Urushi Series MAKI-E “SEVEN WINDOWS ~Komon” Leather model [VM15-CBKMA2-SSD]

Komon was born from plants, and Japan has kept its patterns close ever since. The MINASE Urushi Series maki-e dial “SEVEN WINDOWS ~Komon” works them small: the field is divided into three parts, the repeats are fine, and the palette stays in chic shades of blue and gray without one flashy color.

The method is maki-e, in which lacquer is drawn on and metallic powder is sprinkled into it while still wet, then sealed under fresh lacquer and polished back. Layer, dry, polish, repeat, for months, until the pattern sits inside the surface instead of on top of it. MINASE places these dials in its JAPAN ART COLLECTION and has each one decorated by hand by a master urushi artisan.

The restraint suits the case. SEVEN WINDOWS is built case-in-case, its outer form a six-faceted square with a sharp ridge-like contour MINASE likens to the edge of a Japanese sword, and every face is brought to a distortion-free mirror by hand. A seasoned polisher can spend up to 90 minutes on a single part. Stainless steel, 37.4 by 46.5 mm and 13 mm thick with the sapphire, roughly 89 g on black leather, with the self-winding KT7002 calibre on a Swiss ETA 2892-A2 / Sellita SW300 base and a date. 5 atm.

Quiet on the wrist, and much louder under a loupe.

Perfect for: understated pattern dials, blue and gray Japanese watches, buyers who prefer craft to color.