Dark Knight
I first discovered Minase by happy accident a few years ago while scrolling for watches on the Internet. The watch I came across was the Divido—a stunning example of Japanese engineering. When the brand confirmed their attendance at this year’s Toronto Timepiece Show, I was lucky enough to arrange a review of their Horizon GEN Black DLC, which is limited to only 25 pieces.
Minase watches are made in Kashiwa, Japan and commercialized through their offices in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. The brand is a division of Kyowa & Co., which began its life as a high-end, precision manufacturer of drills and drill bits for metal machining. The Minase logo proudly displays this heritage in the form of a stylized drill press.
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Since 2005, the brand have been producing watches in the remote and snowy Akita Prefecture with the same commitment to precision. The Horizon line is only one of four permanent collections—not including the “masterpiece” creations in Urushi lacquer, gold, and silver filigree.
Key Features of the Minase Horizon GEN Black DLC
The Minase Horizon GEN Black DLC is fashioned from 316L stainless steel and plated with a diamond-like-carbon coating that renders it almost twenty times harder at HV2300 on the Vickers scale. The case is rectangular and measures 38mm in diameter, with a lug to lug of 51mm. This latter statistic, however, does not tell the entire story, as the lugless design and curved case translate into a much more comfortable wearing experience. The watch is 12mm in height, including the beautiful sapphire, dual spherical box crystal.
The case, crown, indexes and strap buckle have all undergone a “Sallaz” treatment, also known as Sarazu polishing in Japan. It’s a technique of polishing steel by hand that requires dexterous, highly skilled watchmakers.
The dial, like the case, is stainless steel and finished in DLC with raised and polished markers on the hours. The dauphine hands are inset with Super-LumiNova, and the brand logo has been incorporated as the indicator at twelve. There is a panoramic, wedge-shaped date window at three. The sector-style construction—with its multiple layers, finishes, and textures—provides for a significant sense of depth. It also makes the tone-on-tone colourway much more legible.
The rear of the Horizon GEN Black DLC is attached to the case by four screws and features an exhibition portal. Through it, we can see the TOP Grade ETA 2892. It is a 3Hz movement with a power reserve of 50 hours. Here, it has been hand-finished with in a perlage with the bridges and main plate in “black gold.” It also features blued screws and diamond-polished bevels. The rotor, for its part, has been customized in a latticework of the brand logo. The watch is water resistant to 50m.
The Horizon GEN Black DLC comes standard on an EPDM textured rubber strap with a DLC coated deployment clasp and side pushers.
Specs
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel /w DLC Coating 38mm Diameter 51mm Lug to Lug 12mm Thick /w Glass 28mm “Lug Width” Push/Pull Crown 50m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Double-domed Sapphire Glass /w AR Steel Dial /w DLC Raised Indices Dauphine Handset |
| Movement | TOP Grade ETA 2892 21 Jewels 21 600bph 50-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | EPDM Rubber Strap /w Stainless Steel Deployant Clasp in DLC |
Minase Horizon G Black DLC
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Final Thoughts
Minase clearly takes great pride in its craftsmanship. I cannot help but be immediately impressed by the rectangular shaped domed sapphire crystal and its seamless juncture with the case. To accommodate this curvature, the hands have been subtly bent toward the tip, as their rotation point is actually higher than the edge of the glass. The flow from case to bracelet is also remarkable and makes for a very comfortable wearing experience. In this DLC iteration, the intricacy of the dial could almost be overlooked. Yet, up close, the range of polishing and texture is extraordinary. And, of course, the Sarazu finish—present in the both the case and certain dial elements—is top notch. I certainly hope to see more of Minase in my future.
Pricing & Availability
The Minase Horizon GEN Black retails for $4700USD and is limited to 25 pieces. For more information, please visit the brand website.
About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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