The Seven Treasures Series We are pleased to present a series of watches in natural mineral pigments with the theme of 'Seven Treasures'. Our watch faces and straps are all produced using natural dyes and minerals. The vivid and beautiful colors we achieve are possible only through a discerning use of these kinds of natural materials and we would very much like you to experience this beauty for yourself. First, pure silver leaf is applied to the face and then extremely thin hand-made Japanese paper is added to create an effect in which the silver shines through the small gaps in the paper to produce a particularly elegant finish. Gold leaf is also applied using a foliating technique to create a finish with a subtle shine. On top of this foundation, natural mineral pigments are used to produce the Seven Treasures design. According to Buddhist terminology, the Seven Treasures are gold, silver, crystal, Lapis lazuli, agate, coral and giant clam. The reason why this pattern became known as the Seven Treasures is unknown, but historically interwoven circles have been used to represent both harmonious relationships and good omens. There are examples from antiquity of interlocking circle designs that have been used in national treasures and cultural assets preserved in the Shosoin treasure house in Nara.
The design on the right is an interlocking pattern of the Seven Treasure motif and we have taken one of these rings to make our Seven Treasure design.
The design follows a systematic circular pattern. From the design the idea of harmonious relationships is easy to conceive. For functionality the points in the pattern have been arranged to point to three, six, nine and twelve. The watches are available in six color schemes which each have a unique design concept and meaning.

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1.Winter

Face: Natural Ground Crystal / Braided Strap: Red Plum Dye / \24.465

The delicate hues of winter in this white and pink combination called
'Under the Snow' represent the plum tree buried in the gradually laying snow.
Even in the middle of a harsh winter you might by chance just sense a hint
of the warmth of the coming spring. This watch was created with this delicate
aesthetic image in mind. The face is adorned with ground crystal and its qualities of transparency and shine really resemble snow. This effect is only possible with mineral pigments. The bright red color of the braid is achieved with a unique red plum dying technique used by Mr. Akira Yamamoto, the only person in Japan to have inherited the secret from times past.


2.Spring

Face: Pale Grounded Coral / Braided Strap: Noto Mountain Cherry Dye
￥24.465

Coral has been thought from ancient times to be able to ward off evil
spirits and promote friendly relations between people. It is also a highly
valued material. We have crushed this rare and precious material into
a natural pigment. The pale pink color conjures up an image of the mountain
cherry tree in the Noto area of Japan and we have produced the strap in the
same pale pink. Because of the ability of the Noto mountain cherry tree to
endure the harsh winters of the area, it provides a dye that is both strong
and beautiful and therefore ideal for the silk braid. We hope you will enjoy
the beautiful and gentle color combination of the coral and cherry.

3.Early Summer

Face: Natural Lapis Lazuli / Braided Strap: Plum Moss Dye / ￥24.465

The face has been finished in crushed Lapis lazuli. From the distant
past Lapis lazuli has been valued throughout the world as a stone
with the power to protect against misfortune. Perhaps because of the
mysterious depth of its blue, it has also been regarded as a stone
through which one can connect with God. The name plum moss comes
from the color of the moss that grows on plum trees and produces a
surprisingly vivid purple. A purple with such depth is only possible
through natural dye and it has been used since ancient times.
It was created with an invigorating image of early blooming purple
summer flowers such as wisteria and violets.

4.Summer

Face: Natural White Ultramarine / Braided Strap: Indigo Dye / ￥24.465

The vivid cobalt blue color of ultramarine becomes lighter and softer
the more finely it is ground and the brightness of its color changes
according to the size of the particles. We used this technique, which is
peculiar to mineral pigments and matched the pale blue with the
original natural indigo-dyed strap. Usually, indigo dye is produced
through the fermentation of leaves but in this indigo dying technique,
untreated leaves have been used. As this dye can only be produced at
the time that the leaves are harvested, it is both scarce and highly valued.

5.Summer

Face: Natural Malachite Green / Braided Strap: Mugwort Dye / ￥24.465

With this design, we have chosen one of the most familiar colors
in the natural mineral palette. It has been used abundantly throughout
Japanese art history as an important element in creating a strong and
impressive feel, examples of which include the murals of the Takamatsu
burial mounds and the scroll depicting the 'Tale of Genji'.
As malachite was thought to possess the power to ward off evil spirits,
it has been used widely since ancient times in both decorative
accessories and ornaments.


6.Autumn

Face: Natural Cinnabar / Braided Strap: Uji Tea Dye / ￥24.465

In old Japan, the mineral cinnabar known by the name ''Ni', was the color
of burial mounds and was thought to be an elixir for eternal life.
From the Paleolithic period it was thought to be a divine color and cinnabar
was revered as a sacred object that contained the soul. It has been found
recorded in the famous text 'The History of Wei' (that dates from the Yayoi
period: 300BC - 300AD) in which the lines 'There is cinnabar in that mountain'
provide evidence to support the importance of the mineral in the Yama
Taikoku country of olden Japan. The braided strap has been dyed with
Uji natural tea dye. The dye produces an elegant and beautiful pale color.
The color combination of dark red and light brown, known as
the color of fallen chestnuts in Japan, is representative of autumn
and appears in the classic 'Tale of Genji'.