SCAR 継ぎ:TSUGI

SCAR 継ぎ:TSUGI

$174.00
Size

HIROSHIGE is proud to introduce our new novelty in high-end horological leathers - the new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi. The new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi leverages our renowned traditional urushi and anticatura patina techniques to create what is perhaps one of the most complex-to-build fine leather straps in the market today.

The new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi strap combines our INDEN:印傳 Urushi deer leather with our hand-patinaed anticatura calf leather, then stitched and bound together by hand to create an avant-garde design that is a first in horological leather design. The strap is hand-cut to our unique 'katana' shape and finished with a laser engraving of our iconic Hiroshige script.

The new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi in mustard is priced at JPY 26,000 (est US$198). The complexity of making this strap puts production numbers at very limited levels, and will not be reintroduced after this production run.

The SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi is sized at 20mm at the lugs and 16mm at the buckle, and will fit most popular watches apart from Kurono - such as Rolex sports, Speedmasters and others.

Deliveries start from February 2023.

Lengths:

Standard: 115mm/75mm

Small: 105mm/70mm

Large: 130mm/80mm

Lug/Buckle widths: 20mm / 16mm

Upperside color: Miru-ai green deer leather with red urushi | Karashi-iro hand-patinaed leather

Underside color: Olive-green

Embossed logo on underside

Revised quick-release spring-bars at lugs end

Hand-made & hand-cut

Limited production and shall not be repeated

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INDEN:印傳 Urushi X Anticatura Patina

The INDEN portion of the strap is created from combining Japanese deer leather with hand-applied urushi lacquer. Popular during the Sengoku period (1467-1603) as part of samurai armorware, this centuries-old technique is now applied to create what is perhaps one of the most unique watch straps today. The INDEN Urushi leather features the unique properties of urushi lacquer - becoming glossier and achieving a slight patina over time. It is extremely time-consuming to create and cure INDEN and only a limited number of sheets can be made each year. The deer leather is sustainably sourced from official local breeders in the western Japan, and is very limited.

The Anticatura Patina portion of the strap is created from supple calf leather that is hand-dyed using the anticatura patina technique, bringing an additional level of character and refinement to horological leather. Patina must be hand-applied and hand-rubbed to create the desired effect.

No two straps will ever look the same, and they will over time take on their own character and personality by building on the original patina as it ages.

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Pushing Boundaries

The sheer amount of man-hours and effort needed to create each and every new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi is immense and its intrinsic value far exceeds listed prices. But it was done to push boundaries in horological leather design of what's possible in a small sliver of leather.

HIROSHIGE aims to bring Edo-era art and reinvent them into fresh avant-garde aesthetics, and in the process disrupt all sensibilities of price-performance – to bring what was previously exclusive and loftily priced, to new benchmarks of accessibility that can be enjoyed by all.

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Hiroshige Script & Katana Cut

All HIROSHIGE straps are engraved with legendary Ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige’s original handwritten poem from the original artwork ca. 1840 in our collection. The poem is loosely translated as: 'The moon indulges into the night in various ways.'

The ends of the strap are hand cut with a shape reminiscent of the ends of a katana blade. This not only provides an iconic look that is unmistakably Hiroshige, but allows for easier entry into strap guides when worn.

Hand-made Construction Complexity

The new SCAR 継ぎ:Tsugi pushes the limits of what's possible in the construction of fine horological leathers. Apart of the time and effort that is needed to to create the INDEN deer and Anticatura Patina calf leather portions of the strap, the thickness of every single strap must be adjusted (hand-splicing) and then individually matched because deer and calf leathers have vastly different thicknesses. A unique cross-stitch is then made by hand, before finishing the underside with a thin piece of supple calf.

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Made By A Certified Master Craftsman

HIROSHIGE INDEN is made by a certified master craftsman from start to finish. It was originally created as a material for samurai armor, however as battles came to an end, the technique translated into fine crafts for nobility.

Because Japanese urushi is sensitive to temperature, humidity, and other seasonal factors, it requires many skills to apply evenly. Today, there are only five other 'master' level craftsmen in all of Japan that can create good INDEN.