KIH
[Purist]
12044
A bit more official photos and explanation
Folks, here are Masahiro Kikuno's new watch - the new Wa-Dokei.
For those who have forgotten or do not know the concept or "Wa Dokei" (or, temporal hour watch), please refer these old threads of mine.
(go all the way down to "Wa-Dokei collection")
These are the "moving" index hands of the new Wa-Dokei.
The finished watch.
How to tell the temporal time - "dusk" and "dawn" as well as the index between them and "Noon" and "Midnight" (which are fixed) move up and down as with the season.
No worries! Surely, it is capable to show the normal or modern time as well.
What is so "new"? It's much smaller, and the inside mechanism as well as its more practical function are totally new.
In short, around and since 17 to 18th century until late 19th century, Japan was using the temporal hour system - divide the daytime and night time by six and call the hour by the name of the animal (yes, the same 12 animals as with other Asian cultures) or just the numbers. Of course, it is no longer used in Japan or perhaps anywhere today.
There were big clocks in the Shogun's castle as the ones in the SEIKO museum, but no one thought of making it into a wrist watch. The previous version of Wa-Dokei is what impressed AHCI members including but not limited to Mr. Philippe Dufour to make him the then-youngest AHCI member candidate (he still is the youngest in AHCI).
The "mysterious" hands with the numbers (he chose numeral index this time to show at Basel) and a few Kanji's.
Engraving was done by Keiji Kanagawa, the engraver meister, who has worked with Franck Muller, Habing2, and so on.
These are the "moving" index hands of the new Wa-Dokei.
The finished watch.
How to tell the temporal time - "dusk" and "dawn" as well as the index between them and "Noon" and "Midnight" (which are fixed) move up and down as with the season.
No worries! Surely, it is capable to show the normal or modern time as well.
What is so "new"? It's much smaller, and the inside mechanism as well as its more practical function are totally new.
42mm x 34mm, Bronze Case
Temporal Hour (adjustable within north latitude 51.3 and south latitude 51.3)
On the back is the season adjuster (so that the length of the daytime and night time is correct) with 24 divisions of the solar year.
Expected availability - 1 or 2 per year.
Custom orders - material, numerals, engraving, etc. are all open to be discussed.
Great endeavor, Kikuno san!
Best,
Ken
This message has been edited by KIH on 2015-03-16 15:00:41
More posts:
BaselWorld 2015: Masahiro Kikuno
Now here is the new revised "Wa-dokei". AHCI booth in Hall 2 Mr. Kikuno in suit and tie (rare to see!), with Mr. Keiji Kanagawa, the Meister engraver who did for the index hands of this watch as well as the season dial on the back. (On his hand is his wor...
A bit more official photos and explanation
Folks, here are Masahiro Kikuno's new watch - the new Wa-Dokei. For those who have forgotten or do not know the concept or "Wa Dokei" (or, temporal hour watch), please refer these old threads of mine. (go all the way down to "Wa-Dokei collection") In sh...
Hmm... Very interesting and complex...
Moving dial and moving hands. Thank you for describing to us how this watch works. It's not immediately intuitive like most watches. Thanks Ken!
Amazing work here.
I remember seeing scans of the larger version awhile back and being quite impressed. I imagine it was not easy to reign in the dimensions the way he did, as it likely involved reworking many parts of the timepiece. The scans in your post are fantastic, ho...
Agreed.
Definitely amazing work, high quality work, and really far off the beaten path.
