Tokyo’s Asakusa district has always been a refuge for traditional craftspeople, like artisans who work quietly but deliberately, preserving techniques while the city races forward around them. It’s fitting, then, that this same neighborhood is home to Kiwame Tokyo, a microbrand launched earlier this year by watch-industry veteran Masami Watanabe. After spending three decades importing European luxury timepieces into Japan, Watanabe decided it was time to flip the script. His debut models, the dress-oriented Kurotsuki and Usuki, sold out quickly. Now, just months later, the brand returns with something more versatile: the Iwao Sumi.
Japanese Sensibilities
With legible dials, practical sizing, and overall tool-watch aesthetic, the Iwao series takes the field watch template and filters it through a distinctly Japanese lens. Rather than leaning on military references or rugged simplicity alone, Kiwame has layered in textural contrasts and architectural details you won’t really find on your typical outdoor-ready timepiece.
The name “Iwao” translates to “massive rock,” and that concept drives the entire dial design. At its center sits a boldly stamped rock-surface texture that brings a sort of depth to the watch. It’s surrounded by a calm, satin-finished ring that hosts the applied Arabic numerals and baton indexes — all diamond-cut and polished to catch light as you move your wrist. It’s a two-layer structure that balances roughness with sophistication, which is pretty much the brand’s whole ethos in a single dial.
Not Your Average Field Watch
The black Sumi variant (there’s also a silver Ginkai version) uses this contrast particularly well. Against the near-black background, those polished indexes stand out sharply, and the red-tipped seconds hand — shaped after the roofline of Asakusa’s iconic Kaminarimon gate — adds a subtle local reference. The brand could’ve gone with a simple seconds hand and called it a day, but they didn’t.
What makes the dial even more interesting is how Kiwame handles the rehaut and minute track. They’ve kept the rehaut exceptionally low-profile and added an angled minute track that creates the visual effect of the dial sitting remarkably close to the sapphire crystal. There’s also a thin polished ring between the flat dial surface and the sloped track.
Case & Movement
The 38mm stainless steel case is the perfect size. Likewise, at 9.5mm thick and 46mm lug-to-lug, it’s got classic proportions that should work on most wrists. The finishing here plays into the dial’s textural theme witih vertical brushing on the bezel top, polished bevels that flow into polished lug tops, and brushed case bands. There’s a push-pull crown (not screw-down, but you’re still getting 100m of water resistance), and the sapphire crystal has an inner anti-reflective coating.
Inside, you’ll find the Miyota 9039, a slim, reliable Japanese automatic that runs at 4Hz with a 42-hour power reserve, hacking seconds, and hand-winding capability. Laslty, the watch comes on an Italian calf leather strap in dark navy with contrast stitching and quick-release spring bars. It would be nice to see a bracelet option down the line, but the leather suits the watch’s character.
Spec Sheet
Model: Kiwame Tokyo Iwao Sumi
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Case Size: 38mm
Case Thickness: 9.5mm
Lug-to-Lug: 46mm
Crystal: Sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating
Movement: Miyota 9039 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Lume: Blue-glowing luminous material on hands and 12 o’clock triangle marker
Strap: Italian calf leather
Price: $690
Pricing & Availability
Priced at $690, the Kiwame Tokyo Iwao Sumi goes on sale December 25 at 10:30 AM Japan Standard Time through the brand’s website.
Recap
Kiwame Tokyo Iwao Sumi
Kiwame Tokyo’s new Iwao Sumi field watch brings Japanese craftsmanship to the sub-$700 space with a standout rock-textured dial, thoughtful finishing details, and a compact 38mm case that punches well above its price point.
