Kurono Tokyo is part of a trend that is currently one of my favorite things in watchmaking. As some might expect, I?m not a big fan of uniformity or groupthink in our hobby, but this is an area that I?d be happy to see take off in a bunch of different directions, with mass participation by literally anyone in the space. What I?m talking about is the burgeoning practice of exclusive, high end, independent watchmakers lending their design language, name, and sometimes even their branding to watches that are affordable to the average collector. 
Barring a dramatic change in my personal financial situation, I?m not likely to ever own a Vianney Halter, or an MB&F, or a watch with Hajime Asaoka?s name on the dial. I hold out hope, however, that I might own a watch like the one Halter made with Louis Erard, or something with the MAD Gallery stamp of approval on it, which is close enough (for me) to the insanity of an MB&F. And I can certainly own a watch with the Bunkyo Tokyo wordmark on the dial, a shorthand for Asaoka?s Kurono brand, which consists of watches that retail for a fraction of the price of one of the indie watchmaker?s bespoke pieces.
For fans of independent watchmaking who can only view it as a spectator sport, this is a wonderful development, and I?ve often thought about which of my favorite indie watchmakers and brands I?d like to see collaborate with a more mainstream brand or otherwise take a trip down market so the rest of us can get a taste....