35 articles · 7 videos found · page 1 of 2
Monochrome
Created by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, a man capable of creating superb watches and movements, Kurono Tokyo aims to apply his design language to a more accessible price range. While the entire production of the brand is limited and relatively difficult to obtain, the “special projects” collection adds a sense of exclusivity through the […]
Monochrome
It is no secret that Japan is becoming one of the most productive hubs for high-end independent watchmaking, with names such as Hajime Asaoka (also behind Kurono Tokyo and Takano), Jiro Katayama (Otsuka Lotec), Daizoh Makihara, and Norifumi Seki (Quiet Club) gaining incredible traction in recent years. Another name that cannot be forgotten is Naoya […]
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...
Hodinkee
If you've ever had to decide between grabbing your dive watch or your dress watch, well, why not both?
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 […]
Video
Welcome to the watch releases update - a weekly youtube show covering new watch models and industry news. We have new watches from Omega, Awake, Kurono Tokyo and more. Enjoy the video:)
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.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Kurono Tokyo introduces the Inseki, its first meteorite dial watch, combining a distinctive bullseye dial design with the brand’s affordable, restrained approach.
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...
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.
Video
On this channel, we review watches that are available for purchase on TeddyBaldassarre.com
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
This year is pretty special for Kurono Tokyo, the more accessible brand created by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka. Indeed, 2025 marks the watchmaker’s 60th anniversary, which the brand is celebrating as its diamond jubilee, resulting in several special edition watches that pay tribute to design features created by Asaoka. Following the highly elegant 2025 […]
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.
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 […]
Video
Worn & Wound
It is a global phenomenon: some of the most exclusive independent watch brands have in the last five years created more accessible and more affordable sister brands or collections. These are undoubtedly linked to the main brand thanks to similar design features and a similar spirit. Just look at MB&F; and its M.A.D.Editions in Switzerland, Grönefeld and Grøne in the Netherlands, and Hajime Asaoka with Kurono Tokyo. Their normal offering is in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and now their sister brands offer watches for a few thousand – and you don’t have to wait for years to get a watch. Why are they doing this? What effect does it have on the general perception of the main brand? What are the collectors’ reactions to the more accessible offerings? Occasionally, it goes in the other direction. The Finnish brand Leijona’s Heritage 1907 Collection punches above its weight. It shows that a quartz based, mass market brand can make Swiss Made mechanicals together with a legend like Kari Voutilainen. We’ll get back to that. Just as we’ll get to Swatch’s recent collaborations with its fancier siblings within the Swatch Group. This phenomenon is all but new. Just look at Rolex and Tudor, the latter registered in 1926. “It was exactly the same as what we see today. Rolex founder (Hans) Wilsdorf wanted to offer high-quality watches at more affordable prices,” said watch expert Gianfranco Ritschel. Another example, half a century removed, is Cartie...
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. […]
Worn & Wound
I first came across a short video of the Tempo Rubato metronome on Instagram. Before I could message my contact in Japan who posted it, I already had an email waiting for me in the inbox from him introducing this wrist metronome device and its creator to me. I exchanged emails to understand Gaku Okada’s background and details of his wrist metronome. Okada was born in 2002 in Hokkaido and was influenced by music from an early age, especially jazz drumming. Unlike many watchmakers, he did not cultivate a specific interest in watches, however he did develop a knack for making complex mechanical components. After graduating from high school, his skills brought him to Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry, for watchmaking classes. During his freshman year, Okada developed the concept of a mechanical wrist metronome. This idea originated from his practical need as a jazz drummer, as he frequently sought a method to quickly and accurately establish tempo before performances. Although electronic metronomes were readily available, he wanted to create a compact mechanical device that could be worn as a watch. As a student at the watchmaking school, Okada started part time work at the Precision Watch Tokyo company, working with watchmakers Hajime Asaoka and Jiro Katayama. Asaoka is a well known master watchmaker and the creator of the Kurono Tokyo and Takano brands. Katayama is the founder of the popular Otsuka Lotec brand. Under their mentorship, Okada developed his skills and acquir...
