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OUR STORY
KUOE is a watch brand that was established in the historic Japanese city of Kyoto in 2020.
The brand was created with the vision of appealing a classic design from Kyoto to the world.
We want people from around the world to enjoy high-quality classic design watches made in Japan.
The appeal of “classic” is universal.
The origin of the KUOE brand and concept dates back to 2010.
Uchimura, the designer and founder, was a university student studying language in London, England when he just so happened to enter a shop that was handling antique watches.
There was a line-up of hand-wound watches from the 1940s – ‘70s. He was instantly drawn to them and their ability to keep time even after the rich accumulation of history in the decades that had passed. Although the watches were antiques, they somehow felt warm and refreshing, and were naturally appealing to wear on the wrist.
There, in that shop, Uchimura found the strong appeal of classic design, and realized that something that is truly classic is loved and revered universally around the world and across generations. Deeply influenced by this experience, he was inspired to create a classic design watch brand of his own.
From that day forward, he worked to achieve his dream.
After graduating university, Uchimura began working for a watch company in Kyoto –a city steeped in Japanese tradition. For a few years, he gained experience in the business and learned more about watches until he was ready to launch a sub-brand which was dedicated to his idea of introducing the classic design he had seen in those antiques in London into new models of wristwatches.
In 2020, he was finally able to establish his own classic watch brand, KUOE. The first model, Old Smith 90-001 in April.
“The appeal of classic design from Kyoto to the world.”
Our goal is to make KUOE products widely available for everyone to feel the beauty of classic design.