Notice of price revision for “MINASE”
2025年3月29日Notice of price revision for “MINASE”
2025年3月29日#7. Story behind URUGA
“We decided upon the name URUGA first and then worked on the case structure. With the concept of ‘uruwashisa’ (beauty) and ‘miyabi’ (elegance), we attempted to embody the shape of beauty unique to Japan,” President Suzuki said to me secretly while assembling the URUGA case parts. I guess that the watch designer who received such a request must have philosophically delved into what uruwashisa or miyabi is.
To find out what happened afterward, I checked it myself. “Uruwashisa” comes from the ancient word “uruu” (being moistened). It means cold beauty, representing a wet and glossy look. It may be just a coincidence, but the surface of the Minase River may have been used as a design for the dial plate of the first URUGA collection for this reason. Meanwhile, when I looked up the word “miyabi,” it led me to the writer Yukio Mishima. In his book, he mentioned that the word originated from the emperor and represents the people’s admiration for the blossoming of imperial culture. According to Mishima, miyabi is also the origin of the “wabi-sabi” culture (appreciation of the transience and imperfection), which may be difficult for ordinary people to understand. When I looked at the details of URUGA from the perspective of miyabi, I found that the indexes are cut diagonally. I heard that this design was inspired by the front of a kimono, and after reading articles written by Mishima, it reminded me of an outfit worn by a noble person in the Heian period (794–1185). These imaginations are more like personal fantasies, but searching for metaphors used by the designer is pure fun.
By the way, as the concept of the URUGA case, MINASE adopted the clamping structure, which features a crown setting with the dial plate like a jewel. This structure of clamping the bezel to the case with four tabs is revolutionary. This is the true essence of MINASE, which has unparalleled cutting and polishing techniques. Even in this structure, the designer may have hidden intentions. Are there such jewels hidden in the Tale of Genji or Makura no Soshi? MINASE watches are so unique that they make me want to fantasize about such things.
This is an in-depth travelogue of Mr. K. Kawakami who specializes in writing reports on various factories.
He takes a look at the fundamental value of MINASE, with incisive insight and observation refined over the years, as a seasoned expert on the watch industry.
Writer : K. Kawakami
K. Kawakami is a professional writer specializing in exploring diverse factories, reporting on their unique manufacturing practices in Japan and around the world. He travels to the factories of many manufacturers that operate on the principle of perfection, including watches, electrical appliances, shoes, fashion items, buildings, foods, confections, and traditional crafts.