The Case in Brief
- Every Kurono Tokyo model released to date has sold out, with all past models currently unavailable at time of this feature.
- Hajime Asaoka founded Kurono Tokyo in 2019 specifically to offer his Japanese Art Deco design approach at more accessible prices than his high-end bespoke commissions, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- The brand’s range spans dress watches, chronographs (introduced from 2020), and more experimental pieces including a modular two-in-one dress diver and dials set with malachite and meteorite.
- The Aoyama boutique in central Tokyo, designed personally by Asaoka, is the primary venue for launch events and in-person viewing of past references.
- A second salon operates in Shanghai, also designed by Asaoka, extending the brand’s physical presence beyond Japan.
Hajime Asaoka and the Foundation of Kurono Tokyo
Before Kurono Tokyo existed, Hajime Asaoka had already built a reputation as the most prominent independent Japanese watchmaker of his generation. In 2019, he completed what is credited as the first fully made-in-Japan tourbillon, a technical achievement that established him as a figure of genuine consequence in independent watchmaking globally. His bespoke commissions, however, carry price tags running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, placing them well beyond the reach of most collectors, regardless of their enthusiasm for what he was producing.
Kurono Tokyo was his answer to that gap. Also founded in 2019, the brand was structured from the outset to deliver Asaoka’s Japanese Art Deco aesthetic at a price point that a far broader audience could consider. This was not a diffusion line in the conventional sense, managed at a distance by a design team. The creative direction remained Asaoka’s, and the visual identity of the watches reflected precisely the sensibility he had developed across his career as an independent maker.
The reception has been consistent since the first releases. Critics have responded positively, but the more telling signal is the secondary market behaviour: every single launch has sold out, and all past models are, at the time of this feature, unavailable for purchase through the brand. For collectors tracking independent watchmaking, and for the growing watch community across the Gulf region who have been drawn to Japanese independents alongside Swiss ones, that kind of demand-to-supply ratio is difficult to ignore. You can visit the official Kurono Tokyo website to register for newsletter announcements ahead of future releases.
The Collections: From Art Deco Dress Watches to Experimental Dials
The earliest Kurono Tokyo references were dress watches built around a Japanese interpretation of Art Deco form. Clean lines, considered proportions, and a restrained palette characterised these pieces, and they are credited with establishing the brand’s identity in the eyes of both collectors and the press. It was this category that generated the initial wave of attention, and it remains the foundation against which each subsequent direction is assessed.
Chronographs and the Modular Dress Diver
From 2020, Kurono Tokyo extended into chronographs, adding a complication that widened the brand’s appeal without abandoning the design vocabulary of the earliest models. The chronograph references attracted a collector who wanted function alongside the aesthetic the brand had established, and the demand pattern was identical to the dress watches: sold out. More recently, the brand has moved into territory that is harder to categorise, introducing a modular two-in-one watch that bridges dress and diver functions within a single case.
Beyond case architecture, Kurono Tokyo has begun incorporating dial materials that are unusual even within the broader context of independent watchmaking: malachite and meteorite have both appeared as dial stones in recent references. These are materials with an established presence in high jewellery and grand complications from Swiss houses, but their appearance in a Japanese independent brand pitched at accessible pricing is a deliberate statement of ambition. For collectors who follow independents such as MB&F for their willingness to challenge category conventions, Kurono Tokyo’s recent trajectory will be familiar terrain.
The Aoyama Boutique: Design by Asaoka
The Kurono Tokyo salon in Aoyama, a district in central Tokyo, was designed by Hajime Asaoka himself. This is not an incidental detail. The space functions as a physical extension of the brand’s values: considered design, personal authorship, and an environment shaped by the same sensibility that informs the watches. Most of the brand’s launch events are held here, making it the primary point of contact between Kurono Tokyo and its collector community.
Past models are displayed in the Aoyama salon, giving visitors the opportunity to handle references that are no longer available for purchase. For collectors travelling to Tokyo, this is a meaningful visit, even if the watches cannot be bought on the day. A second salon in Shanghai serves the same purpose for collectors in mainland China, and both spaces reflect the same design approach as the watches themselves. For those planning a watch-focused itinerary in Tokyo, the Aoyama location is worth scheduling alongside other appointments in the city’s independent watch scene.
Why It Matters
Kurono Tokyo represents a model of independent watchmaking that is relatively rare: creative authorship maintained at scale, with every release generating more demand than supply. For Gulf-based collectors who have developed a strong appetite for independent brands across the past decade, and who regularly travel to Tokyo or Shanghai for watch appointments, Kurono Tokyo is a brand that warrants a newsletter registration before the next launch window opens. The combination of a documented sell-out record, a single creative voice behind every piece, and a broadening material palette gives the brand a trajectory that collectors interested in the wider independent watchmaking scene, including events covered at Watches and Wonders, will want to follow closely.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Kurono Tokyo and when was it established?
Kurono Tokyo was founded in 2019 by Hajime Asaoka, widely regarded as the most prominent Japanese watchmaker of his generation. Asaoka created the brand to make his Japanese Art Deco design aesthetic available at more accessible price points than his high-end bespoke pieces.
What types of watches does Kurono Tokyo produce?
Kurono Tokyo began with dress watches in a Japanese Art Deco style, then expanded into chronographs from 2020 onwards. More recently the brand has introduced experimental pieces, including a modular two-in-one dress diver and dials featuring stones such as malachite and meteorite.
Where can I see Kurono Tokyo watches in person?
Kurono Tokyo operates salons in Aoyama in central Tokyo and in Shanghai, both designed by Hajime Asaoka himself. These spaces display past models and host most of the brand's launch events, allowing visitors to try the watches in person.
