Ophiuchus
166
Always love seeing more from Kikuno san
Nov 28, 2013,09:34 AM
Many independents have started by modifying existing calibers, many of those being 6497 or 6498.
It's a nice large, robust, simple caliber that's a good experimentation platform.
I like that he hand folds the mokume gane, and only uses a hammer to form the pattern. That's the
original Japanese method, I believe, not drilling holes in it, but peening it. It would have been done
that way by smiths for sword fittings and such.
The 3 second delta is very nice, but not unheard of. A very good adjuster can get a watch to that. An
excellent adjuster can get it even better... I am not one of those, but there are people out there
who can... just saying. At that point, getting it any better becomes a chase of the most minute
details, even for another watchmaker- things like stoning the balance pivots to equal contact area
to equalize frictional coefficients in all positions, very small things. Mr. Kikuno is very good to get it
to a 3 second delta, I'd say.
I really want to see that hairspring weight he's using... I'd love to learn how you apply them, but I'm
sure it's a secret 
-O
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Afternoon with Masahiro Kikuno
By: KIH : November 27th, 2013-19:09
This report is sort of the progress report of his new project. Please see: ahci.watchprosite.com / He continues to work on to improve further and complete, and he showed me the second prototype and his old creation he made when he was still at the watchma...
Good progression
By: takashi78 : November 27th, 2013-23:53
I was wondering, is it another type of broze he used for the 1st version that it did not oxidize much? When i was holding it few months back i was wondering why it still looks so "new". My bronze watch oxidized waaaay sooner. Very much looking forward to ...
It's the same type of bronze....
By: KIH : November 28th, 2013-02:36
.... maybe have something to do with the surface treatment? Yes, he settled on 6497 with his own modifications (bridges, counterweight on the hairspring to eliminate position difference). Ken
Always love seeing more from Kikuno san
By: Ophiuchus : November 28th, 2013-09:34
Many independents have started by modifying existing calibers, many of those being 6497 or 6498. It's a nice large, robust, simple caliber that's a good experimentation platform. I like that he hand folds the mokume gane, and only uses a hammer to form th...
Excellent craft!
By: Whirling : November 28th, 2013-16:38
What I love about these watches is that they represent a hand-made craft that doesn't try to be anybody else's work. The aesthetic is personal to Mr. Kikuno. The labor-intensive process of creating the dials is one that no businessman would ever choose, b...
