If you’ve listened to The Watch Files podcast or read much here at Grail Watch, you’ve undoubtedly heard me refer to industry folklore. Clever stories are often repeated in forums, articles, and conversations, but they are often not entirely true. Then there’s the industry marketing machine, pushing surprising narratives and a-list connections with little grounding in reality. Let’s take a moment to consider the ways that folklorists spot false information and apply these watch industry marketing.
Hajime Asaoka: Chrono and Kurono, Bunkyō Tokyo
Hajime Asaoka’s more-affordable watches define the current trend of “must-have” limited-edition watches. Launched in 2018 for the domestic market as Chrono Tokyo and 2019 as Kurono Tokyo, these watches are an international sensation. In this article, I walk through every Chrono and Kurono watch through 2021.