Collection
Pkonos presents a captivating photo essay showcasing a diverse array of Japanese timepieces, spanning from well-known brands like Grand Seiko and Citizen to more niche manufacturers. This collection invites readers to appreciate the breadth and depth of Japanese horology, highlighting both familiar and obscure examples. The post serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the unique aesthetic and technical contributions of Japanese watchmaking.
Some pieces are from the household names and some from the more obscure ones.
Here goes, hope you guys enjoy!
GS White Birch
(Probably needs no intro. The dial is very difficult to capture well in photos. Here, it’s looking a little pink.)
(A monochromatic Spring Drive beauty. The white GMT hand provides a nice visual accent, different from the usual red or orange.)
GS SBGH261
(A limited edition 62GS model
from 2017 commemorating the Toyota GT2000.
I love the Green dial with Yellow accents)
SBGW004
(A beautiful limited edition from 2001 commemorating the 120th anniversary of Seiko's founding. Who knew that there would be so many other similar iterations coming down the road, though!?)
Seiko Prospex LX Landmaster SBDB029
(With a robust Ti case good for 200m WR and a Spring Drive movement with 72-hr. power reserve, this one’s about as dependable as they come. And with the GMT hand, it makes a fantastic travel watch.)
Seiko Space Walk
(A cult favorite. Designed for Extravehicular Use in space, it boasts high visibility and super-bright lume akin to a diver’s watch, but has been designed so that the bezel and crystal will not pop off due to decompression.)
Seiko Izuls
(Personal favorites of mine from this short-lived brand with a look all its own)
Seiko Moving Design
(Introduced along with the Discus Burger line in 2007. Here, the Burger window is on the back. I find the concave shape of the dial quite cool.)
The Stone Zen Garden version:
Credor Kuon
(a.k.a. the Baby Eichi, I find its porcelain dial attractive in its own right. It wears like silk on the wrist and is a delight to wear. So serene and calming.)
Citizen 0210
(Citizen’s GS competitor with an in-house automatic caliber with chronometer accuracy. It’s a fine piece that deserves to come out from under the radar. I did a long-winded write-up on it earlier here.)
Citizen 0100 (AQ6010-06A)
(Accurate to an astounding +/-1sec. year and one of my favorites from Citizen. The piece pictured here was the launch model for the movement, limited to 100 pieces in wg.)
Casio MR-G MRG-G2000HA-1AJ
(Combines Casio’s G-shock watch making know-how with a hand-hammered bezel by a traditional Tsuiki craftsman that makes each piece unique, and a hardened, scratch-resistant case-and-bracelet finish by industrial heavyweight Kobe Steel. Ltd. edition of 100 pieces)
Trume Field Watch
(From Seiko Espon’s now-defunct inhouse brand. I like its outdoor vibe and its legibility in sunlight, which is superb.)
Orient Manual Wind Moonphase
(A moody, sultry dial and a newly developed in-house movement from Seiko’s oft-overlooked sister brand)
ChronoTokyo
(Hajime Asaoka’s affordable line. This one is an early ChronoTokyo x TicTac collaboration model)
Kuoe Kyoto
(An affordable microbrand from my favorite city. Quality wise, I find it similar to Kurono.)
Sazare
(A microbrand aiming for a minimalist Zen aesthetic. I find the length (the shortness) of the minute hand unfortunate and wonder why they made that design choice.)
Knot
(Another affordable microbrand that offers myriad strap options as its calling card.)
Mirco Type 02 Chrono
(A 70’s vibe piece from Fukushima Watch Company. It's a fun piece to wear and I love seeing it on my wrist. The head of the company is a cool, approachable guy.)
Two Japanese watches not included here that I would LOVE to own include:
The Kikuchi Nakagawa Murakumo
Unfortunately, KN has stopped taking orders (and even before then, there was a 10-year (!) waiting list).
The Quiet Club Fading Hours
An intriguing GPHG Finalist, but unfortunately Piggy-Bank breaking.
The Patek Philippe World Time reference 2523, launched in 1953, is distinguished by its innovative two-crown system. One crown serves for winding the watch, while the second, positioned at 9 o’clock, controls the city disc. This design marked a significant development in the functionality and user experience of world time complications for the brand.
The reference 2523 was offered in two primary versions. The initial ref. 2523 featured larger lugs that extended above the bezel, with a case diameter of 35.5 mm. A subsequent variant, ref. 2523/1, presented a slightly larger diameter of 36 mm and thinner lugs that were integrated without extending above the bezel. Both versions were powered by the caliber 12-400 HU, which incorporated the world time module developed by Louis Cottier.
This reference appeals to collectors interested in Patek Philippe's historical advancements in complicated watchmaking, particularly the evolution of its World Time series. The distinct design differences between the 2523 and 2523/1, especially regarding lug integration and case dimensions, provide specific points of interest for enthusiasts tracking the model's development and variations.
Thanks for sharing them. I looked at the automatic Citizen and it looks like a very nice watch, just for its price there are so many other pieces that I would rather have.
I'm intrigued by the Quiet Club watch, a brand I've never seen. What is the purpose of the hole in the bezel at 5 Thanks much. M4
Super happy to see the KUON, especially next to an ALS
There’s lots of intriguing pieces among those that you’ve shared. All the best, Jon
My favorites here are the spacewalk, and the True which I've never seen before!.... Cheers, Filip
You grabbed my attention with that first pic and wasn’t sure how you could improve on it, but you absolutely did. What an incredible grouping of watches, that was so much fun! Thanks for taking us on that journey .
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