arita premium-X Kiso - Porcelain and Kiso Lacquer Wristwatch

arita premium-X Kiso
Arita porcelain on the dial. Platinum maki-e on Kiso lacquer on the back. Automatic, made in Japan.

This is the most layered watch in our collection: two of Japan's great crafts, from two masters, in one 38mm case.

The dial: Arita porcelain
The dial is made at Shin-gama, a kiln that has been firing in Arita since 1830. Each numeral is painted by hand in deep indigo, and every dial is glazed and fired one at a time, so no two are alike.

The back: platinum maki-e on Kiso lacquer
Turn the watch over and a second craft appears. The caseback is coated in deep navy Kiso lacquer, a craft practiced in the mountains of Nagano for about four centuries. Over it, dragonflies are drawn in platinum maki-e, a technique in which fine metal powder is sprinkled by hand onto wet lacquer, stroke by stroke. Maki-e has been used in Japan for more than a thousand years on objects made for temples, shrines, and the imperial court.

The lacquer and maki-e are the work of a Kiso lacquer master who worked on the medals for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. The crown is finished in the same navy Kiso lacquer, so the craft shows even while the watch is on your wrist.

Why dragonflies
In Japan the dragonfly is called kachimushi, the victory insect. It only flies forward and never turns back, and samurai wore it on their armor as a symbol of resolve. On this watch it rests against your wrist, seen only by you.

Because every layer of lacquer and every stroke of maki-e is done by hand, each caseback is slightly different.

Specifications

• Case: Stainless steel, 38mm diameter, 12.4mm thick
• Dial: Arita porcelain, hand-painted (Shin-gama)
• Caseback: Navy Kiso lacquer with platinum maki-e dragonflies, around a sapphire exhibition window
• Crown: Stainless steel with navy Kiso lacquer
• Crystal: Domed sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating
• Movement: Japanese automatic with hand-winding, 22 jewels, 21,600 vph, Diashock
• Accuracy: +25 / -15 seconds per day
• Water resistance: 5 ATM
• Made in Japan

Strap Options

• Navy croc-embossed calf leather
• Burgundy English buffalo leather (SOMES Saddle)
• Camel French calf leather (SOMES Saddle)
• Stainless steel mesh with slide buckle

Made to order and shipped from Japan within 2 to 3 weeks. Free shipping, with all duties and taxes prepaid. 14-day returns and a one-year warranty.