Hajime Asaoka

Born in 1965 in Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in Arts and Sculpture, initially pursuing a career as an industrial designer. His fascination with mechanical complexity led him to teach himself watchmaking in the early 2000s using George Daniels' book 'Watchmaking' and disassembling watches to learn. He began manufacturing watches in 2005. In 2009, he created Japan's first wristwatch with an in-house tourbillon movement (Tourbillon #1), and in 2011 began selling watches under his own name 'HAJIME ASAOKA Tokyo Japan.' He became a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), making him the first non-Western member of the organization. He later founded Tokyo Watch Precision and in 2019 launched Kurono Tokyo as a more accessible sister brand. By 2018, he had produced only 18 watches under his own name, reflecting his commitment to handcrafted excellence over volume.