, Grand Seiko, Citizen, Orient, and Casio, dominate the market. Recently, however, independents such as Kurono Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka, Kikuchi […] Visit Introducing: The Kiwame Tokyo Kurotsuki And Usuki Models to read the full article.
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Worn & Wound
One of the most unexpected but delightful trends to emerge in watches over the last few years is the rise of the “Japanese Calatrava” style watch. Even if you haven’t heard this term thrown around, you probably know exactly the type of watch I’m talking about, as there have been several that have emerged relatively recently. The small dress watches made by Kurono Tokyo are an obvious example, and perhaps the genesis of it all. Brands like Kikuchi Nakagawa and Noaya Hida are also part of this conversation at the more luxurious end of the spectrum, and of course there are a variety of affordable watches that sit nicely in this category or are tangential to it, like Kuoe and Orient (which admittedly has been doing this for many, many years). I like this trend because it feels like a small segment of the watch world is pushing back on the dominant force in watches over the last decade: the vintage inspired sports watch. I’m no hater – I own a few vintage inspired sports watches and can appreciate the good ones, but they are so ubiquitous it’s tough to see them as anything but generic. The simple Calatrava style watches coming out of Japan are of course similarly generic, but are a welcome flip side to the sports watch coin, and I like the idea that someone entering the hobby now might find themselves down a rabbit hole of small dress watches as opposed to Submariner-style divers. I’d be very curious what that collector has in their watch box five or ten years...
Monochrome
Japan is known for being one of the most mature and fascinating markets for new and vintage watches, home to serious collectors, as well as long-established manufacturers. In recent years, we’ve also seen the rise of a proper independent scene, ranging from accessible to ultra high-end, with Hajime Asaoka being on both ends of the […]
Worn & Wound
If you forced me to place a bet, perhaps on a platform like Kalshi, on what the latest release from Kurono Tokyo would be, there’s probably no way I’d put even a nickel of my own money on a dive watch. And if you told me that the dive watch in question would be of a unique modular design, I’d probably just be even more confused. That’s basically how I felt when I first saw the news of the new “Kurono Diver’s” watch from Kurono, which is basically two watches in one, and represents a hard left turn for a brand that we thought we had figured out. I feel like I talk a lot about how nice it is to be surprised in this industry, and this is a great example of a watch that I don’t think anyone saw coming and gives us all a chance to contemplate something a little different. Before we get into the Diver’s though (the name of the watch is stylized somewhat confusingly with the possessive apostrophe ‘s’), it’s worth setting the proper context for Kurono Tokyo, because this watch upends a lot of the expectations collectors probably have for the brand. The first thing to understand is that Kurono is the brainchild of watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, widely recognized as one of the great independent watchmakers in the world. His Kurono line has become popular over the last few years as it gives enthusiasts who might not be inclined to pay well into the five figures for an Asaoka branded watch a chance to get a lot of his aesthetic in an affordable package. It’s a dif...
Monochrome
When you think about Kurono Tokyo, the side-brand of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, you should picture something compact and elegant in your mind. Watches often focus on traditional crafts, with restrained cases and classically Japanese. The sportiest models the brand has ever created were mid-century-styled chronographs. Well, this is about to change as Hajime […]
Deployant
Grand Seiko's Tokyo Time pop up is a curated experience where it immerses the audience in the dynamic contrast of Japan's capital with the Maison's watches.
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Time+Tide
In just under 3 days, orders will open for Kurono Tokyo's first-ever watch with a meteorite dial.The post Kurono Tokyo kicks off 2026 with its first watch ever with a meteorite dial (and for under US$2K!) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Kurono Tokyo, the accessible brand of independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, had quite a run last year, with a lot of impressive new models, most dedicated to celebrating its founder’s 60th anniversary. This includes the handsome Grand Jubilee Calendar Salmon, the Ice Blue 2025 Jubilee Sensu EOL, or the 34mm Star Dial watches. Starting 2026 with […]
Worn & Wound
Kurono Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka’s approachable watch brand, has introduced their first new release of 2026 on the very first workday of the year. Nothing like getting right back into the swing of things. The new piece, part of the brand’s “Special Projects” series, introduces meteorite to the collection for the first time. The Inseki features many of the Kurono hallmarks that have made the brand a favorite among enthusiasts over these last several years, while riding a trend in watchmaking in a rather elegant way that still feels appropriate for the brand. The centerpiece of the watch is the gray meteorite dial, taken from the Muonionalusta meteorite which fell in what is now Sweden about one million years ago. The small slab of meteorite, with the familiar striations that make the material so interesting, is surrounded by a white lacquered outer ring where you’ll find Asaoka’s custom “Calligra” typeface numerals, which have been painted in high relief. It’s a really spare execution, accented by hand bent, high polish steel hands, a design detail that has become a Kurono signature. Kurono notes that, as with all meteorite dials, no two are exactly the same. Asaoka, in the press materials for the Inseki, further explains that sometimes the variance in this material results in a piece of meteorite that is not particularly visually interesting. For this release, Asaoka has personally selected each piece of meteorite for inclusion in the Inseki’s run, and t...
Monochrome
It seems like more and more, we’re uncovering new gems from the land of the Rising Sun. There seems to be a real surge in exciting independent watchmaking with an eye for tradition, craftsmanship and creativity in Japan, and we are loving it! Brands like Otsuka Lotec, Kurono Tokyo and Quiet Club are just a […]
Monochrome
Let’s get something out of the way immediately: yes, it is brightly coloured, and yes, it isn’t the easiest watch to acquire. Right, let’s now be more serious about Kurono Tokyo and its latest watch, the Vermilion Chronograph. What is Kurono? Well, that’s the accessible brand of independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, a bit like so-called […]
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Time+Tide
The Grand Seiko SLGC009 Tokyo Lion Tentagraph brings one of the brand's most complex calibres into one of its most complex cases.The post Does the Grand Seiko SLGC009 Tokyo Lion Tentagraph make you roar or meow? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
After several years of covering this independent Japanese watch brand, you should now be familiar with Kurono Tokyo‘s work. And if not, what matters here is that we’re looking at the accessible side of independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka (also behind the return of Takano), with classic designs and outsourced movements to keep the prices reasonable. […]
Monochrome
Grand Seiko introduced the Tokyo Lion’s bold, angular case design in 2019 and since then, additional editions have multiplied its aesthetic -limited and regular production-the most recent being the 2024 Sport Spring Drive GMT SBGE307 Tokyo Lion and the Spring Drive Chronograph GMT SBGC275. This year, the Grand Seiko Sport collection expands by unveiling a […]
Time+Tide
Besides Omega and Hamilton, the rest of our selection this week is exclusively watches from non-big box brands. Exciting!The post New releases from Laurent Ferrier, Kurono Tokyo, Taos and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
A micro-brand that should sound familiar to you now, Kurono Tokyo is the brainchild of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, known for his high-end tourbillons or chronographs. With this brand, Asaoka wanted to deliver his style and design ideas in far more accessible watches, without the highly complex movements, but with an equal taste for […]
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