In celebration of Kurono’s second-year anniversary, Kurono Tokyo is proud to present the special edition Anniversary 朱鷺:TOKI. The 316L high-polished stainless steel watch features Kurono's signature anniversary radial sunburst patterned dial that exudes an exceptional array of coruscating metallic coral shades ranging from crimson to vermillion red, and under certain lighting conditions a touch of purple. The color of the 朱鷺:Toki dial was inspired by the Japanese crested ibis, an auspicious bird with feathers of a shade akin to that of a rising sun, and is regarded as a symbol of happiness and good fortune.

The Creation

Hajime Asaoka-sensei had a specific aim to create a color that was as unique as possible to Japanese culture, and differentiate itself from the typical 'salmon'-shade dial popular amongst watchmakers in the West. The color of the dial was inspired by the Japanese crested ibis, an auspicious bird with feathers of a shade akin to that of a rising sun, and is regarded as a symbol of happiness and good fortune. Hajime-sensei based the concept of the anniversary watch and the color of the dial off this subtle grace and allure, and aspired to portray this sentiment through his craft.

The Procedure

The final color was unpredictable as the shade constantly changes depending on the thickness of the paint and can only be seen after it is physically applied. After myriads of samples and experimentations with different thicknesses and mixes of paint, Hajime-sensei continued to work on fine-tuning the gloss layer as well as other aspects of the watch till it matched his standards. In white light the purplish-coral hues of the dial take centerstage, while in yellow light its golden hues are accentuated making it look less playful and more refined.

The Humble Beginning

Hajime-sensei established Kurono as a means to share his artistic taste with fellow watch enthusiasts. Creating his ideal designs and exacting them to standards of perfection as he views Kurono equally as important as his atelier pieces, and only aims to pursue and produce exactly as he envisions.It is our hope that the name Kurono will one day be recognized and admired by the masses - A timepiece highly admired by both creator, and consumer.