Minase: Japanese Luxury Watches With A Difference
Minase is a Japanese luxury watch company based in Yuzawa, some 450 kilometers from Tokyo, Japan. All the watches are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and watchmakers.
Minase’s philosophy is to make beautiful and qualitative timepieces that embody values, traditions and typical crafts of Japan. There are three things that make Minase stand-out completely: the unique design of its timepieces, the technical prowess achieved with the case in case construction, and the brilliant Sallaz polishing technique.
Four collections
Minase watches are all paying tribute to the origin of the company: Kyowa, Minase’s parent company which is a renowned Japanese tool manufacturer specializing in the watch industry for more than 30 years. In that sense, all the watches display great technical skills and precision, as well as Japanese traditional crafts and techniques. The four collections: Divido, Horizon, 5 Windows, and Masterpieces, are all produced in the Minase factory, one of Japan’s smallest manufactures.
Divido
Divido is the flagship collection of Minase. The designer played with sharp angles, brilliant polishing of the components and the case-in-case construction. Indeed, the movement is fixed in between the dial and the bottom of the watch, leaving empty space between the case and this ensemble that seems to be floating, enabling the light to pass through it. The dials are hand-painted with a tiny brush and Japanese lacker applied on a stamped copper dial. The effect is a full range of reflections and the uniqueness of every single dial.
5 Windows
The 5 Windows is a round dial inside a rectangular case, enclosed by 5 sapphire glass windows. Here again, the dial does not go to the side of the case, leaving the sides open and giving the impression that the dial is floating in side the case. Available in stainless steel, but also in yellow or rose gold, this model is something unique in both a design and technical point of view. The 5 Windows collection is also available in a midsize version, perfect for smaller wrists.
Masterpiece
The Masterpiece collection is based upon the 5 Windows collection. It features traditional Japanese crafts as gold-engraving, enamel champlevé dials or Akita silver filigree. Minase also works with palladium, a rare material the brand chose for its brilliance. The best bit? If you order of these pieces, you get to call the shots. Everything is customizable. That ensures a unique product and customer experience for every buyer.
Horizon
Last but not least, Horizon is a design prowess. Looking at it from the side, the form of the case is just like the horizon line, and everything inside the case follows this curve, even the hands that are slightly bent. The Horizon, available on leather band, rubber band or stainless steel bracelet, is harmonious and perfectly fits the wrist. Like the 5 Windows, Horizon also has a small sister, the Horizon midsize.
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