One of the major challenges that face dive watches is the fact that they are caught between two worlds. Underwater you want a watch to be durable and legible, which often means large dimensions and bulky designs. Whereas on land, comfort and style become far more important, for which smaller dimensions and sleek shapes are often superior. If a design leans too far in one direction you begin to sacrifice the other. However, Kurono Tokyo have come up with an ingenious solution to this problem: a 2-in-1 wristwatch that is both a 46mm diver and a 35mm dress watch. It’s called the Kurono Diver’s.
The basic concept here is that the main body of the watch is the 35mm dress watch. A cushion case (a first for Kurono) design in steel with polished finishing and short lugs that lead into a leather strap. The case body can then be placed inside the bigger, 46mm diving case to create an entirely different appearance and set of specs. It’s still steel but with a red dive timer bezel graduated to 60-minutes. It’s also crownless, as the crown is tucked away inside on the smaller watch, which removes one of the common points of water ingress on standard divers.
For water resistance, there are two different specs that are important to address. The Kurono Diver’s with its diving case equipped is officially tested and rated to 100m water resistance. However, it has actually been built and engineered to resist pressures up to a depth of 300m. I can only speculate as to why this is the case, but it is definitely a little strange that if you’ve built a watch for 300m that you wouldn’t also get it officially rated to that specification. However, I think it’s forgivable given the highly experimental nature of the watch, packed full of firsts for the brand. Opening the diving case is done via a dedicated tool that attaches to the bezel and undoes via a screw-thread mechanism.
Interestingly, one thing that the 2-in-1 concept doesn’t solve of the dive-dress dichotomy we established in the introduction is the fact that the dial needs to be equally useful in both modes. It’s the only part of the watch visible in both configurations. It needs to be hyper legible underwater but also stylish enough to pass at an evening soiree. The solution, a fairly conventional dive watch display in white with black hour markers coated with lume for low light legibility paired with the unconventional choice of cathedral hands to boost its class and dressy style on land. It incredibly manages to look natural in both modes.
Inside the 35mm case body is the beating heart of the watch, the Miyota calibre 90S5 automatic with 40-hour power reserve. The use of third-party Japanese movements is standard for Kurono Tokyo because that’s one of the main ways they maintain an accessible price point in comparison to Hajime Asaoka’s (the designer behind Kurono) eponymous brand.
Speaking of pricing, the Kurono Tokyo Kurono Diver’s is $2,700 excl. tax (approx. £2,025). It’s available exclusively through application via ballot, with the ballot open 5th – 11th March 2026. You can submit an Expression of Interest application on the Kurono Tokyo website. They also note that a portion of the watch allocation has been reserved for applicants who can prove they are diving certified with PADI, SSI, NAUI or other official diving schools, ensuring the dive watch finds its way into the hands of those who will actually use it. It’s super interesting to see Kurono release an experimental concept because until now they have been a very style and design focussed brand.
Price and Specs:
More details at Kurono Tokyo.
