Minase 7 Windows

Minase 7 Windows

The Minase 7 Windows is the latest model from the Japanese luxury watch brand. Its unusual approach to bracelet, case and dial design, distinguish it as uniquely Japanese and, more specifically, an exemplar of fine watchmaking, born in the Yuzawa Mountains.

Periodically, I am asked which nations make the best mechanical watches, Germany, Japan or Switzerland? The fact is, a watch’s country of origin does not determine its greatness. All three of the aforementioned nations are a source of fabulous watches, however, excellence is determined by the manufacturer, design, materials and the overall execution.

Nevertheless, the country of origin can influence the aesthetic elements and technical details. The bridges on many Swiss watches are adorned with Côtes de Genève. Several German timepieces feature a three-quarter plate and screwed gold chatons. Likewise, the design of several Japanese watches is inspired by nature.

Japanese watch brand, Minase, is based in the Yuzawa Mountains. The firm has employed its own, unique approach to watchmaking. For example, the company shuns watchmaking convention, eschewing a normal dial in favour of its ‘case in case’ approach. As the brand explains, ‘The movement is covered by a container on top of which the index ring is fitted. This creates a floating structure built inside each case’. By adopting this approach the display is comprised of numerous layers, delivering an array of depths.

The bracelet and case are subject to Zaratsu polishing, a technique familiar to legions of Grand Seiko owners. The resultant finish exhibits a mirror-like, distortion-free gleam. Furthermore, the bracelet and case are formed using the brand’s unique construction technique ‘MORE’ (Minase Original Rebuild Equation). Inspired by Japanese wooden puzzles, each part of the case and bracelet can be disassembled, repaired or replaced should the need arise.

Recently, the Japanese firm released a new model, the Minase 7 Windows. Similar to the company’s 5 Windows model, the watch is fitted with numerous panes of sapphire crystal, in this instance, seven in total. This design affords lateral views of the elaborately layered display. Furthermore, the additional glazing allows light to flood the display area, augmenting legibility and showcasing its delightful execution.

In the past, Minase offered a limited-edition 7 Windows model featuring a prodigious power reserve of 120 hours with a power-reserve indicator between 3 and 6 o’clock. This version of the Minase 7 Windows is equipped with a different movement and has a highly lucid date indication, again positioned between 3 and 6 o’clock. While this new model is not a limited edition, it will remain quite exclusive owing to its high quotient of hand craftsmanship.

At the heart of this watch is a modified ETA 2892/A2, a highly popular movement renowned for its reliability. Minase has subsequently embellished the movement with ‘perlage, blue screws, bridges with diamond polished bevels and a main plate and bridges in black “or”’.The rotor encompasses the brand’s logo and features numerous apertures to reveal more of the movement surfaces below. Lastly, the rotor runs on MPS lubrication-free bearings.

Last year, I reviewed the brand’s Divido and Horizon models, wearing them over a number of days. Both watches proved very impressive and, more pertinently, they were born in the Yuzawa Mountains, a place where craftsmanship is manifest.

The brand’s press release