Powered by Citizen Japan, Kurono Tokyo’s SENSU NOS Embodies Japanese Heritage In Every Tick

“This time, I decided to take on the challenge of creating a so-called guilloche dial. I say 'challenge' because it actually took three and a half years of research and development for this dial, and it was indeed a challenge,” Hajime Asaoka. 

When the dial alone requires intense work over three years, the entire watch in bound to be a masterpiece. Introducing the new Kurono Special Projects Réserve de Marche nicknamed ‘SENSU NOS’ - a 38mm mechanical power reserve complication with a guilloché dial. You might be impressed by the aesthetics of the watch, but that’s not all the watch has to offer. For the first time, Kurono Tokyo uses in-house modified movements based on new-old-stock (NOS) calibers from Citizen Japan and will be available in blue as well as cream variants. 

The new Special Projects ‘SENSU NOS’ features Hajime Asaoka’s unique interpretation of the classical guilloché-dialed watch with an art-deco flair. At the power reserve indicator, Hajime-sensei incorporated a guilloché pattern mimicking a folding Japanese fan (扇子 : sensu). The ‘sensu’ pattern is complemented by Clous de Paris in the main and 24-hour inset dials, with circular guilloché graining at the seconds periphery. A thin guilloché railway-track is leveraged as demarcations, complemented by inset minute-markers and high-polish studs as hour-markers. The look is finished with relief-printed hour numerals in Arabic for the Cream, and Kanji for the Blue respectively. 

Kurono in 2022 purchased the entire balance stock of the discontinued Premium Automatic Cal.9134 from Citizen. It is redesignated Cal.9134PWT to reflect our in-house timekeeping modifications, and in the removal of the caliber’s date. These modifications were necessary as Hajime-sensei desired a classically clean dial to showcase as much of his guilloche design without the fussiness of a date indicator window. However, a Japan-made movement with such preferences of his was not available. 

Because this is based on NOS movements that are no longer in production, only a very small number of ‘SENSU NOS’ will be made hence its Special Projects designation. The Cal.9134PWT will  be permanently discontinued after this launch. A hallmark of Kurono design, the hands of the 'SENSU NOS ' are hand-bent to match the curves of the dial and glass. Dauphine hands are also used for the first time in Kurono’s timepieces. The tapered triangular shape and the high-polished surface of Dauphine hands on the 24-hour subdial and power reserve indicator accentuate light-play.

The ‘SENSU NOS’ in blue offers a window into Japanese heritage with its Kanji hour markers. These logographic characters form the core of the Japanese writing system and are artistically rendered in Hajime-sensei's signature calligraphy style. Positioned at 3 o’clock, the Kurono Tokyo logo deviates from the conventional 12 o’clock placement. 

With the 'SENSU NOS' in Cream, the Arabic numerals reflect an old-world charm and the rich history of mathematics. This classic style, characterized by its clean aesthetic and familiarity, enhances legibility. Clous de Paris guilloché adorns the 24-hour subdial while a thin guilloche railway-track encircles the track ring. While the main dial presents time in the conventional 12-hour format, the supplementary 24-hour subdial offers a seamless and unimpeded view of time. At a glance, it is easy to distinguish between AM and PM, which is particularly beneficial in regions with significant daylight variations.