New Kurono Tokyo Drop Incoming
Release DateNovember 24, 2023, 11pm Japan Standard TimePrice$3460 USDSitehttps://kuronotokyo.com/pages/chronograph-1-mk-2TypeChronographMovement/TypeSeiko NE86 (Mechanical)Size38mm wide X 13.5mm thick
I'm a fan of Hajime Asaoka's Kurono Tokyo brand, which brings his designs to market at a more affordable price. The Calendrier 'Type I'is one of the favorite dress watches in my collection and I've had my eye on the Chronograph series from KT for some time now.
If you've been waiting on a new addition to KT's Chronograph series, you may just be in luck - if you're quick about it. Kurono Tokyo just announced its next drop, happening on November 24, 2022 at 11pm Japan Standard Time.
The new Chronograph 1 Mk. 2 builds on the original Chronograph I series and, according to the brand, overcomes "significant engineering challenges Hajime Asaoka faced in the construction of the Chronograph 1." The Mk. 2 — which is available in a new rose gold dial with black subdials for the complications — is the thinnest watch utilizing the Seiko NE86 chronograph movement and comes in at 13.5mm thick. That's 0.4mm thinner than the original Chronograph I. KT says this results in a "30% thinner visual impression when worn on the wrist," which, I imagine, needs to be seen to be believed.
The last drop from Kurono Tokyo sold out in about 14 minutes, so if you want this one, you're going to need to be ready to go right away. I recommend creating an account on the site and registering your payment method to minimize the time it takes to check out. Also, if your credit card company has a tendency to block overseas transactions often, you might want to give them a heads-up too.
Personally, I'm keeping an eye out for either an update to the Chronograph 2 or a pre-owned white Chronograph 2 at a reasonable price. Which... might be a while.