Tomorrow, Gnomon Watches will launch the Hitori Somei Yoshino Azusa Green, the latest iteration of the successful Yoshino line. You may recall I reviewed the Snowdrift edition back in September 2023. It was a pretty watch in the Grand Seiko style and an exceptional value. The Azusa offers the same qualities with new color and texture.
This version shares its case with previous Yoshinos, a decision I cannot fault for a minute. It’s a gorgeous shape and brilliantly finished. What’s not to like? It measures 39.6mm wide, 46.8mm long, and just a tad under 11mm thick, not including that sapphire box crystal. Alternating brushed and polished surfaces offer a lively play of light and rich dimension. Yes, it borrows from Seiko’s “grammar of design” aesthetic, perhaps too literally for some, but given the level of execution, I don’t mind that in the least.
Clearly, this is a watch designed for everyday use. Chiseled and drilled bombé lugs and a large screw-down crown backed up by its 100m water resistance tell you that this is a proper sports watch, albeit, an elegant one. It was in no way overbearing on my 6.75″ wrist. It slipped right under my buttoned shirt cuff and looked quite dapper with a suit.
Flipping the watch over reveals a Seiko NH35. It’s a reliable 24-jewel, 21.6k bph automatic with Diashock protection; a solid choice if not exactly fancy in its natural state. Hitori spiced it up with an engraved gold fan rotor and framed it with a polished, coin-edged backplate. The result is rather attractive, particularly given this otherwise utilitarian movement.
Where the Yoshino Snowdrift version wore a dress watch’s face, the Somei Yoshino model is almost a classic diver. I say almost because although those thick, chiseled markers and broad hands have the right proportions for underwater legibility, they lack the necessary lume. Instead, they are intricately faceted, grooved, brushed, and polished, bringing the case’s motif onto the dial.
The second hand and applied logo are gold. This reinforces the more luxuriant aspect of the watch and looks fabulous against that deep green.
Those chunky elements are essential as the delicate baton markers of the Snowdrift would be swallowed by the heavy texture of the Somei Yoshino Azusa. Hitori says the surface is meant to evoke wood grain. This is the second color released for this dial; the first, called Shirakaba, was white, and a limited number are still in stock.
It is a pronounced effect with irregular striations and deep valleys that create an organic quality. As you can see in my photos, the effect is best in softer, indirect light that allows you to appreciate its depth, as opposed to direct sunlight (like in my wrist shot), which catches the high points and washes out the rest.
My favorite change is probably the smallest and most nit-picky. The Snowdrift had “Japan Movt” between the 6 and 7 o’clock markers, and a little “NH35” all on its own just to the right of the 6. It was off-center, and it drove me nuts. On the Azusa, we find “Japan” to the left of the 6 and “Movt” to the right. Symmetry at last!
The three-link bracelet is just as it was before and why not? It’s lovely. It’s 20mm wide and dual-finished. Check out the polished bands on the center links! The signed, flip-lock diver’s clasp looks more at home on this watch than it did on the Snowdrift. If you prefer a strap, quick-release pins and drilled lugs should make the swap an easy one.
The Hitori Somei Yoshino Azusa Green is another beautiful piece from Hitori. The brand has a clear appreciation for Japanese design – particularly that of Grand Seiko – that it has successfully parlayed into watches delivering excellent value for the money.
The watch will be launched on July 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm Singapore time (1:00 pm US EDT) for $539. As with all the Yoshino models, this will be a limited edition, so if you want one on your wrist, I’d recommend you head over to Gnomon Watches soon.
