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Kurono Tokyo Chrono Part II
KURONO presents the new Kurono Chronograph 2, featuring a more refined and sophisticated design language by Japanese master watchmaker Hajime Asaoka.
A 38mm column-wheel chronograph, the Chronograph 2 takes Hajime-sensei’s art-deco sensibilities to the next level – bringing together the copper, silver, and dark brown color palette of the critically acclaimed Reiwa watch into a multi-layered chronograph dial.
The dial features contrasting layers of gloss black and dark brown as its base, accentuated with a copper tachymeter and silver chronograph scale at its center and circumference respectively.
The central design feature of the watch is the unusual placement of the tachymeter scale closer to the center of the dial, intersecting with the elapsed time and seconds subdials at ‘3’ and ‘9’ which are finished in a concentric guilloche pattern.
The new chronograph retains the key elements of the high-polished steel case and hands that KURONO is distinctively renowned for – and more importantly – also features the unique box-sapphire watch glass that leverages its higher refractive and magnification performance for enhancement to light-play.
Chronograph 2 was designed with light-play in mind – by blending dark dial elements with metallic copper and silver scales, with the high-polish metallic surrounds and hands.
At ‘3’ and ‘9’ are contrasting elapsed time and seconds subdials respectively, finished in a concentric guilloche pattern, with the elapsed-time subdial at ‘9’ set with a uniquely designed high-polished subhand in the shape of a traditional Japanese ‘kyudo’ arrow.
The principles of kyudo archery are sometimes summarised as ‘truth, goodness and beauty’, where truth relates to shooting with a pure mind, goodness to a person’s character, and beauty to gracefulness and the refined etiquette of kyudo.
CHRONOGRAPH CALIBER NE86A
For the Chronograph 2, Hajime chose the mechanical chronograph caliber NE86A from one of Japan’s most esteemed movement manufacturers – positioned by them as its newest flagship chronograph movement and successor to the 6S.
Touted by the manufacturer as a premium caliber, the 311-part movement combines traditional chronograph features like a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a magic lever winding system – with a unique three-pointed hammer system that starts, stops and resets all three wheels simultaneously. This system allows for all the counters to advance continuously rather than only at one-minute intervals.
Additionally, instead of driving the minute and hour counters from the chronograph seconds wheel, each is driven by a powered wheel with its own clutch. This delivers increased accuracy and longer-term durability. The watch measures 38mm excluding the crown/pushers, and has a power reserve of 45 hours.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Japan-made mechanical automatic movement
- 316L high-polished 38mm stainless steel case
- Solid caseback
- Case diameter: 38mm
- Thickness: 13.9mm incl sapphire
- Power reserve: 45 hours, self-winding
- Complications: Chronograph, date window
- Jewels: 34 rubies
- Glass: High-curvature sapphire crystal
- Frequency: 28,800bph
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Strap widths (mm): 20/16
- Made in Japan
When can I purchase it?
Text & pictures by Kurono Tokyo