Micro Tournament Final Four: Baltic Vs. Kurono Tokyo

Check Out The Lineups Here:

• Baltic

• Kurono Tokyo

 Read the Elite Eight update and see the updated bracket here.

So it begins…..:places highly ornate samurai helmet over head: We fight for Lord Hajime! Onto the finals!!!

Sadly all artistry aside, unless I'm missing something, legibility, more importantly legibility in low light/no light takes precedence...to choose over any tool worn on my wrist.

Beautiful dials, cases, and all the handmade movements don't matter if I can't see it. YMMV.

Baltic FTW.

Have to go with Baltic since I don't yet have any Kurono Tokyo in the collection...

Did not realize that blue diver was so 🔥....

Dang it my dude, first it's NG, now Baltic....👀🤏🏻🤙🏻😜.

I read this as, you need a KT Chrono. Maybe 8. :-)

Baltic

I need one like Alan @Fieldwalker ...

I love the orange version of that.

I own an MR01 (silver dial) but I want a Kurono Tokyo Mk.2 so going with Hajime-san.

No waitlist 😉

I love the kt designs but it's hard to vote for them cause they have nothing in stock

🤘🤘

There's a set for sale from the UK....👀🤏🏻, I'm watching it 😂.

I’d rather visit the Baltic Sea than Tokyo so this vote was easy.

This is an interesting round. Kurono Tokyo is a bit of an under dog that has taken down some stiff competition. Baltic I feel has only had one big challenge. But maybe that speaks to the reputation Baltic has created for itself. I think Baltic takes this round possibly too easily.

As a soon to be Baltic owner when I visit Melbourne to pick one up, excited to see them make it so far. One question for OP, why wasn’t Christopher Ward here in the initial lineup? Is it because they’re much larger and regarded as an independent brand?

In particular, and from my limited understanding, they pretty much own their whole manufacturing line, and have started to get into their own movements.

But the waters in the micro world are murky and convoluted at best.

We had them year one. They are awesome, I own them and will likely get more, but even they admit they don’t fall into the micro space. Many would argue they are closer to Oris than say Zelos. I try to keep this to the smaller independents/micros. Some this year were borderline and may not make the cut next go around, but we have to maintain a few popular brands.

Makes sense. Bel Canto was interesting, and I guess they are slowly reaching mainstream appeal. I work in a watch store, I’ve so far seen two Christopher Wards owners walked in wearing them, one was a Twelve, another was a Trident 600 which till this I day I regretted not buying.

Yeah. I am planning to get a Baltic Bicompax 002. I think the guys down at Time and Tide in Melbourne has some Baltic pieces but I’m not sure how many. Regardless will still have a look and see what they have. Mechanical chronographs are expensive, and I don’t wanna spend too much on it. I am eager to expand my collection soon, just got too many watches wanting attention and not enough money 😂

Have it, actually wore it to dinner this evening. Really nice watch, but you have to be okay with a hesalite crystal that certainly feels like plastic (some love it) and the ST-19 movement. I met the folks at Baltic and they were very nice, passionate about what they do so I wanted to buy something from them. I look forward to seeing what they do perhaps a level or two up. If they release a version of this, they can take my credit card.

I’m not too big of a fan of the hesalite crystal. I’m not sure if it’s destroying the watch, but I wouldn’t mind swapping out to a dome sapphire crystal if I can find one the appropriate size. I know a watchmaker in my city that can do that for me. For the movement, I don’t mind the Seagull movement, yeah it’s a cheap Chinese movement but still cool looking nonetheless, and at least there’s history behind the movement as well.

Have to be careful on that front, sometimes the tension ring is steel on acrylic a la vintage Omegas.

This whole tourney, this has been a back and forth. Owner/brand perspective vs end user, etc.

I love it, discussion is what makes us enthusiasts.

If it's gonna be a light EDC, dress, office setting you'll be fine IMO.

I'm the odd ball that prefers acrylic on my hard use stuff. Glare being one issue. Granted I don't have a $5k tool watch, but the ones I've held have similar crystals to my micro stuff, and without AR coating in the outside it is noticable. YMMV.

Fair enough. I knock my watches more too often than I can count, that’s why for me, sapphire crystals are often a deal breaker. Watches are to be worn for me, and wear them I will haha. Haven’t gotten a dress watch yet, but maybe I’ll get one one day and I’ll pamper that. My watches are all sport watches or dive watches.

This is since '21, never Polywatched.

Before a rather active day:

After: picked up two nicks/scratches and some more swirls, directly underneath the 1 indice.

And I have nothing against sapphire. Have plenty with it.

I only bring up acrylic is tougher than what the Internet would have you believe.

Thanks Mel!

Maybe we can do a swap (temporary) one of these days if you want to try it out.

The Akane might be my favorite as well, but it came out before I knew the brand well.

Poll closed for this matchup. Congratulations to Baltic!