Kurono Tokyo Closes Out the Calendrier I Series with the Maroon Dialed “Azuki” Anniversary Edition

The latest from Kurono Tokyo is a new version of their Calendrier Type I, a reference that was a finalist in the 2022 GPHG awards. A triple calendar is an old school complication, so it makes sense for a brand like Kurono to experiment on this platform, with their design language so deeply rooted in Art Deco principles and mid 20th century ideas around size and style. The new Calendrier is a Kurono anniversary model, thus it will be sold as a “time limited” edition, meaning prospective owners will have specific windows during which they can make a purchase, and Kurono will fill every order placed in these windows. Kurono has also announced that this will be the final version of the Calendrier Type I, so if this is a reference you’ve been hunting, we’re approaching your last chance to snag one directly from the brand. 

Kurono has dubbed this model the Anniversary Calendrier “Azuki,” a name derived from the maroon color of the dial. Azuki means “red bean” in Japanese, and in Japan is a color commonly associated with cars. Maroon was once a common standard vehicle color, so this watch is subtly auto inspired and a throwback in more ways than one. 

According to the brand, achieving this particular tone of maroon was a significant challenge. To get the color right, Kurono used phosphor-bronze rather than the typical brass for the dial material, which allows them to get the proper shade of red during the finishing process. Kurono notes that phosphor-bronze is more difficult to machine than brass, so the manufacturing of these dials was not a straightforward transition. 

In addition to the dial color, Kurono has made a subtle refinement to the color of the hour markers (which are still in a very cool gothic style typeface for the Calendrier), giving them an off white shade that is complementary to the deep red dial. The layout of the watch remains the same and is a function of the Miyota 9122 movement, featuring a date at 6:00 and subdials for the day of the week and month at 9:00 and 3:00, respectively. 

Just as the dial of the Calendrier has a completely different character from other Kurono watches, the case has its own vibe as well. Notably, this watch features a coin edge bezel that has been polished to match the stainless steel case. The diameter is 38mm, and the case height is just 11.5mm, inclusive of the sapphire crystal. Like other Kurono watches, this reference should feel compact and easy to wear, and be right up the alley of anyone who favors mid century vintage watches. 

The retail price of the Azuki is $1,830 and it will be available during two twenty minute ordering windows. The first is tonight at 10:00 PM EDT, and the second is tomorrow, May 26, at 10:00 AM EDT.  Deliveries are expected to begin at the end of June and run through the summer. Kurono Tokyo