Kurono Grand Jubilee Calendar

Hajime Asaoka occupies dual positions in Japanese watchmaking—haute horlogerie craftsman producing tourbillons and minute repeaters under his own name commanding six-figure prices, accessible watchmaker creating Kurono Tokyo brand offering refined dress watches under $3,000. The dichotomy provides unusual advantage: Asaoka applies high-end design principles and finishing techniques to affordable watches whilst wearing Kurono pieces daily, identifying improvements impossible from boardroom distance. The Grand Jubilee Calendar launched October 2025 commemorating Asaoka's sixtieth birthday—diamond jubilee requiring celebratory timepiece balancing personal significance with commercial viability. Limited production, sold exclusively online, one watch per customer, strict no-refund policy preventing speculation and hoarding.

Thirty-eight millimetres in polished 316L stainless steel. The case demonstrates uniform mirror finishing—no brushed surfaces, no mixed textures, continuous high-polish creating reflections across entire case architecture. The polishing quality exceeds expectations for sub-$2,500 pricing—edges sharp, surfaces distortion-free, execution approaching luxury brands charging triple Kurono's retail. Smooth concave bezel replaces coin-edge treatment from previous Calendrier Type I model—design evolution prioritising classical elegance over vintage-inspired texture. The concave profile creates visual slimming whilst providing Calatrava-esque sophistication appropriate for dress watch positioning.

Case thickness measures 11.5 millimetres including domed box sapphire crystal, ten millimetres excluding crystal—slim proportions for triple calendar complication requiring additional wheel work beyond simple time-only movements. Integrated correctors on case flanks allow independent adjustment of day, date, and month displays without cycling through midnight positions—practical feature improving usability whilst revealing Miyota movement origins. Screw-down caseback with solid gold medallion engraved with Asaoka's hanko—traditional Japanese signature stamp used historically in place of written signatures. The gold medallion represents unusual luxury detail at this price point, marking watch as Grand Series limited production piece. Crown features black onyx cabochon replacing typical metal crown cap—diamond jubilee signature element matching deep black colour throughout dial furniture. Coin-edge crown grip provides tactile purchase during winding and setting. Fifty metres water resistance—adequate for handwashing, rain, inadequate for swimming.

The salmon dial uses matte finish with subtle grain texture—colour inspired by red autumn leaves viewed through frost columns in small Tokyo park, memory evocative for Asaoka, aesthetically resonant with vintage dress watch conventions favouring warm tones. Central section features vertical stamped guilloché pattern borrowed from Asaoka's haute horlogerie tourbillon pieces—design continuity linking affordable and expensive work whilst adding three-dimensional texture catching light directionally. The pattern radiates vertically rather than circular sunburst or Clous de Paris geometries, creating distinctive visual signature.

Two recessed subdials interrupt central guilloché field. Day display at nine o'clock showing full day name in English. Month display at three o'clock showing abbreviated month text. Both subdials sit in circular recesses etched into dial plate creating depth perception and shadow play improving legibility. Date window at six o'clock positioned within circular recess—Asaoka's primary design improvement over previous calendar models where date disc rotated deep beneath dial surface reducing visibility. The recessed circular frame brings date window optically forward whilst maintaining thin dial appearance. Black date numerals printed on white disc.

Applied indices and hands finished in deep matte black matching onyx cabochon—colour coordination achieved through painstaking colour-matching process replicating exact black shade and matte finish of natural onyx stone. The hands use Kurono's signature syringe hour hand and leaf minute hand silhouette. Running seconds hand sweeps from centre. Railroad minute track printed around perimeter. Arabic numeral hour markers printed in modern font—departure from previous models using vintage-style numerals, contemporary choice appropriate for refined dress watch aesthetic. No luminous material—dress watch prioritising daylight legibility over night visibility, practical decision avoiding luminous plots disrupting clean dial architecture.

Inside sits Miyota Calibre 9122—Japanese-manufactured automatic movement providing triple calendar complication. The 9122 beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. Four hertz frequency. Twenty-six jewels. Forty-hour power reserve. Bidirectional automatic winding. The movement represents proven architecture—thousands of watches use Miyota base calibres providing reliable timekeeping, affordable service costs, widespread parts availability. The 9122 specifically provides day, date, and month complications through additional wheel work layered atop time-only base movement.

The movement remains invisible—solid caseback prevents viewing internal finishing or decoration. Asaoka prioritises dial aesthetics and case finishing over movement decoration, pragmatic decision allocating budget toward visible elements customers experience daily rather than exhibition casebacks viewed occasionally. The Miyota calibre provides reliable functionality whilst Asaoka focuses finishing effort on dial guilloché, case polishing, hand colour-matching—details differentiating Kurono from competitors using identical movements.

The watch comes on black calfskin leather strap with twenty millimetre lug width tapering to sixteen millimetres at buckle. Stainless steel pin buckle. The strap provides appropriate accompaniment for dress watch—supple, comfortable, traditional aesthetic avoiding rubber or NATO strap casualness. Leather requires periodic replacement—two to five years depending on wearing frequency and care—expected maintenance for dress watch ownership.

Excellent condition means minimal wear—polished steel shows light hairline scratching characteristic of mirror finishes, leather strap may display slight creasing from wear, no deep marks, no structural damage. Calendar complications should advance cleanly at midnight—day and month changing simultaneously, date advancing independently. Full set includes Kurono presentation box, outer packaging, certificate card, instruction booklet. No warranty card—Kurono provides two-year warranty registered through online account at purchase rather than physical warranty documentation.

Kurono occupies unusual market position—independent Japanese watchmaker selling exclusively online, limited production preventing availability, cult following driving instant sellouts, strict purchasing restrictions preventing speculation. The Grand Jubilee Calendar sold out within hours of October 2025 launch despite $2,380 base price plus duties and taxes potentially adding twenty to thirty per cent depending on destination country. American buyers faced fifteen per cent tariff on Japanese goods plus state sales tax bringing total closer to $2,700-2,800.

The watch represents Asaoka's design philosophy: classical proportions, refined details, obsessive finishing quality, accessible pricing through efficient online-only distribution eliminating retail margins. Critics note Miyota movement lacks prestige of Swiss manufacture calibres, solid caseback prevents appreciating movement finishing, salmon dial colour may date quickly as trends shift, strict no-refund policy creates anxiety around purchasing sight-unseen. Supporters celebrate Japanese craftsmanship, dress watch elegance, independent watchmaking supporting individual creator rather than conglomerate corporation, limited production ensuring exclusivity without seven-figure pricing.

Third iteration of Kurono calendar complication following 2022 Calendrier Type I. Thirty-eight millimetres, vertical guilloché dial, triple calendar, onyx details commemorating diamond jubilee. Excellent condition, full set, limited production permanently discontinued.