Minase is a watch manufacture that originated from the highly regarded small-diameter tools and precision cutting instruments specialist, Kyowa Seiko. Since its establishment in 1963, Kyowa Seiko has gained industry-wide recognition for its development of the step drill – a tool sought after by watch brands for its ability to create crown holes efficiently in a single operation.
The initial success of the step drill, combined with their ability to leverage on its portfolio of precision tools, allowed the Japanese manufacturer to expand its scope of business to other components and finishing techniques in the watch industry. Over the years, the accumulation of valuable watchmaking experience, alongside a team of skilled craftsmen, led Kyowa Seiko to venture into designing and crafting their own unique timepieces. This journey culminated in the establishment of Minase in 2005.
Within the Akita Prefecture in Japan, there is a snowy, remote town called Minase. This town is where the watch manufacture is located and is what inspired the name of the brand. Designed in the motif of a step drill, Minase’s brand logo is reflective of Kyowa Seiko’s extensive heritage and pays homage to the crucial turning point in the toolmaker’s history.
With an annual production of less than 500 pieces, each Minase timepiece is meticulously hand-crafted. Every Minase watch is hand-assembled from start to end by the brand’s less than 20 outstanding craftsmen. The brand’s philosophy is to create perfected timepieces that are deliberate in thought and design, down to the smallest detail. This can be observed in Minase’s mastery and skillful use of the Sallaz polishing technique, which is a groundbreaking treatment that produces a distortion-free surface. The end product is a quality timepiece that can be passed down and cherished from one generation to the next.
Minase Divido
One of Minase’s iconic collections is Divido, inspired by the Japanese 3-dimensional puzzle. Its unique design revolutionizes watchmaking, with the dial appearing to float inside the case beneath a box-type sapphire crystal. The physical space between the case and the edges of the dial, fixed only by four tiny screws on the corners, enables light to flood in from all sides onto the hand-painted dial.
Sallaz (Sarazu) hand-polishing
The steel parts of Minase’s watches are hand-polished with the Sallaz polishing technique (also known as Sarazu). Applied by hand on one piece of steel at a time, this technique of polishing requires an impressive level of skill and dexterity. This seamless integration of the steel bracelet is achieved using tiny screws on the underside of each bracelet link, ensuring a refined aesthetic.
MORE & Case in Case
The Divido also incorporates the Minase Original Rebuilding Equation (MORE) – a patented structure that allows Minase watchmakers to assemble and disassemble exterior parts of the watch, such as the case and bracelet, as many times as they need to refit or repair the watch. The case-in-case construction is unique to Minase watches and was inspired by Japanese 3D puzzles. The mechanical movement is enclosed between a plate and a top container (which acts as the dial) on which the index ring is fitted. This inner box appears as a floating structure screwed at the four corners inside the case.
The Divido collection by Minase offers a unique option featuring a Shibo Urushi Lacquer dial. In this process, urushi lacquer is blended with paint and egg whites to achieve the desired colour and viscosity for the artist to execute their design. Following a natural sun-drying process, a final layer of transparent urushi is applied to preserve the completed design.
The Minase Divido and other Minase timepieces are now exclusively available at Sincere Fine Watches, #01-352 of Suntec City.