Masahiro Kikuno's Atelier and Evolution

For those who do not know much of his latest watch, Wa-Dokei, please refer to this page:

www.watchprosite.com

He really is a handy man.  He hollowed out the part of the wall and connected the garage/ machinery room and inside the house, and made steps....

This is his atelier, where he tests, assembles, thinks.....

Just making his first "Wa-Dokei" for the first customer (remember: he makes only one per year)

All about watch, history of time, astrology, old technologies, machinery history....

And his favorite watch mags.

Yup, he studied a lot about Japanese Clock (=Wa Dokei).

Mega-hit watch, but discontinued after only 7!  He realized that he spent too much time for the price of it )

Hamilton Clock.

An award he received last November.




This is the award.

Now, now.  He has true Wa-Dokei made/used hundreds of years ago (he found it as a junk, so it doesn't have dial or even hands )

Taken by a professional photographer.

This is an "experimental" desk.

He is experimenting how to make the balance spring more "accurate".  Putting a stone at certain place is one way.  He is trying to find another "better" way....

About the small "weight" on certain point on the balance spring, refer to this page:

www.watchprosite.com

Now this is the "Wa-Dokei" he was making for the first order he received (scheduled to be delivered by the end of September). 

 

Let's see in video how it works:

This will be the case - will have much more on it after it has been finished.

These parts are all made by himself.

His own watch - Moku-Megane.  I know there are lots of requests for this watch, but he doesn't want to go back to such a low time/ revenue ratio )

But, simple watch model is in his pipeline - not soon or similar price level, but it must be a wonderful one.

Then he showed me another of his "experiment".  He made a big gear only by the file.

And this one, too....  For what?

He is now fascinated by a clock, an old clock, which never stopped in 300 years, except just one servicing.

With oily wood gear and such.  Must be dry weather, but he wants to try.

His friend in the atelier....

I asked him to show when and how he works.

Just look...

Those very, very tiny screws - made by him, of course.

What do you think he is doing?  He is polishing the groove of the head of screw, with the tool he invented himself.

This tool - just two toothpicks stuck by wire is for polishing the thread and the beneath the head of the screw.  Of course, his idea.

This one is for the chamfering on the groove on the head.

Very hard wood toothpicks....

For polishing the head of the screw.

And, these are various type of the file hand-made by his wife.  For various use, he picks the best one from those (and more) file.

 

As you saw, he has been evolving.  I was so impressed with the screw he makes.  He spends almost a day to make one screw.  Now THAT is true "hand-made".  To him, all those who buys screws or makes screws by machine are all "industrial products" while his is an "art".  Almost all "hand made" watches out there are NOT really "hand made" for him.  He wants to do things with his hands, just like those who were making watches hundreds of years ago.  He is not seeking to be "successful" in "business".  He just wants those who understand the "art of making watches" to buy his watch.  He is not interested in making many watches.  He is in no rush.  Half the time, he thinks about the next thing.  He works alone (well, his wife helps him sometimes), and his world as well as his skill never stops to evolve.

I must visit his place again soon, because he will start something for the next Basel......  Please stay tuned!

Best,

Ken