Comments:
Afternoon with Masahiro Kikuno
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 watchmaking school.
1. Mokumegane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokume-gane )
I was shown the actual process to make "Mokumegane" dial - it takes about a week to complete.... Wow....
The right one was the prototype I saw the last time.
The second prototype. A bit reddish color overall by adding a bit more copper in the dial composition. More oxidized case.
ETA6498 based - sure, he wants to make his own movement on the next one, but 6498 is robust enough and he made some modification.
The first prototype is just plain hairspring.
The second prototype has different finish pattern on the barrel gear, and a counterweight has been attached to the hairspring to eliminate the position difference - the other movement prototype at his atelier is now showing 3 sec deviation per day at ANY position. The theory, logic and implementation are all classified - I heard it, but sorry, I can't disclose.
Now THIS is the "Mokumegane" dial BEFORE. (well, actually, after several times hammed)
As you can see, in this case, 1mm copper plate and 0.5mm other alloy plate are heated and glued together - total 22 metal sheet. The original size was 2cm x 4xm. After several time hammering.
This is almost a week of hammering (all manual, his own hand hammered) the above thick metal sheets.
This is about 1.5mm and the final thickness will be 0.8mm. Several more hammering to go.
He does not actually punch the holes, but hammer with sharp side of the hammer from the back and polish the dial side to smooth, thus make such a beautiful pattern. He continues the process for a few more days.
From 2cm x 4cm 22-24 sheets, he can make only enough for 2 dials after one week of hard hammering with his own hand - he now sort of regrets choosing the method as it takes more time than he expected and not sure how to make many more of this model once it is ready to be sold.....
Notice more oxidized case (bronze).
2. And his very earlier model which he made while he was still at the watchmaking school.
Perpetual calendar Tourbillon
48 months sub dial.
Date dial
Several month after he made this, Breguet announced "La Tradition" and Masahiro was so surprised
He was first thinking of making a flying tourbillon, but changed his mind to make normal tourbillon.
These watches will be featured in NHK (Japan's National Broadcaster) program about watchmaking early next year.
Thank you Kikuno-san.
Please keep up your good work. Looking forward to the complete of this new model and your next project!
Best,
Ken
This message has been edited by KIH on 2013-11-27 19:10:32
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 watchmaking school.
1. Mokumegane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokume-gane )
I was shown the actual process to make "Mokumegane" dial - it takes about a week to complete.... Wow....
The right one was the prototype I saw the last time.
The second prototype. A bit reddish color overall by adding a bit more copper in the dial composition. More oxidized case.
ETA6498 based - sure, he wants to make his own movement on the next one, but 6498 is robust enough and he made some modification.
The first prototype is just plain hairspring.
The second prototype has different finish pattern on the barrel gear, and a counterweight has been attached to the hairspring to eliminate the position difference - the other movement prototype at his atelier is now showing 3 sec deviation per day at ANY position. The theory, logic and implementation are all classified - I heard it, but sorry, I can't disclose.
Now THIS is the "Mokumegane" dial BEFORE. (well, actually, after several times hammed)
As you can see, in this case, 1mm copper plate and 0.5mm other alloy plate are heated and glued together - total 22 metal sheet. The original size was 2cm x 4xm. After several time hammering.
This is almost a week of hammering (all manual, his own hand hammered) the above thick metal sheets.
This is about 1.5mm and the final thickness will be 0.8mm. Several more hammering to go.
He does not actually punch the holes, but hammer with sharp side of the hammer from the back and polish the dial side to smooth, thus make such a beautiful pattern. He continues the process for a few more days.
From 2cm x 4cm 22-24 sheets, he can make only enough for 2 dials after one week of hard hammering with his own hand - he now sort of regrets choosing the method as it takes more time than he expected and not sure how to make many more of this model once it is ready to be sold.....
Notice more oxidized case (bronze).
2. And his very earlier model which he made while he was still at the watchmaking school.
Perpetual calendar Tourbillon
48 months sub dial.
Date dial
Several month after he made this, Breguet announced "La Tradition" and Masahiro was so surprised
He was first thinking of making a flying tourbillon, but changed his mind to make normal tourbillon.
These watches will be featured in NHK (Japan's National Broadcaster) program about watchmaking early next year.
Thank you Kikuno-san.
Please keep up your good work. Looking forward to the complete of this new model and your next project!
Best,
Ken
This message has been edited by KIH on 2013-11-27 19:10:32
Good progression
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 see his final product when its all done.
So the 6497 is the final decision for the movement with maybe more modifications?
It's the same type of bronze....
.... 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
Yes, he settled on 6497 with his own modifications (bridges, counterweight on the hairspring to eliminate position difference).
Ken
thanks for the report, Ken. what is the bronze coated with to resist oxidization? (nt)
NT
Always love seeing more from Kikuno san
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
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
Excellent craft!
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, but artists have compulsions sometimes.
Among the many fine details, I love the robustness and three-dimensionality of the hands. The hands on watches draw my eye immediately, as I feel they're supposed to, so it is crucial that they not be an afterthought and demonstrate the same level of creativity as everything else.
Warm regards,
Jon