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 […]
Video
On this channel, we review watches that are available for purchase on TeddyBaldassarre.com
Worn & Wound
A new brand is the talk of the watch world today, and the latest example of a trend we’ve seen developing over the last several years. GRØNE is the new project from Bart and Tim Grönefeld, the brothers behind the Grönefeld brand, one of the most acclaimed indies in the world. Following in the footsteps of the M.A.D. 1 project, Kurono Tokyo, and others, the brand exists as a way for admirers of a high priced independent maker to buy into the aesthetic and perspective of the brand at a much more affordable price point. The first release from GRØNE, the Manueel One, carries a retail price of just 2,150 Euros. At retail, Grönefeld watches start at around 50,000 Euros and go up from there. They are also very low production, with fewer than 100 pieces made each year. The Manueel One, according to Bart and Tim, was inspired by a desire to bring their watches to “our our watchmakers, our children, and our friends.” If this sentiment sounds familiar, it’s nearly identical to Max Büsser’s reasoning behind the M.A.D. 1 project, which was initially only offered to friends of the brand, including partners that Max and his team had worked with for years. Like the M.A.D. 1, the Manueel One borrows some aesthetic and design principles from the higher priced watches the brand is known for, but it does so without the serious attention to craft and watchmaking you’d get with an atelier made timepiece. That’s to be expected, of course. Anyone thinking that an order for t...
Worn & Wound
The last few years have been good for enthusiasts of classically designed, complicated watches. Historically the purview of the exorbitantly wealthy, the complicated dress watch has become increasingly democratized in recent years, thanks in no small part to brands like Kurono Tokyo. That impactful role was rewarded with ardent fervor with new releases selling out near-instantaneously. Recently, secondhand availability and the introduction of various anti-flipping techniques have made getting your hand on one of Hajime Asaoka’s affordable creations far easier. But that sense of ease may well renege with the brand’s latest offering, the Kurono Special Projects Réserve de Marche ‘Sensu N.O.S.’ The signature feature of the new Réserve de Marche (and the complication from which it borrows its name) is the power reserve indicator found between the nine and ten o’clock positions, a first for Kurono Tokyo. This function is made possible thanks to the new old stock Cal. 9134 movements from Citizen. True to form for Kurono Tokyo, that movement has been reworked here; not only to meet Kurono Tokyo’s internal timekeeping standards, but also to remove the movement’s date function, though the 24-hour secondary hour display at six o’clock remains. What results is a classically beautiful, and undeniably well-executed take on a classic complication. Of course, given the inherent limitations created by the use of NOS movements, the Sensu N.O.S. will be “very limited,”...
Fratello
It might still be a niche brand in numbers and worldwide sales, but Kurono has built a strong following for its colorful wares. Hajime Asaoka’s accessible brand seems to have come at the right time for the small-case trend, but for Sensei, this is nothing new. But by introducing the Kurono Tokyo Réserve de Marche […] Visit Introducing: The Kurono Tokyo Réserve De Marche “Sensu N.O.S.” - A Bold Guilloché Move to read the full article.
Monochrome
The brainchild of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka (also behind the return of Takano), Kurono Tokyo was defined as his vision of a more accessible take on his design language, with watches merging traditional Japanese cues and classic vintage flair. Recent introductions of the brand focused on compact, retro-inspired watches with a bit less of […]
Fratello
Many of us have developed a deep affinity for Hajime Asaoka’s Art Deco lines and Kurono Tokyo sub-brand. The story of Asaoka-san creating Kurono Tokyo so that he could actually wear one of his designs never gets old. In fact, it only deepens my respect for him. Now the Japanese watchmaker closes a circle by […] Visit Introducing: The Kurono Tokyo 2024 Anniversary Reiwa - Its Final Spot In The Limelight to read the full article.
Video
On this channel, we review watches that are available for purchase on TeddyBaldassarre.com
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