Being cooped up in the studio with my photographic equipment and a coffee machine, listening to the rain outside, is priceless. Having a new watch in hand, ready to be discovered, is the patina on top of the bronze
The day dawned rainy, and I can’t imagine a better way to spend it than quietly photographing a watch, but this wasn’t just any watch. On a quick visit to the South, my dear André Sampaio, in charge of the Watch Garage in Gaia, brought with him some models from the Japanese microbrand Kuoe.
Based in Kyoto, this Japanese brand started being represented in Portugal by Watch Garage at the end of last year, but I confess that, despite really liking the watches, I was obsessed with the Doxa, which overshadowed my attention for a few moments. Another factor that made me a bit hesitant about the Kuoe models was their classicism in the available sizes – Ø35 and Ø38mm.
Kuoe's story is simple: the idea began to germinate in Kenji Uchimura's mind while he was a student in London, back in 2010, and a decade later he became the brand's founder and designer. Kuoe claims to be inspired by vintage watchmaking, with classic codes and equally classic sizes, as I’ve already mentioned, and this size aspect will be important.
Dear friends, at some point in life, all of us – of any gender, let's be correct – suffer from the famous age problem known as WST. But it was precisely this problem that made me rethink my ideas about the Kuoes.
Beware, this is a serious matter! By WST, I mean Wrists Shrink Terribly!
When I was younger and, clearly, a "crazy guy," anything below 42mm wasn't even considered an option. I liked robustness and feeling the weight of the watch on my wrist, which, at the time, was bulkier. Two of my three favorite watches are 42.5mm; the other is 42mm.
With the years, a person becomes "roomier" in some places but also loses volume in others – like the wrists. Therefore, it was with great satisfaction that I recently included a 39.4mm piece in my modest watch collection, which has made me question if it wasn't time to start looking at models with a more contained diameter, given the increasing pleasure I've had in wearing it.
Let's go back to the beginning of the story. After a bellyful of pizza and Fritz Kola, on an excellent tip from Paulo, I plucked up the courage and asked André to leave me a Kuoe to photograph. Out of the three models as options, we couldn't decide and left the choice to chance – the Kuoe that André pulled out of the bag was the chosen one.
It turned out to be an Old-Smith 90-002 in the bronze case version with a brown dial. A perfect watch for autumn, with a dry green NATO strap and the largest size Kuoe offers: the aforementioned Ø38mm. Domed sapphire crystal, steel case back, screw-down crown, lightly textured dial, and powered by the Seiko NH38 caliber – the "white label" version of the Seiko 4R38, aka a no-date, no-frills workhorse.
Plagued by the WST crisis, I was pleasantly surprised by the fit on my wrist. I didn't feel it was small at all, despite being used to larger and bulkier pieces. It's a watch endowed with a classic charm, with brushed and polished finishes, and a minimalism that is one of the characteristics I appreciate most. In fact, with the exception of a GMT, all my watches are 3-hand/date.
What also won me over was the honesty of the product. There are no gimmicks. The crown is delightful to handle, the indications are clear and legible, the curved glass is beautiful in photographs and to the eye, water-resistant to 100 meters – in other words, it's made for work. If we're talking about "bang for the buck," then this piece is worth many "bangs for the buck."
The, at first, discouraging Ø38mm of the Kuoes turned out to be a pleasant surprise. So much so that I decided my next watch will certainly be made in Kyoto... but that's a story for another time.
The photoshoot was absolutely delightful. If, as a user, my preference is for steel or rubber straps, I confess that nothing beats a watch with a NATO strap as a photographic model because its flexibility allows for visually interesting contortions. The rest is a bit more of the same, with the passion for creating appealing images being my great motivator.
If you find yourselves in a rainy situation on one of those sleepy winter days in the near future, pick up one of your watches and any equipment you have, and take photos. Set up a small scene, which can just be a background texture, and visually explore your watches. I believe you will fall in love with them all over again, and both photography and watchmaking are all about passion.
By Paulo Pires in Watchmeetingpoint
