When you think of Kurono Tokyo, the subsidiary brand of Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, you should imagine something compact and elegant. Watches often focus on traditional craftsmanship, with understated cases and classic Japanese. The sportiest models the brand ever created were mid-century-style chronographs. Well, that's about to change because Hajime Asaoka has decided to give the diving watch his own vision. And instead of just creating another diving watch, he designed something very special with the Kurono Diver.
In the words of the brand founder, the Kurono Tokyo is a watch that “rethinks the conventional architecture of a diving watch.” Instead of creating a watch for diving, Hajime Asaoka created a classic watch with a water resistance of 50 m, which was also the brand's first cushion-shaped model. Doesn't exactly sound like a watch for water activities, does it? Well, here's the catch. The box also includes a custom-made diving case that allows the watch to seamlessly transition from a compact, almost elegant watch to a “recreational diver’s instrument.” In fact, with the Kurono Diver you get a watch, two straps, an outer case and a locking tool. Two-in-one, for two completely different wearing experiences.
Let's start with the base, the actual watch. As I said, it's Kurono's first cushion-shaped watch… And it's a small watch, measuring 35mm x 35mm, with a slim profile of 9mm (including sapphire crystal) and a lug-to-lug diameter of just 37.4mm. The proportions were deliberately so compact that the watch fits into a (somehow) reasonably large diving case. The watch itself has an almost mid-century military feel due to its shape and white dial with oversized luminous markers and blue steel cathedral hands. Inside the case is an outsourced automatic movement from Miyota, the Caliber 90S5, which runs at 4 Hz and has a power reserve of 40 hours.
But there's more to the Kurono Diver than you can imagine. Remove the leather strap from the cushion-shaped watch head thanks to the quick-release spring bars and the “magic” happens. The watch head can now be inserted into an external, sealed diving case, drastically changing the look and function of the watch. Why do you do it like that? Well, as Asaoka-san explains, “The crown has always been the Achilles' heel of diving watches. To address this problem, various innovations have been used – from screw-down mechanisms to locking levers. However, the ultimate solution is to eliminate the crown entirely. Thanks to the high winding efficiency of modern automatic movements, a watch worn regularly rarely stalls and maintains excellent precision. Once the time is set, manipulation of the crown is virtually unnecessary. This insight inspired my concept.”
Thanks to the included tool (you can see how it works in the video above), you simply open the outer diving case and insert the watch head. To encapsulate the entire watch, all you have to do is close it again. The bezel acts as a screw cap and can be easily unscrewed in a counterclockwise direction. This does not remove the bezel's classic and essential unidirectional rotating mechanism, which, like any other diving model, can be used to track elapsed time while preventing the case from accidentally coming off.
The outer casing is not the smallest, as you can imagine. It is also made of polished steel and has a diameter of 46mm, a L2L of 56.7mm and a thickness of 13.5mm. It features a sapphire crystal and the bezel with 60-minute scale is made of deep red Extra Super Duralumin. From what I understand, the case has two depth ratings. For easier use, the case can be opened or closed by hand without tools and is then waterproof to a depth of 100 m. By using the tool and carefully tightening the bezel, the watch turns into a professional instrument that can withstand depths of up to 300 meters. This outer case comes with its own rubber strap.
Availability and price
The Kurono Diver (including the watch head, two bracelets, the outer diving case and the special locking tool) is released as a limited production model, without the brand revealing the numbers. It will be available worldwide via a ballot allocation system, with potential customers should register their interest on the brand's website from March 5th to 11th. It should be noted that applicants with recreational (or higher) diving certifications (e.g. PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc.) will be given priority. A strict “one watch per customer” policy also applies.
Once applications are received, the Kurono team will review applications and allocate pieces via voting (see the watch page for details). The price for the Kurono Diver is $2,700excluding taxes and possible tariffs for exports to the USA. Deliveries are expected from May 2026. For more information, visit kuronotokyo.com.
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