Latest Review
In 2019, the last year of Baselworld, I remember roaming the hall of AHCI and visiting Stefan and Ev Kudoke to see their new Kudoke 1 and Kudoke 2 models. The Kudoke 2 was an instant winner for me with the small hand engraved 24-hour day/night disc. Later that year, the Kudoke 2 won the “Petite Aiguille” GPHG award for the best watch under CHF 10,000. This put Kudoke as a brand on every collector’s radar.
My first impression of the Kudoke 5 is that it is a natural progression or a logical conclusion to the K2 model with the 24-hour day/night disc as the dial. While the small disc in the K2 works as a nice indicator, the full blown 24-hour dial with a large day/night sky is more poetic and truly feels like it naturally belongs as a dial.
The other noticeable thing about the K5 is that it is a brand-new case that is much slimmer than the previous models. It is officially listed at 7mm without the domed crystal (it’s 38mm in diameter and 47mm from lug to lug). Even though the domed crystal on the watch presented in Geneva last month was a prototype, it did not appear to add any height to the watch. This is the slimmest Kudoke watch I have seen.
According to Stefan, engraving the day/night disc is a complex process involving relief engraving. The stars, moon, and triangle remain in place during engraving and the rest of the elements must be lowered. The whole engraving process takes several days. The biggest challenge he faces is not denting the disc during this delicate process, which can happen very easily. This is followed by galvanic treatments in yellow gold, white, and black rhodium to give the bright color of golden sun and grey and silver night sky.
Stefan further explains that he had to research and find an engineering solution for the smooth operation of the rotating disc by using small zirconia ball bearings to reduce the friction and require no additional use of lubrication.
There is a gold marker in the night sky to indicate the time. There are no traditional hour and minute hands. The K5 functions more as art and provides an indication of relative time, rather than being an accurate certified chronometer with a precise indication of minutes and seconds. The silver 24-hour chapter ring with rhodium treatment is broken into 15-minute increments. Hence, the gold marker on the night sky indicates time only every quarter of the hour.
The K5 is still powered by Kudoke’s in-house Kaliber 1 manual winding movement. It is modified for the 24-hour time display, which is well hidden under the frosted wheel bridge and hand-engraved balance cock. I personally prefer when Stefan skeletonizes the bridge to expose the movement below.
My overall impression of K5 is that it is a work of art. I love that Kudoke made the day/night disc the centerpiece of the dial. I like the slimness of the case. If I could improve something, it would be adding a luminous outline or even a lume-filled marker on the night sky. If you have not owned a 24-hour watch, it takes just a bit to orient yourself to reading the time.
The Kudoke 5’s retail price is $19,510. More information can be found on the brand’s website. Kudoke
