Kurono Tokyo to Release Its Third Chronograph Featuring a Jade-Inspired Design

Independent watch brand, Kurono Tokyo has revealed its newest timepiece, the Chronograph 3 HISUI “翡翠”. It’s been over a year since Hajime Asaoka unveiled another chronograph offering, and the long wait is well justified as the watch debuts a refreshing, art-deco-inspired dial that sets it apart from its preceding models.

The timepiece derives its name and aesthetic influences from a piece of natural jadeite that Asaoka had picked up on the coast of Itoigawa, Niigata Prefecture. The jade’s white-green hue is now translated onto the HISUI’s watch face, in the form of the multi-layered-painted radial. The radial is finished in a sandblasted effect to evoke the natural surfaces of the stone, while its layered texture juxtaposes with the dial’s smooth, off-white lacquer in a way that’s reminiscent of the Japanese lacquerwork technique, taka-maki-e.

For this new reference, Asaoka also introduces a new 38mm, Mk.II chronograph watch case, which now features a three-part construction and a significantly thinner profile while still hosting the Seiko NE86 automatic-winding movement. The case boasts a high-polished stainless steel build, echoing the sleekness of the leaf-style hands and the singular applique Arabic numeral. The jade-hued subdials are also fitted with a steel round to further enhance a three-dimensional visual effect.

The Chronograph 3 HISUI “翡翠” will be released as a time-limited model for the price of $3,460 USD (excluding taxes). The pre-order window opens on November 21, 11 a.m. JST, or November 20, 9 p.m. EST. For more information, visit Kurono Tokyo’s official website.

In case you missed it, IWC Schaffhausen unveils collaboration with Mercedes-AMG and Petronas Formula One Team.