Hanamokko Usuzumi is a warm grey made from volcanic glass. The dial is crushed obsidian, and the name means thin ink, the diluted wash of ink painting, which is close to how it looks: an even mid-grey with a fine grain and a light sparkle up close. It warms or cools with the room and does not ask for attention. C-Brain makes each clock by hand in Kanazawa.
HOW HANAMOKKO IS MADE
The body is zelkova, turned on a lathe by hand in the technique called rokuro-hiki. The woodworker is Tatsuya Kutsumi of Yamanaka Onsen in Ishikawa Prefecture, a region with more than four hundred years of lacquerware production. Each one is cut so the core of the tree sits at the top of the case and again at the base, and the growth rings spread around the body between them, clearest on the Natural finish: one measure of time wrapped around another. The Black finish is a stain, so the grain shows through it, and in bright light some of the wood’s brown does too. The dial is iwa-enogu, the crushed-mineral pigment of traditional Japanese painting, laid down in about ten coats by a painter with more than twenty-five years of experience, so the grain of the stone stays visible. Beneath the pigment is kozo washi, a strong handmade paper prepared by Mayumi Ishikawa in Futamata, Kanazawa. The hour markers are small discs of gold leaf, and there are two hands, hour and minute, with no second hand. It uses a silent Seiko quartz movement, and the back is closed by a removable cover cut from leftover watch-strap leather, which we can engrave. Ko Ushijima designed the clock.
CHOOSING YOUR USUZUMI
Usuzumi sits in the middle of the range, with more contrast than white and less than black. The hands stay readable; the gold markers come and go with the light, clearest when a lamp strikes the dial from the side. Brown gives the grey a little color and a little contrast, and is the pairing we would pick. Natural is nearer the dial in tone and warms it. Black makes the clock nearly monochrome and is made to order. This is the dial for someone you know well enough to buy a gift for, though not well enough to guess a favorite color. The Tou is the larger Hanamokko, five inches across, numbered, and made only for Clock Forward. It gives this dial more reach across a room and the same calm.
DEALER’S NOTES
Under a lamp, the hands and wooden rim cast shadows that deepen the grey. Most of our clients put the smaller Hanamokko on a desk and the larger Tou on a shelf. On the pale dials, the hands are usually easier to see than the gold markers. On the darker dials, the markers stand out more. We do not think there is a wrong pairing of wood and dial. We stock the combinations our clients choose most and will order any other. Each clock ships from Charlotte in a gift box made for us, with a lithium battery already installed behind a paper pull tab, our brochure on the crafts behind it, and a five-year warranty on the movement. When the movement eventually needs replacing, you can do it yourself with our kit. A small clock does not need ten coats of mineral pigment or hand-cut gold leaf. C-Brain does it anyway.
Quick Help & Manual
Setting the time
Remove the leather cover by pulling the leather tab, and turn the time adjustment wheel so the hands rotate in a clockwise direction. It is OK if the hands move slightly counterclockwise if you are adjusting for a few minutes. Never set the time by manipulating the hands directly. Replace the leather cover when finished.
Battery
The clock is powered by one AA 1.5 V battery. We ship with an Energizer lithium long-lasting leak-proof battery that should last for several years. We also recommend Duracell alkaline batteries. It is important to remove or replace the battery once it stops working to prevent battery leakage and damage. Using a good battery helps extend the life of the movement.
When replacing the battery, lift the old battery out from the right (negative side). You may need to use a flathead screwdriver to gently assist in prying the battery out. Insert the new battery from the right (negative side) first by pushing into the spring, and then push down the positive (left) side.
Custom engraving
For a small fee, we can custom engrave a short message (and some logos) on the back leather piece. For larger corporate orders, it is possible to engrave the entire back.
Care and maintenance
Clean the clock occasionally with a soft microfiber cloth. The Zelkova wood is sealed with a clear polyurethane coat to resist wear. The mineral pigment dial is scratchable and should be carefully dusted with a soft brush or handheld blower (for cameras and small electronics). Change the battery as soon as the clock slows or stops. If you need to store your clock for a lengthy period, please remove the battery.
Where not to display
Avoid exposing the clock to direct sunlight to prevent the natural pigments from fading. Do not place in a very humid environment as warping and/or mold growth may occur.
Warranty & repairs
C-Brain clocks are guaranteed against defects under normal use, for 2 years on parts & labor from the date of purchase. Normal wear and tear damage or defects are excluded from warranty after 2 years. If purchased through Clock Forward, the movement is covered by a warranty for an additional 3 years (5 years total). We make the warranty process as simple as possible.
All mechanical parts are repairable and/or replaceable. Please contact us if you have any problems throughout the life of your clock—whether in or out of warranty.
