Kurono 3 HISUI

Kurono Tokyo Chronograph 3 HISUI Full Set (Box & Papers)

Basic Info Listing code : M8CYT7 Brand : Kurono Tokyo Movement : Automatic Case material : Steel Bracelet material : Calf skin Year of production : 2023 Condition : Used (Very good) Scope of delivery : Original box, original papers Gender : Men's watch/Unisex Location : Switzerland Price : CHF3,050 Availability : Item is in stock Caliber Movement : Automatic Caliber/movement : NE86 (automatic winding, 34 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, power reserve approx. 45 hours) Power reserve : 45 h Case Case material : Steel Case diameter : 38 x 12 mm Thickness : 13 mm Water resistance : 3 ATM Bezel material : Steel Crystal : Sapphire crystal Dial : White Dial numerals : Arabic numerals Bracelet/strap Bracelet material : Calf skin Bracelet color : Black Clasp : Buckle Clasp material : Steel Functions Chronograph, Date Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph Automatic winding Case diameter: 38 mm Case thickness: 11.7mm (13.5mm incl sapphire) Case material: Stainless steel (316L, high-polished) Water resistance: 3 atm Lug to lug length: 46.8 mm Lug width: 20 mm Strap: calf leather Movement: NE86 (automatic winding, 34 jewels, 28,800 vibrations per hour, power reserve approx. 45 hours) Glass: sapphire box crystal Made in Japan Chronograph 3 HISUI:翡翠 is highlighted by a jade-green band around the primary indices. Pointillism technique was applied for the jade-green radial to deliver an expression of the stone texture of jadeite. It is then imbued with micro-metallic particles to mimic the mineral inclusions in raw jade. A final coat of clear glossy lacquer is then applied to seal, resulting in a very pleasant sheen and vibrancy. HISUI:翡翠 introduces a multi-layered dye process that juxtaposes colored textured finishes against a white polished lacquer base, a first in any Kurono timepiece. The subdials at are guilloche-engraved radially and finished in light turquoise. Together with the slightly off-white lacquer dial, these three textures and colors come together beautifully to portray the Itoigawa jade. Chronograph 3 leverages the thinner Mk.2 case construction making it wear significantly slimmer than its predecessors. Extreme light-play is accentuated, taking on rich green to light seafoam tones according to the angle of light magnified through the box-sapphire glass. HISUI:翡翠 is a limited production watch and will not be repeated. VIBRANT NOBILITY HISUI:翡翠 introduces a new multi-layering painting process for the jade-green radial on the dial - a first in any Kurono timepiece. The multiple layers give it a slightly raised visual effect against the purity of the off-white lacquer dial, mimicking the taka maki-e (高蒔絵) technique. Pointillism technique was applied for the jade-green radial to deliver an expression of the stone texture of jadeite. Additionally, the micro-metallic particles introduced are inspired by the mineral inclusions found in raw jade. A final coat of clear glossy lacquer is then applied to seal, resulting in a pleasant and luxurious sheen. MK.2 CASE HISUI:翡翠 leverages the new Mk.2 chronograph case which resolved significant engineering challenges that Hajime Asaoka faced in the construction of previous chronographs - he leveraged the Seiko NE86 that was by itself a thick movement at 7.65mm. Hajime Asaoka overcame the limitations by incorporating a design technique from the 1930s - to make the thickness of the movement imperceptible on the exterior. The Mk.2 is now a three-part case that has a much thinner visual profile, but is also built more robustly and allows for better repairability. It can perhaps be considered the thinnest NE86 chronograph case today. HANDS The combination of high-polish leaf hands and modern hour and minute hands is iconic to Kurono. The tips of the minute and chronograph seconds hands are bent by hand to match the curves of the dial and glass. The guilloche subdial at '9' is set with a unique subhand in the shape of a traditional Japanese 'kyudo' arrow. The different shapes of all hands is a device used in the high-end chronographs of the 1950s and 1960s, which Mr. Asaoka is fond of. (Anecdotally, the hands were initially bent by hand over the roof of a die-cast toy car to get a consistently perfect angle. Kurono hands are still bent by hand today.) DETAIL While most modern ébauche movements including the NE86 are designed to have flat dials, Kurono dials are cylinder-shaped with an accentuated curvature. To create a three-dimensional effect, the main dial and the subdials are manufactured separately and then fitted together, with the subdials' steel surround ring being diamond-cut. A high-polish arabic '12' applique at the top is flanked by our iconic polished steel studs as hour markers and a polished steel surround for the date window. MOVEMENT Hajime Asaoka chose the mechanical chronograph caliber NE86 from one of Japan's most esteemed movement manufacturers. Positioned by SII as its newest flagship chronograph movement and successor to the 6S - it is a premium caliber. The 311-part movement combines traditional chronograph features like a column wheel, vertical clutch, and a magic lever winding system. It has a unique three-pointed hammer system that starts, stops, and resets all three wheels simultaneously. This 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 movement also has a power reserve of 45 hours. The NE86 is a movement that even Mr. Asaoka, who makes his own movements, trusts.