KURONO is proud to present 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.

KURONOより日本の独立時計師・浅岡肇がデザインを手がける新作・クロノグラフ2を発表します。38ミリのコラムホイールクロノグラフであり、浅岡肇のデザイン要素が随所に見られるモデルです。文字盤色はミラーフィニッシュのブラックとダークブラウンを基調とし、アクセントにカッパーのラインが入っています。

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.

As the subdials are recessed and finished differently, a lot more effort was required to manufacture and align the copper scale to prevent parallax error and ensure accuracy. This results in a higher-than-normal dial rejection ratio compared to previous KURONO watches (except for Grand:Akane).

Polished steel studs that indicate hours are then followed by alternating gloss black or dark brown rings that culminate in a silver chronograph scale at the edge. A high-polish steel surround features a date window in contrasting silver with black numerals. Uniquely designed high-polish subhands in the shape of the traditional Japanese ‘kyudo’ arrow complete the look.

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. 

クロノグラフ2の最大の特徴は、文字盤の中央に配置されたタキメーターです。

インダイヤルは一段下がっていますが、タキメーターのスケールはインダイヤルにもかかっているため、通常よりも多くの工程を要しました。

細部には鏡面仕上げが施され、文字盤の立体感を演出しています。例として、12時位置のバーインデックス、ミニッツドット、日付表示の枠、インダイヤルの外周のリングが挙げられます。

ケースは鍛造のステンレススチール製であり、風防にはボックスサファイアを採用しています。

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.

Different levels of ambient light and light sources bring out the different emotions of the watch. When indoors in the morning light, the brown layers portray deep grey undertones with the tachymeter taking an almost reddish hue. At noon in the sun, the center of the dial exudes a rich brown tone with the orange copper and silver tones simply scintillating. At night, the watch becomes almost stealth-like, with the high-polished chrome surrounds, hands, and hour indices taking center stage.

 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.

クロノグラフ2は、ブラックを中心とする深い色の文字盤と、細部の光沢のある金属が織りなすコントラストが美しいモデルです。

光の当たり方により、文字盤は様々な表情を見せます。屋内の朝の光に当たるとグレーがかった色になり、真昼の太陽に当たるとブラウンが強調されます。

クロノグラフの針は全て異なる形状をしています。

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.

ムーブメントには日本製キャリバーであるセイコーインスツル製NE86Aを採用。駆動方式は垂直クラッチで、コラムホイールを搭載した安定性のあるムーブメントです。パワーリザーブは約45時間です。