Masahiro Kikuno Wa-dokei BaselWorld 2015

KIH · 2015-03-20T02:06:05Z

Explore Masahiro Kikuno's Wa-dokei at BaselWorld 2015. Discover its unique seasonal time display, hand-engraving by Keiji Kanagawa, and intricate mechanics.

KIH

WPS member · Independents forum

4 replies2041 views23 photos

KIH introduces Masahiro Kikuno's revised "Wa-dokei" at BaselWorld 2015, showcasing the independent watchmaker's unique approach to timekeeping. This post highlights the intricate mechanics and exquisite hand-engraving that define this distinctive timepiece, offering a deep dive into its seasonal time display.

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 work with Minase)

How this works:

One pull of the crown moves the index:

Wider upper half means it is summer, narrower upper half means it is winter (upper half is for the day time).

And the second pull of the crown enables you to adjust the "normal" time (violet hands).

On the back - the patter on the back is done by hand as well.

This is NOT done by laser BUT by hands of Mr. Kanagawa

This is how the one pull of the crown adjusting the "season". Hand engraved (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring) shows the season and with that, the index on the dial side moves.

The size is very wearable.

Can be hidden under my sleeve.

Beautiful contrast of blue and violet.

Comparison with the 1st generation Wa-Dokei.

Mokume on Kikuno-san's wrist and the new one.

Very well done, Kikuno-san!

Ken

Key Points from the Discussion

The Wa-dokei's mechanism allows for a single crown pull to adjust the seasonal index, changing the dial's upper half to indicate summer (wider) or winter (narrower) for daytime hours.
The watch features intricate hand-engraving on the index hands and the season dial on the back, executed by Meister engraver Keiji Kanagawa, emphasizing the artisanal craft.
The revised Wa-dokei successfully reduced its dimensions, a challenging feat that likely involved significant rework of the timepiece's internal components.
The watch's non-intuitive time display, with its moving dial and hands, requires a detailed explanation to understand its unique functionality.

The Discussion

KIH

Mar 20, 2015

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 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 cultu

Darren

Mar 20, 2015

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, however I imagine this one is far more stunning "live". Thanks for showing us such an incredible timepiece. Darren

patrick_y

Mar 20, 2015

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!

patrick_y

Mar 20, 2015

Definitely amazing work, high quality work, and really far off the beaten path.

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