Wajima, Origin of Japanese Lacquer Art
Wajima stands as the cradle of Japanese maki-e and urushi craftsmanship, a coastal town where centuries of tradition flow through the hands of master artisans. Renowned for its uniquely rich lacquer and meticulous layering techniques, Wajima has long been the heart of Japan’s most exquisite lacquerware. Here, skill is not simply taught — it is inherited, honed through generations with devotion and patience. Every piece born in Wajima carries the soul of this heritage: the quiet rhythm of handwork, the reverence for nature, and the enduring pursuit of beauty that defines Japanese artistry.
The Wajima Collection
we turned to the famed maki-e artisans of Wajima to portray the famous East Asian legend of perseverance and transformation, the tale of the dragon and the carp. Bouken Koi captures the dramatic moment when our heroic koi launches itself into the air after facing countless trials and tribulation on the Yellow River.Henshin Dragon portrays the end of the heroic koi’s journey, having successfully transformed into a mighty and regal dragon. Only two of each Bouken Koi and Henshin Dragon will be offered to collectors. Pieces of the Masterpiece Series will be highly limited due to their time intensive nature.
Bouken Koi captures the dramatic moment when our heroic koi launches itself into the air after facing countless trials and tribulation on the Yellow River.
Henshin Dragon portrays the end of the heroic koi’s journey, having successfully transformed into a mighty and regal dragon.
Each model in the Raden Collection features our new Prestige V2 Caliber.
Based on the renowned Swiss ETA Unitas 6498-2, our custom movement undergoes a complete overhaul by our precision partner in Glashütte, the birthplace of German watchmaking. The custom 3/4 bridge, mainplate and balance bridge are meticulously beveled and polished to highlight their unique shapes, drawing inspiration from vintage pocket watch movements and classical watchmaking. Adorned with Rose gold perlage and rodhium plating, it gleams with the same brilliance as the mirror-polished steel screws and ratchet-click system. All the handmade finishes make this watch not only beautiful front side, but also back side.
When Heritage Meets Artistry
A collaboration rooted in mutual respect for tradition and craftsmanship, the Adiantes x OAN.GIO partnership unites Japanese artisanship and Southeast Asian creativity. After exploring Japan’s timeless crafts and their masters, Nghia, founder of OAN.GIO, envisioned timepieces that embody wabi-sabi—the beauty of imperfection. To complete this story, he partnered with Tintin from Adiantes, blending artistry and sustainability in a shared pursuit of meaningful design.
The Birth of a Double Upcycle
Inspired by Japan’s heritage textiles, the collaboration revives discarded vintage kimono fabrics—each carrying personal and historical stories. Adiantes collects these remnants, the by-products of upcycling, and transforms them in Thailand into unique watch straps. Each piece is upcycled twice, turning forgotten silk fragments into wearable history. No two straps are ever alike—each one echoes its origin and past life.
A Celebration of Craft and Culture
In collaboration with Nghia, we both sought to design a strap that wouldn’t just complement the Japanese dials but elevate them. “We wanted to bring an equally artistic strap to match the intricacy and soul of the dials,” Tintin explains. “It’s about balance between material and meaning, between craft and sustainability.”
The result is a union of art forms: Oan.Gio’s mastery in horology meets Adiantes’ innovation in sustainable material development. Together, they’ve created something that is as thoughtful as it is beautiful, an expression of care, culture, and continuity.
No two straps are alike. Each pattern tells a story that can never be repeated. And in that uniqueness lies the beauty of the collaboration, an embodiment of Japanese artistry and Southeast Asian craftsmanship.