Kurono Tokyo Introduce New Calendrier “Type I” by Hajime Asaoka

Kurono has rapidly become one of the hottest tickets in ultra-hype watchmaking with watches like the Chronograph II and Anniversary Toki selling out within hours. Honestly, it’s a hype I can get behind as Kurono is the brainchild of legendary Japanese horologist Hajime Asaoka with the aim to make his designs more accessible. Meaning, expect the Kurono Calendrier “Type 1” to sell out in seconds, so have your mouse at the ready.

Calendrier “Type 1” is the first Kurono to feature a complete calendar, a complication that includes days, date and months. It’s not quite as prestigious as an annual calendar or haute horological perpetual calendar, but it’s still a solid complication. It’s presented here in a bi-compax subdial layout with the months at 3 o’clock, a traditional date window at 6 and the days of the week at 9. It’s a very clean design with a single block colour dominating, unlike the complex displays of Kurono’s chronos. The specific colour of the dial and guilloché subdials is somewhere between khaki and olive.

However, while the layout of the watch’s face is simple that’s not to say there aren’t any daring design elements to draw the eye. The typeface for the Arabic numerals of the hour scale is in a gothic print, angular and geometric. It’s a nod to Hajime Asaoka’s love of Art Deco style, which can also be seen in the signature shape of the Kurono hands.

The case of the Calendrier “Type 1” is based on that of the previous chronographs. It has the same 38mm diameter in stainless steel with a mirror finish. However, it has been updated to now feature a coin edge bezel that adds a lot more shape and definition to the overall design. The concept behind the case is to make it the perfect watch to wear every day, with each blemish and scratch proof of the owner’s journey through life.

Housed inside is the Miyota 9122 automatic movement. It’s one of Miyota’s premium calibres with a power reserve of 40-hours and accuracy of +30/-10 seconds per day. As for functions, it has the aforementioned complete calendar in addition to central hours, minutes and seconds. While it doesn’t compare to Asaoka’s own work, it means the Calendrier “Type 1” has an accessible price.

Speaking of which, the watch is priced at ¥243,000 (approx. £1,525). Considering that some Kurono watches were close to double that price and still sold quickly, the Calendrier is going to be just as popular if not more so. The limited number of watches will go on sale on August 11 at 3pm BST. There’s also a strict one watch per customer and no resale policy in an endeavour to prevent grey market scalping. A breakdown of international times and conditions of sale is available on the Kurono website.