Bunkyo Kurono Tokyo Anniversary Grand Mori

Description

Kurono is delighted to present the 2022 anniversary edition timepiece, Grand Mori ‘森’, featuring traditional Japanese lacquer ‘urushi’ craftsmanship.

The 2022 Anniversary Grand Mori ‘森’ is a work by sensei to reflect the concept “nature is the teacher” – the philosophy that Hajime Asaoka pays special attention to and tries to implement in his designs. Inspired by the canopies of the forest, this pattern on the dial mimics the unveiling of the sun rays seeping through the layers of the trees. The metallic green shade of the dial not only embodies the foliage but also enhances the intricate details of the pattern under different angles and lighting, making it alluring each time one looks at it. The complexity allows for various interpretations and brings out harmony simultaneously, just like the concept of the canopies in nature.

The 2022 Anniversary Grand Mori ‘森’ features the traditional Kyoto-style handmade Japanese lacquer technique. Each dial is a masterpiece that is individually handcrafted by the female craftsmen in Kyoto who inherited the technique. Sharing the same sentiment as creators who aim to create the best products without compromise from Japan provided an opportunity for both the female craftsmen to work alongside with Hajime-sensei to achieve this goal. The 2022 Anniversary Grand Mori ‘森’ – as an anniversary watch – aims to deliver incredible value by bringing high-level artisanship at wider levels of accessibility.

Urushi has been used as a lacquer in Japan for more than 10,000 years. The sap from the lacquer tree is refined and colored with pigments and other ingredients to produce a final work characterized by its beautiful finish and durability. Lacquer trees are 10 to 20 years old when their sap can finally be harvested. After the sap is collected, the trees die, and new trees are planted by hand. Only about 200 grams of sap can be extracted from each tree, making it extremely valuable and increasingly rare.

Each of the 2022 Anniversary Grand Mori ‘森’ dial is crafted by hand by a master craftsperson. The dial has a gold-gilded (color) before the application of urushi. This is on purpose as the yellow colour base together with the translucent green urushi will allow for warmer and richer tones so as to enhance the depth of the patterns. The subtly slanted arabic hour markers printed in silver on the urushi dial gives a light dynamism to the overall feel of the watch – and alludes to the rustling of leaves in gentle wind.

• Hand-applied urushi lacquer dial

• Japan-made Premium Automatic movement 90S5 by Miyota

• Unique box sapphire glass

• Embellished caseback

• 28,800 vibrations / hour, power reserve 40 hours

• Waterproof to 3 ATM

• 316L high-polished 37mm stainless steel case

• Thickness: 7mm (excl sapphire glass)

• Black calf leather band with green embellished sides

• 20mm at lugs, 16mm at buckle